THE JAY GILDAY BAND
October 24, 2019

At once elemental and unearthly, Jay Gilday’s voice is a raw and gorgeous siren of the Canadian north, fusing hymnal anguish with driving rhythm and blues. What sets Jay apart is the unfailing authenticity that accompanies his rare talents. His musical craft is genuine, and the intensity of his delivery is a product of conviction, rather than coaching.

Jay Gilday has a rare convergence of skills in the world of singer-songwriters. His neatly trimmed and powerful turns of phrase, an ability to pull the listener into a particularly vivid experience, and a warm vocal instrument coupled with an always dynamic, and at times explosive instrumental foundation, make for a formidable and complete skill set. 

On his second full-length record, Faster than Light (2016), Jay’s voice is bathed in a torrent of harmonic electric blues—in turns playful and devastating—perhaps best described as an uncannily soulful brand of rock. This record has earned Gilday Indigenous Artist of the Year from the Western Canadian Music Awards (2017), Singer-songwriter of the Year, and Artists to Watch from the Edmonton Music Awards (2017).

As a songwriter, Jay threads together the colours of his own ancestral traditions: Dene spirituals, Irish ballads, Canadian folk and rock. He was raised in a family of accomplished musicians on the tundra of Yellowknife.