Glenn Chatten
Richmond, British Columbia, Canada | Established. Jan 01, 2004 | INDIE | AFM
Music
Press
I was born too late to experience the hippie movement directly, but I was raised by parents who loved a good song with meaningful lyrics. And while some look at that era with condescension, others like me enjoy the message and the activist passion behind it.
Glenn Chatten can definitely be called a “hippie”. And in true hippie fashion, his music tells stories of peace and self-consciousness. His songs are poetic, uplifting, and bring the listener back to a time when the artistic spirit was about people and not money.
“Where You Need to Be,” Chatten’s new album, is a great piece of Canadiana that boasts a unique variety and mixture of genres. Whether it is Folk, Celtic music or Blues, Chatten’s guitar and occasional harmonica happily echo in your mind, while his voice — a distant cousin of Johnny Cash’s — leaves your heart bathed in a warm embrace.
Overall, I really like this album. In particular, some of the songs (“For the Sake of Oil,” “Adams River Runs,” “The Heart That Is Your Land” and “Embassy”) deserve to be streamed by radio stations and featured in movies. With that being said, I feel that a couple of tracks are a little on the safe side and have been heard before (“Blues Band in Afghanistan” and “Rollin’ to Surrender,” for example). And sometimes, Chatten over enunciates his lyrics.
However, one cannot deny the passion and sincerity of the album. Chatten is an artist on a spiritual mission. He invites us to open our minds and hearts to the beauties of this world, and to take care of one another. And in this day and age, we need more of that. - The Examiner
I was born too late to experience the hippie movement directly, but I was raised by parents who loved a good song with meaningful lyrics. And while some look at that era with condescension, others like me enjoy the message and the activist passion behind it.
Glenn Chatten can definitely be called a “hippie”. And in true hippie fashion, his music tells stories of peace and self-consciousness. His songs are poetic, uplifting, and bring the listener back to a time when the artistic spirit was about people and not money.
“Where You Need to Be,” Chatten’s new album, is a great piece of Canadiana that boasts a unique variety and mixture of genres. Whether it is Folk, Celtic music or Blues, Chatten’s guitar and occasional harmonica happily echo in your mind, while his voice — a distant cousin of Johnny Cash’s — leaves your heart bathed in a warm embrace.
Overall, I really like this album. In particular, some of the songs (“For the Sake of Oil,” “Adams River Runs,” “The Heart That Is Your Land” and “Embassy”) deserve to be streamed by radio stations and featured in movies. With that being said, I feel that a couple of tracks are a little on the safe side and have been heard before (“Blues Band in Afghanistan” and “Rollin’ to Surrender,” for example). And sometimes, Chatten over enunciates his lyrics.
However, one cannot deny the passion and sincerity of the album. Chatten is an artist on a spiritual mission. He invites us to open our minds and hearts to the beauties of this world, and to take care of one another. And in this day and age, we need more of that. - The Examiner
There used to be a lot of sincere, bandanna-wearing guitar thwackers hanging around, but as society gets more cynical and corporate every day, it’s getting harder to find a bona fide hippie when you need one.
There’s no missing the good-hearted sincerity of Glenn Chatten, who tells straightforward stories in his narrow baritone range and wider ones with his excellent steel-string fingerpicking, accompanied by occasional hits of harmonica goodness. You don’t even have to hear songs like “Mind Your Forests” and “For the Sake of Oil” to know what they’re about, and the aura of Bruce Cockburn hangs most heavily on these. Most of the songs on his self-produced CD, though, have flourishes that move them beyond the obvious.
It helps to have the percolating rhythm support of bassist Rob Becker and drummer Geoff Hicks, and there are standout visits from fiddle great Jesse Zubot, notably on the sweetly pictorial “Adams River Run”, and guitar wiz Steve Dawson, who gets a nice electric workout on the set’s catchiest number, the up-tempo “Turn This Car Around”. Chatten sometimes overenunciates his lyrics, but he gets appropriately funky, in the Country Joe & the Fish sense, on the closing “Blues Band in Afghanistan”. Still, of everything here, the double-tracked guitars (with sitar, it seems) on the instrumental “Embassy” would sound best in your VW van—especially on the way to Burning Man. - Georgia Straight, Vancouver, BC
There used to be a lot of sincere, bandanna-wearing guitar thwackers hanging around, but as society gets more cynical and corporate every day, it’s getting harder to find a bona fide hippie when you need one.
There’s no missing the good-hearted sincerity of Glenn Chatten, who tells straightforward stories in his narrow baritone range and wider ones with his excellent steel-string fingerpicking, accompanied by occasional hits of harmonica goodness. You don’t even have to hear songs like “Mind Your Forests” and “For the Sake of Oil” to know what they’re about, and the aura of Bruce Cockburn hangs most heavily on these. Most of the songs on his self-produced CD, though, have flourishes that move them beyond the obvious.
