Dark To Dawn by Jason Sapen

It's awesome to see a truly great group of guys get together and do something awesome like "Dark To Dawn." Jason is a great writer and has a great band in Scott, Shawn, and Ed. How could this CD not sound great?

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Eric Burns - JSB fan and friend

"Jason is a hidden talent. A hidden talent very much like how Dave Matthews was at the University of Virginia in Charlottesville, and Darius Rucker and Hootie and the Blowfish were at the University of South Carolina before they each made it big. All the Jason Sapen Band needs is one good break and they'll make it. These guys are very talented."

Digger Phelps - amateur music historian, ESPN college basketball analyst, former Notre Dame basketball coach, and JSB fan

"I saw you guys on WNIT on February 1st, 2007. "S.O.S." is some of the best bluesy music I've heard in years. You guys will go far. I am looking forward to getting my copy of the CD. Thanks."

Greg M.- Rochester, IN

"Dawn to Dark" is a terrific collection of original songs by the Jason Sapen Band. The music by the band sounds great, beginning to end, and the songs are wonderfully written and performed superbly, but the real highlight here is Jason's expressive, emotional voice that is right on the money every time with these very personal songs he's written. "Main Street" gives me chills every time I hear it, and I've heard it alot. "Seeing Me" and "Misery" also stand-out as personal favs, but it's all so good. Kudos to the Jason, the band and Grand Master Studios' producer Chris Szajko for an excellent production. The sound of the CD blew me away. Someone's got great ears and deft touch on the controls. Sounds like a L.A., Nashville or New York CD, and the packaging is icing on the delicious cake. Quite a treat. Fantastic stuff... I love it all! I'm a big fan now,

Gordy Young- 16 Morning News WNDU-TV South Bend, IN

BIO

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, Jason’s 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, “ I know everybody had at least two copies of ‘Thriller’ at some point in their life.“ 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. “My Dad was the best guitar teacher I ever had,” Jason says. He also credits his father with introducing what would become Jason’s favorite group of all time, The Beatles-“the standard of which all rock music will be graded until the end of time.” But everything changed when Jason first heard Eddie Van Halen’s “Eruption.” “I didn’t know a guitar could do that!” Over the course of the next five years, Jason would begin playing AND singing solo with his acoustic guitar, exciting audiences all the way. Jason’s Mother’s influence would soon be seen, as you would begin to see Jason sitting at his mom’s piano, trying to learn it on his own. “I have grown to love the piano. I would say I write most of my songs on the piano first..”

Jason would begin his college career in 1994, when he attended Western Michigan University as a vocal performance major. “ I didn’t do to well academically, but I learned a lot from other music students on campus.” 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, Jason’s first band. Dashboard Mary would release a CD of original music, entitled Locust, in early 1999. “This would be my first experience in a real recording studio, something I would not experience again for a long time.” Dashboard Mary disbanded in late 1999, with the formation of Jason’s power trio, Tijuana Blue. In Tijuana Blue, Jason began to develop his style of songwriting. “This is when I really got turned on to Jimi Hendrix in a big way.” Jason also sites major influences in DADA and Big Head Todd and the Monsters. “I have always loved the sound of a blues rock trio,” Jason says. Tijuana Blue would only be together about 8 months.

In April of 2000, Jason would be elemental in forming one of Indiana’s 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. “ Hey, I’m old enough to have a band with my name on it,” Jason jokes. The band formed slowly, starting with the addition of a guitarist, Shawn “Niles” Russell. “ We did the acoustic duet thing for a while, until we hooked up with local bass player extraordinaire, Scott Noyes. “Scott just completed the low end sound we were missing tremendously.” JSB began playing as a trio, and almost instantly, the buzz began. It wasn’t long at all before long-time PS Dump Your Boyfriend drummer Ed Christensen showed up at a club to see the trio perform. “We thought,” How great would it be to add Ed to the lineup! Ah, there’s no way he’ll go for it.’” 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. “We hope you enjoy listening to “DARK TO DAWN” as much as we enjoyed making it for you. “

Jason Sapen's solo debut, DARK TO DAWN, is a songwriter's album. With a little bit of rock and a little bit of soul, Jason has created an album that blends many styles of music with a cohesive blend that is very easy on the ears.

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