Loose Blues News
On Sunday, April 8 at 8:00 pm, The Flying Cloud Folk Club at The Tranzac, 292 Brunswick Ave (at
Bloor) presents the wonderful
Guy Davis, musician, composer, actor, director, and writer, but, most importantly,
a blues man has dedicated himself to reviving the traditions of acoustic blues and bringing them to as many ears as possible through the material of the great blues masters, African American stories, and his
own original songs, stories and performance pieces. Tickets are $16, $14 for members of Flying Cloud, Mariposa, or
Tranzac; Contact 416-410-FOLK (3655) for info and reservations. The Tranzac at Brunswick
and Bloor has been a folk-music mecca for years and promoted several successful blues shows in their main hall and are reaching out further to blues community with a regular Thursday Blues Night beginning
April 19 and every Thursday thereafter with host
Brian Blain and special guests.
Canadian Independent Music Awards 2001: Canadian Music Week will present the 1st Annual Canadian Independent Music Awards in recognition of Canada's independent music scene. "Indie" Awards will be presented for the best independent records commercially released in the year 2000, in 13 musical categories. The nominees in the Blues category this year are: Fathead, Hot Toddy, Kristi Johnston, Michael Pickett, and the Carson Downey Band. The awards ceremony will be held Sunday, April 1, at the Church at Berkeley, 315 Queen Street East in Toronto.
Juno Follow-up: Ottawa blues/roots guitarist Sue Foley got the call that she'd been awarded the Juno for Best Blues Album for her release Love Comin' Down, while at sound check at the Sun Theatre in Anaheim, California, where she was opening for Jennifer Warnes. She later joined Warnes on stage for the finale, the Leonard Cohen composition "First We Take Manhattan" from Warnes' top-selling album Famous Blue Raincoat. This was the final performance of Foley's three-week U.S. west coast tour that also included sold-out performances with Jonny Lang, The Neville Brothers, B.B. King, and John Lee Hooker, as well as her own headline dates, and a feature in both the LA Times and the Long Beach Daily-Telegram. Frank Riley, one of the top agents in North America, recently started his own boutique agency, High Road Touring, after eight very successful years with Monterey Peninsula Artists in California, and has signed on to represent Foley in the U.S., along with Steve Earle, Lucinda Williams, and The Jayhawks.
Babes With Babes: There will be a benefit at The Silver Dollar on May 3 for The Evergreen Center's Nursery. It provides a safe environment for the children of our city's homeless youth while they take advantage of the Center's training and counselling programs. Sparkjiver will host the benefit and welcome such guests as Jeff Healey, Downchild, Fathead, Blue Willow and dozens more. There will be an auction at the event for which items are still being accepted. Doors open at 7pm and the music starts at 8pm. This event is sponsored by "Los Silverados", the 600 strong biker's club who are one of the largest supporters of the Yonge Street Mission. For more information, call Michelle at 416-763-3518 or theicequeen@iceroom.to.
Oasis recording artist Molly Johnson in mid song at The Bishop's Annual Dinner. The fundraiser for The Anglican Church was held at
The Marriott Hotel and raised $50,000. Over 400 people attended, "I think there was a real sense of community and family," said
Archbishop Terence Finlay. Photo by Michael
Hudson and special thanks to the TBS' Mary
Shultis.
FLOW 93.5: Just a reminder that Canada's first urban music radio station, FLOW 93.5 is now on the air in Toronto, and can also be heard on the web at www.flow935.com.
A Blue Room Video: Previous TBS talent search finalists, Blue Room were recently at the Casino Lounge filming their first video supporting their 2nd album Great to be Alive for the song "Spare Change". A large cast of extras as well as a few professional actors were on hand to help the band create a suspense-filled plot-injected storyline, a la Bravo television network, which helped to support the project.
