Spotlight: Kate Maki

I have Jason Collett to thank for introducing me to the music of Kate Maki. It was during his second annual basement revue shows at the Dakota Tavern in Toronto where I saw Kate first perform as one of Collett’s musical guests. I remember Kate stepping on to the carpeted stage gearing up for her performance, dressed in a long skirt and a sweater, to which she later remarked before beginning the show, “You can tell I’m a school teacher”.

Laughs aside, Sudbury, Ontario based Kate Maki is one of many independent Canadian artists who juggle two careers. It’s tough for musicians when music doesn’t necessarily reward you enough to make a living. In an interview with The Varsity a few months back, Kate revealed she still teaches because, “It pays the rent.” Although she expresses she does enjoy teaching, Kate’s passion is creating and performing music. Rightly so, one must be deeply passionate about music to embark on releasing two albums in one year.

The first of the two records, Two Song Wedding, will be released via Confusion Unlimited (Kate’s indie label) this Tuesday January 12, 2010. The album, as Kate explains in The Varsity, was recorded in Tucson, Arizona while she was on tour for her last record On High (2008). It took a whopping two whole days to record. I guess her roots as a teacher really pays off in self-discipline.

Songs from Two Song Wedding can be previewed on Kate’s MySpace page. However, I warn you now, expect the unexpected. From initial listening, the new tracks are nothing like the usually upbeat, rootsy, and folksy Kate. Instead, Two Song Wedding, Kate’s fourth album, exposes her darker side with songs like ‘Bloodshot and Blistered’ and ‘Rip out the Moon’, both of which are played with electric guitars.

Regarding the darker sound, Kate explains via her CBC Radio 3 page, “Sometimes I play my electric late at night in the basement and sometimes I play my acoustic upstairs in the sunshine. As you might expect, these different scenarios generate contrasting songs - downstairs is usually more experimental and upstairs tends to be more straight ahead.”

Well, whether Kate’s in her basement or upstairs, she sounds amazing with either acoustic or electric guitar in hand. Kate is truly one of the most talented and (obviously) hard-working female singer-songwriters within the Canadian independent music scene. For that, she deserves your support. So, go on out and get your copy of Two Song Wedding this Tuesday, because we want Kate to make more music.

Two Song Wedding (2010) Track Listing:
1. Bloodshot & Blistered
2. In Comes the Light
3. From Below
4. Message Delivered
5. Rage in a Cage
6. Carved in Sand
7. Rip Out the Moon
8. Upon a Time
9. Dig You a Grave
10. Crossfire

To pre-order Two Song Wedding click here.

Other albums by Kate Maki:

Confusion Unlimited (2003)
The Sun Will Find Us (2004)
On High (2008)

Be sure to check out:

http://www.katemaki.com/

http://www.myspace.com/katemaki

http://radio3.cbc.ca/bands/Kate-Maki

Record Release Shows:

January 28 @ 9pm (early show) - Dakota Tavern - Toronto, ON
January 29 @ 9pm (w/Rolf Klausener) - Blacksheep Inn - Wakefield, QC
January 30 @ 8pm (early show) - Laughing Buddha - Sudbury, ON
January 30 @ 11pm (w/Brent Randall) - Townehouse Tavern - Sudbury, ON


Photo Credit: Clayton Turner

Rose Palmieri