The Open Door
Cali Massey and Rebecca Moore Collaboration - Released November 2020
This 4 song EP is the culmination of a collaborative effort by many folks in the Hermit's Music collective. 4 poems, written by Rebecca Moore, were transformed in to songs by Cali and then turned over to Paul Bezooyen and Dave Kilbank for further development and production.
The songs are available exclusively as digital downloads on BandCamp and can be previewed using the embedded player to the left. Visit Cali's page on BandCamp for lyrics and album credits.
Reviews :
Rise - released 2016
This album is the culmination of a couple of years of solid song writing by Cali Massey. Collaborating with co-producer Paul Bezooyen the chord structures and arrangements were carefully crafted with a very specific vision. " We wanted each song to stand out and be unique, but achieve an overall cohesiveness." says Bezooyen. Various musical styles were employed, ranging from the rumba style rhythms of "Don't Open your Eyes" to the more ethereal sound of the title track "Rise". Overall, if you enjoy artists like Madeleine Peyroux, Norah Jones or Allison Krauss, you'll love this album.
To achieve a sound that brought continuity to the project. Massey and Bezooyen brought together a group of accomplished musicians: Joe Spinelli on Stand-up & Fretless Bass, Dave Barta on Accordion and Piano and Glen Foster on Dobro, Electric guitars and Mandolin. Massey and Bezooyen play acoustic 6 string guitars. Together they crafted the arrangements throughout the summer of 2015 and then recorded much of the album "Live" in September of 2015 at The Hermit's Music studio. Massey then developed and recorded many of the harmony tracks and brought in fellow singer - songwriter Mary Faherty and Glen Foster to assist with recording additional harmonies. Dave Kilbank and Massey did a masterful job of mixing, resulting in a sound that accentuates the expressive and emotive vocal delivery by Massey supported by elegant and understated musical accompaniment.
In an age when so much music is digitally created, Massey and Bezooyen are proud of this album; a work that is created by human hands on real instruments... from the heart.
Honey Whistle - Debut Album released in 2013:
A beautifully expressive voice, delicate guitar playing, and an uncanny ability to approach lyric writing from unique angles, all blend to exquisite effect on Cali Massey’s debut album, Honey Whistle. Ranging in mood from the yearning ache of "Your Hands" to the jaunty melodies of "The Kids" and country swing of "Hearts Beating Faster", this laid-back collection is a delightful addition to the inventory of contemporary Canadian folk music.
By David Morrison
Biography
Cali started performing music at the relatively late age of 27. A painter with four years of study at the Emily Carr University of Art & Design in Vancouver behind her, Cali cut her musical teeth in Flutter, an independent ‘shoegaze’ rock band sonically far removed from her current folkie persona. After drifting in and out of creating music as life led her this way and that for over a decade, Cali eventually teamed up with Nanaimo singer-songwriter Paul Bezooyen, after meeting at a local Songwriters Circle. The pair hit it off creatively and have developed a great mutual respect for each other’s talents. The relationship bore fruit with 2 full-length albums of original material and songs co-written with Paul. In 2020 Cali collaborated with writer Rebecca Moore to transform 4 poems into songs, released as an EP titled " The Open Door"
Described by Paul as a “consummate artistic personality,” Cali explores universal human emotions and themes in her songs, pinning her thoughtful lyrics to memorable melodies that perfectly suit the tone of each piece.
Video Links:
- Honey Whistle
- Expendable Girl - from the Honey Whistle CD