Robin Gorn

Robin Gorn is a singer and songwriter living in Montreal, Quebec. In her live performances she effortlessly combines an extraordinary range of musical styles into a poetic cabaret that is uniquely her own. Her repertoire includes Latin samba and tango; reggae; folk; spoken word; country; and r&b. Robin's original material reflects her soulful poetry and innovative song writing style. Whether performing solo or with a group, Robin ignites the audience with her infectious energy and rhythmic power, and seduces them with her hauntingly beautiful voice and lyrics.

From Terra to Lamento de La Ninfa

In addition to her original material, Robin interprets songs from countries such as Brazil, Argentina, and the Dominican Republic, and makes them her own. Songs like Terra by Brazilian composer Caetano Veloso and Lamento de la Ninfa by renaissance composer Claudio Monteverdi, showcase Robin's extraordinary range as a performer. A T.S. Elliot poem that is skillfully infused with Jamaican rhythms reveals her originality as a composer. The Robin Gorn original "Love Shakin' the Fences" seamlessly merges r&b and African percussive rhythms with spoken word and gospel intonations to showcase Robin's incredible pop savvy.

Robin consistently collaborates with exciting and gifted musicians, who are drawn to talent as a performer and songwriter. Her performances also incorporate dance, and Robin is frequently joined on stage by the incredibly gifted African modern dancer, Claudine Malard. Last autumn Claudine Malard performed her choreography during the International Summit to End Child Poverty where she danced for visiting dignitaries including former American President Bill Clinton.

Poetry and Musical cross-pollination

A native of Toronto, Ontario, Robin began her career playing Jazz concerts around Quebec, Ontario and New York. An alumnus of the Toronto underground arts scene, Robin is now based in Montreal. She has written music for film and was a composer, arranger, and soloist for an experimental choir (Cheour Maha 1995-2001). She has lent her voice to dance performances, radio plays, and for television performances such as the Quebec comedy show, Phylactere Cola

In 1999 Robin attended a residency at the Banff Center for the Arts to study with Jazz
great Sheila Jordan
and has studied Jazz improvisation with Rhiannon. Among her many collaborations was her participation in Qabaret Quaraaluktuq by composer Michael Reinhart (Theatre La Chapelle 2004) in a composition that included Inuit throat singers from Nunavut. Robin has also worked with Diva Nathalie Choquette; the contemporary and World Music percussionist Ganesh Anandan; the funk, dub and reggae collective Kalmunity; the live improvisation collective Moondata; as well as with singer songwriter and producer, Neil O_conner. In 2002 and 2004 she performed her poetry/spoken word at la Quinzaine de la Poesie, a Montreal festival of poets. She her most recent shows in Montreal have been at La Butte St. Jacques, Club Lambi and Club Balattou in Montreal. Last summer she was featured on the main-stage of Nuits D'Afriques singing in Brazilian and Yoruba with Estacao Da Luz under the direction of Brazilian percussion master Vovo Saramanda. In her recent trip to Brazil (2009) she sang with Salvador's (Bahia) finest musicians including; Geronimo, with members of Orchestro Rumpilezz at the Jam No MAM, and with Bira Santos at Bispo Cultural Center.

 

Bio française