This is my favourite band. They are 100% Canadian; hailing from the Paris of the Prairies AKA Saskatoon, Saskatchewan. It is a three piece band with a big sound.

Frontman Shaun Verreault provides lead vocals and guitar. Words can't describe how well he does both. The range of his voice and the creative way he uses it are simply amazing. He plays guitar like he was born with one in his hands. Soulful and electrifying, you can't hear him play without listening with your full undivided attention. The sound is brand new. I can stand at a concert and think to myself "I have never heard anyone play a guitar like that." He can remind you of an original like Stevie Ray or Jimi (RIP)without rehashing their music.

Earl Pereira covers BASS duties and backup vocals. The bass guitar is not meant for playing basslines only. Not in Earl's book anyway it would seem. In a band with only one guitar , Earl formidably takes up the slack to keep the big sound. He seriously brings up the funkiness level of the band which is one of the things that makes the band's sound so unique. His playing is interesting and impressive. Earl plays the bass like it is an instrument rather than a helpful background noise maker. Just barely in his twenties, I'm sure Earl will someday be known as one of the BASS greats of our time.

Safwan Javed's masterful drumming fills out the band's sound, pulling it all together. He was born in Charlottetown and moved to Saskatoon at a very young age. (That doesn't have anything to do with anything I just knew it and wanted to tell everybody). Safwan is the glue of this band. The sound of his drums is the platform that Shawn and Earl stand on while they play back and forth to each other and his brain shaking solos are the final ingredient for the special atmosphere of a live Wide Mouth Mason set. Saf also does vocals. On MY OLD SELF, (my favourite song) Saf is featured delivering some Urdu lyrics. Anyone who was lucky enough to take in the Mel Lastman Square show this summer was treated to a fantastic rendition of this number that included special lighting and delay effects on Saf's mic. I can say this with complete confidence: It was Awesome.

Back to Wide World of Wide Mouth Mason