ABOUT THE BAND

JP Ranger is a multifaceted Canadian singer/songwriter and storywriter based in Ottawa, Canada. He first became known in Eastern Canada in the early 80s as front man, lead singer, bass and acoustic guitar player for the progressive rock group The Rape of the Lock (TROTL).

TROTL played to a wide range of audiences, with college crowds being big supporters and they opened for many of Quebec’s top Rock groups. In 1998, TROTL released a CD of original songs they performed live between 1979 and 1998. From 1998 to 2001, JP Ranger returned to the scene as a one-man R&B act and performed many club dates in Ottawa and Montreal.

His strengths are his stage presence, rich vocals, melodies, and the conviction and raw energy he delivers to a live audience. His vocal flavours appeal to every mood from romantic bedroom blues to raunchy and thunderous power rock. JP Ranger after a hiatus for life was drawn back to music for many reasons, but a great reason to get back was a non-profit project, Sailing the Empress of Ireland, dedicated to the memory and history of the Empress of Ireland, a Canadian Pacific liner that sank in Canadian waters in 1914. In May of 2008, JP was invited to perform his Empress songs at the Royal Alberta Museum Theatre.

In 2008, JP teamed up with friends that he had known and played with for many years to write an exciting new music project. With past music chemistry emerging from this, the band released the CD LIVING HERE.

JP is accompanied ‘live’ by Ottawa musicians:
Glen Scammell: Bass
Rey Cote: Lead Guitar and Sax
Gilles Cholette: Drums

One of JP Ranger’s strengths is his ability to write a story, which finds us wanting to hear more. He is an extremely talented songwriter who creates music in styles ranging from Rock, R&B, to Pop, Blues and Folk. His lyrics also speak to our times. In 2009 JP Ranger signed with indie powerhouse Blue Pie, and is now available at all leading digital retailers for the world.

REVIEWS:

"The Ottawa tunesmith spins out finely crafted, affecting
rock tunes with an R&B edge."
— Fateema Sayani
The Ottawa Citizen, Arts Section, Best Bets

“Great CD. Got a lot of airplay already and it will in the future. We like it, played by several DJs/programmers of our station."
— Harry Boerman
Veluwe FM, Radio Putten, Radio Ermelo, Netherlands

“There is a song on the wind / singing something ‘bout change / There is a world that is yearning / to have all its furniture rearranged … IKEA will do well in 2009. JP Ranger, Jean-Pierre, when he takes guess from the opening quote, JP Ranger is touched by the world and its people. He passes on this message to the people through nice classical rock songs, with slight sidestepping in the direction of r&b and 21st century soul. Ranger experiments little, but makes sure that every song has either a between the voices of T-Bone Burnett and Paul McCartney.

The production is modern, explicit, electric and comparable to recent productions from people like Clapton, Weller, Winwood, etc. Ranger is a capable songwriter, not a big romantic poet but the very precise rhythm of his text is outstanding. His band, The Noble Hearts, with again more emphasis on guitar then keyboard, gives the songs the needed drive. We are quite taken by the title song, a bitter song about despair. I’m living here / I’m living here / I’m living in this hell. Also the opening song, 'Dark Horse Rider', is very well done. And you should certainly listen to the closing number 'Brûlons’, with a nice eighties guitarrif. We think Arno could cover this song Living Here' from JP Ranger is a modern record with catchy songs about things happening. And often you don’t need more.
— Duke J.
Rootstime, Belgium, January, 2009. Translated
from the original article at www.rootstime.be

"Ranger has emerged butterfuly-like as a rockin' singer-songwriter with an R&B sheen. Ranger never forgets the importance of a big chorus to hang his songs on. That and the heavy keyboard / guitar dominated sound make Living Here a compulsive listen, and a flashback to earlier, simpler times. Opening cut, "Dark Horse Rider", is my favourite track; a gritty slab of classic rock, chock full of road-infused imagery. Great stuff."
- R. Forbes
Leicester Bangs