Come for the steel guitar, stay for the uptempo vibes. Yeah, you read that right. Duane Forrest’s “See the World” is a plea to understand the world around us in all its complexity: the good, the bad, the ugly, so to speak. And, more importantly to understand that world by questioning it, not simply observing things at face value. It’s a pleasant-sounding song, with deceptively confrontational lyrics. You can hear for yourself below.
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| Photo by Mavis Harris |
Forrest first gained attention in 2017, when he debuted his first musical theatre production, Climb, a live album experience based on his concept album of the same name. Toronto Fringe Festival founder Gregory Nixon described Duane’s show as “an engaging, multilayered work of song, storytelling and movement” and “one of the highlights of this year’s Fringe.” His forthcoming double jazz and fusion album builds on themes of love, heartbreak, BLM, and self-discovery, reflecting musically Duane’s growth as an artist and a human being. Aside from his innate drive to create beautiful things, Duane also has a passion for arts education. In 2011 he founded Genesis Community of the Arts, a registered Canadian charity offering music and arts education to marginalized children and youth in Toronto and Central America.