Information/Write-up
At just 17, Rick St. Jean embarked on his professional music career in Montreal, collaborating with various bands like The Munks and Freedom North. His musical pursuits took him to Japan alongside Eddy Kaye and Bob Burgess (of The Haunted), who subsequently became his sister's husband. Upon returning to Canada in 1973, he launched his solo career, centred in Toronto, where he performed at clubs, crafted new songs, including three on this CBC compilation. St. Jean's solo venture began with him wielding an acoustic guitar as he opened for April Wine during their inaugural cross-Canada tour in March-April 1973, gracing stages like Calgary, Winnipeg, Prince Albert, Penticton, and Vancouver. He opened for Chilliwack in the Maritimes, as well as Lighthouse and the British band Slade. Despite earnest attempts, securing a recording contract and releasing an album never happened. Today, I shared these tracks with Rick and he heard them for the first time since the 1974 recording session with some pretty prolific session musicians as listed below. Although Rick has stayed active in the music scene, these mark his last studio recording sessions.
Rick St. Jean (Rivieras 4, Munks, The Munks featuring Sweet Lorraine, Freedom North): rhythm guitar, vocals
Prakash John (The Questions, The Bounders - The Press Gang, Trikq, George Olliver & The Soul Children, The Majestics, Bush, Edgar Winter, Rick Derringer of White Trash, Bobby Whitlock of Derek & the Dominos, Lou Reed, Alice Cooper, The Lincolns, James Brown, Paul Shaffer, George Clinton to work with Parliament/Funkadelic, The Blues Brothers, Pinetop Perkins, Jr. Wells and Mike Bloomfield, Murray McLauchlan): bass
John Capek: keyboards, clavinova
Pentti "Whitey" Glan (The Rogues, Mandala, George Olliver & The Soul Children, The Roulettes (with Mike McKenna), Bush, John Kay, Alice Cooper): drums
Colleen Peterson: backing vocals
Shawne Jackson: backing vocals
Diane Brooks: backing vocals
Written by Rick St. Jean except 'It's Magic' written by Rick St. Jean and Mayah St. Jean
Produced by Ann Hunter in Toronto, Ontario
Arranged by John Capek
Engineered by Larry Morey
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