Presented by Black Fly Jam and The Algoma Conservatory of Music

JAMES GORDON and CONNIE MURCH

 Friday April 24, 2026 - THE LOFT

Performance time: 8 pm - Doors open: 7 pm - cash bar

Adults: $40, 30 Years and Under: $28, Subscriber to 5 or more concerts: $33

All Fees included - Add to the cart below and then click on the shopping cart icon to check out.

James Gordon has been there. He’s done that. He has had a remarkably diverse and resilient career in the Canadian cultural sector. As a solo singer-songwriter and with the ground-breaking trio Tamarack, he’s recorded 40 albums and toured relentlessly around the world. He’s written for symphony orchestras, musical theatre and dance works, scored films, and for more than ten years was heard on CBC radio as songwriter-in-residence for the ’Basic Black’ and ‘Ontario Morning’ programs. Between tours, James is a record producer, playwright, community activist, theatre director and currently has a part-time ‘side hustle’ as a Guelph City Councillor. These days he’s perhaps known as the composer of the viral internet hit “Crybabies Caravan”, about the so-called ‘Freedom Convoy’ in Ottawa. It’s received more than 300,000 views and stimulated a lot of inspiring discussion.

One of James songs, ’Mining For Gold’ was featured in the John Sayles film ‘Silver City’, and was included on the classic Cowboy Junkies album ‘The Trinity Sessions’. His iconic ‘Frobisher Bay’ has been recorded by more than 100 different acts world-wide, has become a standard in choirs everywhere, and is in ‘Rise Again’, the sequel to the legendary ‘Rise Up Singing’ songbook. Well known for his songs about social justice, heritage and environmental issues, he recently concluded a covid-safe virtual tour of his 6th full-length play ‘James Gordon’s Emergency Climate Musical’.

His last album, ‘The Heritage Hall Sessions’ on Borealis Records charted internationally in the roots, singer-songwriter, and Americana categories. His newest album “When I Stayed Home” is just out, as is his unique ‘musical novel’ “The Ark Of The Oven Mitt” which includes a downloadable recording of 36 original songs that move the plot along. The book is a finalist in the Stephen Leacock Humour Medal competition, with the winner chosen in September.  

From James about the show here in April - "This new duo happened kind of accidentally. Friend and fellow Guelphite Connie Murch came on board in the fall of ‘24 to offer tour support for my British Columbia and Alberta tour. An accomplished singer, she’d get up and sing a few songs with me and the audience response was so enthusiastic that we're now doing whole shows together. Besides that tour, we've performed at Southern Ontario venues including Guelph's River Run Centre and Toronto's fabled Hugh's Room. From Connie's Bio: “From her early days singing rock and roll in Toronto clubs to joining an all-female band in Guelph, music has always been at Connie’s core. These days, she finds joy in a new rhythm—harmonizing in a heartfelt duet with James Gordon!”