Loose Blues News

Morgan Davis Tribute - The Stolen Guitars Benefit: An amalgamation of quotes: "The evening was remarkable, turnout was excellent -- standing room only -- and the music was superb. The Whiteley Brothers, a great solo set by Colin Linden, Michael Pickett, Fathead, and Morgan himself. Toronto Councillor Jack Layton auctioned off a table full of items, keeping the crowd in stitches and the bids ever-rising, on items including donations from Stony Plain, Fathead, Michael Pickett, Downchild and AT&T, as well as Morgan's donations from his own personal collection. Many people simply donated cash. Almost $5,000 was raised to help Morgan Davis replace his stolen guitars, and Encore Music presented Morgan with a National guitar... It was a benefit, but, more important, it was a proper send-off to a player who has meant a great deal to the Toronto blues community. Thanks to everyone who made this event possible: Craig Collett and Coll Audio for donating equipment and tech Jim Krueger for the evening, Rocky who looked after sound all night and Charlie who took care of Colin's set, Michelle's hard work behind the bar, Ian Angus for his able hosting and assistance with the auction, and, behind the scenes, Richard Barry of Jack Layton's office, Derek Andrews, Gary Kendall, and Richard Flohil."

Another Stolen Guitar: Stolen from a house B&E, on Friday, Jan. 26, 2001 between 1:30PM and 4:40 PM., in the Beaches area of Toronto. Keep your eyes open for a 1965-66 Gibson J-45 Guitar, serial number 267216, in dark grey SKB guitar case with miscellaneous stickers (Blue Mule, Hot Rise, others). Cherry sunburst finish, fair amount of finish, checking on top, ding on upper bout near neck, chrome Grover machine heads, end-pin jack, EPM bridge pick-up system with pre-amp, original porcelain bridge saddle replaced with custom rosewood piece (to be able to revert to original saddle if needed). Accessories in case included extra set Pierce strings, bag of picks, Chubb capo, small side cutters, string winder, Leatherman tool in black belt case with Audio-Technica logo. Please contact Police Const. Murray at 55 Division, Toronto, ON at 416-808-5500.

Signings & Sessions: NorthernBlues Music has announced the signing of Rita Chiarelli and will be releasing her newly recorded CD to be called Breakfast at Midnight. Rita's show-stopping performance at this year's Women's Blues Revue certainly helped to clinch the deal and anyone who was there will tell you Rita has never sounded better. Rita will be performing with her new NorthernBlues labelmates JW-Jones Band from Ottawa and Otis Taylor from Colorado at the official label launch Wednesday, February 21 at Blues on Bellair (see ad in this issue for details).

The Borealis Recording Company, office-neighbour of NorthernBlues, has announced the signing of another Canadian blues (and folk) legend, Penny Lang. Penny has won the hearts of blues and folk fans alike with her sincere and heartfelt approach and this new initiative will bring her music to a lot more people right around the world. Penny's next CD will feature a collection of some of her best-known songs, plus some unreleased live tracks. The new album is set for release this summer and will provide a great overview of Penny's formidable contribution to folk and blues in Canada.

Another member of the Borealis family, Ken Whiteley, is recording a new CD for Sudbury's Sunny Fournier with an all-star line-up including Maureen Brown on drums, Michael Fonfara on keyboard, and Ken himself on rhythm guitar. First-time MBA nominee Russell Jackson has flown down from the west coast to attend the awards banquet and will be playing bass on the sessions while he's here. Jackson's band backs up Sunny when he's on the west coast and Jackson himself played bass for Sunny's main influence, B.B. King. Horn-meister Pat Carey will be doing horn charts. The CD will be released May 26th in Sudbury with a Toronto release party shortly thereafter.

Muddy Waters' alumnus Paul Oscher will be appearing at the Silver Dollar while he's in town recording for another very active blues label, Electro-Fi Records. He will be in town from February 9 to18 to record at Alec Fraser's Liquid recording studio. Paul will be playing harp, guitar, piano and doing the vocals on this solo release tentatively titled Alone with the Blues. The material will be mostly Paul's originals with perhaps one Muddy Waters cover. Paul joined Muddy's band in the late 60's and toured and recorded with him for several years. He has been touring extensively himself lately throughout the U.S. The album is slated for a summer 2001 release

Big Time Coverage: Big Time Blues person Raoul Bhaneja was the subject of a half-page spread in the Arts & Entertainment section of the Toronto Star in late December, courtesy of columnist Rita Zekas, who combined coverage of Raoul's acting and music careers including a large colour photo (see www.thestar.com). In the same section, Geoff Chapman offers reviews of 8 CDs in his semi-regular blues section, including Toronto's Juke Joint release of Blues from the Heart by Willie Big Eyes Smith, featuring "local heroes" Al Lerman, Michael Pickett, Michael Fonfara, Jack de Keyzer and Alec Fraser.

