“BODY & SOUL” Event
“You’ve got to grab the shooting stars, pull them down and do something with them.”
Jonah McLean didn’t dream of being a musician or a songwriter. He started playing drums around the age of six, and liked to draw and paint. When he was 17, he picked up a guitar, asked a friend to show him a few chords, and taught himself to play. But this artistic young man was going to be a “sports guy”, a goal he pursued for several years. His passion for the arts was rekindled, though, when he came home to Warkworth to get back in touch with his roots.
“I fell back into music,” he said, “and I found my place.”
Jonah would be 23 before he performed in front of a live audience. “I did an AH! show here,” he explained, “and it went really well. I thought, ‘Hey, this could be fun!’” And he grabbed the shooting star.
Songwriting is a process. “You have to be patient and enjoy the ride. It’s never really over. And I find that comforting.” Sometimes the music comes first, sometimes the lyrics, but when they come together, it’s magic.
There were two big turning points in Jonah’s musical career. First, he met Stephen Rapos at the ukelele club in town. “I didn’t plan to play the ukelele, but I really wanted to meet this guy.” Stephen became a mentor to Jonah, and then they became both friends and partners. They’ve been playing music together ever since.
The second was an OAC (Ontario Arts Council) grant, which was a huge jumping-off point for Jonah, giving him the confidence to seriously promote himself as a professional musical artist.
Jonah now performs in gigs from Kingston to Toronto, captivating his audience as a soloist with his original, soulful folk songs, and with a heavier blend of Americana and rock ’n’ roll with his band The Gimmicks. The challenge? “You can always put on a good show. The hard part is doing it again and again and again.” But he loves the process, and that’s what keeps him coming back and doing it. Again and again. (For more information about his shows, check out his website jonahmclean.ca and find him on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/jonahmclean/ )
Recently he had a role in a musical stage production at Westben Theatre, playing Frost in The Selfish Giant’s Garden, and loved the experience. Another shooting star for Jonah to grab.
The Northumberland Festival of the Arts is a first for Jonah. “I am blown away by how many people in our community do so many things. Artists, actors, writers, musicians… A lot of cool things are happening at this festival, and it’s awesome that it brings people together in this way.”
Jonah will be performing at “Body & Soul” for two nights – September 18 & 19 – on stage at Northumberland Fine Foods, an outstanding venue for an intimate concert. Stephen Rapos will also be part of the outstanding line-up of local singer/songwriters. It’s sure to be a sold-out show, so get your tickets early!
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