About Deon

Deon Blyan is different. Depending on the format he chooses to play his songs for you in, he changes. That's a part of the charm, because he can fit to the surroundings of the venue and to the focus of the show he's playing. He's always sure to please.

When he plays solo the songs take on a more deliberate and yet patient delivery. His voice rises and falls and focuses on telling you his story. He'll probably ask you questions from the stage, or at least ask you to ask him questions at anytime. Emotion and melody trump everything.

When Deon brings his drummer and bass player things get lively, he keeps it loose but delivers the songs with a bit more urgency. He wants you to dance but understands if you'd rather tap your foot where you are instead. It's a bit rawer in this format with clanging telecaster chords, deep bass and driving drums weaving together. Emotion and melody still trump, but the emotion is different, it's exciting and youthful and looks hard to contain.

When the full band is out with Deon you get the bombast of the album versions of songs. Blended harmonies and stunning lead guitar lift the songs to a different level. You start to see the craft of the songs clearer; the arrangements come in to focus. The band leaves an impression, the energy and emotion are still there, but it takes on yet another dimension. The melodies, rather than anchor the songs, float above the music and communicate the stories found there.

Turning To Wave

The new album, Turning to Wave, was recorded in Edmonton, Alberta once again and features some of the city’s best musicians: James Murdoch adds the ear candy; Nathan Carroll strums and plucks the catchiest of guitar hooks; and F&M lends some golden background vocals. Alberta native turned Nashville resident Chad Melchert plays solid yet emotive drums, and from Deon’s current home (Calgary), Jon Nordstrom adds his soft touch on bass.

The way most romantic men fall in love with a girl after the first kiss, Deon seems to have fallen in love with cities over the past 3 years; while listening to this album you will find yourself yearning for a vacation “if for only two days”. His enthusiasm for New York, Vancouver, Toronto, and Sausalito is infectious, to say the least.

Much of the album was co-written with James Murdoch (who also acted as producer) and when comparing Deon’s earlier albums to this one, it’s safe to say Murdoch’s presence added some fresh air which gives this album distinction without manhandling Blyan’s sound.

In conversation Deon expands on this, “Murdoch and I have really found a comfortable groove in our relationship” says Deon, “if you are going to truly work with a producer, then you have to be willing to be transparent with the song ideas, lyrically and musically. After I finally decided to record again it just made sense to work with James. We wanted Chris Wynters in the room as well but he was in Scotland for the week”.

Deon goes on to explain the writing and recording process for Turning to Wave.” I had 5 great tunes ready to go, but that was it when I decided to record, so I panicked and almost didn’t go ahead with it - but I decided that I’d put some structure around finishing some more songs so I set a schedule of Wednesday nights and Sundays to force myself to finish the ideas I had. After a quick morning of playing the tunes on acoustics’ in Murdoch’s living room, and doing some co-writing, I realized how good the ideas were and got really excited to record”.

When asked about the sound of the new album Deon says, “We consciously put less on this one, we were happy with the sound of the last one, but wanted to allow some “head room” on these tunes”. The live sound of the songs on this album give them a cohesion and energy that creates an additional hook in itself, supported by melodies that you’ll find bouncing around in your head days and weeks after you thought they’d been forgotten. It’s still easy to compare Deon to Jim Cuddy, Neil Finn and Teddy Thompson, but the unique Blyan twist takes a less twangy shape here. Nevertheless, we still hear pedal steel, beautiful clean electric guitars, as well as some banjo on Turning to Wave. And, it is in fact the crafty guitar work by Nathan Carroll that adds to the cohesion mentioned earlier.

Further to the cohesion in sound, we experience a mature turn for Deon and his songwriting on his latest collection. He takes us on a journey to some of his favorite places on tracks like “Brooklyn” and “Across 23^rd Street”. We are also taken to some of the deepest emotional places a person could visit in the songs “Earthquake” and “I Don’t Know”, and we are even transported to a fictional town in “Winnipeg Italy”.

The impression that it’s difficult to pigeon hole Deon into a neat and tidy genre or musical realm grows quickly as the notes and melodies float from the speakers. We also learn that Deon is constantly moving forward, both figuratively and literally; and lucky for us, he pauses now and again as he’s Turning to Wave.

