dan goldman

Artist Information

Biography

A child of both formal music studies and acid jams in suburban basements, singer songwriter Dan Goldman moved to Toronto from Montreal in ’98 and started Kitchenmusik with cellist Michael Olsen, drummer Ryan Granville-Martin, flautist Rob Piilonen and bassist Paul Mathew. A band best described as the illegitimate love child of Joni Mitchell and Bill Frisell, Kitchenmusik combined unusual instrumentation with poetic lyrics, creating a sound that was uniquely their own. They made two recordings (the second of which was produced by Michael Philip Wojewoda) before disbanding in 2002.

In addition to performing with Kitchenmusik, Dan also played guitar in the bands of Mia Sheard, Justin Haynes and Rob Piilonen. Sheard’s poetic talent, Piilonen’s “Stravinsky meets Bugs Bunny” harmonic bent, and Haynes’ adventurous recording concepts inspired Dan to write and record his debut CD, “Through a Revolution.” Released in the spring of 2004, “Through a Revolution” is a collage-based production that displays Dan’s knack for allying sonic textures with lyrical themes. Underwater imagery climbs to the surface aided by phased drum loops; garbled radio signals and sampled clarinets recreate the urban soundtrack of the Montreal subway system. Whether sending a postcard from childhood or describing the litigations of love, Dan’s songs touch on universal themes from an intimate and personal perspective.

Many of Dan’s production concepts reappeared in scores he’s written for Dusk Dances and for the Toronto Dance Theatre as well as in recordings he’s co-produced for Breaking Sounds and Jack Breakfast. He’s toured the UK, Ireland and Canada with Mia Sheard; across Canada and the US both solo and with his current band-mates bassist Paul Mathew and drummer Kevin Brow. He's appeared on recordings by Veda Hille, Mia Sheard, Beyond The Pale, Ronley Teper and has shared stages with kindred spirits Veda Hille, Kurt Swinghammer, Bob Snider, Martin Tielli, John Southworth and Snailhouse.




Dan acknowledges the Canada Council for the Arts and The Ontario Arts Council for their generous support.

Instrumentation

(nylon stringed) guitar/vocals

Discography

Through A Revolution (2004)
ARC (Kitchenmusik 2001)
Flying In A Wheatdream (Kitchenmusik 2000)

Notes on the three releases:

Through a Revolution
produced by Dan Goldman, mixed by David Travers-Smith. This album features Paul Mathew, Kevin Brow, Mike Olsen, Owen Pallett, Mia Sheard, Mitch Yulevsky, Susanna Hood and Justin Haynes. It is a recent collage based recording of songs and oddities concocted in Dan's home laboratory.

ARC
Produced by Michael Philip-Wojewoda. This album is the band's sophmore release. It utilizes MPW's grace and experience to bring out the most of this band's live performances.

Wheat Dream
A debut album intended as a demo for grant applications. It is characterized by a warmth that comes from the pure love of creating music with people that you have great respect for.

Audio

Lyrics

• Plankton Waves
• closed doors
• take cover

Video

Photo Gallery

Press

• assorted [+ Show ]
  

  "Dan Goldman's Through A Revolution is inventive, witty and intimate..." Carl Wilson, The Globe an...
  "Dan Goldman's Through A Revolution is inventive, witty and intimate..." Carl Wilson, The Globe and Mail
  
  "I've loved Dan Goldman's music from the first time I heard it..." Veda Hille, indie queen songstress of the west
  
  “Goldman deeply inspires, creating intense musical ventures that can only be called art. The music is colorful, vivid, striking and fluid.”
  -Kyra Walker, Kingston This Week
  
  "Remarkable songs, one of my favourite releases of the year.."
  Bill Stunt, CBC radio host/producer
  
  “Dan's music inspires me and I am sure will inspire anyone who has a chance to hear him. He will lead us in the revolt against Britney Spears and the like!”
  -Mia Sheard, songstress queen of the east
  
  
  The following press clippings are from Dan’s former band “Kitchenmusik,” for which he was the main songwriter.
  
  Dan Goldman’s “Kitchenmusik” recently placed 4th out of 750 bands in a CBC competition entitled the “Big Break” contest. They have been featured numerous times on both national and regional CBC shows such as “Bandwidth”, “DNTO,” “Daybreak,” and “This Morning”. On June 8th 2002, the group was the featured artist of the week on “Bandwidth,” hosted by Bill Stunt. They have shared the stage with other notable musicians such as Rebecca Campbell/Justin Haynes, Mia Sheard, Kurt Swinghammer and Martin Tielli. Their live performance at the “Black Sheep Inn” was broadcasted on CBC radio 1 in June of 2002.
  
  Reviews
  
  Often, calling an album "interesting" is a way of damning it with faint praise. But in the case of this local group of self-described "music-school misfits," it's more of a compliment -- and an attempt to acknowledge the large ambitions that can be squeezed into a deceptively simple project. The five members of Kitchenmusik have worked as session musicians for the Rheostatics, Mia Sheard, Sarah Slean and Kurt Swinghammer, and Arc displays a similar musical adventurousness, kind of like jazz-school folk without the pretension. The traditional rock quartet has been expanded with cello, flute, various keyboards and percussion "treatments" -- even a drum 'n' bass track -- but the extras have been judiciously used by the band and producer Michael Phillip Wojewoda so they don't overload the songs. Or maybe it's just that the songs are strong enough to take it. Interesting. ***
  -Mary Dickie , Eye Magazine
  
  For those who have spent countless nights lying awake, wondering what it would sound like if the Rheostatics were artier, the answer has finally arrived - and they call it Kitchenmusik. Comprised of highly educated musicians, featuring lyrics co-written by a creative writing grad from Concordia and bathed in group of seven references, this band is an art nerd’s wet dream. Recalling the great melodic works of Tim Vesely , the 13 songs that make up ARC are experimental and esoteric, yet somehow still manage to contain a pop edge. It’s a delicate balance to maintain and not everyone is going to be impressed with the left-of-centre results, but there’s a large percentage of music geaks out there who will give this record the warm reception it deserves. CCC
  -SKur , Chart Magazine
  
  “skillfully performed artistic pop music, a remarkable band..”
  -Bill Stunt, CBC’s Bandwidth
  
  “one of the most original and ambitious young bands I’ve heard in recent memory”
  -Dave Bidini (Rheostatics)
  
  “This is an amazing ensemble worthy of being heard by a greater audience,”
  -Michael Philip Wojewoda (Barenaked Ladies, Rheostatics, Jane Siberry)
  
  

Setlist

originals from most recent release plus new material. sets are usually about an hour long.

Basic Requirements

Calendar