A singer with Interlake roots has made her dream come true after launching her first CD, which features cover songs from a variety of genres such as pop, country and rock, an original written by her sister and a couple of songs from a 1970s horror musical.
Brenda Reznik, who grew up in Geyser, about 11 kilometres (six miles) east of Arborg, has a calm, rich vocal style that’s bound to leave listeners with a feeling of serenity.
Although the self-taught vocalist started singing at the tender age of two, she hadn’t thought of recording a CD until a few years ago.
“I’ve always enjoyed singing since a very young age with my sisters. For the past two or three years, I would go to my nephew’s [recording] studio and record a song here and there. This CD started that way,” said Reznik, who lives in Winnipeg but plans to move with her husband to Winnipeg Beach in a few years. “Then I started thinking about it. I had quite a few songs that I had recorded and I thought, ‘Why don’t I just make a CD?’ So, I got serious about it, talked to my nephew then stated down that path.”
Reznik’s nephew Derek Grocholski is a musician, vocalist and audio engineer. He owns Winnipeg-based Derek Benjamin Music recording studio where he records artists in genres such as hip hop, R&B, folk and country. He played a number of instruments on Reznik’s CD, including bass, and also helped her find some of the other musicians, including Max Dupas, who goes by the stage name Hamburger Island and performed all the guitar and harmonica parts, said Reznik. Through a friend in Arborg, Reznik found pianist Heidi Korte.
Reznik said she chose 12 songs– including one written by her sister Wanda – based on what she loves. They also showcase her ability to master a wide range of genres.
The songs include Rainbow written by Kacey Musgraves, Two Sparrows in a Hurricane by Mick Hanly, I’ll Always Remember Us This Way by Lady Gaga, Words by the Bee Gees, Wish You Were Here by David Gilmour and Roger Waters (Pink Floyd), and Head Over Heels by Jim Cuddy and Greg Keelor (Blue Rodeo).
“I picked songs I loved, including songs by the Bee Gees and Pink Floyd. If someone asked me what my genre is, I’d say, ‘Well, it’s just whatever I like to sing,’” said Reznik.
And some of the songs she loves come from the world of musical film. She covers two songs from the movie Phantom of the Paradise, a 1974 rock-horror-comedy extravaganza. It was scored by American songwriter Paul Williams, who starred in the movie and who penned huge musical hits for artists such as Three Dog Night and the Carpenters. The movie was a box-office failure but gained cult status in Winnipeg and in Paris, France.
Reznik covers Williams’ Phantom’s Theme using music by Michael Leduc, a musician from France whom she found on YouTube covering the song. It also features her sister Dianne Grocholski singing harmony. Reznik also sings Old Souls, which features her nephew’s partner Alyssa Funk on piano. Both songs are posted on Reznik’s eponymous YouTube channel.
“I remember when I was very young hearing music from Phantom of the Paradise and I never forgot it,” said Reznik, who plans to attend the film’s upcoming 50th Anniversary celebration in Winnipeg.
Her cover of Two Sparrows in a Hurricane, has an accompanying video that was shot by Reznik’s sisters Lois, Dianne and Wanda at the Arborg & District Multicultural Heritage Village. The video features two Arborg residents, Rosemary and Philip Thorkelson, who’ve volunteered at the village for about 20 years and who agreed to play an older couple that have had a long life together. It features guitarist Max Dupas.
Reznik performed with her sisters (known as the Fridfinnson Sisters) and her mom Lillian Fridfinnson when she was young, but now prefers singing in the recording studio rather than on stage.
“I really didn’t make this CD to perform out and about. I did it more for myself and my family and friends,” said Reznik, who also did back-up vocals on all the songs. “And I wanted to find a way to showcase my singing voice, so I’ve been doing that through Facebook and YouTube.”
Reznik said the CD was a family affair and that her mom was her inspiration. She appreciates the dedication of everyone who contributed to the project.
“I always call everybody that worked on the video and the music my dream team, especially Derek, Max (Dupas), Heidi (Korte), Alyssa (Funk) and Michael (Leduc),” said Reznik. “It’s a very time-consuming process and I just want to acknowledge all these incredible musicians; I can never give them enough credit. Everyone made my dream come true.”
The last song on Reznik’s CD is a poignant original written by her sister, Wanda Sparkes. The song pays tribute to their dad, Kjartan Fridfinnson, who passed away in 2006. Titled It Could’ve Been You, It Wasn’t You, the song expresses a wish for one more moment with him. The video, which is posted on YouTube, looks back at his life through photo stills and videos and features backup vocals by Korte.
“I asked Brenda if she would sing the song for me,” said Sparkes, who lives in Arborg. “She’s a much better singer than me and she’s so soulful in her voice.”
Sparkes said she and her sisters learned to sing by ear with their mom, who had sung in a band with her own sisters.
“When Brenda two years old, we would go out and sing for the old folks and they just loved her,” said Sparkes. “She worked with seniors, and I think it comes through in her singing that she’s a kind, empathetic person.”
Sparkes and her sisters are so proud of their “baby sister” for making this CD.
“My other sisters and I are so proud of our baby sister that she’s been able to work so hard and make her dream come true. This has a been a work in progress for about three years, and to have achieved this and do such a beautiful job on each and every song makes us so proud of her,” said Sparkes. “Brenda has a special tone to her voice that is very soothing and calming and that people really like.”
Some of Reznik’s songs can be found on her Facebook page and YouTube channel.
The CD can be purchased for $20 from the Arborg Royal Canadian Legion or Arborg Nic Nacs & Flowers. Her Arborg friends Cheryl Gelinas and Shauna Sigvaldason are also helping sell the CD, as are Reznik’s sisters. The CD can be downloaded from the music site Bandcamp.com
The CD comes with a free download card that people can use to save to their computers or phones if they don’t own a CD player.
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