"Northern Hammond": A jazz organ project by the Denis Keldie Trio, featuring Bill Murray on guitar and Paul DeLong on drums, will be released on Lance Anderson's "Make It Real" label, at a gala party on Wednesday April 11, 9 pm, at Rockit on Church Street, just south of Richmond Street East, in Toronto.
May Day: The Dylan Wickens Project will be celebrating their one year anniversary of hosting the Tuesday night open blues jam at The Black Swan Tavern, (154 Danforth Ave. Toronto) on Tuesday May 1, at 10 p.m. "Expect a party!" says Dylan, a prime candidate for the title "Hardest Working Guitarist" on the local blues scene. "Many of the great players who have been our featured guests over the past year will be there to sit in and play a few to help us celebrate."
Award-winning blues/jazz harmonica player Carlos del Junco is back in the studio, with world-renowned producer/engineer Joe Chiccarelli, who arrived from London where he had just completed final mixes on Elton John's new recording. Jane Siberry is featured on vocals on one track of Del Junco's new recording.
Dirty again: Ottawa's Mud Boys have completed their second recording, two years after their debut release, the EP Seven Faces. The new, all-original album is entitled Dustkickers Palace. The CD will be released April 27 and 28, in Ottawa, at Tucson's (Bank & Hunt Club in the south end). The boys are also launching a redesigned website, featuring new audio, video, and photos, at www.theMudBoys.com.
The Air Canada Employee's Charitable Foundation is holding their second annual hockey tournament, which also features live rock and blues. The tourney runs May 4 to 6 in Toronto, and welcomes teams, players, sponsors or fans who like live music, and offers the chance to win some impressive prizes including, naturally, airline tickets. Performers include Jack de Keyzer, who will be featured on Saturday May 5 at 7pm. A small cover charge will support the foundation. The event will be held at The Beatrice Ice Gardens at York University (989 Murray Ross Parkway, 416-661-5900). For further information, contact Barry Honsinger (416-698-2147) or Andrew Kempa (416 695-4739).
Blues in Orillia: The Orillia Spring Blues festival will give metro blues fans a great excuse to get out of the city. Friday, April 27th will feature The Ronnie Douglas Blues Band, 1999 Toronto Blues Society Talent Search Winners, Winners of Canadian Aboriginal Music Award for best album, and 1999 Maple Blues Awards nominees. Saturday, April 28th, they have George Leach & his band, multi award winners at the 2000 Canadian Aboriginal Music Awards. Sunday, April 29th, presents local legend Curley Bridges. Friday & Saturday they are also hosting a Native "Blues" Art show featuring Larry Douglas and Tim Stintson. Both Larry and Tim are winning artist for designs of the Blues Festival Posters. Larry won the design for 1999 and Tim is the 2001 design winner. Both have done work for Casino Rama as well. See the ad on page 12 or check out their new web site www.kewadininn.ca.
The Mudcat Blues Festival: Mark Neveu of the Dunnville Blues Society announces a news blues fest, June 8 to 10, 2001, in Dunnville, Ontario. Dunnville is approximately 90 minutes from Toronto, and 45 minutes from Buffalo/Fort Erie and Hamilton, at the mouth of the Grand River. This three-day celebration of blues will feature nearly 40 performances, on an outdoor stage and in three indoor venues, including late-night jams. The outdoor stage will feature food including grilled catfish, beverages including beer provided by local brewers Sleeman/Upper Canada, a small marketplace, buskers, children's entertainment, and a shuttle service among the venues. Confirmed performers include the Catfish Blues Band (as house band), the Maureen Brown Band, the Rockin' Highliners, Jack de Keyzer, Paul James, the Rick Fines Trio, Big Daddy G & Tortoise Blue, Mel Brown & the Homewreckers, the Carson Downey Band, Chris Whiteley, Mannie & The Swingin' Hipshakers, The Michael Pickett Band, and Fathead. Passes are $15 to 20 ($15 for all card-carrying blues society members). For information: mudcatblues@hotmail.com, or www.2ndage.com/mudcat
Hammer Blues: The Mermaid Lounge in Hamilton (32 Hess Street South, 905-523-5984, www.mermaidslounge.com) is featuring a solid entertainment programme, including much that's blues-friendly, in part thanks to TBS friend Krista McKennit (kristamc@cgocable.net).