Performance History

2011

Dec 20/11 - The Ironwood - Calgary, AB (December acoustic residency w/ guests Ryan Sande and Jay Nelson)
Dec 19/11 - The Ironwood - Calgary, AB (December acoustic residency w/ guests Scott MacLeod, Tim Buckley, Brooke Wylie)
Dec 12/11 - The Ironwood - Calgary, AB (December acoustic residency)
Nov 10/11 - Arlene's Grocery -New York City, NY USA // Deon Blyan Trio
Nov 1/11 - Czehoski - Toronto, ON // w/ J Ryan Waye
Oct 28/11 - The Moonshine Cafe - Oakville, ON // opening for Scotty Campbell
Oct 22/11 - The Cornerstone - Kenora, ON
Sept 22/11 - The Bull and Barrell - St, Johns NFLD // Acoustic w/ Jerry Stamp
Sept 21/11 - Headquarters - St. Johns NFLD // with Jerry Stamp and Adam Baxter
Sept 20/11 - The Carleton - Halifax, NS // Acoustic w/ Charlie A'Court
Sept 15/11 - Accent Lounge - Edmonton, AB // Solo Show
Sept 9/11 - Brixx Bar & Grill - Edmonton, AB // Full Band w ith Nathan Carroll Band
Aug 19 - 20/11- Wapiti Music Festival - Fernie, BC // Elliot Brood, Said The Whale, Yukon Blonde, Library Voices, Michael Bernard Fitzgerald, Deon Blyan and more...
Aug 12/11 - Private Event - Calgary, AB
Aug 8/11 - The Ironwood Stage & Grill - Calgary, AB // Deon Blyan, Scott MacLeod, Cam Penner, Sarah Burton songwriters in the round multiple sets
July 16/11 - The Palomino - Calgary, AB - The 6th Annual Rock n Roll Rodeo w/ 19 acts such as Sean Burns, Scott MacLeod, Bitterweed Draw, Smokin 45's, The Ruminants, The Painted Pines and more!
July 9/11 - The Palomino - Calgary, AB - with Leeroy Stagger and The Deep Dark Woods
May28/11 - New York City, NY USA - Arlene's Grocery
Apr 23/11 - Playa Del Carmen, QR, Mexico
Apr 8/11 - Gitter's Pub - High River, AB
Mar 24/11 - Lou Dawgs - Toronto, ON
Mar 19/11 - The Legion - Jasper, AB - with The James Murdoch Band
Mar 17/11 - The Haven Social Club - Edmonton, AB - with David Vertesi, Sean Burns, and F&M
Mar 12/11 - The Blackbird Cafe - Coleman, AB - with The James Murdoch Band
Mar 11/11 - The Ironwood Stage - Calgary, AB - with James Murdoch - CD Release show for "Turning To Wave"
Jan 7/11 - Gitters Pub - High River, AB

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2010

Oct 15/10 - The Ironwood Stage - Calgary, AB
Sept 20/10 - The Ironwood Stage - Calgary, AB
Sept 14/10 - Verns Tavern - Calgary, AB
Sept 10/10- Gitter's Pub - High River, AB
Sept 9/10 - The Palomino - Calgary, AB
July 31/10 - The Haven Social Club - Edmonton, AB
July .10/10 - SOS Fest - Edmonton, AB
May.23/10 - Arlene's Grocery - New York City, NY
Apr.10/10 - The Marquee Room - Calgary, AB - Opening for Matthew Barber
Apr.9/10 - Breakfast Television - Calgary, AB
Mar.13/10 - The Ship and Anchor - Calgary, AB
Mar.11/10 - The Palomino - Calgary, AB
Mar.08/10 - The Ironwood - Calgary, AB
Feb.20/10 - The Ironwood - Calgary, AB With Kit Johnson and John Rutherford
Feb.06/10 - The Moonshine Café - Oakville, ON
Feb.05/10 - The Free Times Café - Toronto, ON
Jan.14/10 - The Palomino - Calgary, AB

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2009

Nov.25/09 - Arlene's Grocery - New York City, NY
Nov.18/09 - The Palomino - Calgary, AB
Nov.05/09 - Mikey’s Juke Joint - Calgary, AB
Oct.31/09 - Cold Lake Agriplex - Cold Lake, AB
Oct.30/09 - The Wolf Radio - Bonneville, AB
Oct.05/09 - The Marquee Room - Calgary, AB Opening for Dan Mangan
Oct.01/09 - Myer Horowitz Theater - Edmonton, AB Opening for Dala
Sept.19/09 - River Cree Casino - Edmonton, AB
Sept.16/09 - Avant Garde Bar - Ottawa, ON
Sept.09/09 - Logans Pub - Victoria, BC
Aug.28/09 - Gitters Pub - High River, AB
Aug.22/09 - The Black Dog - Edmonton, AB
Jul.21/09 - Brixx Bar and Grill - Edmonton, AB
Jun.15/09 - Hi Fi Club - Calgary, AB Opening for Kate Voegele (One Tree Hill/Myspace records)
Jun.14/09 - The Starlite Room - Edmonton, AB Opening for Kate Voegele (One Tree Hill/Myspace records)
June.04/09 - The Whiskey Nightclub - Calgary, AB
May.31/09 - Cafe Deux Soliels - Vancouver, BC
May.30/09 - The Sheraton Eau Claire - Calgary, AB
May.19/09 - The Druid - Edmonton, AB
May.17/09 - The Black Dog - Edmonton, AB
May.16/09 - The Haven Social Club - Edmonton, AB
Apr.25/09 - The Exchange/ Club - Regina, SK
Apr.7/09 - Mikey’s Juke Joint - Calgary, AB
Feb.27/09 - The Broken Jug - Calgary, AB
Feb.27/09 - Airdrie Alliance - Airdrie, AB
Feb.26/09 - The Ironwood - Calgary, AB
Jan.23/09 - The Ironwood - Calgary, AB

