"What Americans will never know – unless they come to Joe’s Pub on Canada Day – is that so much of the best music they listen to and assume is American is actually Canadian.” – Malcolm Gladwell

On July 1, Jeff Breithaupt's New York Rocks the Great Canadian Songbook Canada Day Celebration at Joe’s Pub celebrates its 20th anniversary! Once again produced and emcee’d by Jeff and featuring an all-star line-up of singers backed by Don Breithaupt and the Workin' for the Weekend Hoose Band, this 20-year tradition will leave no Canadian hit song safe from (northern) exposure. Join a sparkling line-up of singers as they lay down unforgettable versions of all your favo(u)rite anthems from the land of the Justins, long Weeknds, Barenaked Ladies, and Men Without Hats. From Cohen to Cockburn, Joni to Gino, Lightfoot to Lighthouse, Nelly to Neil, Gosling to Reynolds (okay not them), and beyond, you never know whose songs you’ll hear.

This year's Workin' for the Weekend Hoose Band will include: Don Breithaupt (keyboard, musical direction), Allison Miller (drums), Pete McCann (guitar), Ben Zwerin (bass), Michael Leonhart (trumpet), Dan Levine (trombone), and David Mann (saxophone). And the 20th-anniversary Canada D'Eh Singers include: Everett Bradley, the Breithaupt Brothers, Victoria Lecta Cave, Amy Cervini, La Tanya Hall, Carolyn Leonhart, Jamie Leonhart, Shelley McPherson, Alyson Palmer, Myriam Phiro, Libya Pugh, Tyley Ross, Graham Rowat, and Matt Saldivar.  Plus a special appearance by New York-based Canadian stand-up comic Ophira Eisenberg. 

Finding yourself anywhere else in New York City on this Canadian night-of-nights would be tragically un-hip, so knit yourself a toque, save room for the poutine, put on your skate guards (it’s indoors, eh?), and come wish our neighbor(u)rs to the north a Happy 156th birthday with a bracing brew of Canada’s Greatest Hits. Think you know the Great Canadian Songbook? You Ain’t [Heard] Nothin’ Yet. Full line-up to be announced soon!

Photo credit: Bill Burke