The harpman in action is Sugar Ray (Norcia) and the photo is from last year's Beaches Jazz Festival where he brought the proceedings to a rousing conclusion.
Sugar Ray & The Bluetones will be back on Saturday, April 14 at The Silver Dollar Room. The Bluetones will be
Mike Welch on guitar; Michael "Mudcat"
Ward, bass and Neil Gouvin, drums and we'll be treated to songs from Sugar Ray's fourth album,
Rockin' Sugar Daddy, on Severn Records. As usual for a Blues For A Big Town Production, Sugar Ray will be at the
T-Rex Smokehouse & Bar in Ottawa on Thursday, the 12th; and at The Legendary Red Dog in Peterborough on the 13th. The Beaches lineup this year, by the way, will include
Tab Benoit, The Susie Arioli Swing Band, Big Joe & The
Dynaflows and, of course, Bill King's Saturday Night Fish
Fry. Photo by Dan Gadziola.
Les Grandes Dames du Blues: In celebration of International Women's Day, Cafe Campus in Montreal hosted the 2nd Edition of Les Grandes Dames du Blues on March 7th, featuring Nanette Workman, Dawn Tyler Watson, Rita Chiarelli, Judi Richards and Roxanne Genest, backed by the Dawn Tyler Blues Project (band leader Domenic Romanelli on bass, Chuck Dacoulis on guitar, Sam Harrison on drums, Peter Ranallo on piano & B-3, Eric Alain on saxophones, and guest John McGale on guitar). Donations were collected for the Montreal women's shelter Le Chaînon. Support was provided by the Montreal Blues Society. The programme then proceeded to L'Autre Caserne in Quebec City, where Dawn Tyler Watson & Rita Chiarelli were joined by Quebec City singers Lise Hanick and Andrée Dupré.
Hornby Island Blues Camp: The Hornby Island Blues Society is pleased to announce the 2nd annual Hornby Island Blues Camp, May 14th to 18th, 2001. "Come study and jam with some of Canada's finest musicians in one of the nicest settings and artistic communities on Canada's West Coast...was a great time last year!" Teachers and subjects will include Keith Bennett (Vancouver, BC): Blues Harmonica, Chromatic Harp, Intro to Jazz/Blues Guitar, Vocal/Harmony techniques; Michael Jerome Browne (Montreal, PQ): Intro to swing band Music, Slide Guitar, Country Blues, Intro to Harmonica; Ron Casat, (Calgary, AB ): Blues Keyboard Class, Bass Guitar, Band and arranging techniques, Vocal/harmony techniques; Gary Comeau (Vancouver, BC): Cajun/Blues Fiddle, Blues Mandolin, Songwriting; Doug Cox (Comox Valley, BC): Intro To Acoustic Blues, Bottleneck Guitar, Band and arranging techniques, Beyond The I , IV, V chord progression; Rick Fines (Peterborough, ON): Fingerpicking Blues, Songwriting, Band and arranging techniques, Slide Guitar in Standard Tuning; David Gogo (Nanaimo, BC ): Electric Blues, Texas Blues Guitar Styles, Slide guitar, Pedal Effects; Ken Whiteley (Toronto, ON): Intro to Swing, Intro to recording, mic techniques, Band and arranging techniques, Gospel; and Bill Johnson (Victoria, BC): Jump blues. New this year is a sound course by Scott Littlejohn, offered the week-end before the Camp, May12-13. "There will also be a teacher concert night, a student concert night, a special gospel jam, and lots of playing and learning opportunities. Advance registration is $300, and includes entry to all classes, concerts and meals. Accommodation arrangements can be made through the Blues Society upon registration. Students of all levels are welcome to join us in the friendly, supportive environment." For further information, contact Ron Doucette at doucette@mars.ark.com or 250-335-2851, or Doug Cox at www.islandnet.com/~dobro or www.dougcox.org. Doug hosts the new radio show, `Roots Review', every Sunday night, 10 Pacific time, on the web: www.coastradio.com, and is the Artistic Director of the Vancouver Island Musicfest (www.islandmusicfest.com), July 13-15th 2001.
