Jesse Waldman

One of Jesse Waldman’s most cherished possessions is a cassette of his grandmother singing the Yiddish folk song Papirosen to his mother. A remnant, like the abandoned guitar discovered in his parent’s basement, that drove his rock ‘n roll dreams out of the suburban sprawl of Thornhill, Ontario, and into the bars of downtown Toronto. A journey cross-country led him to mountains, ocean, and into the arms of Vancouver's Commercial Drive music scene. Now his home of over twenty years, the West Coast continues to inspire his lush imagery, sublime melodies, and outstanding technique.Influenced by folk and blues pioneers Townes Van Zandt, JJ Cale, and Neil Young, Jesse has toured Canada, Western US, and the UK, performing everywhere from local pubs to soft-seat theaters, appearing at major festivals including Vancouver's Folk and International Jazz Fests, Burnaby Blues and Roots Fest and Mission Folk Fest.