Steve Kozak... Maple Blues Award Winner, New Artists of the Year in Canada 2012. Nominated in 2017 and 2018 for a Western Canadian Music Award - Blues Artist of the Year.
Bio
One of Canada’s finest blues artists, Steve Kozak has been turning heads of blues fans in Canada for over thirty years since he first broke onto the Vancouver scene in the mid-eighties.
When it comes to tasty West coast blues guitar, Kozak’s name is at the top of the list in this nation -- just ask greats like Duke Robillard and James Harman who have shared the stage with this gifted bandleader, instrumentalist, writer and singer.
Gaining national recognition in 2012, Steve Kozak was nominated by industry professionals from across Canada and won a prestigious Maple Blues Award for New Artist or Group of the Year. Steve was also awarded The Ambassador of the Blues Award for 2012 by the Blues Underground Network.
Featured in the January 2018 special 100th issue of the UK publication Blues Matters magazine, Steve Kozak, ‘The making of a Canadian Icon’, word about is getting out around the world about this western Canadian Blues artist.
The Steve Kozak Band was nominated for a 2017 and a 2018 Western Canadian Music Award for Blues Artists of the year and for a 2017 Fraser Valley Music Award for Blues Artists of the Year.
Steve was an instructor at the 2018 Hornby Island Blues Workshops in May on beautiful Hornby Island BC along with a dozen or so of Canada's finest Blues musicians who will share their knowledge and inspiration with the 70 students who attended the workshops.
Steve will be an instructor at the inaugural 2019 Okanangan Blues Workshops in Penticton BC in October.
2019 Okanagan Blues Workshops - October 21- 23
Steve Kozak’s latest and fourth album ‘It’s Time’- The Steve Kozak Band, released in 2017 continues to hold its place into 2019 on the Roots Music Report Top 50 album and Soul Blues radio charts and is being featured on radio playlists across Canada, Europe and the USA.
Kozak’s original song ‘Goin’ Fishin’ from ‘It’s Time‘ was the featured theme song on the popular syndicated television show Gary Cooper’s Nice Fish for the 2018 television season.
Steve’s previously released self-promoted album Lookin’ at Lucky featuring Blues legend, James Harman, was very well received. Twice reaching #1 spots on Blues and Roots radio station top 20 charts in Canada, and hitting #10 in the top 50 Blues albums, getting radio play in the USA the year it was released.
Bruce Iglauer, head of the prestigious Chicago blues label Alligator Records, reviewed Lookin’ at Lucky and confirmed Steve’s arrival, commenting: “This is a well-crafted album, performed with taste and subtlety. Any Blues fan should enjoy it; I sure did.”
Holger Petersen, host of CBC Radio’s Saturday Night Blues and head of Stony Plain Records says…“Really been enjoying 'Lookin' At Lucky'. Well done all round.”
Throughout his career Steve has performed on stage with many blues greats including; James Harman, Duke Robillard, Kenny 'Blues Boss' Wayne, Pee Wee Crayton, Big Joe Duskin, Sonny Rhodes, Eddie ‘The Chief’ Clearwater, Rod Piazza, Rick Estrin, Mark Hummel, Lee Oskar, Big Joe Louis, Tom Holland ‘The Shuffle King’; David Vest, Robin Banks, Mitch Woods, and rockabilly guitar legend Evan Johns.
Some career highlights include being an instructor and performing at the 2018 Hornby Island Blues workshops, performing with The Duke Robillard Band, (subbing in for an injured Duke) on guitar as he fronted the band at two sold out shows at the 2015 Winnipeg International Jazz Festival, performances at the 2018 Vernon Winter Carnival Blues Festival, The 2018 Calgary International Blues Festival, host of the 2018, 2017, 2015 after hours All-Star Blues jam for the Edmonton International Blues Festival,The Edmonton International Blues Festival 2010, 2012, 2016 Salmon Arm Roots & Blues Festival; the 2014 Burnaby Blues & Roots Festival, the 2016 Alpine Blossom Festival at Sun Peaks Resort, Sun Peaks BC, Big Blues Bender All-Star Jam at the Riviera Casino lounge in Las Vegas, The El Macombo in Toronto, 2012, The Pender Harbour Blues Festival, 2010, 2013, 2014; Hwy.101 Music Festival, The Nanaimo Summertime Blues Festival, 2009, 2011, 2014, 2016, The Calgary Mid-Winter Blues Festival 2013, Powell River Blues Festival, 2011, 2012 Rare Earth Music Festival 2011 (Vernon BC), The Maple Ridge Blues Festival, The Gastown Chili and Blues Festival in Vancouver and numerous engagements at the renowned and very highly rated western Canadian live music venue, The Dream Cafe in Penticton BC.