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2008

Dec.19/08 - The Palomino - Calgary, AB
Dec.5/08 - Mikey's Juke Joint - Calgary, AB
Nov.29/08 - The Ship and Anchor - Calgary, AB
Nov.21/08 - Gitters Pub - High River, AB
Nov.20/08 - The Ironwood - Calgary, AB
Oct.31/08 - Watchmans - Calgary, AB
Oct.17/08 - The Velvet Underground - Edmonton, AB Western Canadian Music Awards (Shameless/Saved by radio showcase)
Oct.16/08 - Mikeys Juke Joint - Calgary, AB
Oct.10/08 - The Main on Main - Vancouver, BC
Oct.4/08 - The Savannah Room - Toronto, ON
Sep.20/08 - Hughes House - Calgary, AB
Sep.19/08 - The Haven Social Club - Edmonton, AB
Sep.18/08 - The Times Changed - Winnipeg, MB
Sep.12/08 - The Palomino - Calgary, AB
Sep.5/08 - A Bar Named Sue - Fernie, BC
Aug.30/08 - Round Hill Hotel - Round Hill, AB
Aug.29/08 - Tofield Hotel - Tofiled, AB
Aug.23/08 - Black Diamond Hotel - Black Diamond, AB
Aug.22/08 - The Slice - Lethbridge, AB
Aug.21/08 - Nanton Hotel - Nanton, AB
Aug.15/08 - The Palomino - Calgary, AB
Aug.12/08 - The Railway Club - Vancouver, BC
Jul.24/08 - The Marquee Room - Calgary, AB
Jul.22/08 - Kenny's Castaways - New York City, NY
Jul.19/08 - South Country Fair - Fort Macleod, AB
Jun.14/08 - Crown Pub - Edmonton, AB
Jun.7/08 - Hughes House - Calgary, AB
Jun.3/08 - The Dakota Tavern - Toronto, ON
May.17/08 - The Marquee Room - Calgary, AB
May.11/08 - The Railway Club - Vancouver, BC
May.7/08 - Cafe Deux Soleils - Vancouver, BC
Mar.6/08 - The Dakota Tavern - Toronto, ON Canadian Music Week showcase
Jan.18/08 - The Ironwood - Calgary, AB

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2007

Dec.6/07 - The Ironwood - Calgary, AB
Nov.28/07 - O'byrne's - Edmonton, AB
Nov.27/07 - The Druid - Edmonton, AB
Nov.17/07 - Hughes House - Calgary, AB
Oct.27/07 - The Marquee Room - Calgary, AB CD Release show Lessons (And other things learned)
Oct.26/07 - Axis Cafe - Edmonton, AB CD Release show Lessons (And other things learned)
Oct.5/07 - Holy Joe's - Toronto, ON CD Release show Lessons (And other things learned)
Sep.29/07 - The Savannah Room - Toronto, ON
Sep.1/07 - Hughes House - Calgary, AB
Aug.31/07 - The Roxy Theatre - Edmonton, AB
Aug.8/07 - O'byrne's - Edmonton, AB
Aug.7/07 - The Druid - Edmonton, AB
Jul.27/07 - The House Coffee Shop - Calgary, AB
Jun.29/07 - Private Function - Calgary, AB
Apr.27/07 - Urban Room - Red Deer, AB
Apr.6/07 - The Point - Calgary, AB
Mar.30/07 - The Maverick - Edmonton, AB
Mar.16/07 - The Slice - Lethbridge, AB
Mar.9/07 - Urban Room - Red Deer, AB
Feb.28/07 - O'Bynre's - Edmonton, AB
Feb.27/07 - The Druid - Edmonton, AB
Feb.10/07 - The Slice - Lethbridge, AB
Jan.5/07 - The Sidetrack Cafe - Edmonton, AB

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2006

Oct.24/06 - The Sidetrack Cafe - Edmonton, AB
May.18/06 - The Sidetrack Cafe - Edmonton, AB
May.10/06 - O'Byrne's - Edmonton, AB
May.9/06 - The Druid - Edmonton, AB
Feb.23/06 - The Sidetrack Cafe - Edmonton, AB

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2005

Aug 26/05 - The Sidetrack Cafe - Edmonton, AB
Feb 28/05 - The Sidetrack Cafe - Edmonton, AB
Feb.27/05 - The Powerplant - Edmonton, AB.
Feb 14/05 - The Sidetrack Cafe - Edmonton, AB

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2004

Nov 26/04 - The Sidetrack Cafe - Edmonton, AB Shameless Records Showcase w/ Trainsleeper, F&M and Dual
Oct.07/04 - The Sidetrack Café - Edmonton, AB Opening for Luke Doucet and Danny Michel
Mar.25/04 - The Sidetrack Café - Edmonton, AB Opening for Aaron Booth and Jonathan Inc
July 22/04 - The Sidetrack Cafe - Edmonton, AB Opening for Andy White
June.17/04 - Dinwoodie Lounge - Edmonton, AB Opening for Serena Ryder, Lindy,Matthew Barber and Jill Barber

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* deon.blyan@shaw.ca * or * info@shamelessrecordscanada.com * or * Phone: 780-231-3913 *