Big Rude Jake

Canadian singer/blues shouter, songwriter and bandleader Big Rude Jake's five released albums show a diversity of styles and talents. Many who only know him as the original 'Swing Punk' may not be aware that he writes, performs and records ragtime, blues, jazz, punk, rockabilly, psychobilly, americana, gospel, poetry, folk and much more... . He formed his "swing punk" band in the '90s amid the resurgence of swing.

He formed his "swing punk" band in the '90s amid the resurgence of swing. Top hits include "Steppin' Out Under the Moon", "Night of the King Snake" and "Swing Baby" and the naughty "The Girl in the Pink Canoe". In live performance, he and the band were renowned for Jake's great tunes, wit, attitude, style and, of course, leaving the stage to play from the top of the bar and tables!
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His newest album, QUICKSAND, was launched in Canada on September 24th, 2009. Some of his previous albums: Butane Fumes & Bad Cologne, Blue Pariah, Big Rude Jake and Live Faust, Die Jung are also easily available online.

In the early days, the band was "Big Rude Jake & his Gentleman Players". Now, you'll find Jake touring his material with BR2, BR4, The Quicksand Combo and The Big Rude Jake Sextet. Solo too, of course - he plays a mean ragtime guitar.

(In his spare time, Rude has more bands - with very different flavour. Rumour has it that releases from his psycho punk and rockabilly bands will soon be forthcoming. Watch for Blue Mercury Coupe and its hillbilly cousin, Tennessee Voodoo Coupe.)

"...He lamented the rise of the stuffy 'jazz intellectual', and longed for a return to a time when the style was, instead, rich in emotion, sensuality and desire. Thus was born his vision to bring Jazz back to its streetwise and rough hewn roots. Part of the process was developing a stage persona that was evocative of strident passion and longing. In the first few years of his career, he actually avoided playing in jazz venues altogether. Instead, he performed his own jazz and swing compositions in rock venues and blues bars across Canada, where he hoped to find the kindred spirits who could appreciate his dream of a ?Bawdy House Jazz? revival.

Originally billed as 'alternative music', Jake's vision caught the attention of media across the country. He made a splash in magazines and newspapers in every major city in the land, on TV and on radio, performing live for thousands of people in North America and Europe. His independent records were sold in the ?rock,? ?punk? and ?alternative? sections in record stores, and he proved that Jazz and Swing, with the right attitude, could have as much street credibility as any rock, soul or hip-hop act in the country."