Street Piano Superstars

James Archer, Montreal, QC

The piano was once described as “a musical instrument that is operated by pressing black and white keys, thereby depressing the spirits of those listening”. But here, on a blissful, dreamy afternoon in Montreal’s Place Kate-McGarrigle, it’s anything but that!

Being more than just casual entertainment or a way to pass the time, Montreal’s public pianos present immediate accessibility to the arts, for listeners and performers alike, providing a space for the under-represented heart of Canadian music that exists in our communities. Music is for everybody, and it happens all around us, every day. Street pianos are a representation of this in its most direct form.

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James Archer

James Archer is a Montreal musician, sound designer and freelance podcaster who explores the city, searching for stories of musicians, artists and the unsung heroes who contribute to the city’s cultural richness. He has worked in many genres from true crime to investigative journalism, rock and roll history and even ghost stories!

Find James on on LinkedIn or SoundCloud.