After nearly twenty years of leading his award-winning blues band, Mud Dog, Steve Sainas is now striding out under his own name to write, record, and perform music that stretches beyond the traditional boundaries of the blues. As an original solo acoustic contemporary roots artist, Sainas has become a popular performer at venues throughout the Vancouver Lower Mainland. His humorous stories, passionate singing, and rhythmic guitar playing always fill the room with an energy that elates his audience.

 

During his years performing and recording with Mud Dog, Sainas developed a dynamic instantly recognizable blues style that was regularly featured on stages throughout British Columbia. Mud Dog’s 2nd CD, River of My Soul, was nominated “Outstanding Blues Recording” at the 2008 Western Canadian Music Awards. In late 2010, Mud Dog won best blues duo in British Columbia and represented BC at the 2011 International Blues Challenge in Memphis, Tennessee. While in Memphis, Mud Dog recorded ten songs at Sun Studio that were released as the album, Mud Dog ~ SUN. This “live off the floor” CD quickly climbed to #24 on the Canadian Roots Music Charts.

 

in October  2017, Sainas released ten new original songs on his acoustic album "Simple as This". This thought-provoking album features a collection of powerful compositions that reflect the human condition during these turbulent times in our world. The theme throughout this album resonates a philosophy of unity in the hope that we as a society can come together to rise above the divisive and destructive attitudes that dominate our world. The songs are driven by Sainas’s powerful vocals and versatile acoustic guitar style that is punctuated by the deep rhythmic groove of veteran drummer, Kelly Stodola, and bassist, Chad Matthews. Together this newly formed tight trio creates a captivating sonic canvas that will take you on an introspective journey. Here is a link to a review of "Simple as This".  

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After four years of steady solo acoustic performances, Sainas decided to take to the stage with a band again, and in May 2019, put his trio, SST on the stage with Ted Tosoff on Bass/Harmony Vocals, and Kelly Stodola on Drums. In 2022, Sainas invited veteran bass player/harmony vocalist, Brad Uchida, and dynamic drummer/harmony vocalist, Nick James to bring a deeper harmonic chemistry to the band as they enthusiastically returned to gigging after the pandemic restrictions on live music were lifted. SST (Steve Sainas Trio) continue to build their strong following of blues-based classic rock music fans as they perform at venues throughout Metro Vancouver. Please visit www.stevesainastrio.ca for more info.

 

Sainas also enjoyed an incredibly rewarding 35 year career as a public school teacher in Port Coquitlam, B.C. His most inspiring years as an educator were during his 21 years as a contemporary music teacher and music education innovator. In 2015, Sainas won the Juno Award for MusiCounts Teacher of the Year for his groundbreaking Rock School and Recording Arts program that he founded in 2000/2001 at Terry Fox Secondary School in Port Coquitlam, British Columbia. Sainas’s state-of-the-art music program has inspired many young musicians to pursue professional music careers. Sainas retired from public school teaching on January 31st, 2022 and now enjoys creating and performing music full-time both as a solo acoustic act and with his trio, SST.

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As a solo acoustic performer, Sainas creates a rich vocal and guitar sound that covers a broad variety of  acoustic classic rock, blues, roots and original tunes that thoroughly entertain his audience. 

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For more information, please visit:  www.stevesainastrio.ca,  www.muddog.ca & www.rockthefox.ca.

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