Jehan Gonsalkorale

It’s been several years of struggle but Jehan has finally completed his debut EP, “Shooting Ships and Sinking Stars”. Despite playing around Sydney in a variety of lineups it took many years to reform his sound from a few interesting pieces of guitar work to finally be able to express that voice in the back of his head. After a year in Latin America, he returned with a strong resolve to make his contribution to the world of music and began to play open mic nights, busk and the occasional house party.
The influence of Sigur Ros, Bon Iver, Jose Gonzalez, Radiohead, Josh Pyke, Damien Rice and other favourite artists began to become more apparent, although the sound still had that originality that a self-taught guitarist tends to have. If you do something different every day it becomes a bit better as each day passes and eventually you find yourself with something people aren’t completely familiar with.
He spent a year in Thailand traveling about with a guitar. The live music scene received him well and offered him many opportunities, especially in the North where he was able to play an early set at the Pai Reggae Festival. Upon his return he graduated in Arts at Sydney Uni and felt he had paid his lip service to the notion of a conventional life. It was time to spend his days playing music wherever there was a willing ear. Starting at the bottom, the going was slow. In 2008 he played over a hundred gigs, once even playing three times in a single day: and one of those gigs was in Newcastle. It was exhausting day for what was often a thankless task. But it felt right.
He later began to play with drummer Jeremy Nash and bassis Jacob Stretton in the “Ragged Few”. This lineup was to last five months and see opportunities start to present themselves. Although there were personal differences, the band remained together long enough to play at venues such as the Annandale, BarMe and Wesley Mission Auditorium. Jehan still played solo sets with a residency at the Roxbury in Glebe and playing a support gig for Mushu at the Supper Club. Towards the end of the year things had noticeable begun to pick up. The year of exhaustive gigging had brought him in touch with a slowing growing group of people that had begun to support his music. When offered a gig at the Basement supporting Saving Grace and the Winter People, he decided it was time to find the lineup the music was calling out for. Playing with Emma Trevena (Cello), Emily Margo (percussion) and arming himself with a stomp box, he suddenly found what he’d be searching for all these years.
During this time, he was put in touch with the producer Josh Schuberth (session musician for Josh Pyke, Paul Green and many more) and began to get ready to record his debut EP. It was recorded at Love Hz Studios in Annandale, Sydney, over several weeks and featured seven tracks. The reception has been very positive so far with some honorable mentions and a semi final placing in Mike Pinder’s Songwars, frequent airplay on FBi and a few licensing offers in the US.
This next year will see Jehan move to Melbourne to play more gigs and eventually start funding his own tours. Look out for him at an unlikely venue near you!