14/12/07 -  EDMONTON JOURNAL (Peter North):     'Folksinger Transcends Pressure to Conform his Creation Process' -- A singer-songwriter who carved out a faithful following on the regional folk-roots scene in the '80s is back with his first disc in a few years.





     Jim Serediak's 'The Transcendent Sky' is another recording from an artist who seeks to sooth the spirit while creating fine lyrical etchings that dig for a deeper understanding of our existence and journeys.





    Having long ago dispensed with the idea that he needed to 'board the bus' to satisfy his artistic leanings, Serediak has for the last 15 years focused on farming and family life east of Edmonton.





     'I've always continued to write, even though I wasn't touring or playing live all that much,' says Serediak, who has kept up his membership in a close-knit musical fraternity that includes bassist John Towill and guitarist Jamie Philp.





     The two players are all over new Serediak originals like 'I Love This Train', 'Your Body and Soul' and  'Where the Bay Meets Jungle'. 'These songs were largely written over the last three years. The one thing I can be painstaking about is refining the lyrics.'





     Serediak has lost none of his touch when it comes to writing guitar instrumentals. Three appear on this new release -- 'Rhythm of the Rain', the title track and 'Under a Meteor Shower'. 'Under a Meteor Shower' chimes and sparkles, as Serediak composed it after 'watching at least 100 meteorites one night at 2 a.m., and it's something you hope to live long enough to see again.'





     As for the collaborative efforts of the group, Serediak, Philp and Towill share a comfort zone that comes with years of playing together. 'I don't have to do much in the way of direction. Jamie knows the kind of chords with colour that I like.'





     Serediak says the song 'This Photograph' may be the one he is most attached to. 'I wrote it after my dad died, but it's about other friends that are gone as well.'





     Serediak's 'The Transcendent Sky' is available at Southside Sound, Megatunes, Blackbyrd  and Sound Connection. He plans to unveil the songs at a show in early February.





 





18/12/07 -  CKUA RADIO  (580 AM / 94.5 FM ):    'Arts Alive' host Chris Allen presents a musical profile on  Jim Serediak and his latest CD release 'The Transcendent Sky'.





 





20/12/07 -  CKUA RADIO (580 AM / 94.5 FM):    Jim Serediak's 'The Transcendent Sky' ranks  number 5 on CKUA's list of top 30 artists played for the time period 19/11/07 - 02/12/07.





 





23/12/07 -  CKUA RADIO (580 AM/ 94.5 FM):    Jim Serediak joins host Chris Allen on 'Artbeat' for an interview and conversation about Jim's CD 'The Transcendent Sky'.





 





31/12/07 -  CKUA RADIO (580 AM/ 94.5 FM):     Andy Donnelly,  CKUA producer/announcer selects 'The Transcendent Sky' as one of his top ten favourite cds of the year on 'The Year Ender'.      





 





24/01/08 - CJSR RADIO (88.9 FM):    Host Don Bucanan invites Jim Serediak to his program 'Ridin' the Dayliner'. Jim will perform live to air 'I Love This Train' and 'Under a Meteor Shower', as well as chat about his new CD.





 





06/02/08 - THE EDMONTON JOURNAL (Roger Levesque):     'From Rural Setting Comes Earthy Sincerity' ---  There's a special, intangible quality that comes through in some musicians who live in rural areas regardless of what genre they happen to fit into.





     Singer-songwriter Jim Serediak has been mining that connection with nature for nearly 20 years. He's spent much of that time on a farm near Andrew, about 90 km north of Edmonton.





     His recordings tend to be few and far between, usually featuring his trio with bassist John Towill and guitarist Jamie Philp. But when a new Serediak album shows up every few years, you can bet it will be worth hearing.





     The latest disc, 'The Transcendent Sky', is another winner. Track titles like 'Hello Moon', 'Under a Meteor Shower', 'Rhythm of the Rain' and the album's title number evince the broad vision Serediak brings to everyday life. But even when his tunes take a personal or particular theme, there's still an earthy sincerity and a sunny, wise character in them that forces you to stop and listen. Several gorgeous instrumentals also fill out the songs on the new disc.





     He has been playing guitar since age 11. By his early 20's, various stints in Edmonton found Serediak attending the music program at MacEwan College and enlarging the scope of his sound to include classical and experimental influences. Catch his rare concert appearances and you'll witness how he works hand-in-glove with Towill's fretless bass and Philp's backing guitar.





 





07/02/08 - HULBERT'S (Edmonton):    Jim Serediak is joined by Jamie Philp on electric guitar and John Towill on fretless bass for an evening performance of music from Jim's latest CD release 'The Transcendent Sky'. They will also perform material from Jim's catalogue of songs spanning the past twenty years. Cover charge is $7. Music begins at 8 PM.





 





25/02/08 - CBC RADIO (740AM/93.9FM):    Jim Serediak is interviewed on 'Edmonton AM' at 8:15 am by host Ron Wilson for the 'Edpod Challenge'. They will discuss Jim's latest CD release 'The Transcendent Sky' and will listen to 'I Love This Train', which is the song chosen by Jim for listeners to save space on their ipods for. Download is available through CDBaby.com via links on myspace.com/jimserediak.





