After a long summer of touring, the members of The Greenbank Trio returned to their homes in Thunder Bay to record and rest. Over the past four months, band members Lucas Blair, Jimmy Breslin and Craig Smyth have truly felt the highs and lows of touring across Canada and expressed what it’s like to be a rambling band.
“A lot of Peanut Butter Sandwiches,” said keys player Craig Smyth, “and a lot of time in a small blue hatch back with a trailer.”
“She’s a wee bit tight at times” said drummer Lucas Blair. Still, The Greenbank Trio would gladly sacrifice some comfort and dietary variety to get their name out.
Now that they are back in beautiful Thunder Bay, the Greenbank Trio plans on saving up some money, studying classical music at Lakehead University and working on their next album entitled “Into the Wind”. Much like the Trio’s first self titled album, their up coming album will feature many great harmonies and will maintain the rock and roots feel that the band has become known for. A perfect example of the Trio’s direction can be heard in their newest song “A Little of This”, which so clearly fits with the bands unique sound. It shows their growth and the influence of their idols Bruce Cockburn and Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young. While talking with the band, they revealed that their writing process is very much inclusive and often derives from each others personal ideas and lyrics. Another great attribute to the bands music is their lack of fear.
“We’re not afraid to play acoustic and at the same time we’re not afraid to get into an 11 minute improv jam on stage” says guitarist Jimmy Breslin.
This kind of playing is very reminiscent of The Greenbank Trio’s heroes Neil Young and Joni Mitchell, who dominated the Toronto music scene in their time.
With great influences, great songs and a great passion for music, it’s easy to see why so many people have fallen in love with The Greenbank Trio. With one national tour under their belt and many more musical destinations in their future, The Trio is much like their up coming album, “Into The Wind”. Travel and shows are definitely in their future and even if that means more peanut butter sandwiches, it’s definitely something that both the band and fans look forward to.
