Ash & Bloom

Ash & Bloom have quickly become a powerhouse duo, taking their incredible harmonies and brilliant songwriting thousands of miles across the globe. They have crafted a sound that requires two people playing and singing together, a sound reminiscent of Simon & Garfunkel but with a fresh, modern day twist. In 2013, Ash & Bloom (Matt McKenna and James Bloemendal) joined singer-songwriter Justin Hines on the Vehicle of Change Tour from June to October; travelling over 20,000 kms across North America. 100% of ticket sales from each show went back to local charities and the band successfully helped raise funds and awareness in each city they visited. Ash & Bloom’s debut full-length album titled “Let The Storm Come” was released on June 24th, 2014 in North America, featuring songs co-written by Peter Katz, Caroline Brooks (The Good Lovelies), Julie Crochietere and Rob Szabo. The album has garnered positive press across the globe and has received extensive play on CBC coast to coast, including a Song of the Week feature for “Manna for My Soul”. A video for their song “This Town (Hamilton)” was released during The 2015 JUNO Award week in Hamilton, Ontario prior to their performance at JUNOfest. The video featured everyone from Hamilton-based celebrities to politicians, local business owners and families. The video garnered 10,000 views in under a week and received fantastic reviews from press. “Let The Storm Come” was released in Australia and New Zealand on Feb 6th, which launched an Australian tour; where they played a sold-out show and performed 4 times at the renowned Port Fairy Folk Festival, alongside acts like Buffy Sainte-Marie and Sinead O’Connor.