Listen in all this week as Jay features former Chatham native Michael Schatte on the Spotlight – heard daily at 3:40 pm
One of the finest musical products to come from Chatham-Kent, Michael Schatte has gained international notoriety as a jaw-dropping electric guitarist, a literate and witty singer/songwriter, a virtuoso acoustic guitar soloist and a riveting live performer. These are just a few phrases culled from recent critical praise that describe Toronto, Canada-based artist Michael Schatte. Blending rock, blues, folk, bluegrass and celtic into his own original and energetic roots rock blend, Schatte delivers a live show that has audiences reelin’, rockin’ and shouting for more, while his albums continue to garner critical raves and deep listener appreciation.
Most recently, The Michael Schatte Band beat out more than 100 of the best blues acts in the world to claim a coveted slot in the finals of the 2015 International Blues Challenge in Memphis, Tennessee
Schatte has just released his latest collection – “Turn Back The Vikings”, a 15-track full-length CD available at his website michaelschatte.com
If you are not yet familiar with Michael Schatte, there is no better introduction to the burgeoning Canadian guitarist, vocalist and songwriter than his new E.P. of original music. Weaving fine fretwork, intelligent lyricism and impassioned vocal delivery into a unique brand of genre-bending music, Four Songs, One Apocalypse confirms what fans of Michael’s high-energy live shows have long known: this is a musician headed for widespread recognition.
At the ripe old age of 30, the Toronto-based performer is something of a unique phenomenon. From a very early age, Schatte developed a passion for a wide variety of musical styles including blues, rock, pop, folk-rock, traditional Irish and Scottish music and others. This broad musical appreciation combined with his instrumental versatility (in addition to the guitar, Schatte plays mandolin, violin, and a host of other instruments on his albums) allows him to cross conventional genre boundaries with remarkable ease. One need only listen to the rollicking Your Lady Waits from the new E.P. for an example of this exuberant fusion put to work.
A respected and fiery guitarist, Schatte has been compared to world-class players decades his senior. Counting Richard Thompson, Danny Gatton and Albert Lee as major influences, listeners can find much to celebrate in his electric guitar work and acoustic fingerstyle playing. Reviewing his E.P. Release Concert at Aeolian Hall in London, ON, The Beat Magazine described Michael as “one of Canada’s best-kept secrets and certainly one of its most skilled rock performers,” citing his “masterful manipulation of the guitar” and a vocal style “as polished as his picking.”
Schatte’s strong instrumentation only enhances the roster of original music on Four Songs, One Apocalypse. Whether channeling the world’s collective fear of the supposed Mayan apocalypse in the opening cut Final Night, telling the tale of a love lost by way of cowardice in Sorry Love, or commenting wryly on the need for fortitude in a rough and tumble world on I’ve Been Down Before, Schatte’s songs are catchy, compelling and tastefully rendered.
As a relatively young musician who has already achieved early national/international exposure (including appearances on CTV’s nationally broadcast ‘Open Mike with Mike Bullard’ and ‘The Mitch Albom Show’ out of Detroit), Michael Schatte stands poised to bring his energetic and uncompromising musicianship to music lovers everywhere. Look for him on stage with his electric band or as a solo acoustic performer- you will be guaranteed a memorable show!
