Aaron Tessis
Toronto, Ontario, Canada | SELF
Music
Press
"There’s no question that [Aaron’s] got his eye on the prize – making a name for himself and getting his music out.”
- Bayview Post
"There’s no question that [Aaron’s] got his eye on the prize – making a name for himself and getting his music out.”
- Bayview Post
“Aaron brings his passion for music together with his desire to help others. His years of practice and hard work have paid off.”
- North York Mirror
“Aaron brings his passion for music together with his desire to help others. His years of practice and hard work have paid off.”
- North York Mirror
“In a day and age when the major labels seem more concerned with signing artists that fit a preferred mould, it’s refreshing to discover that there are still exciting singer/songwriters out there with something important to say. Aaron Tessis is among the foremost of those, as you’ll discover when you listen to his music. Aaron’s songs have a lot more to say than one might expect from such a young performer. The inspiration for his work is available to all, but it takes someone like Aaron to create great music from it.
Aaron’s work has attracted a number of well-respected veteran players in the music industry, including producer Andy Curran. We’re ecstatic about the development and raising awareness of this great young talent. Discover this exciting new performer. Aaron Tessis is the real thing. For him it IS “About The Music”, just as his motto declares.”
- Mindbenders Music
“In a day and age when the major labels seem more concerned with signing artists that fit a preferred mould, it’s refreshing to discover that there are still exciting singer/songwriters out there with something important to say. Aaron Tessis is among the foremost of those, as you’ll discover when you listen to his music. Aaron’s songs have a lot more to say than one might expect from such a young performer. The inspiration for his work is available to all, but it takes someone like Aaron to create great music from it.
Aaron’s work has attracted a number of well-respected veteran players in the music industry, including producer Andy Curran. We’re ecstatic about the development and raising awareness of this great young talent. Discover this exciting new performer. Aaron Tessis is the real thing. For him it IS “About The Music”, just as his motto declares.”
- Mindbenders Music
“Aaron has one of the nicest voices I’ve heard.”
- Juno/Billboard award winning singer/songwriter
“Aaron has one of the nicest voices I’ve heard.”
- Juno/Billboard award winning singer/songwriter
“A young Toronto musician is lending his support to the Alzheimer’s Society at a benefit concert [for] World Alzheimer’s Day. Tessis hopes the free concert will bring people together to raise awareness about this disease.”
- Metro Toronto
“A young Toronto musician is lending his support to the Alzheimer’s Society at a benefit concert [for] World Alzheimer’s Day. Tessis hopes the free concert will bring people together to raise awareness about this disease.”
- Metro Toronto
“I love this kid!”
- Farley Flex
“I love this kid!”
- Farley Flex
“Aaron Tessis offered to host a concert to benefit the Alzheimer’s Society, giving us a night of music and friendship under the stars. Thank you to all who donated and to Aaron for his tireless efforts and kindness.”
- Alzheimer’s Society
“Aaron Tessis offered to host a concert to benefit the Alzheimer’s Society, giving us a night of music and friendship under the stars. Thank you to all who donated and to Aaron for his tireless efforts and kindness.”
- Alzheimer’s Society
“Aaron's got a really great voice, a great smile, and a great look!” - The Management Trust
“Aaron's got a really great voice, a great smile, and a great look!” - The Management Trust
It was after watching La Bamba,
the film story of early rocker Ritchie Valens, that Aaron Tessis decided that he wanted to be a rock star. He was all of three years old at the time.
The Bayview Avenue York Mills
Road resident is only 18 now, but
there's no question that he's got his eye on the prize - making a name for himself and getting his music out.
While still too young to get in to bars, Tessis has been ambitiously producing his own shows (with help from his parents) at local venues like
the Toronto Centre for the Arts'
Studio Theatre. Last month, he sold out the theatre but admits that it can be risky fronting the money to rent it and then hope that word spreads.
Tessis began taking guitar lessons at an early age but says that "my voice is my instrument."
While it's hardly surprising that
he's hoping to someday get a record deal, he's not sitting on his hands in the meantime. "I have about 76 songs
now," he says, "I'm impatient." Old time rockers like Buddy Holly and Ritchie Valens are crucial influences,he says, but his sound clearly owes
much to modern-day acoustic rockers like Dave Matthews and John Mayer.
"I'm very concerned about
feelings," he says of the positive attitude in his music. "I'm confident in the sound... and in myself."
Now attending York University,
Tessis is thinking seriously about heading down to the United States to pursue music full-time.
Tessis records all his concerts and makes a point of making his music available to anyone for no charge. His songs can be easily downloaded from his website or engines like Kazaa. He uses word of mouth, handing out fliers and busking on the streets to get
his message out there.
"It's going to be a grueling task," he says of the road ahead, "but I'm very convinced this is what 1'm
meant to be."
Visit www.aarontessis.com for
more information.
David Fleischer - Post City Magazines
Discography
Summertime - 2003 (EP)
About The Music - 2004 (LP)
Fish Outta Water - 2008 (EP)
On My Way - 2009 (LP)
Photos
Bio
“From the time I first saw the movie La Bamba at age three, anyone whose ever known me or seen me perform has witnessed my passion for my music. Apart from my first song composition at 10-years-old, my songwriting career began at 15, and ever since then I perpetually feel as if I’m growing into myself, feeling blessed to have reliably discovered my voice through art and music,” Aaron Tessis says about his evolution as a singer-songwriter.
Whether performing to an audience of ten or a thousand, Aaron sings with all his heart and soul as if wearing them on his sleeve. He admits, “I never sing a song the same way twice. It all depends on how I’m feeling at the time.”
Inspired by music icons like Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens, Elvis, Paul Simon, Neil Young, Michael Jackson and Dave Matthews, Aaron’s music combines several genres with pop melodies, including rock, blues, folk, jazz and Soul.
Graduating from the local Toronto music scene in 2006, Aaron packed his bags in discovery of the world of music outside his hometown. Having recently completed tours in North America, Europe, and South America, Aaron Tessis hits the road once again in 2011 to tour A Take On Dave Matthews—Aaron’s one-man-show showcasing the songwriting of the legendary Dave Matthews Band with colorful vocal, guitar, and percussive arrangements, combined with real-time multi-tracking.
Aaron has an original song catalogue of more than 150 songs and a band name and motto that will never lose its roots, “About The Music”. Aaron also has a Paul Simon tribute show, a compilation show of the best/worst heartache songs entitled, “The 50 Ways to Leave Your Lover”, a compilation show of the world’s best love songs called, “The 50 Ways to Please Your Mother”, and finally, he is currently working with Buddy Holly: the Musical on a mobile production of the Tony award-winning play, tentatively scheduled to hit the stage in 2012.
Links