Rick Fenton, producer of Saturday Night Blues for the last seven years, has been appointed Artistic Director of the Winnipeg Folk Festival, and he's already taken up residence in one of the coldest (but warmest-hearted!) cities in the country. His wife Kathy (who works for Stony Plain Records) will join him in June, when daughter Lise finishes her school year in Edmonton.

Winter warmth: The Acoustic Harvest Folk Club thanks all who supported their Mitten Drive with donations of mittens, hats and socks, which will be distributed to homeless people through the Canadian Red Cross's Scarborough Outreach program, whose a mobile van distributes winter clothing and sleeping bags to those on the street and others in need of help several nights per week.

Jammin': The regular Tuesday jam at The Black Swan Tavern hosted by Dylan Wickens Project, now has a new format. To accommodate the increasing number of jammers who have been attending, special guests will appear less often, and blues musicians will be able to jam as early as 10:45 p.m. Blues musicians of all styles and levels are welcome. The Dylan Wickens Project is going into the studio in February to commence recording their second CD, of mostly original blues. Tenor saxophonist, Flip Townson has joined the band (www.bluesunion.com).

And the Sunday night jam formerly held at the Waltzing Weasel in Aurora is moving to Wednesday nights, starting February 21, at Charlie Fitzwhiskeys on Yonge Street at the south end of town.

Blues Print: Al Kirkcaldy of CFFF 92.7 FM's Blue in the Face will be writing a blues column for the revamped Wire Magazine beginning this month. The Wire is published in Peterborough, printed by The Peterborough Examiner, and will now focus on the community, and highlight the local arts and music scenes. Al will review recordings, live shows, and coming attractions in each issue.

Dunnville Blues Society: Currently operating out of the Reader's Café, an intimate café and used bookstore, the new Dunnville Blues Society has been regularly presenting solo and duo music, but is progressing to bands including Fathead and Tony D, and will be moving to a larger venue accommodating 60 to 80. Mark Neveu adds that Dunnville is approximately 50 km southeast of Hamilton, 30 km west of Port Colborne, and 10 km east of Cayuga.

Jay McShann recorded a live session for Saturday Night Blues when he played Toronto's Montreal Bistro on Friday February 2. Jim Galloway (sax), Don Vickery (drums) and Rosemary Galloway (bass) backed the still-reigning King of Kansas City Jazz, who celebrated his 85th birthday on January 12.

Blues Pics Wanted: Brad Cran, of Smoking Lung Press in Vancouver, is publishing a book of Canadian poets who write blues lyrics. He's seeking a photographer with photos of Canadian blues musicians. Contact: cran@BCwriters.com.

Tom Landa & the Paperboys have recorded a version of "All Along the Watchtower" as part of a project for their American label, Red House Records. The track will appear later this year on Nod to Bob, a compilation which will include other Dylan masterworks, interpreted by the likes of Greg Brown, Rambling Jack Elliott, and Guy Davis, as well as Levon Helm and Garth Hudson.

McCauley Celebration: A tribute in honour of Bill McCauley was held in Fredericton. His former band-mates from "Redeye" established a scholarship fund for a specialty keyboard program at a local high school with the more than $5,000 raised. "For most of the day the club was jam-packed. By evening there was a half-hour line-up outside, especially remarkable given the outdoor temperature of -20 C. Inside things were hot with great live music. Throughout the show, television screens in front of the stage showed clips from Bill's life and performances. It was reported there were over 500 hits to the live camera set up on the Internet, some from as far away as Japan. Faxes of tribute arrived from Australia, as well as Halifax and Toronto, Bill's former homes. The organizers say they will be making this an annual event". Donations can still be made to the Leo Hayes Music Scholarship, Bill McCauley Memorial, c/o Leo Hayes Music Department, 499 Cliff Street, Fredericton, NB E3A 9P5, or www.mycityweb.com/bill/pledge.asp.

Mercredi: Montreal's Café Campus has announced its 2001 schedule of Wednesday night blues shows starting February 7: Sue Foley (Ottawa) with special guest Steve Hill, James Armstrong (California), Big Dave McLean & Raoul and The Big Time (Winnipeg), Magic Slim (Chicago), Les Grandes Dames du Blues, Duke Robillard (Rhodes Island), Deanna Bogart (Washington), Chicago Pete (Chicago), Harmonica Festival (15th edition), Phillip Walker (California), Jimmy James (Montreal), Chicago R&B Kings (Chicago), and Holmes Brothers (New York)

Awards, awards, awards: The blues nominees this year's JUNO Awards are: Michael Pickett, Conversation with the Blues (Wooden Teeth/Festival); Sue Foley, Love Comin' Down (Shanachie/Koch); Mel Brown, Neck Bones & Caviar (Electro-Fi/Festival); Ray Bonneville, Rough Luck (Prime/Allegro); Big Daddy G, Topless (Reggies Records).

