The Brights is an exciting new duo formed by two established singer-songwriters and well-respected instrumentalists, Don Bray and Alyssa Wright. Roots music, tinged with gospel, country and blues is accompanied by guitar, cello, Hawaiian king, accordion, mandolin, cajon, and whatever new sounds have recently tickled their fancy. With soulful harmonies and sensitive arrangements, The Brights present original songs and old classics in an easy-going, timeless style, equally at home in kitchen party or concert hall.

     Colleague Paul Court put it best after The Brights’ recent performance at the Barrie Performing Arts Centre: “A little him, a little her, a little them. Much more than the sum of the parts.”

     Renowned for his “brilliant guitar style” and “extraordinary talent” [Dave MacMillan, Mariposa Folk Festival], Don Bray has impressed audiences from Toronto’s Hugh’s Room to the Tucson Folk Festival with his finely-crafted songs and high-spirited performances. “…A keen observer of the human condition with sensitivity and wit. A brilliant songwriter … poetry married to an unsurpassed guitar style … lyrics clear as water.” [David Francey, singer-songwriter] Alyssa Wright is known for her “passionate style” [David Newland, performer], and “highly lyrical … spellbinding” performances [John Burge, composer] and has been described as “the best thing in a woman’s voice since Ruthie Foster or Serena Ryder” [David Zub, singer-songwriter]. Her vast musical knowledge and experience, trademark tone and innate musicality have made her one of Ontario’s most popular session and studio cellists, performing at such venues as Massey Hall, the Banff Centre for the Arts, and Harbourfront Centre.

     After several years of performing and recording on each other’s solo endeavours (Alyssa’s Dark Waters, Don’s taxi moon & I, shows at Hugh’s Room, the Eaglewood Folk Festival, the Orillia and Newmarket Folk Societies, Museum on the Boyne, Sunflower Studios, etc.), Don and Alyssa were encouraged by their peers and fans to make theirs a more lasting collaboration, and The Brights was officially created in 2007. Since that time, The Brights have shared their rootsy musical stylings and playful banter with such venues as Ontario’s Vital Spark Folk Society (Brooklin), Barrie Folk Society, The Crown (Perth) and Mariposa Folk Festival (Orillia), Quebec’s Church Street Concert Series (Lennoxville), Nova Scotia’s Harbour Folk Society (Cole Harbour), Mersey House (Liverpool), The Carleton and The Company House (Halifax), New Brunswick’s Broadway Cafe (Sussex) and Crumbs Cafe (Fredericton), and a variety of house concerts throughout Ontario and the East Coast.

     The Brights recently released their debut CD, Live Love Dream, on May 3 at Hugh’s Room in Toronto. Live Love Dream is a collection of twelve original tunes (eleven songs and one instrumental). The album stays true to their live duo sound, albeit with Patrick McPhail’s bass and a few harmony and instrumental layers thrown in on the occasional track.

     Upcoming concert highlights include Toronto City Roots (concert series) and a show for BarrieFolk, a return trip to the Maritimes, venturing west in the fall, plus many of their favourites – house concerts!

     As their fan Robert Rountree exclaimed: “drop everything but your drawers and go see this group!”.