David Celia
Encyclopedia
Musician David Celia is an independent singer-songwriter
based in Toronto
, Ontario
, who has built an audience across Canada
and in Europe
. He has toured regularly since 2005.
Beginning in 1989, Celia was a member of Tarnished Gallahad featuring Matei Kajs (drums), Richard Hamelin (lead vocals, bass), Chris Mavridis (keys, vocals) and Celia (guitar, vocals). They toured Ontario and Manitoba
until they disbanded in 1996.
In 1996, Celia met guitarist and songwriter Mark Stewartson and formed the band Roundhouse with Scott Reynolds (guitar), Michael Lerner (keyboards) and Geoff Hen (drums). Later, Reynolds and Lerner left the band and David Headon (bass) joined. Invisible Inc. was then formed and soon recorded a twelve-song CD entitled Poor Folks Welcome (2000). With help from engineer and studio owner Rich Dubeau, it was recorded at Taxi Stand Studio in North Toronto. Invisible Inc. played clubs in southern Ontario for several years and also embarked on a tour of the United Kingdom
. The band broke up in 2001.
As a solo artist, Celia released Organica in 2002 and This Isn't Here (Universal
) in 2006. He has played his guitar behind such acts as Ian & Sylvia, Andy Kim
and Quartette
, as well as indie artists Mike Evin
and Michael Holt
.
During the summers of 2003 to 2006, Celia was an instructor at the National Guitar Workshop, including week-long songwriting workshops in Canada and at the Workshop headquarters in New Milford
, Connecticut
.
Celia’s third album, I Tried, features, among others, Joan Besen of Prairie Oyster
on keyboards, Don Kerr
(Ron Sexsmith
, Rheostatics
) and Cleave Anderson (formerly of Blue Rodeo
) on drums, Gurf Morlix (Lucinda Williams
) on guitar and Ben Mink (k.d. lang
, FM
) on violin. The album was produced by Celia, mixed by John Switzer (Jane Siberry, Andrew Cash
) and mastered by Joao Carvalho.
Celia has toured and continues to tour Canada, the UK and continental Europe regularly, including an appearance at the Glastonbury Festival
in 2010.
With Invisible Inc.
Solo
Singer-songwriter
Singer-songwriters are musicians who write, compose and sing their own musical material including lyrics and melodies. As opposed to contemporary popular music singers who write their own songs, the term singer-songwriter describes a distinct form of artistry, closely associated with the...
based in Toronto
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
, Ontario
Ontario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
, who has built an audience across Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
and in Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
. He has toured regularly since 2005.
Beginning in 1989, Celia was a member of Tarnished Gallahad featuring Matei Kajs (drums), Richard Hamelin (lead vocals, bass), Chris Mavridis (keys, vocals) and Celia (guitar, vocals). They toured Ontario and Manitoba
Manitoba
Manitoba is a Canadian prairie province with an area of . The province has over 110,000 lakes and has a largely continental climate because of its flat topography. Agriculture, mostly concentrated in the fertile southern and western parts of the province, is vital to the province's economy; other...
until they disbanded in 1996.
In 1996, Celia met guitarist and songwriter Mark Stewartson and formed the band Roundhouse with Scott Reynolds (guitar), Michael Lerner (keyboards) and Geoff Hen (drums). Later, Reynolds and Lerner left the band and David Headon (bass) joined. Invisible Inc. was then formed and soon recorded a twelve-song CD entitled Poor Folks Welcome (2000). With help from engineer and studio owner Rich Dubeau, it was recorded at Taxi Stand Studio in North Toronto. Invisible Inc. played clubs in southern Ontario for several years and also embarked on a tour of the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
. The band broke up in 2001.
As a solo artist, Celia released Organica in 2002 and This Isn't Here (Universal
Universal Music Group
Universal Music Group is an American music group, the largest of the "big four" record companies by its commanding market share and its multitude of global operations...
) in 2006. He has played his guitar behind such acts as Ian & Sylvia, Andy Kim
Andy Kim
Andrew Youakim, performing as Andy Kim, is a Lebanese Canadian pop rock singer and songwriter. He grew up in Montreal, Quebec in Canada. Kim is known for a number of hit singles that he released in the late 1960s and early 1970s such as "Rock Me Gently", which topped the US singles charts. In 1968,...
and Quartette
Quartette (band)
Quartette is a Canadian country-folk group featuring Cindy Church, Caitlin Hanford, Gwen Swick and Sylvia Tyson. Each of the four members also records as a solo artist in addition to their work as a group.-Biography:...
