Matt Andersen bringing Jolly for your Holly

Blues For The Blahs

Matt Andersen is big! 

He’s on his way to the Yukon; a big guy, with a big voice. He’s also big news. 

Already a noted performer, Andersen pretty much ran the table at this year’s Canada Maple Blues Awards. He was crowned 2024’s Entertainer of the year; also taking home the honours for Male Vocalist, Recording/Producer and Songwriter of the year.   

“Been keeping busy,” he says of the avalanche of accolades. “It’s been years of hard work, but my whole mantra is you got to play to be heard. I do close to 100 shows a year, but this is the busiest one I’ve ever had. Been on the road 250 days.” 

Despite decades pinging between dark bars, fancy theatres, and dance clubs, Andersen has parked himself inside a studio enough times to record 16 albums. His signature is a raw, blues-rock sound that shakes the walls; but he brings a surprising vulnerability and gentle touch to ballads and love songs.

A lot of his recordings feature live performances, and that is where he is truly in his element. His powerful voice and slashing slide guitar take ownership of the space completely, regardless of its dimensions or the crowd size. He does not, however, lack finesse. He does some slick solo picking; his flying fingers a blur, the sound clean and intricate, even when he’s improvising. 

He brings that same agility to his singing. On some cuts, a rich baritone slides over the lyrics like warm honey; other times you can feel his vocal chords straining, trying to reach the very peak of his range. 

“Sometimes I do go outside of it. The range changes from night to night. It’s no fun staying in your comfort zone, I’d rather push the limits. Let’s see what we can do.

“I started out playing in bars, a lot of the loud stuff comes from me trying to be heard over the drunks.” 

Andersen cites John Fogerty, Bonnie Raitt and Jim Croce among his key influences. His music owes a lot to R&B, with country and soul sprinkled liberally throughout; while his material puts him squarely inside traditional blues. A working-class son of the Maritimes, he sings about hard times and hard work; one of his albums is even titled Coal Mining Blues. (Really!)    

When reality is hard and cold, holidays bring a special kind of joy and warmth. Music-filled family Christmases and a flickering yule log are memories to be cherished, and shared.  

“I love Christmas time, and I love Christmas music. I’ll be playing a few classics, but I’ll do my own stuff as well. I’d say about sixty-forty, I wouldn’t want to listen to a whole night with nothing else.” 

 Andersen’s solo performance, Put the Jolly in Your Holly, runs December 16th and 17th at the Yukon Arts Centre. It’s a gig he says he’s looking forward to. In a big way!