MBA Best New Artist winners, the Carson Downey Band, also won 6 Real Blues Awards, including Best Blues Band, Best Debut CD, Best Live Act, Best Blues Guitarist (Carson Downey), Best Bassist (Marlowe Smith), and Best Blues Vocalist (Carson Downey). The Carson Downey Band adorn the cover of Real Blues this month.

Two Electro-Fi Recording artists were nominated for W.C. Handy Awards: Snooky Pryor and Mel Brown's recording together, Double Shot, was nominated for "Traditional Blues Album of the Year", while Mel's solo release Neckbones & Caviar was nominated for "Comeback Blues Album of the Year", and Snooky was nominated for both "Blues Instrumentalist/Harmonica" and "Traditional Male Artist of the Year".

Stony Plain recording artist Rosco Gordon's new album, Memphis Tennessee, has also been nominated for W.C. Handy Award as "Comeback Blues Album of the Year." Two other Stony Plain artists are also nominated for Handy Awards: Duke Robillard in the Blues Instrumentalist/Guitar category, and Sonny Rhodes in the Blues Instrumentalist/Other Instrument category. "Sax" Gordon Beadle, long a member of Duke Robillard's band, gets a nod in the "horn" category. And Blind Pig Record artists (distributed by Stony Plain in Canada) E.C. Scott, Deborah Coleman, and Magic Slim and The Teardrops were all nominated for Handy Awards.

The Handy awards will be presented May 24th, 2001 at the historic Orpheum Theatre in Memphis, hosted by "New Orleans Legend", Dr. John. Entertainer of the Year nominees include Taj Mahal, Bobby Rush, Little Milton, B.B. King, Rod Piazza, and Shemekia Copeland. Rod Piazza and the Mighty Flyers share five nominations with the inclusion of the individual instrument categories. Copeland received four nominations including Blues Album of the Year. Other notable nominees include Ruth Brown, Corey Harris and Henry Butler, B.B. King and Eric Clapton, and The North Mississippi AllStars. For over two decades the Handy Awards have celebrated excellence in performance and recording of the Blues.

A panel of international Blues industry experts votes on the initial nominees, and 30,000 Blues fans choose the winners. The 22nd Annual W.C. Handy Blues Awards are presented by Gibson Guitars. Other sponsors include Tower Records, Amtrak, BMI, and Budweiser. The Blues Foundation is dedicated to preserving Blues history, celebrating Blues excellence and supporting Blues excellence. A complete list of nominees is available at www.handyawards.com, or www.blues.org.

The 43rd Annual Grammy nominations for Best Traditional Blues Album are: James Cotton, Billy Branch, Charlie Musselwhite & Sugar Ray Norcia, Superharps (Telarc Blues); B.B. King & Eric Clapton, Riding With The King (Reprise Records); B.B. King, Let The Good Times Roll (MCA Records); Robert Lockwood, Jr., Delta Crossroads (Telarc Blues); Willie Nelson, Milk Cow Blues (Island/Def Jam Music Group); and for Best Contemporary Blues Album: Shemekia Copeland, Wicked (Alligator Records); Taj Mahal & The Phantom Blues Band, Shoutin' In Key (Hannibal Records); North Mississippi Allstars, Shake Hands With Shorty (Tone-Cool Records); Bobby Rush, Hoochie Man (Malaco/Waldoxy); Koko Taylor, Royal Blue (Alligator Records).

The Louisiana Blues Hall of Fame's inductees for the year 2001 are: Huey "Piano" Smith, Fats Domino, Clarence Edwards, Clarence "Gatemouth" Brown, Lonnie "Guitar Junior" Brooks, "Mighty" Sam McClain, and Chuck Mitchell.

Due out soon on CD is Boogie n' Shuffle by Billy Boy Arnold, produced by Duke Robillard. "This is Billy Boy's first release in six years (he made his first record when he was a teenager, back in 1952), and he's still full of grooving vocals and harmonica work".

