Singer-songwriter Dan McLean Jr. has only lived in Guelph for a couple of years, but he has quickly become a mainstay of the city’s music scene.
He moved here to take care of an ailing parent. After his father passed away nearly two years ago, the son stayed and embraced the community. And he has been embraced by it.
McLean has a concert, and a concert-filming, coming up on Saturday at The Joint on Cork Street downtown. His new community is bound to crowd into the venue. A couple of fellow soulful singers, Guelph’s Jane Lewis and Kitchener’s Mandippal will also perform.
McLean’s musical activity in recent months has been feverish. He’s writing and recording new songs for a forthcoming album. He released a video for the first single, “I’ve Seen Love” on YouTube back in February.
The 55-year-old was in a band a bunch of years ago, but bands tend to disband. He’s been on his own ever since, bringing in great players for recording purposes, and assembling strong gigging bands and back-up singers for live shows. McLean is known for his love of Philadelphia soul.
This Saturday, his concert at The Joint, 43 Cork Street downtown, will feature his backup singers, Some Honey. The whole thing will be filmed.
“I'm very excited,” McLean said over the weekend. “This show is a big step forward for me.”
The motivation behind the concert is to share his new stuff and favourite covers with musical peers, new and established fans, and to create promotional material to expand his live gig activity. He’s getting ambitious.
“This will help me get more shows with my backup singers as "Dan McLean Jr & Some Honey," in small theatres and opening for larger artists,” he said. “The finished video will be released as single songs on YouTube and on social media, and to every southern Ontario concert promoter I can find.”
McLean hopes that by gigging more he can raise the money he needs to complete the album this year. Dave Dunlop is producing and co-writing songs, and the legendary Greg Wells is the executive producer. Wells has produced for Adele, Katy Perry, kd Lang, and Rufus Wainwright, among other big names in music.
Check out what McLean does and will be doing on his website. Check for ticket available on the website as well.
He describes his tunes as portraits of love painted on a mature canvas, exploring the heartache of breakups and betrayal, and the euphoria of new-found love. His sophisticated stuff has some similarities to Daryl Hall and John Oates, Steely Dan, and Chicago.
