Photo by Paul Duane
"His own unique style (think of a cross between Paul Simon and Jeff Buckley, not just in style but also in quality) hits such a level of perfection that it's hard to comprehend anything more beautiful….I have come to know long before now, as Nick Drake was discovered to be, that Tate is one of the most unique singer-songwriters ever." - Heaven Magazine
Critically acclaimed artist Dave Tate’s soulful acoustic music combines finger-picked acoustic guitar, passionate tenor vocals, and poetic imagery to show how strong quiet can be. A native of the red rock desert of Zion National Park, Tate’s music is inspired by the vast spacious beauty of his homeland. Tate's intimate yet dynamic sound has is similar the softer material of Paul Simon and Jeff Buckley. Lyrics rooted in themes of self-discovery are a signature of Tate's music. His graceful yet intense style combines pure, intimate vocals with dynamic acoustic guitar tones.
Tate's 2012 release ANIMA is deeply vibrant music rooted in the quiet introverted desert landscape Tate calls home. Simultaneously blending echoes of Ray Lamontagne, Paul Simon, and Jeff Buckley, Tate's warmly intelligent, rich songwriting engages both a tender authentic spirit and a passionate intensity. Gentle vocals and folk guitar form the roots of Anima while piano, chiming electric guitars and lush string arrangements help provide a starry night sky for Tate's voice to soar in. Tate's deeply calming sound weaves with consistent clarity of intention and quality thorough his catalogue to culminate in ANIMA, his finest achievement to date.
"Music is something that I must do. It informs who I am as a person and communicates some of the best parts of my soul in a way that no other practice can. I focus on communicating the aspects of myself that I long to return to again and again, the parts I would want to leave to this world when I am gone. All things change, interests in music change, but if a song is written from a place of stark authenticity it can stay a powerful force in your life and act as a conduit to a place of peace. Songwriting is my way of moving forward, my cathartic and transformative agent of change. Songwriting is a way of looking directly into the unacknowledged feeling, of facing the pain or embracing the bliss. The calm looking within that I find in nature, that easy un-efforting, acknowledging enjoyment is what I strive to communicate with my music. I try to express what is most natural and unaffected in myself. Free from self criticism and doubt, free from the ideas of others, or my own ideas about my limitations. Music is my path to the truth of who I am."
ANIMA is the sixth of Tate's currently released albums. Tate's musical interests and explorations have been diverse. Tate's first record began a world a way from his current gentle folk sound. Tate wrote and arranged his first album, a melodic ska/punk Jimmy's First Kiss at age 17. "Somewhere in my late teens I started falling in love with new sounds and the idea of performing as a solo folk/rock guitarist took over my musical world" Tate says. Tate's diverse musical interests next took him deep into the world of classical music. He studied Opera for four years in northern Utah developing his craft, and exploring the works of the great composers and the first great songwriters. "I love Opera, symphonic and chamber music, the authenticity, the dramatic heights it can reach and those stone places in the heart it can crack with seeping ease. Though I use my voice on my records in quite a different way than I do when I sing Opera, the fundamental techniques of sustainable singing are the same, and the world of classical music has widened my artistic palate a great deal"
Tate's craft continued to progress as he recorded three unreleased acoustic albums and played for several years in the Salt Lake music scene before his debut as a solo artist The Solitude of Here in 2006. CDBaby called Tate's debut “…by far the most grabbing male folk album we’ve seen in months.” The album also received stunning press from the Netherlands. Folk Forum raved, “This masterpiece is worthy of a place in the singer/songwriter Hall of Fame,” and Heaven Magazine stated, "He possesses the special kind of talent you only see come along once a decennium. If you're lucky."
Since his debut Tate has released five records in as many years. Tate's artistic progression and critical acclaim has continued to rise as he's craft takes new clarity and definition. Tate's musical world was expanded in 2007 when Tate met Swedish singer-songwriter Victoria Lagerström. Lagerström came to the US from Stockholm, Sweden to write and record with Tate. The couple soon fell in love and Lagerström, not using her return ticket to Sweden, was married to Tate among the red rock cliffs of Zion National Park three weeks after her arrival. In November 2007 the duo embarked on a sold out European tour to support their duo record The Same Heart. Since their meeting Tate and Lagerström perform almost exclusively as a duo.
Tate has performed at numerous venues and music festivals across the US, and in Europe. When he is not on the road, writing, producing or mixing his and Lagerström's albums, he can be found exploring the the horizons of the American west, often in his own backyard of Zion Canyon.
