The People
It's all about the people. The Idren.
It is a great pleasure to make these introductions in alphabetical order:
Dave Chalfant - Bass Guitar
Dave is an acclaimed musician and producer. His discerning ear and impeccible sensibilites have helped shape records by countless artists including The Nields, Erin McKeown, The Winterpills, and more. He operates the Sackamusic Recording Studio and teaches at The Charlemont Academy (Charlemont, MA).
Gerry 'JahGerry' LeBlanc - Vocals and Rhythm Guitar
JahGerry fronts iIdren, drawing on his experience as lead singer and songwriter for the band Minibus, a rock/reggae/jam outfit born out of the 90's UMass Amherst music scene which grew to encompass Cape Cod and colleges around New England. Gerry is an energetic performer and he brings a concious vibe to the job of songwriting. Gerry grew up listening to reggae and the upful roots music is his passion.
Jenn Murphy - Vocals
Jenn graces the stage with her soulful richness as half of the iIdren female vocal team. Her classical training in piano, vocal performance, and lifetime pursuit of music, art, and poetry, comes through in her expressive harmonies and heartfelt delivery. Jenn is an educator, artist and environmentalist who is a singer-songwriter in her own right. She has performed at the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston, and the South Shore Conservatory of Music in Duxbury, MA.
Dave 'Captain Happenin' Noonan - Drums and Percussion
Dave, a legendary force in the Pioneer Valley reggae scene, brings his groove and pocket drum power along with a deep knowledge of Caribbean music to iIdren. Dave is one of the founding members of the Equalites and currently performs locally with Loose Caboose, Fenibo, and many other bands who rely on his spot-on drumming services. Dave is also a professional stagehand (IATSE) as well as a drum instructor, drum restorer, and drum mechanic.
Amy Ware - Vocals
As half of the iIdren female vocal team, Amy tops the register with sweet high-end harmonies. Having grown up in a family of performing musicians, Amy brings a lifetime of classical training infused with a solid rock & roll sensibility. She has performed with many Valley bands, including Shrinking Violet, Tao Jam, and OK Honey. Her engaging performance style and joyful onstage presence make her an audience favorite.
Jon Weeks - Horns and Percussion
Jon Weeks performs on saxophones, and small percussion. He has studied music at Berklee College of Music, Westfield State College and Holyoke Community College. Jon has performed with many latin, jazz, and rock bands up and down the East Coast such as Sol Y Canto, Orquesta Unidad, Ray Gonzalez, Jose Gonzalez, The Temptations and many others. Jon is currently teaching private lessons at Downtown Sounds (Northampton, MA) and The Northampton Community Music Center (Northampton, MA). He is also director of instrumental ensembles at The Charlemont Academy (Charlemont, MA). Currently he can be heard performing with Viva Quetzal, Joe Velez & Creación, Satinwood, Fenibo, Northside Saxophone Quartet, and Lalit .
i Idren Alumni
Gudrun Durham - Vocals
Gudrun is a founding member of i Idren, and is part of the female vocal team. She adds high harmonies to the sound as well as her positive presence. Gudrun is a classically trained vocalist who studied at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama and was accepted at the Royal Academy of Music in her home, Scotland. She is also an internationally known knitwear designer who operates her business at www.theshetlandtrader.com
Shawn Gundersen - Lead Guitar
Shawn brings screaming solos and a blues-rocking edge to the i Idren sound. As guitarist and vocalist for the band yeP!, self-described "eclectic groove masters" popular in the 90's, he has the talent and experience to straddle musical genres with taste and virtuosity. Shawn is also operates Norseman AV an audio and video equipment dealer and installation company in Western Mass.