The Grimshaws is a musical group based in Toronto, Ontario. Its
members are Sean Pigott and Bruce Burron, David de Launay, Rizaldo
Padilla and Peter Evans.
Pigott, who sings and writes songs, is both an unnerving mimic and a
vocalist of unique range; he is trailed by the ghosts of everyone from
Frank Sinatra to Lotte Lenya. Burron plays guitar and slaves to write
original songs; an obsession with reinventing the wheel at every outing
probably accounts for his plodding production of new material.
David de Launay is a fine keyboardist, and shows remarkable skill in
finding the perfect part for every song. He also performs with The G
Street Trio. He has had a murky relationship with the inner circles of
provincial power. Padilla plays bass with the Grimshaws and guitar
with Amelie et Les singes bleus, an active franco-jazz band. He is
grateful to the Grimshaws for the chance to be a real fake bass player.
Evans, well schooled as percussionist and pianist, is a good fit for this
egghead outfit. His performance history is long and varied and includes
stints with Dogs, Cats, G-men and Calamities.
History
Live performances are rare, and anyone interested in the group is well
advised to take every opportunity to see them. Few photos of the group
exist and most can be found on this web site.
Criticism
Some critics have commented on a degree of mugging in Pigott’s
performance. Recent attempts to remedy this have been productive;
whether this will continue remains to be seen. Burron’s somewhat
pedestrian guitar playing has also come under fire. Is he making an
aesthetic choice or virtue of a necessity? It’s unclear. Whether de
Launay’s tendency to smile while performing is in keeping with current
audience expectations has been questioned. The problem has been
further exacerbated by Padilla’s affable grinning. Evans’ obsession with
instrument set up has occasionally resulted in inter group friction. How
seriously these problems are taken is anyone’s guess.
