Edmonton’s Jed and the Valentine Share New Album, Awake
Jed and the Valentine is the musical collaboration between Jonah Morris and Maria Khaner, Edmonton, Alberta-based singer/songwriters ready to make a mark on the international roots music scene with their soulful harmonies and lyrics inspired by the majestic landscapes of western Canada.
It’s all there on the duo’s debut album Awake!, nine songs that mark their first two years of working together, and the creative energy they continue to feed off of. It is now available independently on all digital platforms, and from Bandcamp.
As Maria says, “We chose the songs for this record with the intention of highlighting the idea of feeling present in one’s body and really experiencing the world instead of just letting it happen to you. Once we settled on that theme, the songs seemed to fall into place exactly how they needed to.”
That process began on a cold night in January 2023 when they wrote Awake!’’s title track after a mundane moment brought a spark of inspiration.
“I felt a sudden jolt of life,” Jonah says. “It’s moments like these—and moments when I’m on stage making music—that I truly feel connected to myself and everything around me. ‘Awake’ really touches on those feelings.”
Another highlight on the album is “Rocky Mountain, Carry Me,” an ode to the pair’s frequent camping trips in their wild surroundings.
“We’re so lucky to live where we do and to be able to take advantage of all the things that the Rockies have to offer,” Maria says. “We couldn’t put out an album without giving a nod to our home.”
When it came time to record Awake!, they kept things close to home as well, relying on Jonah’s education in music production to set up a recording space in their bedroom. They put down all the main tracks there, with shimmering acoustic guitars and banjo accentuating a heart-swelling rhythm section, with the only overdubs coming from fiddler Brianna Lizotte, and trumpeter Liam Shearer who appears on “Mineral” and “Luckier.”
It all became a bit of a whirlwind once they got into it, as Maria describes.
“Up until this point, it felt like we were still trying to find our sea legs with our sound and production as Jed and the Valentine. We’ve always known what kind of music we wanted to put out, but as we were recording these songs we really leaned into using our sound to tell our stories alongside our lyrics. We’ve really learned how to balance power and sensitivity to paint the picture of our musical connection.”
Both agree that Awake! marks the start of a new chapter for Jed and the Valentine, one that will build on the duo’s 2023 performances at the Edmonton Folk Music Festival, and the Canmore Folk Music Festival that have helped boost their TikTok following to nearly a quarter million. As Kate Stevens of Alberta’s provincial independent radio station CKUA said, “Imagine a duo—not just on stage, but in love—creating melodies that resonate with the pure essence of romance. I’m talking about Jed and the Valentine, the folk duo that is as sweet as their name suggests. Their songs feel like the warmth of a cup of coffee or the joy of a simple walk in the rain. Jed and the Valentine’s songs capture the essence of love that’s both timeless and contemporary.”
Jed and the Valentine / Awake! album release tour
April 13 (Sat) :: Edmonton AB :: The Blue Chair
June 13 (Thurs) :: Creston BC :: The Yellow Door
June 14-16 :: Ymir BC :: Tiny Lights Festival
June 21 (Fri) :: Kelowna BC :: Lantern Folk Music Society
July 2 (Tues) :: Bragg Creek AB :: House Concert
July 5-7 :: Hudson’s Hope BC :: Peace Valley Folk Fest
July 20 (Sat) :: New Norway AB :: Willows Music Festival
July 27 (Sat) :: Drumheller AB :: Drumheller Plaza Concert Series
July 28 (Sun) :: Wayne AB :: Last Chance Saloon
Aug 16-18 :: Grande Prairie AB :: Bear Creek Folk Festival
Connect with JED AND THE VALENTINE:
Website
Facebook
Instagram
TikTok