Winner of Stingray Rising Star at the 25th Annual (2015) Fredericton Harvest Jazz & Blues Festival.
Fredericton’s Free To Grow (FTG) had their first live performance in September 2014 and released their self-titled debut album that November. A second album was released in 2018 and a third in 2020. Their music has received local, national and international air play and they have had songs chart on radio stations in Canada, USA, UK, France, Germany, Spain, South Africa and Australia. Free to Grow music has been included in New Brunswick films such as the late Brian Carty’s “Blowies,” and Brenda Malley’s award winning “After the War” and “OK Boomer.” In 2023 the Jane LeBlanc Legacy Fund announced that band leader and songwriter Jeff Patch had won the JL Music Composer Award. He was chosen from 35 applicants by an Atlantic jury of well-known award-winning artists.
As a result of health issues and a pandemic Free to Grow was on a 4 1/2 year performance hiatus until February of 2023. Plans are in place for both a live and new studio album by the end of 2023.
Free To Grow is self-described as a mix of Folk, Rock, Progressive and East Coast in a Classic Rock blender. But what do others say?
Polaris Music Prize Juror and music journalist Adam Bowie ranked Free To Grow’s debut album as one of the top ten New Brunswick releases in 2014. “Cool debut from a local band that holds Pink Floyd and Jethro Tull in equally high regard.”
In his “Take Liberty” segment on CBC InfoAM Saint John, Jeff Liberty said FTG is; “Reminiscent of that Brit late 60’s early 70’s folk like Fairport Convention, but still rock and in a classic sense. Influences such as David Gilmour of Pink Floyd, Jethro Tull and Stan Rogers can be heard in the music. Wonderful stuff, wonderful band.”
The late Doug Barron, former Associate Producer/Host at CBC Halifax, told FTG; “I love the feel and vibe of your music. It strikes a chord with me as a writer and musician as well as a radio guy.”
Free To Grow has a big sound and is built to entertain.
