MATT ANDERSEN WINS MAPLE BLUES AWARD, ANNOUNCES MORE NORTH AMERICAN TOUR DATES
NEW BRUNSWICK SONGWRITER WINS MALE VOCALIST OF THE YEAR AT LAST NIGHT’S MAPLE BLUES AWARDS
COMMISSIONER GORDON-PRODUCED NEW ALBUM HONEST MAN OUT FEBRUARY 26 VIA TRUE NORTH RECORDS
DONOVAN WOODS TO OPEN ALL CANADIAN DATES STARTING FEBRUARY 16
LISTEN TO AND SHARE THE FIRST SINGLE “LET’S GET BACK” VIA YOUTUBE OR SOUNDCLOUD
PRE-ORDER HONEST MAN VIA ITUNES, AMAZON OR TRUE NORTH LABEL STORE
Photo: John Fearnall/Good Noise Photography
Last night, as he continued to prepare for the release of his new album Honest Man, Matt Andersen was honoured as Male Vocalist Of The Year at the 19th Annual Maple Blues Awards for the second year in a row, bringing his Maple Blues Awards total to four. Set for release on February 26 via True North Records, Honest Man is the eighth full-length album from the New Brunswick songwriter. Having already revealed the first single “Let’s Get Back” the acclaimed performer has now expanded his North American tour to over 50 dates that will run from February 16 to May 20.
Produced in New York with Commissioner Gordon (Joss Stone, Amy Winehouse, KRS-One), Honest Man follows up the JUNO Award nominated Weightless and sees the songwriter pushing himself into new territory. Blessed with a rich gospel soul voice and armed with a new set of songs, Matt Andersen found a perfect partner in crime with Commissioner Gordon.
“Gordon has worked with so many different people, like Santana and Quincy Jones, on so many historic albums,” says Andersen. “He has such a great approach and was able to tie-in so many new ideas to what I’ve done in the past without losing touch with my sound.”
From writing around drum beats to bringing in a cast of players including Andy Bassford (Toots and the Maytals, Burning Spear, Natalie Merchant) Benjamin Bouton (Ibibio Sound Machine), Josh David Barrett (The Wailers, Lauryn Hill), and Lenny Underwood (Mary J. Blige, Amy Winehouse), Honest Man expands on what we already know and love from Andersen and brings it to a new level.
Matt Andersen has been enthralling audiences with his one of a kind performance in North America, Europe and Australia for years. And besides his four Maple Blues Awards, he has a Memphis Blues Challenge win, a CIMA Road Gold Award, a European Blues Award, and a JUNO Award nomination. A powerhouse performer with a giant soul-filled voice and commanding stage presence, Andersen has built a formidable following the old fashioned way – touring worldwide and letting the converted audiences and Andersen devotees spread his reputation through word of mouth.
Supporting the release of Honest Man, Andersen will take to the road for four months through North America and joining him on the Canadian dates will be another JUNO Award nominated songwriter, Donovan Woods. No stranger to each other, the Toronto artist and Andersen penned two tracks together for Honest Man including the album closer “One Good Song.” “All songwriters desire to have that one good song that just gets everybody,” says Andersen, explaining the song. Not necessarily a hit, but a song that when it’s heard you can’t help but listen. This song is about the journey we all take to get there.”
All tour dates are listed below.
HONEST MAN TRACK LIST
Break Away
The Gift
Honest Man
I’m Giving In
Quiet Company
Let’s Get Back
All the Way
Last Surrender
Who Are You Listening To?
One Good Song
MATT ANDERSEN NORTH AMERICAN TOUR DATES
Feb 16 - Duncan, BC - Cowichan Performing Arts Centre *
Feb 17 - Victoria, BC - University of Victoria Farquhar Auditorium *
Feb 18 - Vancouver, BC - Vogue Theatre *
Feb 19 - Kelowna, BC - Kelowna Community Theatre *
Feb 20 - Banff, AB - The Banff Centre *
Feb 21 - Edmonton, AB - Northern Alberta Jubilee Auditorium *
Feb 22 - Calgary, AB - Southern Alberta Jubilee Auditorium *
Feb 24 - Saskatoon, SK - Broadway Theatre *
Feb 25 - Regina, SK - University of Regina Darke Hall *
Feb 26 - Winnipeg, MB - Burton Cummings Theatre *
Feb 27 - Guelph, ON - River Run Centre *
Feb 28 - London, ON - Centennial Hall *
Mar 1 - Kitchener, ON - Centre In The Square *
Mar 2 - St. Catharines, ON - St. Catharines Performing Arts Centre *
Mar 3 - Owen Sound, ON - Roxy Theatre *
Mar 4 - Burlington, ON - Burlington Performing Arts Centre *
Mar 5 - Toronto, ON - Massey Hall *
Mar 6 - Orillia, ON - Orillia Opera House *
Mar 8 - Port Hope, ON - Cameco Capitol Arts Centre *
Mar 9 - Markham, ON - Flato Markham Theatre *
Mar 10 - Kingston, ON - Grand Theatre *
Mar 11 - Burlington, VT - Club Metronome
Mar 12 - Boston, MA - Club Passim
Mar 13 - Bethlehem, PA - Blast Furnace Blues Festival
Mar 14 - Vienna, VA - Jammin Java
Mar 15 - New London, CT - Garde Arts
Mar 16 - Portsmouth, NH - Birdseye
Mar 18 - New York City, NY - Rockwood Music Hall
Mar 19 - Philadelphia, PA - Tin Angel
Mar 20 - Fall River, MA - Narrows Center For The Arts
Mar 24 - Ottawa, ON - National Arts Centre *
Mar 25 - Montreal, QC - L’Astral *
April 12 - Fredericton, NB - The Playhouse *
April 13 - Moncton, NB - Capitol Theatre *
April 14 - Saint John, NB - Imperial Theatre *
April 15 - Halifax, NS - Rebecca Cohn Auditorium *
April 28 - Ann Arbor, MI - The Ark
April 29 - Chicago, IL - Schuba’s
April 30 - St. Paul, MN - Turb Club
May 1 - Cedar Rapids, IA - CSPS Hall
May 2 - Lincoln, ME - Zoo Bar
May 3 - Kansas City, MO - Elvis Lounge at Knuckleheads
May 4 - Salina, KS - Stiefel On Stage
May 5 - Dallas, TX - Kessler Theatre
May 6 - Austin, TX - Cactus Café
May 7 - Houston, TX - Dosey Doe
May 9 - Albuquerque, NM - The Cooperage
May 11 - Phoenix, AZ - Musical Instrument Museum
May 13 - Los Angeles, CA - The Mint
May 14 - San Francisco, CA - Bricks and Mortar
May 15 - Santa Cruz, CA - Moe’s
May 18 - Bend, OR - Volcanic Pub
May 19 - Portland, OR - White Eagle
May 20 - Seattle, WA - Triple Door
* special guest Donovan Woods
MATT ANDERSEN ONLINE