André Bisson plays the soul protector with his soul-powered new single and video Shake — showcasing today on Tinnitist.
Just like our closest loved ones, music is a dedicated companion. It will always be there for us as a savior, a confidant and a provider of solace and comfort. Multi-honoured Canadian blues singer-songwriter and guitarist Bisson knows this truth as well as anyone — and built his latest release around that premise of providing safe harbour. Shake, the soulful lead single from the Hamilton artist’s forthcoming 10th album Latchford, is about “protecting the ones we love from the emotional dangers of the outside world,” explains Bisson. “The title refers to when we see our loved ones in such a state of fear and turmoil that they physically cannot stop shaking.”
With its energetic, chugging guitar groove, heavenly sweet strings and Memphis-style horn section, Shake has a mile-wide grin that belies but also helps deliver the song’s strong emotional message:
“When you shake, let me wrap my arms around you
And I promise that I’ll never let go
When you shake, I’m here to calm the fire
Melt the worry and soothe your soul.”
When the song’s groove-setting guitar and piano intro lifts into an interplay of strings and horns, that’s everyone’s cue to hit the button, put the top down and set sail down a sun-dappled highway, propelled by the happy sounds that surround a pretty serious storyline. “The instrumentation is intentionally used to help create the sound of happiness, optimism, and joy by creating layers of sound (horns, violins, and backing vocals) to wrap around the listener to give an added sense of protection,” notes Bisson.
Fresh from winning the 2022 Blues & Roots Radio International Song of the Year Contest and recently being nominated for the 2023 Creator Award for the Hamilton Arts Awards, Bisson is turning more and more of the heads he’s worked very hard to reach throughout his very busy, 20-plus-year career. He confidently and joyfully leads a band that can range in size from six to 20 members and has toured Canada, the U.S., the U.K. and Europe to many sold out audiences and acclaim.
However, when it comes to songwriting and arranging, Bisson is largely DIY. Once again on Latchford, Bisson has written and arranged all 11 songs, which all follow a more philosophical and broad-minded thread than your typical bunch of blues songs. “The one-word description for the new album is perspective,” offers the five-time Hamilton Arts Awards nominee. “Sometimes it’s not about changing the situation but how we view it.”
With this new collection, Bisson is admirably mining deeper blues and the lead single Shake ties right into that overall theme of ‘perspective.’ “Realizing that we are not alone and have people who are there for us,” he notes. “The situation may not change but our perspective of it does, which in turn, alters our reality of the situation.”
As with his previous albums like 2022’s The Ballad of Lucy Stone, Bisson is the sole songwriter, arranger and producer for Latchford but, when it comes to interpreting the tunes and playing most of the wide variety of instruments that bring them to life, it took a talented village. Bisson sings all lead vocals, plays all the electric and acoustic guitars, as well as some percussion and harmonica on the new album. Joining him are Jesse O’Brien on piano and organ, Mike Rowell on bass guitar, Keagan Early on drums, Pat Carey on tenor and baritone saxophone, Shawn Moody on trumpet/flugelhorn, Loretta Hale on trumpet and cello, Rob Somerville on trombone, Paul Barna on violin/viola, Quisha Wint and Selena Evangeline on backing vocals and Dan Rodrigues on additional piano. The album was recorded at Mississauga’s Metalworks Studios with engineering and mixing by Wayne Cochrane Sound and mastering by Chris Crerar Mastering.
Watch the video for Shake above, hear more from André Bisson below, and see what’s shaking on his website, Facebook and Instagram.
