Faith's most recent recording “Faith Nolan Live“ is a her first live release. She recorded a live concert at La Pena, Berkley CA ( home of the Buena Vista Social Club)in 2003. Original Blues, and jazz songs as well as standards it is delightfully unique and a refreshing real recording in a sea of plastic. Accompanied by her all time favorite, reknowned Jazz pianist and composer Mary Watkins on piano it is her dream recording come true. Other Cd’s include Faith’s CD entitled “Faith Nolan Compilation 1986-1996” combines her favorite original compositions recorded in the last ten years. 1996 she released “Hard to Imagine”, songs about the continual labour of love and struggle. 1989 she recorded “Freedom to Love”, original compositions about Native, anti-racism, ending homphobia as well as songs by Billie Holiday and Bessie Smith. In 1987 she put out “Sistership” a tribute and commemoration to women's continuing struggles for equality. “Africville”, 1986 the first album and songbook about Black History in Canada from slavery to the displacement of Black people in Africville, Nova Scotia in 1969.

Discography

• “I am A Prisoner” 2004
  radio /doc. on Nigerian jails with music by women and men prisoners of Enugu, KiriKiri max and minimum jail. Music also by Femi Kuti,and Faith Nolan
• Faith Nolan Live, 2003
• Faith Nolan Compilation, 1986-1996
• Hard to Imagine, 1996
• Freedom to Love,1989
• Sistership,1987
• Africville,1986

Faith Nolan was born in Halifax, Nova Scotia and her parents and extended family were coal miners in Cape Breton, Nova Scotia of African, Miqmaq and Irish heritage. She later grew up in Toronto's working-class Cabbagetown. Her commitment to social justice comes from her life experiences and the people she grew up with, and she works through the cultural tool of music. Her music is her political work, a politics firmly rooted in her being working class, a woman, African Canadian and queer. Faith is a singer, song-writer, and guitarist. She has performed at Concerts, Music Festivals, Conferences, Universities, Rallies, Women's Events etc... using music to bring about social change for a fairer and better world.

Faith, a composer and guitarist whose style varies from blues and folk, to jazz, with a taste of funk and reggae, is a seasoned performer who has built a strong and faithful audience. Faith's original compositions, as well as her covers of better known songs, are strongly rooted in the cultural language of Black North American music: spirituals, gospel, jazz and blues. An accomplished musician who plays slide guitar, tambourine and harmonica in the earliest blues tradition, Faith also possesses a silky voice that wraps itself around a song. Her lyrics voice a concern for the world of the common people. Music may well be in her blood as her mother was a drummer, her late father was a musician and her sister played in a band. An Afro-Nova Scotian activist whose songs deal with a range of issue including Afro Canadian History and native heritage, feminism, workers' issue and children's rights, Faith is one of those rare artists who can grab a song and make the message ring out true and clear. Enhancing her musical is the creative allowances that come from being self taught.

Faith Nolan's songs come from a deep commitment to the struggles or people throughout the a world. According to Faith, "Music is a powerful tool that can be used for political and cultural expression." It is in a global context that Nolan used this tool to connect the conditions and exploitation of oppressed peoples, in songs such as "The Richest In The World". Hard to Imagine lyrically tells the story of poverty, racism, violence against women, and the need to struggle for better world to live in.

FILMS

Faith produced a film about women in prison doing healing through sharing songs and understanding the globalization of the prison industrial complex.

• Within These Cages 2003• by Faith Nolan

Faith has also composed, arranged and performed music for the National Film Board films:

• Listening for Something, 1995 •by Dionne Brand
• Long Time Comin, 1993• by Dionne Brand
• Sisters in the Struggle, 1992 •by Dionne Brand
• Older, Stronger, Wiser, 1989• by Dionne Brand

Faith has toured across Canada, Europe, Japan and the United States. She has played for countless benefits and is active in a range of social issues. She is currently works with Multicultural Womyn in Concert, Ontario Womens Music Festival, Camp SIS, Women For Justice, Sistering Singers and the Nelson Mandela Children’s Choir. She is also in the process of songwriting and recording three new Cd’s.