"His own unique style (think of a cross between Paul Simon and Jeff Buckley, not just in style but also in quality) hits such a level of perfection that it's hard to comprehend anything more beautiful….I have come to know long before now, as Nick Drake was discovered to be, that Tate is one of the most unique singer-songwriters ever." - Heaven Magazine
“All words of praise I had for The Solitude can be applied to this CD as well: it has as much character as a Nick Drake album; Tate has a voice which can closely resemble the young Paul SimonThe entire album exudes a comfortable sense of peace and serenity…mindfulness and intensity go hand in hand…As far as I am concerned Tate is the best singer/songwriter around at the moment.” - Folk Forum
"It is an album of contradiction and clarity,
of simplicity and great depth…it is capable of inspiring both tears and contemplative silence. It is
capable of acting as ambient background music or as soul-stirring
instigator. Such is the talent of Dave Tate. I don’t mean to make this album sound like it was crafted only for peaceniks
and Buddhists. Tate’s talent is bigger than our ability to label it. The
Houses of Healing is contemporary, spiritual folk…and it is so much more." - The Independent
"Tate is an artist on the cutting edge. One senses the profound honesty and authenticity of the independent artist who effortlessly imposes his timeless, moving, folk style. This brilliant artist is more than deserving of your attention. The Final Hour is a complete success that combines deep emotion and pleasure, Dave Tate is definitely one of the great independent artists." - With Music on My Mind
"His clear vocals stand out on “Fall to You,” which could serve as a blueprint of how love songs should sound. It sounds strange to say a guy has a beautiful voice, but Tate does, and his operatic training is apparent on tracks like the majestic “Music” as he perfectly describes his own sound: “Music to soothe the soul.” - The Spectrum
"We've all had moments where the daily grind of life breaks apart a bit and we glimpse the beauty that exists and has always existed beyond the veil. Great things come from this place. Love. Authenticity. Compassion. Sometimes we find a key to help open that door. I recommend "Home Is In The Stars". - Jeff Bilskey (EMICritically acclaimed artist Dave Tate’s soulful acoustic music combines finger-picked acoustic guitar, passionate tenor vocals, and poetic imagery to show how strong quiet can be. A native of the red rock desert of Zion National Park, Tate’s music is inspired by the vast spacious beauty of his homeland. Tate's intimate yet dynamic sound has is similar the softer material of Paul Simon and Jeff Buckley. Lyrics rooted in themes of self-discovery are a signature of Tate's music. His graceful yet intense style combines pure, intimate vocals with dynamic acoustic guitar tones.
Critically acclaimed artist Dave Tate’s soulful acoustic music combines finger-picked acoustic guitar, passionate tenor vocals, and poetic imagery to show how strong quiet can be. A native of the red rock desert of Zion National Park, Tate’s music is inspired by the vast spacious beauty of his homeland. Tate's intimate yet dynamic sound is similar the softer material of Ray Lamontagne, Paul Simon and Jeff Buckley. Lyrics rooted in themes of self-discovery are a signature of Tate's music. His graceful yet intense style combines pure, intimate vocals with dynamic acoustic guitar tones.
"Creating music informs who I am as a person and communicates some of the best parts of my soul in a way that no other practice can. I focus on the aspects of myself that I long to return to again and again, the parts I would want to leave to this world when I am gone. If a song is written from a place of authenticity it can stay a powerful force in your life and act as a conduit to a place of peace. This is the space I let myself fall in to when writing and later performing. Songwriting is a cathartic and transformative agent of change. It's is a way of looking directly into the buried feeling, of facing the pain and embracing the bliss. The peace that I find in nature, that effortless enjoyment, is what I strive to communicate with my music. I focus on expressing what is most natural and unaffected in myself."
Since his debut of The Solitude of Here in 2006, Tate has released five records in as many years. Tate's artistic progression and critical acclaim has continued to rise as he's craft takes new clarity and definition. In 2007 Tate met Swedish singer-songwriter Victoria Lagerström. Lagerström came to the US from Stockholm, Sweden to write and record The Same Heart with Tate. The couple soon fell in love and, three weeks after her arrival, were married among the red rock cliffs of Zion. Lagerström never used her return ticket to Sweden. Tate and Lagerstrom now perform almost exclusively as a duo. They have since embarked on several European tours in Sweden and the Netherlands.
Tate has performed at numerous venues and music festivals across the US, and in Europe. When he is not on the road, writing, producing or mixing his and Lagerström's albums, he can be found exploring the the horizons of the American west, often in his own backyard of Zion Canyon.
“All words of praise I had for The Solitude can be applied to this CD as well: it has as much character as a Nick Drake album; Tate has a voice which can closely resemble the young Paul Simon. The entire album exudes a comfortable sense of peace and serenity…mindfulness and intensity go hand in hand…As far as I am concerned Tate is the best singer/songwriter around at the moment.” - Folk Forum
"It is an album of contradiction and clarity, of simplicity and great depth…it is capable of inspiring both tears and contemplative silence. It is capable of acting as ambient background music or as soul-stirring instigator. Such is the talent of Dave Tate. I don’t mean to make this album sound like it was crafted only for peaceniks and Buddhists. Tate’s talent is bigger than our ability to label it. The Houses of Healing is contemporary, spiritual folk…and it is so much more." - The Independent
"Tate is an artist on the cutting edge. One senses the profound honesty and authenticity of the independent artist who effortlessly imposes his timeless, moving, folk style. This brilliant artist is more than deserving of your attention. The Final Hour is a complete success that combines deep emotion and pleasure, Dave Tate is definitely one of the great independent artists." - With Music on My Mind
"His clear vocals stand out on “Fall to You,” which could serve as a blueprint of how love songs should sound. It sounds strange to say a guy has a beautiful voice, but Tate does...On the majestic “Music” Tate perfectly describes his own sound: “Music to soothe the soul.” - The Spectrum
"We've all had moments where the daily grind of life breaks apart a bit and we glimpse the beauty that exists and has always existed beyond the veil. Great things come from this place. Love. Authenticity. Compassion. Sometimes we find a key to help open that door. I recommend "Home Is In The Stars". - Jeff Bilskey (EMI)
