Toronto two-time Juno Award nominee, Canadian Reggae Music Award winner, and best-selling author Jason Wilson and new group Ashara Release “An Evening in Paris in Cumnock Tonight”
Embracing his roots and Scottish heritage, Toronto singer, songwriter, two-time Juno Award nominee, Canadian Reggae Award winner, and best-selling author Jason Wilson and his new group Ashara are to release their self-titled album on September 29, 2023, and they recently released the brand-new video for the second single, “An Evening in Paris in Cumnock Tonight.”
The song (produced by Jason Wilson) was released on Wheel Records/Proper Music Distribution and recorded in Ontario, Canada at Valley Road Studio, Stouffville, and Canterbury Studios, Toronto, and was mastered by Mars Giammarco at Red Egg Studio, Bolton. Wilson performs lead vocals, acoustic guitar, and piano, plus Laurel Tubman on vocals, Marcus Ali on Irish flute, Carl Harvey on guitar, Vince Reel on drums and percussion, Michael Shapinko on bass, John Somerville on accordion, Alex McMaster on cello, Amanda Penner on viola and both Jill Daley and Brielle Goheen on violin.
Wilson elaborates,
“I wanted to capture the magic of the dances in Cumnock, Ayrshire, Scotland that my mom and dad would have attended when they were in their teens and early twenties. I asked my mom everything about what a night at the Cumnock Dance might look like, sound like or even smell like. She said that when you walked in the door you would be struck with the lassie’s scent, and that the most sought after, if sometimes prohibitively expensive, perfume of that time would have been An Evening in Paris. This really unlocked the song for me and led me to imagine a lad who armed himself with a brand-new bottle of the French perfume as to win the heart of a lass he had his eye on. In the end, we hope it’s an essence of what a night at the local dance might have felt like for a young person living in Ayrshire in the 1950s.”
Join Jason Wilson & Ashara at the Toronto Botanical Garden (777 Lawrence Avenue East, at Leslie, Toronto, Ontario, M3C 1P2) for the Edwards Summer Music Series on Thursday, July 20, 2023 at 7:00 p.m. The outdoor concert will be hosted by award-winning broadcaster and environmentalist Anwar Knight and admission is free.
Review
“An Evening in Paris in Cumnock Tonight” is a beautifully crafted contemporary folk track brought to life by a talented collective, fronted by Jason Wilson. This enchanting song effortlessly weaves together elements of traditional folk and roots, infused with captivating Celtic influences, resulting in a delightful listening experience. The group’s performance exudes a genuine passion for their craft, with each member bringing their unique strengths to the table.
The vivid imagery and poetic language through the lyrics bring the story to life, allowing listeners to be swept away by the atmosphere of the dance hall and the enchantment of young love. The chorus particularly caught my attention with the lyrics, “Hair slaykit doon, it’s a Brylcreem Boys’ parade, Nails sae clean, the pit bath towel’s a’ frayed, Hall reeks o’ smoke and it’s rained for a full fortnight, But here on the floor wi my lass fae the store, it’s an “Evening in Paris” in Cumnock tonight.”
Overall, the track is a delightful homage to the charm and joy found in simple moments and the power of connection in a small-town setting.