Jason Wilson

Jason Wilson is a two-time Juno Awards Nominee, CRMA Award Winner, bestselling historian and television personality. Born to Scottish immigrants, Wilson grew up in Downsview, Ontario and has since amassed over 2,000 performances across North America, the UK and the Caribbean. He has performed and recorded with UB40, Alanis Morissette, Sly & Robbie, Pee Wee Ellis, Jackie Mittoo and Martin Carthy. Jason was also one half of the Wilson & Swarbrick project with the late English folk icon Dave Swarbrick (Fairport Convention). An Adjunct-Professor of History at the University of Guelph, Dr. Wilson is the author of eight books including the OHS’s Joseph Brant Award Winner King Alpha’s Song in a Strange Land: The Roots and Routes of Canadian Reggae (UBC Press, 2020) and the national bestseller The Toronto Maple Leaf Hockey Club (McClelland and Stewart, 2016). Wilson is also a recurring expert on various television programmes (CBC, Discovery, TSN, NatGeo, ESPN and NBCSN) and lives with his wife Alana and an assemblage of furries in Stouffville, Ontario.

Ashara presents a joyful blend of Scottish folk, Canadiana and reggae. Wilson is joined by woodwind specialist Marcus Ali, vocalist Laurel Tubman, drummer Vince Reel, bassist Michael Shapinko and the legendary Jamaican-Canadian guitarist/bandleader to Toots & The Maytals, Carl Harvey and Scottish trad bagpiper Ali Hutton. The album has already received airplay across folk music radio shows in Ireland, the UK and Canada. The project debuted in Scotland in January 2023 at the Celtic Connections music festival in Glasgow.

Calgary Folk Festival (Calgary, AB) [x2]
Canmore Folk Festival (Canmore, AB)
Cayman Arts Festival (Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands)
Celtic Connections (Glasgow, Scotland) [x4]
Edmonton Folk Festival (Edmonton, AB) [x2]
Hillside Festival (Guelph, ON) [x2]
Jazz on the Green (Kingston, Jamaica) [x2]
Montreal International Jazz Festival (Montreal, PQ)
Orangeville Blues and Jazz Festival (Orangeville, ON) [x2]
Salmon Arms Roots and Blues Festival (Salmon Arm, BC)
Sasktel International Jazz Festival (Saskatoon, SK)
Sidmouth Folk Festival (Sidmouth, England)
Toronto TD Jazz Festival (Toronto, ON) [x3]
Vancouver Folk Festival (Vancouver, BC) [x2]
Vancouver Island Music Fest (Comox, BC) [x2]
Victoria International Jazz Festival (Victoria, BC)
Wickham Folk Festival (Wickham, England)

An intelligent album, full of warmth and a potent combination of Scottish Folk and Reggae
Ian Croft – Rock-n-Reel Magazine

Ashara is a deeply personal and generational body of work, showcasing Jason’s innate aptitude for storytelling through poetic lyrics and beautiful imagery – 5 Stars!
Stevie Connor – The Sound Café

This is soooo good!
Tom Coxworth, Folk Routes, CKUA