Engage!
And the Story Continues
Engage was formed by Carla Bonnell and Rick Barlett in 2020 as a project band. As the band and the focus on song writing grew, Engage added Peter Sisk, touring musician from Hamilton, Ontario and Greg Mansfield from Rusagonis, NB to the team.
The first project that was completed in 2023 with the release of "The Time Has Come" which is available on all streaming platforms. The band reformed with the new members upon Peter's long awaited return to New Brunswick where he was born and raised.
Greg brings a fresh perspective to Engage with his creative ear for percussion and we are grateful for the traditions of his Mi'kmaq roots adding to the sound and feel of Engage.
Both Peter and Rick were members of the popular Howard Brook Band in the late 70's and early 80's and Rick had a local hit on radio called Up In Size from that band that he wrote. Rick put out an album in 2015 with Billy Sherwood, the newest bass player of the band YES as his producer in LA.
Carla released her first original solo CD in 2014 with producer JP Cormier after returning from Nashville in 2013 with an inspirational album of original songs written by various songwriters in New Brunswick and Nashville. The Liberator was in the top 10 on the Earshots charts in Canada up until mid 2015.
All members have been touring musicians with their respective careers and are excited to be working together on their second album as Engage.
“Music once admitted to the soul, becomes a sort of spirit, and never dies. Music touches us emotionally, where words alone can't. Where words fail, music speaks. Music is the universal language of mankind ” - Unknown