Album Notes

"My dream was to make a CD; make my music happen" says André Nobels, 27 year old Canadian singer-songwriter. The recent release of "Soul Fever", André's second album, at the Circle of Dreams Music Festival in Taiwan is a perfect example of the young artist's passion for making the dreams of his generation come true.
The release of "Soul Fever" capped off a one year tour of Taiwan for André and his band "The Visionaries". The new, six-song EP, is representative of the evolution of André's musical style over the past eight years. A rich musical backdrop replete with unique acoustic guitar stylings and jumpy riffs tugs at your heartstrings and sets the stage for poetic lyrics that have a contemporary philosophical twist. Reviewers have described André's voice as "incredibly touching" with comparisons from Waits to Buckley. Fans enjoy his relaxed and friendly stage presence and many are calling him "the next big thing" in the folk-rock arena.
André credits his Dad and many of the Folk Rock Greats of the 60's with his early inspiration. He remembers listening to his father's renditions of 60's folk tunes crooned to the twang of an old Gibson acoustic. For the aspiring young singer, his heroes' ability to use music as a vehicle for creative expression was nothing short of magic! While the would-be folk-rocker struggled to master the intricacies of the guitar, he recalls listening to old Lightning Hopkins records that he found stashed in the basement. He was always astounded by the depth of feeling that these tunes could evoke in him. At first André used poetry as a means to express his subtle and sensitive observations and feelings. It wasn't until later, when he became a philosophy major at Western University in Ontario, that he finally started to explore the subtle guitar melodies that would turn his award winning verse into popular songs. For André, the musical journey continues to be one of personal discovery. Fortunately for his Fans, the young songster has the gift of the" common touch". André's catchy tunes open hearts to lyrics that make us laugh at our foibles and his universal themes have a cross-generational appeal.
After he completed his degree in Philosophy, André and his first band," The Groove Faze", parted company following the release of their CD "In the Oven". In search of a dream, the young singer packed up his guitar and headed out West to what he lightly refers to as "Mom's finishing school". On the West Coast André found a deep vision and purpose rooted in the community and a land based spirituality he encountered there. In British Columbia André continued to write music while meeting a growing demand for solo acoustic performances. Early in 2003 a television contract drew Andre to Taipei where he connected with "The Visionaries". In this collaboration Andre not only found his voice but he found a way to share his dream of "inspiring others and sharing his heart through music." For the release of "Soul Fever", André created the unique "Circle of Dreams" music festival and fund, to help promote and support original music in the region. The CD and festival were funded by a special community dedicated to making dreams come true, aptly named the Dream Community. André and "The Visionaries" donated proceeds from the sale of the first 2000 CD's to help sponsor another artist's CD next year. The fund's purpose is to make at least one musician's dream come true, every year.
"Soul Fever" received rave reviews in the Taiwan media and sold 1500 CD's in the first 2 weeks of release alone! André has ridden this wave of success back to Canada where he is currently planning similar life stimulating events, for the love of music, people and consciousness.