Mellotron Blues? "Ok, I realize the Mellotron may not be the pinnacle `blues' instrument, but... This September we will be hosting the GTA's 2nd International Mellotron Symposium. Local Mellotron fanatic, Rick Blechta, arranged last year's after completely restoring his FX console, and inviting John and Martin from Streetly Electronics in England to finish the job here. The event was held at the Coll Audio warehouse in Markham, and was well attended. This September's event promises to be even larger, with more Mellotron people, and special attendee Ian McDonald of King Crimson. There will be upwards of a dozen Mellotrons in various forms, technical and playing information, and, again, the entertaining John and Martin from Streetly. Contact Jim Krueger of Broken String Music / Coll Audio / Mellotron 2001.
The Music Managers Forum of Canada organizes educational panels in Toronto, and is expanding to Montréal and Vancouver, with a mandate to raise the standards of artist management across the country. The most recent Toronto instalment MMF panel series "The Insider's Report", was entitled "You Can't Live on Love: How to Make Money from Your Songs", and featured Chris Taylor, an entertainment lawyer, David Basskin of CMRRA, Dave Betts of SOCAN, Jodie Ferneyhough of Peermusic Publishing, Stephan Moccio, songwriter for `Nsync, Sean Mulligan of SAC, and Ron Proulx, a music supervisor for film and television. Visit www.imfcanada.com for details on each city's panels.
Music Lowdown: EMI Music Publishing, Ted's Wrecking Yard, www.swaymag.com, Sanderson Taylor Entertainment Lawyers, and www.theiceberg.com present a series "Music Lowdown @ The Wrecking Yard," a Q&A with music industry professionals, simultaneously webcast. Presented the first Monday of each month at Ted's Wrecking Yard in Toronto (549 College Street), the series was developed by freelance music journalist Karen Bliss (www.rollingstone.com, Pollstar, www.therecord.ca), music publisher Barbara Sedun (VP, creative, EMI Music Publishing Canada), and talent booker Yvonne Matsell (Ted's Wrecking Yard, and co-founder/co-director of NXNE). Each event features an "Open Talk" by sponsors Sanderson Taylor Entertainment Lawyers, and online media specialists www.theiceberg.com, plus a roundtable with industry experts, and a performance by an up-and-coming act, all webcast on www.theiceberg.com at www.PrimeTicket.net in association with www.2Kool4Radio.com. The intent is to provide "an un-intimidating atmosphere for artists and those interested in the music business can talk with industry professionals in a comfortable club setting. Unlike most music conferences and seminars, where people must get up in front of a huge crowd, walk to the microphone and ask the powers perched up on the stage a question, here they do it in a private roundtable set up. Privacy is only invaded by online eavesdroppers when 15-minutes of each 90-minute table discussion will be webcast, so the world can benefit from the questions. To cap off the evening, a web-worthy up-and-coming act is selected to perform an hour-long set".
Participants have included artists, booking agents, online channel masters, recording label A&R reps, managers, publicists, recording studio managers, media hosts, entertainment lawyers, and other industry professionals. For more information, contact: Karen Bliss, 416 944 0930.
We remember: Fort Worth blues legend Robert Ealey died Wednesday March 7 at a Fort Worth hospital at age 76. Former Magic Sam drummer, and brother-in-law to Eddie C. Campbell, Huckleberry Hound died on Friday March 16.
- Brian Blain, Julie Hill, John Valenteyn
Toronto Blues Society Copyright _ 2001