MUD DOG
Coquitlam, British Columbia, Canada | INDIE
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THE TRI-CITY NEWS
CD has local debut Sunday
By Sarah Payne - The Tri-City News
Published: July 22, 2008 6:00 PM
Updated: July 23, 2008 10:10 AM
Steve Sainas and his band Mud Dog have already debuted their latest CD, River of My Soul, at venerable Vancouver blues bar The Yale Hotel, but it’s the Sunday afternoon show in Lions Park they’re really looking forward to.
Everything about the group’s sophomore album has been born and bred in Port Coquitlam, said Sainas, a Terry Fox secondary teacher, making the Lions Park gig their much anticipated hometown “coming out.”
The 11 original songs on River of My Soul are written by Sainas and are largely acoustic based, relying on the mingling of Sainas on acoustic guitar and Christopher Allen on harmonica for a classic delta blues sound.
“It’s a search for light in this very troubled world,” Sainas described. Songs like “These Bones are Bare,” “I’m Leavin’” and “Stop the Show” express a frustration with today’s busy work life and the increasing difficulty to simply make ends meet.
But “River of My Soul,” “Live for Today” and “The Edge” offer a bright note, reminding that frustration is only apparent when we lose sight of the things that truly matter — love, family and good health.
“This CD is an attempt to help me keep these things a priority in my life, and hopefully connect with others who may feel the same way,” Sainas said.
One of those priorities is teaching.
Sainas leads the recording arts class at Terry Fox, along with the Rock School program; he’s been using his experiences creating the latest CD to bring a real-world edge to the classroom. The song writing, recording, production and even album cover art were done at Fox using the latest technology, in an ongoing professional development project that Sainas is also using for credit in Simon Fraser University’s TLITE (Teaching and Learning in a Technology Environment) program.
Through Sainas’s CD, students are learning how to network in the music business and how professional societies help young musicians advance their careers.
Creating the CD means Sainas gets to practise what he teaches — be a passionate lifelong musician, and create music simply for the love of it.
• Mud Dog plays at Lions Park July 27 from 2 to 4 p.m. Check www.muddog.ca.
spayne@tricitynews.com - Tri-City News: Sarah Payne
And the nominees for the 2008 Western Canadian Music Awards are...
Artistic Awards
Outstanding Blues Recording
John Lee Sanders – Doc Goes Hollywood (BC)
Kenny “Blues Boss Wayne” – Can’t Stop Now (BC)
Little Miss Higgins – Junction City (SK)
Mud Dog – River of my Soul (BC)
The Perpetrators – Tow Truck (MB)
http://www.wcmw.ca/nominees-artistic
- 2008 WCMA
Reviews
Every now and then the essence of what really makes a good Blues Album rises to the top of the heap. Such is the case with Mud Dog's new release "River of My Soul". Based out of Vancouver, Canada, the four piece band that forms Mud Dog once again proves that this great country of ours truly has it's share of great musicians, especially when it comes to the Blues. With it's amazing vocals, harmony, and a more then generous helping of harmonica, "River of My Soul", takes you on a gentler journey of the Blues, one which will leave you with a genuine feeling that you are listening to something refreshing and new. From the title track "River of My Soul" to it's fitting finale "The Edge", this CD is guaranteed to make you a fan of Mud Dog if you have not previously been, and more of a fan if you have.
"River of My Soul" is a must have CD for any fan of the Blues.
~John Vermilyea (Blues Underground Network)
http://www.bluesundergroundnetwork.com/Mud_Dog_CD.html - Blues Underground Network
"Mud Dog ~ River of My Soul" listed #5 Canadian Blues CD on Blues Underground Network's "Top 10 Blues CD Releases for 2008" http://www.bluesundergroundnetwork.com/2008_Year_End_Review.html
- Blues Underground Network
Promoter Response History:
Date: 5/26/2008 9:45:00 PM
Status: Selected
Response: You know, I gotta tell you, I've always loved what I've heard coming out of Canada! Great stuff here with Devil's Ride. I'm definitely looking forward to including this in my set in the next few weeks.
Keep in mind, you are more then welcome to come by and check out my set. I spin every Wednesday night at either The Horizontal Boogie Bar, or at Toby's Juke Joint from 7pm till 9pm SLT. Feel free to drop me a note in world. All the best, and thank you so much for giving me the opportunity to highlight your music to the patrons of the blues in Second Life. All the best!
