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Born and raised in Sudbury, Ontario, Canada, Kate Maki’s voice and musical style are as wide and expansive as her hometown’s moon-like terrain. She began writing songs during her first-year of teaching as a way to deal with the sudden death of a friend, and recorded her first record, Confusion Unlimited, in 2003 with Dave Draves. Originally intended to be a Christmas gift for her family, the record received international attention and quickly sold out of its initial pressing. Finding it impossible to maintain the teacher-by-day, musician-by-night lifestyle, Maki quit her day job and began crisscrossing the country on self-booked, self- promoted tours.
Fast forward to today, six records, two kids, and countless tours and collaborations later, Maki returns with Impossible Knot. “I suppose I have come full circle, teaching high school and writing songs to help deal with life-changing circumstances. After a long period of grief, it was a relief to be reunited with the songwriting process, and of course, reunited with Draves and his trusty tape machine.”
During the summer and fall of 2024, Maki travelled back and forth from Sudbury to Ottawa to work with Draves in his backyard, analogue studio where she recorded her first three records in the early 2000s. Little Bullhorn’s familiar, creative environment combined with her longtime friendship with Draves and his family, provided Maki with the comfortable space needed to share her first new material since 2016’s Head In The Sand. With Maki on guitars and Draves on keys, they formed a core band with Peter Von Althen on drums, Jon Hynes on bass, Dale Murray on pedal steel, guitars, and background vocals, Dan Levecque on guitars, and Anne Boulton on background vocals. Celebrated songwriters, Jim Bryson, Ruth Minnikin (The Guthries), and Ryan Levecque (Ox), also make guest appearances. The result is a warm, eclectic collection of “beautiful hurt” as described by Draves, and Maki sounds confident and hopeful despite the heavy subject matter.
“I usually record live-off-the-floor with a full band, but this record began with just drums and acoustic guitar, and was built up from there.” shares Maki. “Draves and I produced the record with a ‘serve the song’ approach, adding only what was truly necessary to each one. I think it inevitably ended up sounding like a live band, not only because of the exceptionally talented and experienced players, but because each session was a reunion, a much-needed celebration with old friends.”
Like all great Americana music, Maki combines country, folk, rock, blues, and soul effortlessly, and although tough to fit into just one of these categories, Impossible Knot, due in part to its confessional lyrics, group harmonies, and stringed instruments, could be found in the classic country bin at your local record store. “For me, country music is about creating something positive out of pain, and I like how the songs seem simple at first, but that there exists a complexity, a tangible connection to the mysteries of the human condition, hidden deep within. Listening to old country records helped pull me through a most difficult time and eventually led me back to songwriting. Without time to labour over lyrics, the songs came quickly out of necessity to release the discomfort from my body, a definite nod to the ‘three chords and the truth’ motto.”
MORE ABOUT KATE MAKI
Kate Maki’s first three records, Confusion Unlimited, The Sun Will Find Us (2004), and On High (2008), were each awarded “Album of the Year” at the Northern Ontario Music & Film Awards. Her songs have been featured on KCRW, NPR, and CBC, and placed in several films and television shows including Weirdsville, Hard Rock, Medical, and Wilby Wonderful. She has appeared on the cover of NOW Magazine, Ottawa Xpress, and Echo Magazine, her voice can be heard on records by Matt Mays, Howe Gelb, and Ox, and she has toured North America and Europe opening for Great Lake Swimmers, M. Ward, Joel Plaskett, Giant Sand, Tegan & Sara, Hayden,and Bahamas.
PRAISE FOR KATE MAKI
“Canada’s newly crowned princess of day-dreamy songwriting.” - San Francisco Chronicle
“She can sell a song with only her voice and an acoustic guitar.” - Pitchfork
“Like the best country singers, alt or otherwise, Maki’s voice is conversational yet somehow self-contained, as if it’d be quite happy talking to itself sitting on an open plain, or whistling to itself behind a wheel.” - MOJO
“A wild and wondrous depth. A Canadian iconoclast.” - LA Weekly
“A young woman who can sing, play guitar and write songs with a confidence that should do her much good on the long, heartless road from making music to making it work.” - Ottawa Citizen
“Quietly powerful.” - Exclaim!
“Kate Maki deserves our attention, and sooner rather than later.” - Americana UK
KATE MAKI TOUR DATES
Saturday, March 29 - Sudbury, ON - The Lounge | 4 PM
Saturday, May 10 - Sudbury, ON – The Lounge | 8 PM
Saturday, May 24 - Toronto, ON – The Brockton | 8 PM
Saturday, May 31 - Ottawa, ON – The Record Centre | 3 PM
