Biography T. Nile — At My Table (self-released) :: "And this banjo-fueled feminine folk rock sounds like it was raised on the right acoustic side of Led Zeppelin III’s tracks" Jeffrey Morgan’s Media Blackout by Jeffrey Morgan (CREEM Magazine - Canadian Editor) 3/5/2008 "Come from Galiano Island with a banjo on her knee, Vancouver’s T. Nile could well be the biggest roots noise out of these very rootsy parts since Neko Case and the Be Good Tanyas." ~ John P.McLaughlin "Eclectic songs, rooted in tradition but looking forward. One of Canada’s musical gifts to the 21st century." ~Gary Cristall "...The music is outstanding. Haunting in some places, rootsy and upbeat in others. An interesting juxtaposition of traditionally conflicting styles..." ~Bill Hurley Since releasing her debut CD, "At My Table" in July of ’06, T. Nile has toured her "unique and heartfelt sonic textures" through Canada, Alaska, Germany and Denmark, to packed houses and sold out shows. Last summer, she played on the main stage for 20,000 people at the Edmonton Folk Music Festival! Quite a ways from her humble beginnings in a tiny cabin on Galiano Island, Tamara was practically groomed for a life in the spotlight and on the road; She started out accompanying her father, a multi-instrumentalist sidewalk entertainer, through North America and Australia at the age of 6. At 19, Nile moved to Vancouver to see if she could launch a music career. She took to hanging out at the Railway Club, getting to know people, swapping songs and ideas. Eventually she began hosting a monthly showcase at the Railway called "Connect". Meanwhile, she was working on her songwriting, putting together everything she had learned at home, and away from home. In spring of 2006 she recorded and launched At My Table. You could hear the "alt country" of Gillian Welch and the "high lonesome" sound of Dock Boggs. Bob Marley was there as well, and one song ending with thanks to Sonny Terry and Brownie McGhee. While many of the musical influences came from south of here, the lyrics were very much about Tamara’s life on Galliano and in Vancouver. Reviewers and listeners hailed the CD and its songs. Festival Distribution picked it up and CBC and campus radio fell in love with it. Most notably, T. Nile was awarded the title of "Best New/Emerging Artist" at the Canadian Folk Music Awards, as well as being named "Critic’s Favorite New Discovery" in Penguin Eggs, and in late 2007, Nile was nominated for "Best Contemporary Vocalist" once again at the Canadian Folk Music Awards. As a sign of her growing grass-roots popularity, T. Nile has for some time now, been in the top 10 most popular artists in her categories on Myspace, reaching 1 in both Roots and Americana in Canada! A veteran touring artist by the time she was twelve, T. Nile is back on the road. Having played with the likes of Blacky and The Rodeo Kings, Corb Lund, Luke Doucette, Penny Lang, Justin Rutlige and countless others at some of North America’s top summer festivals last year, Tamara’s star continues to shine bright as she prepares for the next wave of touring through Canada, Europe and The USA, in support of her upcoming sophomore release, "Coming Back From Everything" out in June of 2008. (Vancouver CD release will take place June 13th at The Biltmore Caberet). Press Reviews BIGGEST ROOTS NOISE... The Province From The Province July 11 2006 "Come from Galiano Island with a banjo on her knee, Vancouver's Tamara Nile could well be the biggest roots noise out of these very rootsy parts since Neko Case and the Be Good Tanyas. Produced with the gifted Adam Popowitz, this is earthy as mushrooms, but Nile is no mere campfire girl, possessing formidable writing and singing chops. The opening "Trees" sounds like an ancient Appalachian plaint, while "Silently" hints Rickie Lee Jones smarts and the sad, hooky "Friday Night" slays me every time. And you have you have got to hear her "Buddy Can You Spare a Dime". A real talent." ~ John P. McLaughlin BLUEPRINT OF A DREAM vueweekly T Nile At My Table Independent EDEN MUNRO / eden@vueweekly.com There’s an apparent simplicity to Tamara Nile’s lyrics on “Trees,” the opening track from her debut full length album. She sings, “I wanna live on the land / I wanna make my clothes by hand / I wanna plant a garden green,” suggesting a green tinted view that initially seems incompatible with today’s world. But Nile is not blind to her surroundings. If the words to “Trees” at first seem like the blueprint of a dream, they become something more conflicted when Nile’s chain gang melody mixes with a backwoods banjo and some steady stomping and clapping. The song turns into a cry for an existence