Sincerely,
Durzle Darkstone
- DJ Durzle Darkstone
"River of My Soul" ~ Winner, Best Blues CD Album for The 2008 Toronto Exclusive Magazine Awards. - The 2008 Toronto Exclusive Magazine Awards.
author: Vasja Ivanovski
Excellent and highly original material, fine production and cool performance make for rewarding listening. Recommended not only to blues lovers but to all into good music! - VASYA IVANOVSKI - BLUEBELL MARITIME RADIO MACEDONIA
Discography
Mud Dog "Devils Ride" 2003
1. Devil's Ride
2. Gastown Blues
3. Train
4. Come on into My Kitchen*
5. Three Good reasons
6. Gonna Make You Howl
7. Testify
8. Cold Steel Rail
9. All They Want to Be
10. As Good as it Gets
11. Rollin' & Tumblin' *
12. Red Line
13. Revolution Must Rise
All songs except* written by Steve Sainas
All songs produced by Steve Sainas
All tracks on Devil's Ride have received radio airplay
Devil's Ride streaming visit: http://www.muddog.ca/discography.html
Mud Dog "River of my Soul" 2008
1. River of My Soul
2. These Bones are bare
3. Can't Figure You Out
4. Stop the Show
5. Mississippi
6. Step into the light
7. My Baby
8. Live for Today
9. Drivin' Me Crazy
10. I'm Leavin'
11. The Edge
All songs written, recorded and produced by Steve Sainas
River of My Soul streaming visit Sonicbids Audio
Radio Airplay for "Devil's Ride" & "River of my Soul": CBC Radio, North American College Radio, Max Trax, Online Radio, Jazz 90.1 FM NY, Australia, European Radio / UK, France, Belgium, Netherlands, Macedonia.
Photos
Bio
Mud Dog
Steve "Mud Dog" Sainas has been a guitarist/singer/songwriter in Vancouver's cabarets and pubs for the past twenty years. During this time, he has developed a powerful blues guitar and singing style that is instantly recognized by his steadily growing audience. In 1997, Steve began to lay the groundwork for forming his powerful blues band Mud Dog. His vision was to pay tribute to blues masters such as Robert Johnson, Muddy Waters, Howlin' Wolf and John Lee Hooker with a fiery contemporary blues sound. However, Sainas has evolved into an inspired songwriter and producer testifying his own life experiences through his songs that echo the sounds of the Mississippi Delta. In March 2003, Mud Dog released its debut CD "Devil's Ride" at the Terry Fox Theatre to a house full of excited fans. "Devil's Ride" features eleven original songs written and produced by Sainas, as well as two traditional arrangements. The CD is receiving regular airplay coast to coast. Five years later, Mud Dog released their second CD “River of My Soul” that features eleven new original acoustic songs written and produced by Sainas. Fans and reviewers describe “River of My Soul” as Mud Dog’s best CD so far.
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"River of My Soul", takes you on a gentler journey of the Blues, one which will leave you with a genuine feeling that you are listening to something refreshing and new… "River of My Soul" is a must have CD for any fan of the Blues.
~ John Vermilyea (Blues Underground Network)
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“River of My Soul” ~ 2008 Western Canadian Music Awards Nominee for Outstanding Blues Recording
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“River of My Soul” ~ 2008 Toronto Exclusive Magazine Award Winner for Best Canadian Blues CD/Album
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During the day, Steve is busy teaching Rock School and Recording Arts at Terry Fox Secondary School in Port Coquitlam, BC. He established these programs in 2000/2001 and has developed them into one of the most successful music programs in public education.
Christopher “Reed Killer” Allen is an award winning harmonica/vocal virtuoso who has performed and recorded all over the continent with a host of musical greats including Kenny "Blues Boss" Wayne, Esther Phillips, Ronnie Hawkins, Tina Turner, Jeff Healey, Bob Rock, and David Foster. Each night Christopher stuns the audience with his soaring melodies and amazing harmonica acrobatics.
Together, Steve And Christopher dig deep into roots blues creating a fresh contemporary acoustic sound that is thick with energy and flowing chemistry. The combination of harmony vocals, harmonica, acoustic guitar and steel dobro brings out the very essence of the original blues sounds of the 30's, 40's & 50's. Their passion for this genre will fill your souls with musical purity.
In dance venues and in the studio, a dynamic rhythm section joins Steve and Christopher. Rodney Koke (bass/vocals) and Randy Adams (drums) infuse Mud Dog with a pounding heartbeat that ignites the audience into a dancing frenzy.
For more info & bookings please visit www.muddog.ca
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