Steve Dawson

https://www.stevedawson.ca/

Over the past two decades, Steve Dawson has become such an indelible fixture on the Canadian musical landscape that it’s tempting to take him for granted. The music that flows out of him is so natural and authentic that it’s possible to forget all of the toil that went into producing it.

Behind the seemingly endless stream of award winning musical output (he has produced and/or played on more than 200 albums since the turn of the millennium, 7 of which have won Juno Awards), is one of the hardest working musicians this country has ever produced. Whether he’s turning heads on the concert circuit with his incendiary playing, or pulling the best possible performances out of the many artists that he works with in the studio, Dawson is always striving to take things to the next level.

A native of Vancouver, Canada, but currently residing in Nashville, where he works as a solo artist, sideman, and record producer,  Steve has forged an impressive career full of highlights and awards, including:

• 7 Juno Awards as artist/producer, 18 times nominated
• 3 times named “Producer Of The Year” at Western Canadian Music Awards
• 4 times named “Producer Of The Year” at Canadian Folk Music Awards
• Recipient of many other awards including Maple Blues Awards, Grand Prix De Jazz De Montreal, Blues Blast Awards, and many Western Canadian Music Awards and Canadian Folk Awards as an artist and producer

Steve’s multi-faceted career has brought him to countless international festivals, working on the stage and in the studio with an extensive cast of musicians, including Allison Russell, John Hammond, Sonny Landreth, Van Dyke Parks, David Hidalgo, Jim Byrnes, David Olney, Oliver Wood, Jill Barber, Dave Alvin, Joe Henry, Steve Poltz, Amy Helm, Tim O’Brien, Molly Tuttle, Luther Dickinson, Fats Kaplin, The McCrary Sisters, Matt Chamberlain, Birds of Chicago, Long John Baldry, Bruce Cockburn, Kelly Joe Phelps, Linda McRae, Alvin Youngblood Hart, Geoff Muldaur, Scott Amendola, Danny Barnes, The Deep Dark Woods, The Matinee, Colin Linden, Big Dave McLean, and many others.

He sees production as an exciting step in the creative journey that a song takes from its beginning as a songwriter’s idea to a final recorded product. The producer has to understand the music and be able to know what will open possibilities in it. Being a musician is not essential, but it helps, and Dawson brings enviable chops to his work. He also owns a vast collection of unusual instruments, many of which he plays on the recordings he helps to craft – modern electric instruments find themselves blended in with weissenborns, marxophones, pedal steel, pump organs and other odd antique instruments.

Steve’s studio, The Henhouse, located in Nashville (and previously in Vancouver) has hosted countless artists and been the creative home to over 100 releases. With a beautifully warm and organic setting to record and work, it promises to become a destination for many more to come.

Between producing projects for other artists, Steve has recorded music of his own that has explored blues, jazz, Hawaiian, rock, and experimental music. His groundbreaking work with Jesse Zubot in Zubot and Dawson kicked things off in 1998, leading to 2 albums with Toronto jazz stalwarts Andrew Downing and Kevin Turcotte in the award-winning Great Uncles of the Revolution.

Steve’s solo recording output started with 2001’s “Bug Parade”, and from there he has released 11 solo albums that have explored everything from blues and folk to rock, Americana, traditional Hawaiian guitar and avant-garde string quartets.

In 2022/2023, Steve released 3 albums – “Gone, Long Gone” is the first and features a batch of new songs created with various groups during the pandemic. From gentle fingerstyle folk tunes to blazing, funky Americana grooves, to Hawaiian-style slide guitar instrumentals, this album covers alot of sonic territory and has received rave reviews around the world.

The second album, “Phantom Threshold” came out on August 12, 2022 and is an all-instrumental sonic trip featuring the Telescope Three – Jay Bellerose on drums, Jeremy Holmes on bass, and Chris Gestrin on keyboards. All driven by the melodies and improvisations of Steve’s pedal steel guitar.

The third album, “Eyes Closed, Dreaming” features a batch of new songs, co-writes, and a few takes on some traditional classics. The album has been getting airplay and reviews from all over the world.

The Upstairs Lounge is a licensed restaurant and bar, doors open at 6 pm for dinner service, the concert starts at 7:30 pm

Please note this is a LISTENING venue