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Lap steel guru plays Hermann’s

Steve Dawson performs Nov 2, at 8 p.m. at Hermann’s Jazz Club
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Steve Dawson brings his steel guitar to Victoria this Friday.

The music that flows out of Vancouver artist Steve Dawson is so natural and unforced that it’s possible to forget all of the work that went into producing it. Behind the organic, flowing guitar, the crisp arrangements and the laconic singing voice, resides one of the brightest, hardest working musicians Canada has ever produced.

Dawson’s recent solo album Nightshade expands on the language of his guitar work and offers more complex songs than ever before.

When questioned about the lyrical content, Dawson said, “I read dark stuff, watch dark movies and am drawn to that kind of subject matter.  As far as musical influences, I count Joe Henry and Elliot Smith as a direct influence on my writing. Their music is dark, but for myself, I don’t feel that dark as a person.  Maybe writing music like this is a way to get it out of my system.”

Whatever therapeutic function creating the songs on Nightshade may have had for Dawson, it’s his audience that benefits, and local audiences will have the chance to hear for themselves as Dawson performs Nov 2, at 8 p.m. at Hermann’s Jazz Club, 753 View St. Go to hightideconcerts.net for more information.