When Marcus Trummer released his debut album, From the Start, in 2024, the blues world took notice. In the Blues Rock Review, Moe Moore wrote that the record “gives us all hope that the future is still bright.”
We asked this young Calgary-born musician about the album and his meteoric rise as a recording artist and performer.
“I was about 13 when I really started getting into guitar. We always had a guitar around the house. My dad plays a bit of jazz and blues. I started messing around and plugging in the electric, to crank up different tones. Then I got into acoustic and folk and alternative stuff, different tunings. But there was always kind of a blues undertone to everything.”
Some reviews have called Trummer “retro” or referred to his sound as “vintage.” He doesn’t mind. “I’m definitely influenced by older artists and soul and blues music from the 60s and 70s. I don’t know where it came from, because like most kids, I listened to what everyone else listened to. But at the same time, through my parents and through guitar, I was always kind of getting that old-school influence.”
He mentions Stevie Ray Vaughan and Wes Montgomery as artists that drew him in, saying, “I think the seeds were planted. My parents said I was named after a jazz piano player they saw on one of their dates. Maybe things were meant to be in that regard. And the guitar led me deeper into blues. So many good guitar players, even in rock, are influenced by the blues. So much American roots music stems from the blues.”
From the Start was recorded in 2022. “I had connected with Ross Citrullo, a Toronto producer who does a lot in rock and southern rock. I connected with Gypsy Soul Records, and ended up getting the opportunity to record in Toronto.”
Trummer is happy with how the album turned out, and he loves some of the “old school” stylings you can hear. “There were some horn parts and background vocals that were added after the fact. It was cool for me to hear it months later.” He says the process of making his first album has given him confidence to look ahead to the next record.
Studio musicians provided the instrumentation you hear on the album—with one notable exception. “My brother, Silas Trummer, is the drummer. He’s played drums with me from the beginning, so we have that family connection.”
He adds, “My brother is an integral part of what I do, so he’s always with me on the road.” Bassist Karl Salingua is also part of the core trio. Then, says, Trummer, “We add horns and backup singers when we can. We will be on the road with a four- or six-piece band. For what I do, you have to have the B3 organ, and the horns are the cherry on top.”
From the Start has been the #1 album on the CKUA’s weekly Top 30 chart twice. “We’ve been charting across Canada on campus and community stations. And with CKUA being such a big station, there’s good listenership here in Alberta. I’ve noticed that a lot of people hear about what I do through CKUA, which I think is cool, because it’s a grass roots community. There’s so much coming at you all the time, but when someone turns on CKUA, there’s more intentionality. People pay attention. It’s definitely helped get the word out. Here in Calgary, it’s already been huge. I’m grateful for the support.”
Marcus Trummer will play The Slice in Lethbridge on April 26. When more tour dates are announced, you’ll find them at marcustrummermusic.com
“Holding Out For You” is from Marcus Trummer’s album, From the Start.
