It’s
so very effortless to fall in love with
Jill Barber. With her brown,
doe-like eyes, and wide, easy smile, she appears, at first glance, fashioned
from a quiet and innocent kind of beauty – undeniably honest and sweet. But on
stage, draped in her guitar and
crooning into the microphone,
there is a
playfulness and
sensuality about her performance
that belies her seemingly soft-spoken and wide-eyed nature. However alluring and
captivating she is in front of a crowd, it’s her dulcet timbre that will leave
you enchanted. Rich and smooth, Jill Barber has a voice like smoke and honey,
and it will wrap itself around you in a slow and gentle caress before seeping
through your pores to melt your heart. Originally from Port Credit, Ontario, but currently based out of Halifax, Jill recently brought her unique musical stylings – a kind of rootsy folk, inflected with both old-time country and cabaret-jazz – back home to Toronto as part of the Wintercity Concert Series this past Sunday. Supported on-stage, once again, by Les Cooper – producer of her latest album, For All Time, and current touring partner – as well as two other band members – including Basil Donovan of Blue Rodeo on bass – Jill played a marvellous little show, entertaining the listeners gathered outside at Nathan Phillips Square in spite of freezing temperatures, grey skies, and snow flurries.
Donned in a striped scarf and fur hat, and wearing a pair of green and white gloves borrowed from the previous musical act, N.Q. Arbuckle, Jill hit the stage when the clock tower, across from the square, at Old City Hall tolled the second hour. All smiles, despite the weather, Jill seemed pleased to be back in the city; no doubt glad for the chance not only to play for her fans, but also to visit with her parents and older brother – musician Matthew Barber – who call the area home, and who I spotted in the crowd.
Jill kicked off her eleven song set with Just For Now – the cozy and inviting lead-track from her newest disc. While most of the set-list was taken from For All Time, a few older fan-favourites, including the sexy, cabaret-kissed Measures & Scales, and a rollicking version of the lovelorn In Perfect Time, were thrown in for good measure. Between songs, while she retuned her guitar and Les desperately tried to warm his bare hands, Jill amused the audience with a few jokes and some stories. When Les teasingly complimented her on her fur hat, Jill admitted that she had borrowed it from her father that morning, and then quipped, after confessing earlier to having never played in such wintry conditions, “that’s another thing I’ve never done – worn a beaver on my head”. Oh, but how lovely she looked in our national symbol. Much to my own delight, Jill also performed You Weigh Heavy on My Heart – a brand new, straight-shooting old-school country song, which she explained was written while hanging out backstage with Les Cooper after a recent gig in Edmonton – before closing out the afternoon - fat, fluffy snowflakes dancing on the air – with the infectious, hand-clapping, foot-tapping Hard Line.
Ever genuinely appreciative of both her fans and their support, and of her opportunity to share her music, Jill Barber was gracious in thanking the audience, on more than one occasion, for sticking with her despite the chilly setting. I’m sure most of the crowd would have agreed that it was easy, for an hour, to forget the cold, wrapped up in the warmth of her voice. It may be a while, however, before we see Jill in this city again. The next few months will see her play a string a dates throughout the Maritimes before she heads down to Austin, TX. in mid-March to take part in the venerable South By Southwest Music Festival. In the meantime, Jill will return home to Halifax for this year’s East Coast Music Awards where she’s nominated for four awards, and slated to perform at the event. You can watch the 2007 ECMA’s and cheer on Jill when the awards show airs February 18th on the CBC.