The current appetite is for either distraction or distress. These two seem to be in neither business.

A Night of Grief & Mystery combines stories and observations by author/culture activist Stephen Jenkinson , drawn from his decades of work in palliative care, with original songs/sonics by recording artist Gregory Hoskins .

These two Canadian artists have been exploring the intersection of their work for 8 years, across 3 continents, in 3 recordings and 2 short films. They come to the road now in 2023 as they did in the beginning: the two of them, a singer and a storyteller, out into the mystery days.

“My heart is still full and my tongue is drunk from last night.” MS, Franklin, TN

Concerts for Turbulent Times they surely are. Not poets, maybe, but the evenings are poetic. The Nights are musical and grave and raucous and stilling, which probably means they are theatrical. Love letters to life are written and read aloud. There’s some boldness in them. They have that tone. These nights have the mark of our time upon them, and they’re timely, urgent, alert, steeped in mortal mystery. They’re quixotic. They have swagger. What would you call such a thing? They called it Nights of Grief & Mystery.

WHAT THE AUDIENCE HAS SAID:
“And for the whole show I just sat in wonder: How is it even possible to let music and words be engaged in such a fertile merging!?” Oddný Eir – Reykjavik, Iceland

“It is a rare moment to find the alignment of words and music used so uncommonly well. The interlock of Gregory and Stephen so beautifully shared I truly feel overwhelmed by the wonder the evening.” SR, Topanga, CA

“The evening unfolds, emerges in its own good time, as a thing of beauty. A thing of consequence. A thing of troubling and provocative sentiment. You don’t know whether to clap or to cry. I did both.” PJR, Glasgow, Scotland

“Such benediction and thunder.” MB, Boulder, Co

“So utterly heartbreaking and beautiful.” MLF, Ithaca, NY

“Extraordinary! It was a beautiful and unraveling intimate night.” LG, Roanoke, NC

“I highly recommend this show to you. Highly. Higher than highly.” PS, London, ON

“I have never been so happy to give someone a standing ovation.” TB, Glasgow, Scotland