that is being consistently crushed by the progress of big industry. As the album plays out, Nile avoids simply bemoaning that things are not as she might like them to be. Instead, she rallies for change, insisting that there is a better way out there. The overtones are not political, though; Nile’s approach is always disarmingly personal, whether she’s singing about love or pain (or, quite often, both). The sound of the recording is raw, conjuring images of worn-out folk records (think Woody Guthrie), but Nile refuses to subscribe to the limitations of the past. She moves effortlessly between banjo-coloured reggae (“Get Together”), dirt road blues (“Rusty Door”), and spooky starkness (“Willie”), giving the impression that history is a valuable tool for finding a better future. IN GOOD HANDS The Straight T. Nile By shawn conner Publish Date: 20-Jul-2006 At My Table (Independent) “Trees”, the first song on Tamara Nile’s debut, begins as purely as roots music gets: a lonely banjo, an acoustic guitar, and an almost field holler–like vocal line. As other layers are added—harmonies, washboard, clapping—it’s obvious that we are in good hands. And that is indeed the case, as Nile goes on to do boho-pop (“Silently”), folky affirmation (“Something Better”), and even steamy reggae (“Get Together”). But whether giving a forlorn reading of the 1931 standard “Buddy, Can You Spare a Dime” (here called simply “Buddy”) or plugging author Naomi Wolf in the gently admonishing “Beauty Myth”, the Galiano-born singer, along with producer Adam Popowitz, never clutters her songs with gratuitous frills. The tracks on At My Table are direct, yet something about Nile’s voice—smooth, clear, able to achieve a bluesy growl when necessary—helps the lyrics avoid cheap sentiment, even when they could easily go that way, as on “Good Love”. The influence of Victoria Williams, Rickie Lee Jones, and, of course, the queen of the coffeehouse herself, Joni Mitchell, is apparent. But on At My Table, Nile—backed by a group of local musicians that includes guitarist Jon Wood (Flophouse jr.)—achieves a strong, sure simplicity all her own. OUT FROM THE WOODPILE "THE PROVINCE" “Like fresh-planed cedar, Tamara Nile's clawhammer stark music is nicely redolent of the west coast. If her rootsy six song EP is anything to go by, Nile may just find herself and her much anticipated debut album dragged kicking from out behind the woodpile and into the front parlor mainstream. It's happened before.” John McLaughlin, The Province SUBTLE SOUL 24 HOURS Listen to me By R.C. JOSEPH, 24 HOURS I hate hippies. Hate everything about them. You'd think a life-long Vancouverite like myself would be a little more tolerant, but I'm not. I've never lived on The Drive, I've never owned Birkenstocks, and I can't even spend more than 10 minutes in Mountain Equipment Co-op without wanting to punch somebody in the throat. Having said that, I fully expected to not like Galiano Island singer/songwriter T. Nile's debut album, At My Table. Sure, I like some music that could be considered "earthy," but most music in this genre rarely has the soul and honesty it claims to possess. And that's really the problem with most hippie music. A rock musician's lifestyle can appear to be something it's not - slick, evil and bigger than life - because everyone knows rock stars are just acting out a persona. A roots artist, however, doesn't have the luxury of putting up such a facade. They are somehow expected to actually be the sincere people they portray in their music. But sincerity is a hard thing to fake. Just ask Jewel. T. Nile's music, however, does not arouse the same suspicions in me that most other roots music does. The lyrics are sincere, the playing crisp, and her voice brittle yet gorgeous. And even being a cynical music reviewer (i.e. wanting to hate it) I couldn't help but be overcome by the quality of the songs and the warmth of the production. And the more I paid attention, the more I came to hear the jazz influences, the blues overtones and the subtle soulfulness akin to The Be Good Tanyas or even Edie Brickell. I started thinking I've misjudged so-called hippie music. I started thinking I should be a little more open-minded. Not so open-minded I'd join a drumming circle or quit bathing. That's a little much. Maybe just open-minded enough to drink some herbal tea or barbeque some tofu dogs. You know, start slow. If you're feeling like some peace and love, come catch the sounds of T. Nile tonight at the Railway Club. And even if you're not, come check it out anyway. She just might open your mind, too. BEST SUMMER SINGLE 730 CKDM “Silently by T. Nile is the best summer single I’ve