It helps to have the percolating rhythm support of bassist Rob Becker and drummer Geoff Hicks, and there are standout visits from fiddle great Jesse Zubot, notably on the sweetly pictorial “Adams River Run”, and guitar wiz Steve Dawson, who gets a nice electric workout on the set’s catchiest number, the up-tempo “Turn This Car Around”. Chatten sometimes overenunciates his lyrics, but he gets appropriately funky, in the Country Joe & the Fish sense, on the closing “Blues Band in Afghanistan”. Still, of everything here, the double-tracked guitars (with sitar, it seems) on the instrumental “Embassy” would sound best in your VW van—especially on the way to Burning Man. - Georgia Straight, Vancouver, BC
Glenn Chatten's new album "Where You Need to Be" is an essential for your folk rock collection. The amazing talent of the musicians and the finely crafted songwriting paint a heartfelt and original take on today's world. Just beautiful. Listening to this collection of Glenn Chatten's songs is "Where You Need to Be." - Robert Andrew Fillo
“ Glenn Chatten is an outstanding singer/songwriter, musician, storyteller, mentor, colleague, and catalyst. He continues to take risks in creating extraordinary songs that both provoke and entertain, with edgy rhythms in ground-breaking work at the leading edge of social justice issues. On the other hand, Glenn’s songs can soothe the spirits with mystical, peaceful melodies akin to a meditation with echoes of eastern, celtic and eclectic spiritualities. The sheer complexity of Glenn’s instrumental music is stunning testimony to his decades of playing guitar. Listening to Glenn is like listening to three guitars at once….”
- Heather Duff, Artistic Director, Vancouver Youth Theatre
Discography
Running Away From Life Again 1985
Glenn's first album was released as vinyl after recording at the famous Cedar Tree Studios in Kitchener, Ont. Having been influenced by his mentor, Bruce Cockburn, the songs in this first recording were centered around the pertinent social issues of the time and on hope for the future. Joining Glenn were arranger/producer, Paul Stouffer on keys, Glen Drummond on bass, Dan Moore on drums, produced by Darryl Moore.
Where You Need To Be 2011
Glenn released, “Where You Need To Be”, in 2011 highlighting his more recent works since moving to Vancouver and is currently promoting it on tour through Canada.
Engineered by Juno nominated, Sheldon Zaharko; Recorded and Mastered at The Factory Studio in Vancouver; Glenn was fortunate to have some great musicians sharing the tracks with him on many of his songs. Juno award winner, Steve Dawson performed acoustic and electric slide guitar. Jesse Zubot, another Juno recipient, played fiddle. Trumpeter, Terry Townson and Saxophonist, Steve Hilliam were the horn section on the song, “For The Sake of Oil”. Also, Geoff Hicks on drums, and Rob Becker on bass rounded off the solid bed tracks for this new CD.
Sweet Grass 2014
Glenn released this EP after recording live off the floor at St Andrew's Wesley United Church in Vancouver. Joining Glenn on this project were, co-produced, Ken Cade on electric violin, Ross Christopher Fairbairn on bass.
Live at The Genesis Theatre 2015
Glenn recorded one of his many concerts in 2014. This particular one was at the Genesis Theatre in Ladner, BC. Joining him on stage were extraordinary jazz saxophonist, Dave Say, Ross Christopher Fairbairn on Bass and Marshall Zalik on percussion. Engineered by Sheldon Zaharko of ZED Productions.
Liminal 2016
Glenn will be releasing his newest CD this Spring 2016, This features some of his older songs as well as many new compositions recorded once again at St Andrew's Wesley United Church in Vancouver with engineer, Sheldon Zaharko. Joining Glenn on this project were, Ken Cade (Electric Violin), Alcvin Ramos (Bamboo Flute), Enrico Renz (Lead Guitar), Ross Christopher Fairbairn, (Bass), Marshall Zalik (Percussion), Heather Duff (Vocals), and Pat Covernton (Keyboard).
Photos
Bio
Glenn’s song writing emerges from in the “in-between” spaces of life: the spaces between children at a park, between a gathering of aboriginal elders, on a prairie road under the stars, on the bank of a river where spawning salmon run. His songs embrace the fragility and finite nature of life, the beauty of the brokenness that we all share as temporal beings in this world.
Yoga and Meditation have deepened his musical vision by enabling him to find and embrace those in- between spaces within himself and within his musical compositions.
Glenn recognizes and integrates a sense of space in both his lyrics and within his unique instrumental styles on both guitar and sitar.His musical inspiration stems from many varying roots not the least of which is the intricate finger-picking style and social justice edge of Bruce Cockburn, the late sitar guru Ravi Shankar, and World Music visionaries, the Idan Raichel Project and Vieux Farke Touré. In discovering, being deeply moved, and influenced by the new awareness and global consciousness that is offered up by these musicians, Glenn has made a commitment to experiment with the guitar through creating innovative open tunings, varying capo arrangements, alternate rhythms and finger-picking styles.
Glenn is also interested in continually using other stringed instruments, styling, arrangements from cultures such as India, Middle East and Thailand, etc….creating a blend of influences from folk, blues, jazz, classical, Celtic, Eastern and meditative styles.
Having deep respect for the musicians with whom he performs, Glenn’s intent is always to make real everyone’s potential, sharing not only the soul-filled joy of music with them but fostering it in other young artists in the community, and even inspiring audiences to do the same.
A participating member of SAC (Songwriter’s Association of Canada); Music BC; Leader of ‘The Glenn Chatten Band’ and the Band ‘Raising Change’; the Musical Director of the Vancouver Youth Theatre; the Artistic Director of Vancouver’s ‘Joy Fest’ Songwriter's Festival; and co host of the popular songwriting showcase ’Taking Turns at The Grind’, Glenn has become a respected and established singer/songwriter in Vancouver, with over thirty years of experience as an uniquely phenomenal finger-style acoustic guitarist, touring Canadian performer, songwriter, producer and recording artist.
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