In his
20s and 30s, Steven worked at labour jobs and held a job with Canada
Post for a couple of years but always sang, often sitting in nightly
with different bands.
In
1979,
Prakash John (bassist for Lou Reed and Alice Cooper) picked Ambrose
to front his new project called the Lincolns. Steven was the fresh,
young talent he was looking for. The Lincolns were a hit from day
one: Filling clubs six nights a week and charging a cover every
night. They set the standard for club acts, donning dress pants and
shirts, suspenders and ties. And they danced, just like their
favourite artists: James Brown, the Temptations, and Sam & Dave.
After
six years with The Lincolns, Steven ventured out on his own and moved
to Vancouver and Los Angeles. Although many great things happened in
both places, there were more gigs available in Toronto, and Steven
missed home.
The
Steven Ambrose Band was formed upon his return. Brass Routes asked
Steven to be their singer and they soon drew the biggest crowds at
the Beaches Jazz Festival. And The Lincolns were still doing shows,
so Steven just stepped back into the lead singer’s role.
In
1995,
Steven released his first solo album, Well
Above
The Norm, consisting
of some of his originals, one song written by Shirley Eickhardt and
one written by Lloyd Landa. Kevin Breit, who since has played with
Holly Cole and Norah Jones; Gary Breit, keyboardist currently playing
with Bryan Adams; and Charlie Cooley, one of the best drummers in
Canada who has played with Amanda Marshall and Manteca, lent their
outstanding talents to the project.
After
that came an album of Steven’s favourite standards with his
long-time fellow musician and friend Dennis Keldie, keyboardist and
accordion player extraordinaire, well known for his band the Extras.
This
latest project, Love is Breaking Out,
was
initiated by John Long of
Long & McQuade, who was ready to once again support one of
Canada’s best musicians. Steven already had a lot of original
material so the work started and the word got out. Michael Fonfara,
Mike Siloski, Jack Tassé, Vito Rezza, John Johnson, Dougie
Richardson, Chris Hall and Tim Johns enthusiastically contributed.
Seven songs are written by Steven and three are co-writes. Terry
Brown (mix master), who puts his magic on the CD, had this to say
about the album: “It’s the best thing coming out of Canada in 20
years!”
Steven
Ambrose, one of Canada’s own (and yet unsigned) treasures!
For
more
information, call 416-706-1548.
