|
Event
The Birthday Club with Dan Chouinard Feat. Gwen Matthews
GWEN - From Stevie Wonder, Kenny Rogers, members of Earth Wind and Fire and numerous others, Gwen has recorded with the best. She has performed at the famed Montreal Jazz Festival in Canada and the Fleur de France Festival in Paris, and, was featured in festivals and concerts throughout Europe with The Denis Colin Trio. She also toured Russia with Women Who Cook and traveled internationally with the Ruperts Orchestra.
Her career started by singing jingles in Minneapolis, later, in Los Angeles and New York. You can hear her golden voice on many National and local spots for Northwest Airlines, General Mills, Whirlpool and many others. Gwen recorded songs with the Emmy Award winning group The Music Workshop For Kids and traveled world-wide for such corporate clients as: Bandag, All-State Insurance, Johnson and Johnson, and the Radisson Hotel Chain.
Her move to Los Angeles lasted eleven years where she worked for many musical giants from nationally acclaimed producers to hit-making songwriters, who sought her for studio background and stage performances. Gwen has recorded with Stevie Wonder, the late Skip Scarborough, Frank Wilson, Phillip Bailey of EWF and Larry Dunn, also of EWF, Lamont Dozier, Susanne DePasse of Motown and Ronnie Laws & Norman Connors. Periodically, she would be asked to arrange and sing background parts for their recording projects. At times, singing sessions with the noted group Silk.
While in L.A., Gwen studied four years under world-renowned vocal technician Seth Riggs, a gift to her from her friend Stevie Wonder. Another highlight in the late 90's was when she appeared on the Oprah Show.
Although born in Chicago and living in Los Angeles for eleven years, Gwen claims Minneapolis as home. Upon returning from L.A. in 1987, she recorded her European hit Keep On Pushing. She also joined the famed Rupert's Orchestra and began her production career. Her first projects were produced for Mattel's GI Joe, General Mills and Black Inc. Some of Gwens CD productions included a gospel CD called Celebrate Faith. But, her proudest production was Uniting For You which included over 40 of Minnesotas finest artists as they performed to raise money for AIDS in Africa. Along with, the amazing title song "For You which was co-written with Jarrod Anderson and the late Skip Scarborough.
Gwen has received numerous awards and recognition. She was nominated numerous times for the Minnesota Music Awards as Best Female R&B, Gospel and Jazz Vocalist. She also shared the coveted award as Best Cover Band with the Ruperts Orchestra for several years. Gwen also won the Minnesota Black Music Awards twice. And, in 2007 she was inducted into the Minnesota Rock and Country Hall of Fame with Passage; in 2009 for the Iowa Rock and Roll Hall Of Fame with Crow.
Currently, she offers vocal mastery classes and workshops Nationally; also, teaches and coaches privately. With her rich, velvet, funky voice she continues to excite audiences leaving them standing and screaming for more. She also performs locally and nationally with the Pop Orchestra, Synergy and for fun, Gwen enjoys singing blues with the band The Walking Wounded.
DAN - For nearly three decades Dan Chouinard has been pianist and accordionist for a long and distinguished roster of artists that includes Maria Jette, Prudence Johnson, Peter Ostroushko, Kevin Kling, and Philip Brunelle and Vocalessence. Hes appeared all across the upper Midwest and turns up occasionally on Garrison Keillors A Prairie Home Companion.
In 1994 he created an acclaimed radio series The Singer's Voice, broadcast live Sunday nights from the Dakota Jazz Club, then in St. Paul, hosting song-spiked conversation from the piano with a different singer each week, over 200 in the six years of the shows tenure.
As a writer and host he's often asked to create special live programs for Minnesota Public Radio, the MN Historical Society, the Rose Ensemble and others. His show Civil War Homecoming played at the Fitzgerald Theater in March, was broadcast on MPR in April, and televised in November on Twin Cities Public Television. Last year his show Steerage Song was on tour throughout Minnesota, a show co-authored with Peter Rothstein about the Ellis Island era of immigration to the US, depicted in folk songs, newspaper clippings and Tin Pan Alley tunes. In 2014 his show Cafe Europa was broadcast statewide, about bicycling with an accordion from Naples to Normandy in search of Minnesota WWII stories.
As a writer his work has been published in Minnesota Monthly, Saint Johns Magazine, the Minnesota Orchestras Showcase magazine and in the Minneapolis StarTribune.
Hes traveled extensively in France and Italy, with bicycle and without, and has presented French and Italian sing-alongs at the Alliance Française in Minneapolis. This past summer he spent two months working in Italy on an independent Hollywood film to be released early next year, a movie with the working title, Smitten!
Hes a musical consultant and sometime bandleader at St. Joan of Arc Catholic Community in South Minneapolis, and leads monthly community sing-alongs in downtown Minneapolis and St. Anthony Park.
He grew up in a big musical family near Lindstrom MN, attended St. Johns University in Collegeville MN and spent four years as a teacher of French and Italian as a graduate student at the University of Minnesota.
|
|
 |
LocationTHE DUNSMORE ROOM at Crooners Lounge and Supper Club (View)
6161 Hwy 65 NE
Minneapolis, MN 55432
United States
Categories
| Kid Friendly: Yes! |
| Dog Friendly: No |
| Non-Smoking: Yes! |
| Wheelchair Accessible: Yes! |
|
Contact
|
