Welcome to Steve Kozak's Website!

About Me

Steve Kozak

Steve Kozak was born in Vancouver BC Canada in 1956 and since the mid eighties has been a mainstay on the Vancouver scene as a guitarist, band leader, singer, songwriter, and tireless cheerleader and promoter of Blues and Roots music. Backed by some of Vancouver’s top musicians, Steve has built a reputation as one of the premier Blues acts in western Canada.

Steve began playing guitar and singing at age sixteen and took to the Blues like a duck to water. His passion for the Blues flourished after meeting and hanging out for a few memorable nights with the legendary Muddy Waters in May of 1977. Muddy encouraged Steve and set him straight on a few things. After that Steve was ‘on a mission’-- his musical future as a Bluesman was sealed.

Throughout his career Steve has shared the stage, and played with many Blues greats including; Pee Wee Crayton, Big Joe Duskin, Sonny Rhodes, Eddie ‘The Chief’ Clearwater, James Harman, Rod Piazza, Duke Robillard, Rick Estrin, Nick Curran, Mark Hummel, Lee Oskar, Big Joe Louis, ‘The Shuffle King’ Tom Holland, Kenny Blues Boss Wayne, and Rockabilly guitar legend Evan Johns.

(Duke Robillard with Steve Kozak sitting in at The Yale in Vancouver )

In 2009 Steve Kozak and his All-Star band were booked to back several international recording Blues artists who came to Vancouver to perform. Blues Harmonica legend, singer/songwriter from Anniston Alabama, ‘Icepick’ James Harman came to Canada three times in ’09. Steve and the band also backed London’s Big Joe Louis (a three time winner of the best male Blues vocalist in the UK) twice, and, from Chicago, James Cotton Band lead guitarist/singer, ‘The Shuffle King’ Tom Holland.

Having performed well over one hundred live shows in 2009 a few more highlights for Steve and his band included headlining the opening night of The Nanaimo Summertime Blues Festival, appearing at The Maple Ridge Jazz & Blues Festival, performing as a featured act during Burnaby Blues Week as part of The Burnaby Blues and Roots Festival and performing with two different acts, Steve Kozak’s WestCoast Blues Revue and The Ronnie Hayward Trio at the inaugural Gastown Blues & Chili Festival in Vancouver.

Some of the highlights of 2010 include, more shows backing Big Joe Louis from England, The Shuffle King' Tom Holland from Chicago and more feature shows with the legendary James Harman. Steve performed to a sold out show at The Dream Cafe in Penticton BC (voted the #3 Top Live Music Venue in all of Canada by CBC radio).

June 2010 saw performances at The Pender Harbour Blues Festival backing Harman and in August the Internationally renowned Labatt Blues Festival in Edmonton performing to sold out audiences.

There Steve shared the stage with two of the greatest Blues Harmonica players and singers alive today, James Harman and Rod Piazza.

In September of 2010 Steve and his band opened a show at The Clarke Theater in Mission BC for the legendary James Cotton Band.

In 2011 a few highlights so far have been, performing at The first annual Powell River Blues Festival in June performing with Tom Holland & The Shuffle Kings, backing James Harman and fronting a set with Steve Kozak's WestCoast All-Stars.

Coming up this summer are performances on the main stage at The Great Canadian Bike Rally in Merritt BC on July 16, The Rare Earth Music Festival at Silver Star Mountain Resort in Vernon BC on July 24 and The Summertime Blues Festival in Nanaimo BC on August 27.

Known for his tireless efforts of promoting Blues and Roots music in the Vancouver area, Steve not only fronts his own band, he designs his own poster graphics to promote his shows and produces posters for other bands, festivals and venues. He is also now working as the Music Director for The Powell River Blues Festival.

Steve spent ten years hosting his Saturday Afternoon Jam Session at The Cottage Bistro on Main Street where he has encouraged and gave invaluable stage time experience to many younger Blues artists to help develop their skills.

For the past two years Steve has hosted a very successful weekly Blues Party at Vancouver’s Home of the Blues, the renowned Yale Hotel. Each week Steve features a different local or international special guest Blues artist. Steve has closed shows at the Yale Hotel for Maria Muldaur, Nick Curran & The Low Lifes and Rick Estrin & The Night Cats and so far has performed at shows there in 2011 backing James Harman, Mitch Woods, Tom Holland and Robin Banks and closing for The Lee Boys during the 2011 Vancouver Jazz Festival.

Steve also hosts his own video Blues show that can be seen on his website, and all over the internet on YouTube called Steve Kozak’s Video Blues Review. There are several episodes of the Marko Ibarra Production videos now available online featuring interviews and performance clips with top local and international Blues Artists.

Steve is currently working on songs for a new CD and has just began work recording this new project at Stella Studio in Vancouver. Stay tuned for more news on this soon!

Since the success of his latest CD Hoot ‘N Holler (2007) Kozak has built his fan base world wide and has received kudos from some top people in the industry.

* John Valenteyn of the Toronto Blues Society’s Maple Blues Online says of the title track; “it’s an infectious romp that brings Willie ‘Big Eyes’ Smith to mind.” “… a well-written and arranged little delight it is.”

* Richard ‘Rosy’ Rosenblatt, former CEO of Tone Cool Records and currently the president and CEO of the Vizz-Tone label group and Tone Cool Productions says; “This is real, honest blues-party music! Tasty musicianship and solid tunes. It's great that there is so much original music on the disc. You don't have to re-invent the wheel, it's all how you spin it.”

* Jerry Hall, top notch record producer and owner, president & CEO of The Pacific Blues Recording Company says; “Steve's new release comes after a long absence due to illness, Hoot 'n Holler is a strong return to form featuring some of Western Canada's best players with 10 originals of the 13 songs on the CD recorded live in-studio for a natural performance feel, produced by Jack Lavin, Steve has returned strong as ever.”

* The Blues Hound, producer/programmer of KPFT 90.1 FM in Houston Texas says; “Yeah that's the real deal stuff with extra grease.”

* Tom Harrison of The Vancouver Province calls it “Blues that can put a smile on your face.”

Always one to work hard to promote and keep the Blues alive, lively and out there for his discerning fans, Steve Kozak likes to keep things fresh and exciting with his music and show. He is making many new friends and fans along the way and has developed a following with the new generation of enthusiastic young Blues fans who are discovering this vibrant music that comes from the heart and warms the soul.

For more information read Steve's Bio page.

DOWNLOAD PRESS KIT AT THE LINK BELOW:

http://photoshare.shaw.ca/view/10375613349-1205865481-97314/

“Everybody Hoot ‘N Holler and have yourself a real good time!”

PROMO VIDEOS

(CURRENTLY HAVING A PROBLEM WITH VIDEOS LOADING...

PLEASE CLICK ON THE LINKS BELOW)

Steve Kozak at The Rare Earth Music Festival on Silver Star Mountain in Vernon BC July 2011

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r0FBYwnu_QQ

HD Promo Video for Steve Kozak's WestCoast Blues Revue

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RNlrwMfIUOU

Steve Kozak's promo video produced by Ibarra Productions