MP3 Jason Sapen - Dark To Dawn

With a diverse sound that blends soul and rock, Jason Sapen delivers an album of meaningful lyrics and imaginative music.

8 MP3 Songs
POP: Today's Top 40, ROCK: Modern Rock



Details:
Jason Monroe Sapen was born in Norfolk, Virginia in April of 1976. Born to Charles and Valerie, a guitarist and a pianist respectively. Jason moved with his family to Elkhart, Indiana in 1980. Surrounded by music from the beginning, Jasonâs parents noticed an early interest in performing. At the age of 5, Jason was already singing in church. Jason will tell you that his earliest musical influence would have to be Michael Jackson. Jason says candidly, â I know everybody had at least two copies of âThrillerâ at some point in their life.â By the age of 10 he had joined the school band, playing the trumpet. However, Jason had always loved the guitar from watching his father play. âMy Dad was the best guitar teacher I ever had,â Jason says. He also credits his father with introducing what would become Jasonâs favorite group of all time, The Beatles-âthe standard of which all rock music will be graded until the end of time.â But everything changed when Jason first heard Eddie Van Halenâs âEruption.â âI didnât know a guitar could do that!â Over the course of the next five years, Jason would begin playing AND singing solo with his acoustic guitar, exciting audiences all the way. Jasonâs Motherâs influence would soon be seen, as you would begin to see Jason sitting at his momâs piano, trying to learn it on his own. âI have grown to love the piano. I would say I write most of my songs on the piano first..â
Jason would begin his college career in 1994, when he attended Western Michigan University as a vocal performance major. â I didnât do to well academically, but I learned a lot from other music students on campus.â In 1996, Jason would begin to study jazz and classical guitar at Indiana University in South Bend, IN. 1996 also brought the beginning of Dashboard Mary, Jasonâs first band. Dashboard Mary would release a CD of original music, entitled Locust, in early 1999. âThis would be my first experience in a real recording studio, something I would not experience again for a long time.â Dashboard Mary disbanded in late 1999, with the formation of Jasonâs power trio, Tijuana Blue. In Tijuana Blue, Jason began to develop his style of songwriting. âThis is when I really got turned on to Jimi Hendrix in a big way.â Jason also sites major influences in DADA and Big Head Todd and the Monsters. âI have always loved the sound of a blues rock trio,â Jason says. Tijuana Blue would only be together about 8 months.
In April of 2000, Jason would be elemental in forming one of Indianaâs most popular cover bands, BLAMMO. This would be the first time Jason would play keyboard and guitar in a band. In that same month, Jason would meet the love of his life, his wife, Donya. Playing in Blammo would open doors, and ears, to his original music. Jason began playing solo acoustic shows in 2001, in addition to his Blammo schedule. With these acoustic shows came the formation of the Jason Sapen Band. â Hey, Iâm old enough to have a band with my name on it,â Jason jokes. The band formed slowly, starting with the addition of a guitarist, Shawn âNilesâ Russell. â We did the acoustic duet thing for a while, until we hooked up with local bass player extraordinaire, Scott Noyes. âScott just completed the low end sound we were missing tremendously.â JSB began playing as a trio, and almost instantly, the buzz began. It wasnât long at all before long-time PS Dump Your Boyfriend drummer Ed Christensen showed up at a club to see the trio perform. âWe thought,â How great would it be to add Ed to the lineup! Ah, thereâs no way heâll go for it.ââ He went for it. With Ed in the picture, and the rest of the band ready to go, it was time to hit the studio again. So, in August of 2006, Jason went into a recording studio for the first time in more than 5 years.
The album was recorded at Grand Master Studios in South Bend, Indiana, by local engineer/ producer Chris Szajko. It features 8 tracks , diverse in style and cohesive in blend. Jason can write for any occasion, be it a jazz feel, a gospel feel, or a straight up rock out! Jason and the band hope you will check out some of the tracks. âWe hope you enjoy listening to âDARK TO DAWNâ as much as we enjoyed making it for you. â
Jason Sapen's solo debut, DARK TO DAWN, is a songwriter's album. With a little John Mayer and a little Jamiroquai, Jason has created an album that blends many styles of music with a cohesive blend that is very easy on the ears.