 





07/03/08 - YOUTUBE:    A video featuring a live version of Jim Serediak's song 'I Love This Train' from the cd 'The Transcendent Sky' will be uploaded onto the popular YouTube site. The live recording filmed by Owen Serediak and edited by Owen and Jim Serediak is from a concert at Hulbert's which took place February 7, 2008. Jim is joined by Jamie Philp on lap steel guitar and John Towill on fretless bass.





 





01/04/08 - LEGACY (Ron Chalmers):    Jim Serediak, in 'The Transcendent Sky', gently expresses a heartfelt wonder and appreciation of living in Alberta.





His first offering, 'I Love This Train', creates an effective metaphor of the province: 'Smell of aching diesel - mighty engine stack / Sound of stretching steel - roll over iron track - this train. Rip into the sunrise - rip a hole into my heart / Beauty of this land tears my soul apart - this train.'





In that first song, Serediak, who lives in Andrew near Vegreville, sets the theme for this collection of poems set to music, all touching on the experience of life and love in rural Alberta.





Serediak, on voice and acoustic guitar, is joined by John Towill on bass, Jamie Philp on electric guitar, and Colleen Mascher and Owen Serediak on kalimbas. It's a album to lift your spirits and clear your mind on a sunny afternoon or star-filled night.





 





16/07/08 - Festival Place (Sherwood Park):   Jim Serediak will be joined by Jamie Philp and John Towill in performance of songs from Jim's new cd release 'The Transcendent Sky' as part of the Patio Series. Jim shares the evening with the Dana Wylie Band. For tickets and event information, check out the Festival Place web site.




 




02/11/08 - TransAlta Arts Barns (Edmonton):   Jim Serediak joins a long list of musicians in raising awareness of the homeless crisis at the 'Homefest' benefit concert. Jim, joined by John Towill and Jamie Philp will perform Serediak originals between 2:15 and 3:00 pm. Other performers include Barney Bentall, Shari Ulrich, Kari Anderson, Maria Dunn and more. Admission is only $10.



 



 


06/11/08 - The Blue Chair (Edmonton):   Flanked by fellow musicians John Towill and Jamie Philp,  Jim Serediak presents an evening of original songs, many of which appear on  his latest cd  'The Transcendent Sky'.  The trio, which has performed together for a couple of decades will also perform older favourites from Jim's extensive catalogue. For more information and reservations, call 989-2861. Tickets are $15.

 


 


14/11/08 - YOUTUBE:   A video of  the Serediak song 'In the Powow Sun', which is featured on the cd 'Some Kind of Divine Cycle', will be uploaded on YouTube. The recording taken and edited by Owen Serediak is from a performance at The Blue Chair on Nov. 2, 2008. John Towill  and Jamie Philp join Jim on freltless bass and electric guitar.










18/11/08 - YOUTUBE:   A video of the Serediak song 'Drifting Through High Grass" will be uploaded on You Tube. The video taken and edited by Owen Serediak is from a performance at The Blue Chair on Nov. 2, 2008. Jim is joined by John Towill on fretless bass and Jamie Philp on electric guitar.


 





04/12/08 - Jeffrey's (Edmonton):   Jim Serediak continues his showcase of songs from "The Transcendent Sky" with the help of Jamie Philp (electric guitar) and John Towill (fretless bass). For more info and/or reservations, call (780) 451-8890.
 
 

 
 

 
 
15/02/09 - Centre for Spiritual Living:   Jim will perform three songs at the Centre as part of the afternoon gathering. "Of Home" from the recent CD release "On Nature's Edge" will be one of the pieces featured. For more info call (780) 489-2786.
 
 
 


 
 
 
 
26/02/09 - Hulbert's:   Jim Serediak is pleased to celebrate the CD reissue of his Alberta Recording Industry Award winning album "On Nature's Edge" at Hulbert's, one of Edmonton's finest original music venues. The reissue includes the bonus track "Of Home", a song which at the time of the "On Nature's Edge" LP release garnered an honourable mention from the Canadian Songwriting Contest. Please join Jim and friends Jamie Philp and John Towill for an evening of fine prairie inspired songs. And, those who drop by with a copy of the original LP release will be given a complimentary copy of the CD reissue. For more info and reservations, call Hulbert's at (780) 436-1161.








01/04/09 - YOUTUBE:    A video of the Serediak song 'Of Home' will be uploaded unto You Tube. The video taken and edited by Owen Serediak is from a performance at Hulbert's on Feb. 26, 2009. Jim is joined by Jamie Philp on electric guitar and John Towill on fretless bass.








01/07/09 - Penguin Eggs (Eric Rosenbaum):    The Jim Serediak CD "On Nature's Edge" is a musical love letter to the Canadian landscape. The atmospheric songs paint watercolours of rural Canada, with a few detours into the cities. Serediak also adds a couple of political statements.

Two decades after its release, the reissue may win the Alberta songwriter new fans among environmentalists. This recording adds one extra tune not on the original LP, 'Of Home'.