Album Notes

An intensely energetic and powerful performer, Steve Marriner’s incorporation of various styles of Blues with that of rock n’ roll, has him night after night grabbing audiences from their seats and moving them to their feet.

Widely recognized as one of Canada’s premier harp players, Steve has toured and performed at prestigious festivals, concert halls and clubs in Canada, the US, UK and Australia with acoustic bluesman Harry Manx. He’s appeared on a number of other artists’ recordings including Harry Manx, JW Jones Blues Band, The Junk Yard Dogs, and Big Daddy G.

The 22-year-old’s debut album Going Up (releasing March 13, 2007) showcases his range of talents with well-crafted original songs, strong vocals, dynamic harp and kickin’ grooves.

Enthralled with the harmonica at an early age, Steve studied the great Chicago harp players while immersing himself in the music of Muddy Waters, Howlin’ Wolf, Lazy Lester and The Fabulous Thunderbirds. At age 14, he won the Ottawa Blues Harp Blow-Off and a spot on stage at the Ottawa Cisco Blues Festival that summer, and they’ve invited him to play every year since. His notoriety as an up-and-coming harp player also netted him three nominations at the Maple Blues Awards. In 2004, the Ottawa native met bluesman Harry Manx who heard Steve and invited him to play on stage with him at the prestigious Chicago Blues Festival -- of which he received a standing ovation.

Feedback from fans and industry insiders over the course of the world tour with Manx inspired Steve to book time in the studio and make a record of his own. Along with singing and blowing harp, he also features his guitar work on several tracks. Steve’s original tunes are delivered with passion and emotion. Rooted in the tradition of the blues while weaving elements of rock n’ roll, Steve’s role as producer allowed him to blend modern ideas with traditional sensibility to create an intensity that mirrors his own strong personality. The result is an album that touches on many of his influences while remaining as unique as its creator; diverse, energetic and dynamic.

This is sizzlin’, swelterin’ blues.