Bloody Jack
Michael Matthews composer
Dawn Bruch-Wiens soprano
Laura Loewen piano
BLOODY JACK from composer Michael Matthews is a cycle of 14 songs based on selected poems from Dennis Cooley’s 1984 collection by the same name. These poems draw upon the chilling story of John Krafchenko, a Hungarian immigrant to Canada who became a notorious outlaw at the turn of the 20th century. The music was originally composed between 2015 and 2017, and revised in 2020. Matthews dedicates this work to pianist Laura Loewen and vocalist Dawn Bruch, both of whom bring this release and its haunting harmonies to life.
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Track Listing & Credits
| # | Title | Composer | Performer | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | in february | Michael Matthews | Dawn Bruch-Wiens, soprano; Laura Loewen, piano | 2:56 |
| 02 | rain & wind | Michael Matthews | Dawn Bruch-Wiens, soprano; Laura Loewen, piano | 4:23 |
| 03 | floors stuttering | Michael Matthews | Dawn Bruch-Wiens, soprano; Laura Loewen, piano | 1:25 |
| 04 | me here & | Michael Matthews | Dawn Bruch-Wiens, soprano; Laura Loewen, piano | 3:37 |
| 05 | pastoral | Michael Matthews | Dawn Bruch-Wiens, soprano; Laura Loewen, piano | 3:12 |
| 06 | freeze up | Michael Matthews | Dawn Bruch-Wiens, soprano; Laura Loewen, piano | 3:02 |
| 07 | when you die she sd | Michael Matthews | Dawn Bruch-Wiens, soprano; Laura Loewen, piano | 3:44 |
| 08 | so glad | Michael Matthews | Dawn Bruch-Wiens, soprano; Laura Loewen, piano | 1:18 |
| 09 | psychic | Michael Matthews | Dawn Bruch-Wiens, soprano; Laura Loewen, piano | 3:09 |
| 10 | reached out to send you this line | Michael Matthews | Dawn Bruch-Wiens, soprano; Laura Loewen, piano | 1:10 |
| 11 | hurry hurry hurry | Michael Matthews | Dawn Bruch-Wiens, soprano; Laura Loewen, piano | 3:51 |
| 12 | she thinks of him | Michael Matthews | Dawn Bruch-Wiens, soprano; Laura Loewen, piano | 2:27 |
| 13 | expecting / the sun | Michael Matthews | Dawn Bruch-Wiens, soprano; Laura Loewen, piano | 2:32 |
| 14 | by the red river | Michael Matthews | Dawn Bruch-Wiens, soprano; Laura Loewen, piano | 5:33 |
Texts © 1984 Dennis Cooley
used by permission of the author
Recorded September 24-25, 2021 at St Andrews River Heights United Church and April 15-16, 21 & 23, 2023 at Laudamus Auditorium, Canadian Mennonite University in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
Session Engineers Lloyd Peterson, Aaron Bartel, Mae McKillop for Paintbox Recording
Mixing Lloyd Peterson at Paintbox Recording
Mastering Melanie Montgomery
Executive Producer Bob Lord
A&R Director Brandon MacNeil
A&R Chris Robinson
VP of Production Jan Košulič
Audio Director Lucas Paquette
VP, Design & Marketing Brett Picknell
Art Director Ryan Harrison
Design Edward A. Fleming
Publicity Chelsea Kornago
Digital Marketing Manager Brett Iannucci
Artist Information
Michael Matthews
Inspired by the worlds of nature and literature, Michael Matthews creates music that compels the listener to step beyond the every day to dwell for a while in images of paradox, to consider the ever-changing tapestry of life. Matthews has a deep love for the contemporary symphonic tradition and has established himself as a master of large-scale musical structures, motivic relationships, and organic wholeness, all of which lie at the core of symphonic thought. The symphony is, for Matthews, both a vital form and a special challenge that allows for musical ideas to be carried between movements. Compositional influences include Beethoven, Mahler, Schoenberg, Shostakovich, Schnittke and, more recently, Scandinavian composers Pettersson and Aho.
Dawn Bruch-Wiens
Dawn Bruch-Wiens completed her Bachelor of Music in voice at McGill University. The singer returned to Winnipeg and graduated with her Post-Baccalaureate and M.Mus. degree at The University of Manitoba where she studied with Tracy Dahl. As a “mesmerizing” singer with “effervescent vocal agility” (Opera Canada), Bruch-Wiens has appeared with Manitoba Opera (Ines in Il Trovatore, Mrs. Gleaton in Susannah and Countess Ceprano and Giovanna in Rigoletto), Manitoba Underground Opera (Donna Elvira in Don Giovanni and Judith in Bluebeard’s Castle), Lyric Opera Studio Weimar (Countess Almaviva in Le Nozze di Figaro) and Opera on the Avalon (Lady Billows in Albert Herring). She has appeared in concert with the Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra, Groundswell, and Flipside Opera and Art Song Collective.
Laura Loewen
Praised for expressivity, virtuosity, and committed playing, Canadian collaborative pianist Laura Loewen has appeared in concerts throughout North America and in Europe, Asia, and South America. Dedicated to sharing her passion for ensemble playing and coaching, she is Professor of Collaborative Piano and the Vocal Coach at the University of Manitoba’s Desautels Faculty of Music, where she was recently named the Associate Dean. She was a founding faculty artist of VISI (Vancouver International Song Institute) and is a long-time member of the faculty of Opera NUOVA in Edmonton, Alberta. An extremely versatile pianist, Loewen has performed extensively with singers, instrumentalists, and chamber ensembles. She holds a Doctorate of Musical Arts degree in Accompanying/Coaching from the University of Minnesota, where she was a fellowship student of Margo Garrett and Karl Paulnack.
TEXTS
By Dennis Cooley
