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With two complete albums notched into his belt, Ben Hartt is coursing along
his path as one of Canada’s most innovative and exciting indie-pop
musicians.
In July of 2001 after years of training in music and dance, after life
and love inspired poetry and song, and after doing the inevitable coffee
café circuit gigs, Ben released his first album, “Hyper Blue.”
Born in the age of glitter balls, big hair and disco, he was nurtured
on the tunes of ABBA (Voulez Vous being his first album)- this love of
dance music lasted a lifetime, and its inspiration is clear on the album.
Produced in Edmonton, Alberta by the techno- mastery of Greg Johnston,
“Hyper Blue” was the culmination of Ben’s love of the
pop genre and his cleverly crafted, introspective poetry. The refreshing
dance album took him across Canada, through various venues, pulling people
out of their seats and on to the dance floor, and melting a few hearts
along the way.
Exactly 3 years later, in July 2004, Ben is releasing his second full-length
album, “Seeker” - named after the zodiacal week that this
Gemini was born into. Marking a slight change in direction, solid pop
ground still intact, Ben has offered a raw and honest, lyric glimpse of
his soul; inspired by the timeless music of the Rolling Stones, Fleetwood
Mac and Coldplay, he sought a more rustic, acoustic and layered sound
to support his verse.
The Edmonton Journal’s Sandra Sperounes has described Ben’s
music as “a slice of pop heaven.” This second offering, “Seeker,”
with Ben’s warm, inviting vocals on lush ballads and his coy sexiness
on the dance-inducing pop-rock numbers will certainly make this next “slice”
worthy of a generous second helping.
With album release parties and concerts booked across Canada, Ben Hartt
may be playing near you soon. Stay tuned to www.benhartt.com www.benhartt.com
for details.
Selected career highlights of Ben Hartt...
2004:
- June 26 - Performance at Toronto's Gay Pride Festival, before a crowd
of several thousand
- June 17 - "Seeker" is released
- June - CBC Radio One interview on "the Key of A", with Bill
Roach (filling in for Dan Cherwoniak)
- June - CJSR 88.5FM Edmonton, interview on "Gaywire" with Kristy
- Harcourt, and interview on "Cultural Cocktail" with Gilbert
A. Bouchard and Suzette Chan
2002:
- Dec 2002 to May 2004 - In the studio recording "seeker"
- December - Fundraiser performance for the People with AIDS foundation,
Phoenix Concert Theatre, Toronto
- October – PrideVision TV studio performance, Toronto
- August – A-Channel TV studio performance, Edmonton
- August – Vancouver Gay Pride Festival, Sunset Beach Stage
- June – Recorded the dance single “Can’t Stop Thinking
of You” with Popular Records in Toronto, which is currently being
promoted to top-40 Canadian radio and is receiving some small market airplay
- June – Various outdoor stage performances during Pride Week in Toronto,
the annual event that draws thousands of visitors and many international
acts
- May – Buddies in Bad Times Theatre, Toronto
- March – Buddy’s Nightclub, Edmonton
- January – Woody’s Nightclub, Toronto
- January – Interview on “Shout”, PrideVision TV’s
newsmagazine, Toronto
2001:
- December – Buddy’s Nightclub, Edmonton
- November – Detour Nightclub, Calgary
- October – Various public schools, Edmonton
- September – Prairie Music Week, Edmonton- the annual Canadian music
festival that showcases talent from the prairie provinces. Ben was one
of sev! eral hundred applicants chosen to perform
- September – A-Channel TV studio performance, Edmonton
- August – Backroom Vodka Bar, Edmonton
- August – Featured performer at the 2001 World Championships in Athletics,
in Edmonton, at the Opening and Closing Ceremonies before 60,000 people
and a TV audience of millions
- July – Citadel Theatre, CD release party of hyper-blue, Edmonton
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