Daniel McKenzie
Toronto, Ontario, Canada | SELF
Music
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DANIEL MCKENZIE - Devil In Disguise
The gifted ivory tickling of Daniel McKenzie on 'Don't Wanna Hurt' sparks the 11-track journey through the crevasses of his heart's experiences, and the rich, resonating passion of the opening track will make you an instant believer. Certainly a song with almost perfect pop radio potential, the emotion and instrumentation definitely hit the sweet spot. The surprising, subtle profanity sprinkled through a few of his songs works to his advantage, notably on the title track, a wrenching journey through peaks and valleys resisting a temptress. A man who knows how to drain every drop of happiness or sorrow from a piano, the music strikes the soul with crystal clarity, and the various touches of acoustic guitar by Mitch Girio embellish the layers of love life lyrics that Daniel delivers. Add a third dimension of cello by Alex McMaster, and you got a tapestry of thick, deep and honest romance music to soak into.
"Stay" is a slow-brewing plea to a slipping lover that builds itself up to a peak of pleasure, before slowly descending into resigned acceptance. If there was one song that seemed a bit out of place was the spirited strummer "Hold Me Up", but it's not necessarily bad... just slightly abrupt within the context of the rest of the album. And even though most of the creations are in the vein of solo acoustic piano-driven slow songs, it's a pleasant enough realm done by someone talented enough to find at least ten different things to say within this emotional, sonic space. A few songs near the end didn't personally connect to me as much as the first half of this smoldering album, but do yourself a favor and get acquainted with the moods and music of Daniel McKenzie. This "Devil in Disguise" disc contains some rather angelic vibrations.
-Addi Stewart, NOW Magazine - NOW Magazine
Discography
Devil In Disguise - 2007
These Same Streets - 2011
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Bio
“A man who knows how to drain every drop of happiness or sorrow from a piano, the music strikes the soul with crystal clarity......do yourself a favour and get acquainted with the moods and music of Daniel McKenzie…the rich, resonating passion will make you an instant believer.” - NOW Magazine
An instrument, and a voice. That is all Canadian Singer/Songwriter Daniel McKenzie needs to grab you. His intense live performances will captivate you as he shares stories and paints pictures with his compelling lyrics, soaring melodies, and resonating voice.
In 2007, Daniel's self released debut record, "Devil In Disguise", garnered the attention of the Toronto music scene and landed him back to back showcases at the Canadian Music Week Festival, and had him performing at top Toronto venues like Hugh's Room and The Cameron House. In 2010, he took his solo show on the road and headed south to New York where he immersed himself in the Singer/Songwriter community, playing shows at historic venues such as The Bitter End, and a residencies at Waltz Astoria in Queens, and Caffe Vivaldi in Greenwich Village. 2011 marked the release of his second record, "These Same Streets", and after a successful string of shows in New York, Daniel hit the road again, this time heading further South to Nashville, Tennessee, where he performed regularly at top Writers Rounds and landed a spot performing at the New Writers Night Showcase at the famous Bluebird Cafe. Upon returning home to Toronto in the Fall of 2012, he was nominated for a Toronto Independent Music Award for Best Singer/Songwriter.
Daniel McKenzie is not a starving artist; he is a hungry one. Focused and determined to be heard. He found his musical voice the hard way; by trying everything else first, getting kicked around, and always taking the road less traveled...and then writing songs about it.
He currently splits time between Nashville, New York, and his hometown of Toronto, always writing new songs, performing, and sharing his journey with his loyal and growing fan base.
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