Steve Kozak has also opened shows in Vancouver for Nick Curran and the Low-Lifes, Rick Estrin and the Night Cats, Maria Muldaur, The Lee Boys, Matt & Nikki Hill and ‘Super Harp’ James Cotton.
The Steve Kozak Band is Maple Blues Award winner: Steve Kozak, guitar and vocals, Michael Kalanj, piano and organ (Powder Blues Band, Jim Byrnes, Spencer Davis, Chris Isaak Show) , Roger Brant on bass guitar, ( Hound Dog, Amos Garrett, ) 'Steady Rollin' John Nolan on drums (Sonny Phillips, Jimmy Smith, Mose Allison, Joe Pass, Linton Garner, Wynton Marsalis, Herb Ellis, Tal Farlow, Charlie Byrd.)
Please do contact us here for bookings and more information.
Mike Kalanj, piano and organ.
Mike Kalanj’s Hammond organ and piano playing oozes sweetness.”
Read reviews of Mike’s mastery on the Hammond B3 and you’ll read
of a musician who stands out in the musical world of the Blues,
Gospel and R&B. His understanding and knowledge of the music and
how to bring it to life on the one of a kind Hammond B3 keeps him
in constant demand. Mike has played with Tom Lavin and the
Legendary Powder Blues Band, Jim Byrnes, Spencer Davis,
Chris Isaak, Joe Walsh, and played for the late Long John Baldry
as well as countless other musicians on stage and in the studio.
Roger Brant, bass guitar. Roger Brant has played bass guitar for almost 50 years. After brief periods in Edmonton, Toronto and Winnipeg, Roger came to Vancouver to play a few week‘s worth of dates with the Amos Garrett Band in 1982. He liked what he saw, and he stayed. Over the years he has played casually with various blues artists, but has been a mainstay with the Steve Kozak Band for past ten years. Other groups Roger has backed or opened for include Taj Mahal, Boz Scaggs, Dr. John, Maria Muldaur, Vassar Clements, Pinetop Perkins, James Harman, Mitch Woods, Tom Holland, Powder Blues Band, and Joe Louis Walker. Roger cites as some of his influences Muddy Waters, Louis Jordan, Freddie King, Elmore James, Otis Rush, and Little Walter, but he is quick to say “There’s tons of great blues, old and new. As long as it’s got feeling and groove, it’s good with me.” His favorite bassists are the late Keith Ferguson (Fabulous Thunderbirds, Tail Gators), Preston Hubbard (Roomful Of Blues) , Fabulous Thunderbirds), Willie Dixon ( just about everyone!), Larry Taylor (Canned Heat, The Hollywood Fats Band), and Calvin “Fuzz” Jones (Muddy Waters Band).
'Steady Rollin' John Nolan, drums. John Nolan stared playing clubs in Vancouver in 1972. He moved to Los Angeles in 1977 and became involved in the jazz scene there and played with musicians such as Sonny Phillips, Jimmy Smith, Mose Allison, Joe Pass, etc. John moved back to Vancouver in 1989 and played with Ron Johnston, Al Wold, Fraser McPherson, Moe Koffman, Jack Stafford and fronted the Thursday jazz night at The Fairview Pub for 22 years beginning in 1994. He has also worked with Linton Garner, Wynton Marsalis, Herb Ellis, Tal Farlow, Charlie Byrd. John became more involved in the Vancouver blues scene in 2007 working and recording with musicians such as Jack Lavin, Mark DuFresne, Jeff Simmons, Pete Sweetzir Darryl Havers, Al Foreman, Willie MacCalder, Marty Bernard, John Lee Sanders, Mike Kalanj, Murray Porter, etc. In 2012 was part of The 100 Years Cafe series on the Aboriginal Peoples Television Network produced by Greg Coyes and played with many of the featured artists such as Margot Kane, Andrea Menard, Gillian Thompson, Don Amero, among others.