Maddison Avenue

MADDISON AVENUE

Keith Maddison has always marched to the beat of a rambler's heart. Growing up, the Navy kept his family roving through Canadian cities but after spending his youth experimenting with different styles and mastering saxophone, guitar and piano, music brought Keith home.

Dalhousie University's music program lead the way back to Halifax, where he befriended some of the city's accomplished musicians. Building on his work as a singer-songwriter, Keith began working with the undeniable talent of Aaron MacDonald (lead guitar), Jeff Mosher (bass, sax and vocals), Jody Lyne ( piano, organ, vocals, trumpet, flugelhorn) and Mark Reid (percussion). Together, they formed a mosaic of musical chops that fused to deliver warmly familiar, but fresh melodies.

The culmination of these musicians and their various backgrounds is Maddison Avenue--
a classically satisfying country infused rock-and-roll band, peppered with hints of R&B instrumentals. Keith's lyrics follow a folk structure of honest story-telling, a style that he's been honing since a childhood introduction to the likes of Woody Guthrie and Wilf Carter. His narrative song-writing is complimented by a classic and reliable sound reminiscent of Van Morrison, Bob Seger, the Black Crowes and Bruce Springsteen.

It was a performance at a Junofest showcase in 2006 that got the ball rolling for Maddison Avenue, who went on to release an acclaimed self-titled EP in 2008. They have since shared the stage with renowned Canadian party band April Wine and Dartmouth's rock-and-roll golden boy Matt Mays and collaborated with local greats Dale and Brian Murray, Ian Mosher and 2010 Recording of the Year winner, Laura Merrimen.

Though still a fairly young band, their veteran musicianship resonates with every rich harmony that Maddison Avenue belts out. Their forthcoming full-length album Sweet Renegade is a testament to their versatility as a band and to the fact that even rambling hearts can put down roots.