The Haven Social Club

With more than a decade and a half in the Canadian music scene Ken Tizzard, through his work with the Watchmen, Thornley and now his solo material, has received numerous Juno nominations, Much Music Awards, six gold and platinum records and has had music licensed to major television shows including CSI and Fashion Television. As well, Ken’s television appearances run the gamut from Breakfast Television to Bob Izumi’s Real Fishing, through to the Tonight Show with Jay Leno.

From dark cabarets in northern Russia through to the Air Canada Center, Ken has performed in front of vast audiences in many variations sharing the stage with performers as diverse as Randy Bachman and the Toronto/Kitchener-Waterloo Symphony.

Now with his new folky/singer-songwriter CD “Lost In Awe,” Ken plans to head back out to show people something new once again. Armed with an acoustic guitar, harmonica and his voice Ken will begin touring across Canada and the US starting in June of 2008.

“Lost in Awe’ is a collection of 15 songs inspired by real people and events from Ken Tizzard’s Life. Conceived and written while on a summer tour in 2007 Ken found himself newly motivated by the awesome nature of the Rocky Mountains of Alberta and Montana. Produced by John Whynot (Bruce Cockburn, Blue Rodeo, Lucinda Williams, Colin James, Change Of Heart, Loreena McKennitt, Big Wreck and Jim Cuddy) and recorded at Blue Rodeo’s Woodshed Studios in Toronto, Ontario. Lost in Awe has a natural stripped down sound that was highly important for this recording.

“Most of the songs were written in the dark woods at the base of great mountains. Thematically these songs deal with the age of technology that we struggle through and impress the intimacy which is sometimes lacking in out ‘virtual influenced’ world. It was important for me to deal with complex issues in a simple manner.”

For more than a decade Ken Tizzard has been an active contributor to the Canadian music scene. As a teenager, Ken moved from St.John’s, Newfoundland to the metropolis of Toronto. With only his bass, whatever clothes he could stuff into his case and thirty dollars in his pocket Ken headed off to the big city to pursue a career in music. He performed on the Queen Street scene in a variety of bands in every venue from the Beaches to High Park. By day Ken worked as the photo editor for Music Express magazine.
Shortly after a well-deserved break from the magazine and a five-week tour of Russia, Jake Gold approached Ken as a possible new bassist for the Watchmen. Finally getting into the flow of big city Toronto life Ken was apprehensive about moving back to a small town to start with a new band. However a weekend trip, all expenses paid, to the ‘Peg in December changed everything.

Several gold and platinum albums and just over a decade later Ken finds himself between records hanging with his brother in law, Big Wreck front-man, Ian Thornley and then Edwin drummer Sekou Lumumba. At the end of a long hot summer the new friends decided to head out for a two-week fun tour that slowly evolved into Thornley. Over the next few years they made a record and tour extensively throughout Canada and the US. The band managed to headline their own shows successfully and as well gained momentum enough to tour as support for Nickelback, Three Doors Down and 3 Days Grace among others.

During his time with Thornley, Ken began to look hard at what he was doing with his life. Being a new father yet still living to play music Ken struggled with the hustle of ten months a year on the road. Years go by, kids get older, friends move on. Time for a change.

“After twenty years as a bass player I felt it only fitting that my first solo record highlighted the bass.”

Ken Tizzard’s first solo record “Quiet Storey House…an introduction” is a collection of songs that highlight the six string bass as primary accompaniment. Ken followed up the release of this album with two tours across Canada as a soloist Ken performing in varied venues ranging from pubs to concert halls and theatres with the Toronto Symphony backing him up.
Last year Ken bought a RV, which now takes his wife two daughters and him around the countryside camping, exploring and performing. While camping in the mountains last year Ken began writing a new CD. With no electricity in the woods Ken turned to his acoustic guitar and harmonica and wrote the songs that appear on “Lost In Awe.”

Visit Ken Tizzard’s website