New Roots Radio Show For Vancouver Island: Magic FM 98.9 (Coast Radio) in Courtenay and Musicfest announce a new radio show, "Roots Review", Sunday nights 10 to 11 PM, hosted by Musicfest Artistic Director, Doug Cox: "Every Sunday, we will feature past and upcoming Musicfest performers. We will play lots of local and Canadian music which doesn't normally get exposure on commercial radio. I'm very excited about the show, because it'll give us a chance to expose our Vancouver Island audience to the music of who will be coming to Musicfest. Roots music is the music of the people, from contemporary singer-songwriters to blues, bluegrass, country, jazz, world music and rock and roll. Alberta has CKUA Radio which plays Roots music almost 24 hours a day. I think this is one of the reasons why their Festivals are so popular. They have a loyal audience who are constantly exposed to Roots music. Until now, all we have had on Northern Vancouver Island is the roots music played by the CBC. Hopefully, the new show with Coast radio will make a difference! I am thrilled that Magic FM recognizes the fact that there is a large audience of adults out there who listen to all kinds of music and that there is a need for this type of show." Magic FM radio broadcasts from Port Alice to Nanaimo, including Powell River.

Kentucky Canuck: Barry Rueger writes of his move to Kentucky, where he hosts a weekly radio program at WMMT "that features almost nothing but artists from the True North Strong and Free. It's called the "Double Double Radio Show" (meaningless to Americans, eh?) and his stage name is "Tim Horton" (also meaningless to Americans)". He laments that he no longer has a handy library full of fine Canadian music, however, and is in need of music by Canadians. He welcomes any donations of any musical genre, "although WMMT tends to lean towards bluegrass, old time, folk, and punk. So far the music that I've played has been very well received, and we're starting to build an audience for Canadian music. There is almost no Canadian music down here, so CDs don't even have to be recent releases."

His first few playlists are available at www.community-media.com/doubledouble and WMMT is at www.appalshop.org/wmmt. Musicians are invited to forward CDs to Barry Rueger, WMMT-FM, Appalshop Inc., 91 Madison Avenue, Whitesburg KY 41858.

Macon mayor plans Otis Redding honour: Macon Georgia is home to the Otis Redding bridge and Otis Redding Coliseum, but Mayor Jack Ellis won't rest until Macon City Auditorium is renamed for the soul singer. "Macon was home, and he loved this city," Ellis said to Associated Press. "This would be a fitting tribute." Redding was born near Albany but moved to Macon when he was 3. His funeral was held at the auditorium in 1967, when he died in a plane crash three days after recording "(Sittin' On) The Dock of the Bay."

Jimmy Rogers Street: On Saturday Feb. 10th the City Of Chicago will honour blues legend Jimmy Rogers by naming a city street after him. The ceremony will take place at the corner of S. Honore & 63rd Street at 3pm. Jimmy's widow, Dorthy Lane, family members, and Jimmy's long-time manager, Tom Radai), will preside over the event. City officials, former band alumni, notable blues and rock figures, as well as a large number of friends and fans are expected to attend. All friends and fans of blues are invited to attend and, health permitting, Jimmy's widow will host a house warming party at their home, about 50 yards from the location place of the ceremony. For further information, or to forward "any communications that you might like to impart to Jimmy's family", contact Tom Radai, The Blues Mgt. Group, Phone 414-321-0188, Fax 414-321-1098, Email: bluesmgtgroup@aol.com.

Improvising: For those musicians out there interested in expanding their musical horizons, bassist Victor Bateman will be running an improvisation workshop Sunday afternoons in March, starting March 4, culminating in a free improv recital by participants. The workshop is presented by ARRAYMUSIC, one of Canada's best-known new music organizations, and will take place at the ARRAYMUSIC studio at 60 Atlantic Ave. in Toronto. The workshop is open to anyone interested in exploring intuitive communication through the medium of sound, and expanding their awareness of music's potential by examining its limits.

The cost is $80 per person for four 3-hour sessions, and all participants should plan on attending the full workshop, as well as the recital. If you would like more information, please call Victor at 416-654-0590, or e-mail him at vbateman@look.ca.

Drummers take note: Long & McQuade Musical Instruments presents Yamaha Clinician Akira Jimbo of Japan with special guest artist Wilson Laurencin of the Mike Bullard Show, on Sunday February 11th at 3:00 pm at the Tropicana, 247 Spadina Avenue (1 block south of Dundas at Grange Ave., walk right in and take elevator to second floor) in Toronto. Admission $5.00. Contact Bloor Street Drums at 416-588-7886.

Job Opportunity

Office and Events Coordinator

The TBS requires an organized individual to work part-time in the TBS office. Duties include general office administration, including membership coordination, responding to enquiries, attending board meetings, and assisting with the organization and promotion of events. Must be able to work independently, be comfortable on both Mac and PC platforms, have good communications skills, and be capable of multi-tasking. Will need to work occasional evenings and weekends. Knowledge of the Canadian blues scene an asset. This is a paid position.

Please submit resumes by fax to 416-538-6559, Attention Hiring Committee.

Deadline February 22.