heard so far this year. “Bruce Leperre, Program/Music Director, 730 CKDM BIG TALENT More On Main Magazine "T Nile's songs deliver a quality of music I associate with big talents like Gillian Welch or Sheryl Crow." Sean Mcdiamond, More on Main Magazine A GEM Sheryl MacKay, North by Northwest, CBC "T Nile brings a fresh enthsiasm to her performances which I find irresistable...She obviously loves what she's doing, writing songs, telling stories, playing music and connecting with the audience. Her songs capture real feelings and her music is the kind that stays with you...feels like an old friend. Tamara has also been a real catalyst on the musical scene in Vancouver. She is active in creating on going events and promoting venues and is always so generous with her words and her support of other musicians in the province. She's a gem." T. Nile Press Quotes various Press Reaction Vancouver's Tamara Nile could well be the biggest roots noise out of these very rootsy parts since Neko Case and the Be Good Tanyas. Produced with the gifted Adam Popowitz, this is earthy as mushrooms, but Nile is no mere campfire girl, possessing formidable writing and singing chops. The opening "Trees" sounds like an ancient Appalachian plaint, while "Silently" hints Rickie Lee Jones smarts and the sad, hooky "Friday Night" slays me every time. And you have you have got to hear her "Buddy Can You Spare a Dime". A real talent." ~ John P. McLaughlin, The Vancouver Province “This lean, banjo-driven ode to the simple life could be 50 years old, but it's a new song by Vancouver performer Tamara Nile, who on this first and best track from her new album sounds like close kin to dustbowl diva Gillian Welch. “ Robert Everett-Green, The Globe And Mail “Comprising nine original songs and a reworked classic, the CD gives notice of a musician who can play different styles while fusing her own sound. Those styles include down-home roots-rock (“Rusty Door”), bluesy folk (“Something Better”), reggae (“Get Together”) and dark introspection ( the closing Willie whit great guitar work by Jon Wood. “Silently” comes the closest to a pop song, with its catchy, hummable, melody, and “Good Love” answers the age old question: Can a banjo be funky? In Nile’s hands, yes it can.” Marke Andrews, The Vancouver Sun “…fantastic songs showcasing T.Nile's innate ability to make each song its own. You need to be close to your radio tonight. Be there or as Kinnie Starr says about this artist, you will be missing out on a big piece of tomorrow. Luka Symons, CKUA, (Calgary) “Trees”, the first song on Tamara Nile’s debut, begins as purely as roots music gets: a lonely banjo, an acoustic guitar, and an almost field holler–like vocal line. As other layers are added—harmonies, washboard, clapping—it’s obvious that we are in good hands. And that is indeed the case. The influence of Victoria Williams, Rickie Lee Jones, and, of course, the queen of the coffeehouse herself, Joni Mitchell, is apparent. But on At My Table, Nile—backed by a group of local musicians that includes guitarist Jon Wood (Flophouse jr.)—achieves a strong, sure simplicity all her own. “ Shawn Conner, The Georgia Straight (Vancouver) Silently by T. Nile is the best summer single I’ve heard so far this year. “Bruce Leperre, Program/Music Director, 730 CKDM “The sound of the recording is raw, conjuring images of worn-out folk records (think Woody Guthrie), but Nile refuses to subscribe to the limitations of the past. She moves effortlessly between banjo-coloured reggae (“Get Together”), dirt road blues (“Rusty Door”), and spooky starkness (“Willie”), giving the impression that history is a valuable tool for finding a better future. “ Eden Munro, Vue (Edmonton) “The lyrics are sincere, the playing crisp, and her voice brittle yet gorgeous. I couldn't help but be overcome by the quality of the songs and the warmth of the production. And the more I paid attention, the more I came to hear the jazz influences, the blues overtones and the subtle soulfulness akin to The Be Good Tanyas or even Edie Brickell. She just might open your mind, too. Ron Coldham, 24 (Vancouver) www.tamaranile.com press/publicity/radio – killbeat music – kb@killbeatmusic.com / 604 683 2124 / www.killbeatmusic.com

About At My Table :

If you are looking for an album to spruce your mood, play At My Table online on Joox now! At My Table by T. Nile was released on 29 Aug 2006. Featuring popular artists, the album is an amazing composition with a total of 10 songs.

More from T. Nile

Coming Back From Everything3 Feb 2023

Reverie (Reprise)16 Dec 2022

Water Down18 Nov 2022

Before I Knew21 Oct 2022

Superstition2 Sep 2022

Note to Self16 Nov 2018