Whether he's playing to an intimate coffee house, a concert hall, or drawing people closer to the main stage of a folk festival, Jack Connolly's unique voice, genuine warmth and love of music shine through. Jack's performance expertise was born in the coffee houses, town fairs, and folk festivals on the west coast of Canada. Now he has migrated to the music clubs of Toronto.

Jack's reputation as a songwriter and dynamic performer has won him invitations to play venues across the country with some of Canada's best-known performers, including David Foster, Tom Cochrane, Colin James, Spirit of the West, 54-40, Valdy, Wide Mouth Mason, Blackie and the Rodeo Kings, and James Keelaghan.

In 2004, THE EMPTY CAFE was awarded The Noah Kasper Songwriter of the Year award at the Vancouver Island Music Awards in Victoria, BC. “It’s tempting to compare Jack to contemporary singer/songwriters like John Hiatt or John Mellencamp,” Music From Many Worlds wrote, “but his music already shows more depth than a simple comparison would allow for. With one foot in country, one in blues and one in rock and roll…Jack is already ripping it up wherever he plays.” "Jack stands and delivers," wrote Brent Huchison, Artistic Director of The Islands Folk Festival following Connolly's Main Stage performance to a capacity festival crowd.

In 2009, Jack Connolly relocated to Toronto, Ontario to take part in the city's vibrant music scene. As Judy Perly, owner and manager of the Free Times Cafe put it: "Jack Connolly is one of the brightest up-and-coming performers and songwriters on the Toronto music scene."

Soulcraft

Jack's new record, SoulCraft (to be released September 28, 2010), is a 7-song acoustic EP. The disc features 6 new originals supported by an impressive array of contributing musicians: the renowned jazz musician Mark Zubek on acoustic bass, critically acclaimed producer/engineer Jesse Capon on percussion, Nathan Whitney and Bruce Fiddamenton on guitars, and Dan McLean, jr, on backing vocals.

SoulCraft is a special collection of songs particularly suited to an unplugged, rootsy arrangement that focuses on Connolly's voice and performance style, both of which have achieved a new maturity in this recording.