, as well as indie artists Mike Evin
Mike Evin
Mike Evin is a Canadian singer-songwriter originally from, and based out of, Montreal, Quebec. He has relocated several times to several different cities, including Toronto, and Halifax. Evin's primary instrument is the piano and keyboard instruments, though he also played guitar on his first album...
and Michael Holt
Michael Holt (musician)
Michael Holt is a musician who lives in Toronto, Canada. He was born in Boston, Massachusetts in 1968, and raised in New York City, where he learned to play the piano as a child...
.
During the summers of 2003 to 2006, Celia was an instructor at the National Guitar Workshop, including week-long songwriting workshops in Canada and at the Workshop headquarters in New Milford
New Milford
New Milford may refer to:Places in the United States of America* New Milford, Connecticut* New Milford, Illinois* New Milford, New Hampshire* New Milford, New Jersey* New Milford, New York, a hamlet in Warwick* New Milford, Pennsylvania...
, Connecticut
Connecticut
Connecticut is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States. It is bordered by Rhode Island to the east, Massachusetts to the north, and the state of New York to the west and the south .Connecticut is named for the Connecticut River, the major U.S. river that approximately...
.
Celia’s third album, I Tried, features, among others, Joan Besen of Prairie Oyster
Prairie Oyster
Prairie Oyster is an award-winning Canadian country music group from Ontario. They were named Country Group or Duo of the year six times by both the Canadian Country Music Association and the Juno Awards. The band also won the Bud Country Fans' Choice Award from the CCMA in 1994...
on keyboards, Don Kerr
Don Kerr
Don Kerr is a Canadian multi-instrumentalist and record producer.He was a member of Rheostatics from 1995 to May 2001. He plays in Ron Sexsmith's band, and sometimes with The Kelele Brothers. He and Sexsmith released an album together, Destination Unknown, in 2005...
(Ron Sexsmith
Ron Sexsmith
Ronald Eldon "Ron" Sexsmith is a Canadian singer-songwriter from St. Catharines, Ontario, currently based in Toronto. He started his own band when he was fourteen years old, and released the first recordings of his own material seven years later, in 1985...
, Rheostatics
Rheostatics
Rheostatics was a Genie Award-winning Canadian indie rock band, active from 1980 to 2007.Although they had only one Top 40 hit, "Claire" in 1995, they were simultaneously one of Canada's most influential and unconventional rock bands, a band whose eclectic take on pop and rock music has been...
) and Cleave Anderson (formerly of Blue Rodeo
Blue Rodeo
Blue Rodeo is a Canadian pop and country rock band, which was formed in 1984 in Toronto, Ontario. They have been signed with Warner Music Group since their debut album Outskirts in March 1987...
) on drums, Gurf Morlix (Lucinda Williams
Lucinda Williams
Lucinda Williams is an American rock, folk, blues and country music singer and songwriter. She recorded her first albums in 1978 and 1980 in a traditional country and blues style and received very little attention from radio, the media, or the public. In 1988, she released her self-titled album,...
) on guitar and Ben Mink (k.d. lang
K.D. Lang
Kathryn Dawn Lang, OC , known by her stage name k.d. lang, is a Canadian pop and country singer-songwriter and occasional actress...
, FM
FM (Canadian band)
FM is a progressive rock band from Toronto, Canada which existed from 1976 to 1996, with a brief return in 2006, although they had a period of inactivity between 1989 and 1994. Their music has been categorized as space rock, and lyrics are dominated by science fiction themes...
) on violin. The album was produced by Celia, mixed by John Switzer (Jane Siberry, Andrew Cash
Andrew Cash
Andrew Cash is a Canadian singer-songwriter and a Member of Parliament for the Toronto-area Davenport electoral district. He grew up in Toronto, where he befriended future MP, Charlie Angus, and along with Angus founded the Toronto punk band L'Étranger. In the late 1990s, he also became a...
) and mastered by Joao Carvalho.
Celia has toured and continues to tour Canada, the UK and continental Europe regularly, including an appearance at the Glastonbury Festival
Glastonbury Festival
The Glastonbury Festival of Contemporary Performing Arts, commonly abbreviated to Glastonbury or even Glasto, is a performing arts festival that takes place near Pilton, Somerset, England, best known for its contemporary music, but also for dance, comedy, theatre, circus, cabaret and other arts.The...
in 2010.
Discography
With Tarnished Gallahad- Tarnished Gallahad, 1992
- Trapped On Earth, 1997
With Invisible Inc.
- Poor Folks Welcome, 2000
Solo
- Organica, 2002
- This Isn’t Here, 2006
- I Tried, 2010