Mixing equal parts musical scholar, businessman and tattooed rock n’ roll rebel, Toronto guitarist Dan McKinnon is not your average blues rocker. While his music is rooted in blues styles ranging from traditional, country and electric, McKinnon has also publicly declared his love for glam rock, fusion, hard bop, and heavy metal. It is this mélange of musical influences that has created the sound that McKinnon is known for and presents on his new CD As Sharp As Possible.
His self-titled debut E.P. was released in early 2012 to glowing reviews and widespread airplay across North America – including regular positions on the Roots Music Report charts. “Dan McKinnon is certainly ready for the spotlight. His debut EP shines a light on the wide spectrum of sounds he can create. From the slow and soulful to the edgy solos that really bite, the road ahead knows no limits.” (Blues Rock Review).
Album:
Dan McKinnon
Bitrate: 320K/s
Time: 16:44
Size: 38.3 MB
Styles: Electric blues
Year: 2012
Art: Front
[4:00] 1. Satisfied
[4:27] 2. Blues for Brother Nelson
[4:11] 3. Bad Habit
[4:06] 4. Some Kind of Special
Toronto bluesman Dan McKinnon shines as he shows several different sides on his new self-titled EP. He blends a lot of influences into his four songs, taking the listener right back in time.
There is beautiful Albert King style guitar playing, an unstoppable groove and a lot of big, dirty riffs, which draw the listener in right from the big riffed, funky bassline of the first track “Satisfied.” He shows a touch of jazz on the instrumental “Blues for Brother Nelson,” which features an upbeat walking bass line, plenty of groove and tasteful guitar solos interspersed throughout. He slows things down on the slinking “Bad Habit,” where he gets to show how tastefully he can play as well as how well he can sing. He ends the EP by showing his rocking side on “ Some Kind of Special,” which features a fast walking bassline and big belting vocals. All together the four songs show off the many facets of McKinnon’s bluesy personality.
Dan McKinnon
Album:
ASAP: As Sharp As Possible
Bitrate: 320K/s
Time: 44:46
Size: 102.5 MB
Styles: Electric blues
Year: 2013
Art: Front
[4:47] 1. Ain't Looking Back
[4:09] 2. King Of The Hill
[4:11] 3. The Lucky One
[4:11] 4. Got It Bad
[5:09] 5. Killing Time
[4:17] 6. Heart Attack
[3:24] 7. Perfect Ten
[4:29] 8. The Recipe (Feat Jack De Keyzer)
[5:54] 9. One Regret
[4:11] 10. A Different Road
Produced by JUNO Award winning blues guitarist Jack de Keyzer and recorded at Canterbury Studios, As Sharp As Possible features Dan McKinnon on guitar and vocals, Aaron Carter on bass and Jon Foster on drums. Each of the ten songs were written by McKinnon with topics that range from relationships, self-reflection and personal loss. From the heavy opening riffs on the first track “Ain’t Looking Back”, to the slow groove and soulful solos on “Killing Time”, and the forlorn lyrics and classic blues feel on “One Regret”, the combination of McKinnon’s voice and guitar playing, along with the solid foundation from the band, As Sharp As Possible will quickly become a favourite among blues fans all over.
Only in his thirties, McKinnon’s education, life experiences and talent will certainly ensure a long and healthy career in the blues genre. “Dan McKinnon is one of the brightest new lights on the blues scene. A well-schooled guitarist, he adds just the right amount of jazz intuition to his searing blues playing. With a nice vocal tone, killer riffs and wicked guitar chops Dan McKinnon is a name you will be hearing a lot about in the coming months, years and decades.”, says producer Jack de Keyzer.
ASAP: As Sharp As Possible