"Anselmo is one of those rare artists that has the ability to weave stories in song with a mixture of ageless wisdom and youthful wonderment. He has a strong and enticing voice that can evoke emotions from the listener. Anselmo's lyrics showcase a depth and uniqueness, they tend to invent and analyze rather then opine. Often he conveys as much with a rhythmic phrase or an intonation, as the actual words."
( Frazier, 100.3 Classic Rock The Bear)
Born in Holland, raised on the Canadian prairies and wider travelled then many jet-setters, Anselmo's perspective on music, the world and our species differs in depth and breadth from the usual. Schooled in music, journalism and philosophy to balance the book, one cannot easily dismiss the man as a dilettante folkie.
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Anselmo spent his childhood and early teens in Amsterdam, where the vibrant life of the old city quarters and the inner harbour, exposed him to a wide and wild variety of people and music. It was there that a passion for music, sailing and foreign customs was kindled and incubated.
Anselmo is originally influenced by European Cabaret, Classical music and early Prog Rock. He spent his later teens in Alberta, where he became exposed to Americana, folk and alt-country. He incorporated these new styles in his writing and his live shows. Choosing an acoustic presentation, gave him the freedom and format to follow both his passions, and simultaneously pursue careers in music and sailing. This, in turn, continually led him to new places and adventures; new stories and songs.
Anselmo has completed six extensive European tours, performing on stages at reputable festivals in Canada and several Euro-states. He has toured his music through the USA, Europe, Mexico, Central America, the Caribbean, and as far away as Cape Town on the tip of Africa and the remote South Atlantic island of St. Helena.
It is a measure of Anselmo's connection to Canada that he lists playing, both, the Pacific and Atlantic end of the Yellowhead Highway --Masset, Haida Gwaii and Canso, Nova Scotia (Stan Rogers festival), as his favourite touring accomplishment.
Anselmo has toured, played and recorded with a host of Canadian and European artists, ranging from the well known to the obscure. Most of these artists came out of, or are still firmly grounded in, their respective indie and underground scenes. Anselmo has released three well received full-length recordings and has been involved with a myriad of other projects.
For the better part of the last three decades, Anselmo has called Canada's west coast his provisional home. Some seven years ago provisional changed to permanent, with the impending arrival of his first child. Taking a sabbatical from the constant travel, Anselmo has been playing shows around the Sunshine Coast (BC), raising his child and building RotaroStudio, an A/V production company.
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Anselmo is currently putting the finishing touches on a series of songs/videos scheduled for a 2022 release. The series was scheduled to come out in 2021, but with the world in the grip of the Covid19 crisis we have had to re-imagine our studio environment/workflow. The songs/videos are now in full production and scheduled for a mid 2022 release.