KGNU’s Indra Raj speaks with Canadian guitarist and songwriter Ariel Posen ahead of his October 16th performance at The Savoy in Denver as part of the MAS Presents Fall Music Series. Posen discusses his musical beginnings in Winnipeg, his transition from acclaimed session player to solo artist, and his passion for honest, song-driven rock rooted in soul and Americana. He also shares insights on performing with his powerhouse trio, his latest single “Future Present Tense,” and what fans can expect from his upcoming album and tour. (Interview: 10/14/25)
Indra Raj: This is KGNU Community Radio, and I’m your host, Indra Raj.
My guest today is Ariel Posen, a Canadian guitarist, singer, and songwriter known for blending rock, soul, and Americana into a sound that’s both emotionally rich and technically masterful. A former member of The Bros. Landreth, he’s now celebrated as a modern guitar virtuoso whose solo work explores honesty, heart, and the art of truly connecting through music.
Ariel Posen will perform live at The Savoy in Denver on Thursday, October 16th, as part of the Moss Presents Fall Music Series. Ariel, welcome to KGNU. I know many of our listeners are going to want to know all about you leading up to this show—as do I.
So, I’d love to hear just a little bit about how you got started in music and maybe your journey to where you are now.
Ariel Posen: Yeah, I come from a small town called Winnipeg, right in the middle of Canada. I’m a product of musical parents who were in bands and traveled a lot when I was young. My brother and I would travel with them, and I started taking piano and guitar lessons very early on.
I’ve just always been in and around music—it’s been a very natural path for me. The majority of my life since I was 14 has been as a guitar player for many bands and artists. You mentioned that band—The Bros. Landreth—which is probably in my bio. My friends and I played in that band, but I’ve also played guitar for people like Tom Jones, Gavin DeGraw, and Butch Walker, among others.
About eight years ago, I went solo—started a project under my own name, writing and performing my own music as opposed to being someone else’s guitar player. The journey naturally went that way, and we have a great time. It’s incredibly rewarding and fun to be the most authentic version of yourself.
Lucky for me, it’s taken me around the world more than any other project has—including coming to Denver, which isn’t our first time. We always love visiting your fine city.
Indra Raj: Did you always expect that you would go solo after so many years of playing in other people’s bands?
Ariel Posen: No, I was totally content with what I was doing. I enjoyed the variety and the hustle. My life took some turns—in my personal life, all good things—but it led me to a place where I had to restart and shift some things. That led to the decision to do a solo project.
For years, people would ask if I’d ever do it, and I’d always say, “Nah.” But eventually, I had no choice—it just felt incredibly natural. And I’m glad I did, because it’s fun. I really enjoy it.
Indra Raj: How would you describe the music you’re making these days, and maybe what you’ll be performing next week in Denver?
Ariel Posen: I consider it rock. I call it roots rock. “Roots” to me is an amalgam term—it has elements of blues, soul, and R&B in it, but it’s not any of those things specifically. It’s really just rock music.
Yes, I’m known for guitar, and I’ll play a lot of guitar for you guys—but I’m also a singer and a song guy. It’s about good songs, big soaring choruses, background vocals, and my amazing band. It’s really a show for everybody—it’s not a “guitar show.” It’s just a good music show.
Indra Raj: Absolutely. And how did you find your way to writing songs and being a vocalist after being an instrumentalist for so long? Have you always been singing?
Ariel Posen: I’ve always been singing and writing. I was always collaborating and writing with other people—including for myself. I got my start in my own band—my own project—that would play locally a couple of times a week.
It’s funny, because what I’m doing now is exactly what I started doing. I thought that would just be a launching pad to other great opportunities—which it was—but it turns out the greatest opportunity was the thing I started with. That’s where I’m at now, if that makes sense.
Indra Raj: The cyclical way of things.
Ariel Posen: Exactly.
Indra Raj: You play with a band now, and I’m assuming—correct me if I’m wrong—that there’s maybe another guitarist who accompanies you?
Ariel Posen: I’m the only guitarist. We’re a three-piece band. I’ve always had an affinity for trios—bands like The Police, Hendrix, and I’m a ’90s kid, so Green Day and Nirvana too. I just love trios.
I’d love to have another guitar player, but we go trio-style. Luckily, my guys make it sound like there are six people in the band, even though it’s just three of us.
Indra Raj: Yeah. And going from being a person in a band to being the leader—how has that transition been? How do things come together with your trio in terms of putting songs together for performance?
Ariel Posen: Every band needs a band leader. I’ve been the musical director or band leader for many other artists. I’d done a bunch of touring, studio sessions, TV gigs—every kind of gig you can think of—so I already had the experience.
When it’s your own band, you have to take charge. There’s a vision, and it’s just a matter of making sure that vision is being executed—not telling people how to play, because they’re fantastic at what they do.
Usually, I’ll write songs and demo them—put together a rough recording that serves as a reference for when we go into the studio. Once the studio version is done, we figure out how to transition it for live performance, since there are so many more elements on a recording than there are live.
We don’t use tracks or anything like that—what you hear is what you get. It’s just about finding what fits for a live context versus in the studio, where the options are endless.
Indra Raj: Absolutely. So you’ll be at The Savoy on Thursday, October 16th with your trio. You talked about it a little bit there, but what can audience members expect from this show?
Ariel Posen: They can expect musicianship, great songs, great singing, and a lot of new music. For those in Denver who’ve seen us before, it’s been three years since we last played there—back in 2022 at Cervantes’ Other Side.
It’s been a minute, and there’s been a lot of new music since then. We just put out a new song last month called Future Present Tense, and this show is part of the Future Present Tense tour.
So, those who know my music can expect a lot of new material, and those who’ve never seen us before can expect all-new songs. Either way, you can expect to have a great time. Hope to see you there.
Indra Raj: Great. And one last question—I know you’re in the middle of this tour and just released new music. Some people are always looking ahead. Beyond that, are you already planning what’s next?
Ariel Posen: First of all, you have to live about eight months in advance in this industry—it’s crazy. We just started the tour, and we’ll be in the U.S. until the end of December, then in Europe in February.
After that, the album will be coming out. I can’t give away too much more, but once the album’s out, there’ll be more touring and more fun. I don’t want to give it all away, but there’s a lot to come—and it involves plenty of performing and new music for everyone.
Indra Raj: That’s great. So tell our listeners how they can keep up with you—your website, social media, that sort of thing.
Ariel Posen: Yeah. I’m at arielposen.com—that’s A-R-I-E-L-P-O-S-E-N dot com. On all social media—Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, TikTok—I’m @arielposen. Fairly easy to find if you can spell it! Come follow along, come to a show—we’d love to have you out.
Indra Raj: Ariel Posen will be at The Savoy in Denver on Thursday, October 16th, as part of the Moss Presents Fall Music Series. Thank you so much for being with me today, Ariel.
Ariel Posen: My pleasure. Thanks so much for having me.
