Loose Blues News
Paul James Band 26th Anniversary Concert: On Saturday May 1, Paul James will celebrate the 26th year of his band's rockin', acoustic, and electric blues at Hugh's Room. In his career he has performed with Mink De Ville, Bo Diddley, Bob Dylan, John Hammond, Spencer Davis, Lightnin' Hopkins, Jack Scott, and Sunnyland Slim, among many others. He's won a Juno in the Roots and Traditional Music category, and Toronto Music awards for Best Club Band and Best Blues Artist. He recently launched his newest recording La Vie en Bleu, which contains oft-requested songs from his live shows, 4 new originals, and some by his favourite songwriter, Bob Dylan, who requested that Paul join him on stage at his concert at Buffalo's Midland Arena.Grossman's Tavern Alumni Week: From May 10 to 16, Grossman's Tavern will hold an Alumni Week to celebrate the collection of music and talent that has made the bar renowned. Opened in 1948 by Al Grossman, Grossman's Tavern has hosted an impressive group of big names, local heroes, and newcomers, including the Downchild Blues Band, Kid Bastien & the Happy Pals, Milton Acorn, Robert Priest, Rebecca Jenkins, Jeff Healey Band, Danny Marks, Alannah Myles, Amanda Marshall, Burton Cummings, Blue Rodeo, and Philip Sayce, among many others. Run by the Louie family since 1975, Grossman's Tavern continues to offer live entertainment every night of the week. The Alumni Week schedule is Monday, Laura Hubert; Tuesday, Blue Monkeys (Alec Fraser, Jerome Godboo, Al Webster & Shawn Kellerman); Wednesday, Mike MacDonald; Thursday, Neil Chapman; Friday, Gary Kendall; Saturday, 4 to 8 pm, Happy Pals, 10 pm, Crisco Brown; Sunday, 4 to 8 pm, Nicola Vaughan, 10 pm, Brian Cober. The Alumni Week performances will be recorded for a future CD release commemorating the over 55 years of great live entertainment at Grossman's Tavern.
Wickens-Knight: This new band, featuring Dylan Wickens on rhythm and lead guitar, Tom Bona on Drums, Harpo Peterson on bass, and introducing Jon Knight on vocals and guitar, performs every Tuesday at 9 pm at Chicago's in Toronto, as well as on other local and regional dates.
Up+Dn: A new bar at 233 Roncesvalles (formerly O'Hara's) is presenting live blues. Julian Fauth performs at 8:30 pm every Tuesday night, when domestic beer is $2 a bottle, mussels are "all you can eat", and there are other featured discounted shots.
Dior Lounge Blues Update: The "home of the blues in Etobicoke" (at 385 The West Mall, one block west of 427 and one block south of Burnhamthorpe), is still featuring live blues including the Reverb Rockers (Friday May 7), The Burgess Brothers Blues Band with Al Lerman (Friday May 14), Juno Award winner Morgan Davis (Friday May 21), and, on Saturday May 15, the Johnny Max Band One Year Anniversary Bash with special guests Martin Aucoin, Chuck Jackson, Steve Grisbrook, John Mays and Al Lerman, 3.30 pm to 8 pm. Andrew Kempa deejays between sets.
On the Road: Michael Pickett returned from a tour of Florida and South Carolina last month, in which a highlight was his double bill with the legendary Hubert Sumlin at The Bamboo Room in Lake Worth, Florida. Michael will be in the UK for three weeks in May, performing at the International Dartmouth Music Festival among other shows, and will be interviewed on BBC Radio. Michael's summer tours include his annual visits to the Maritimes in June and New England in August. Visit www.michaelpickett.com for updates. Steve Payne, the UK finger-picking acoustic player who will accompany Michael on some of his UK gigs, will be in Toronto for a few weeks in August and September for some regional shows with Michael.
As we go to press, Rita Chiarelli is heading off to Switzerland and Italy for some dates with axman Papa John King and joining her for the first time, former Downchild drummer (and Stickman) Jim Casson. Rita has a new CD in the can and is currently shopping around for national distribution. Meanwhile this unstoppable road warrior's new CD (all covers of blues & R&B classics and lesser known gems) is selling like hotcakes off the stage.
Raoul double threat: Following the opening night of Drake `55, a live improvised comedy soap opera that features Canada's top improvising comics, Raoul and The Big Time debuted their first video, Cold Outside, directed by fellow Train 48 cast member Andrew Kenneth Martin, and then performed a live set featuring songs from the new album. Drake '55, set in 1955 at the Drake Hotel, began an 8-week run on April 19th at Toronto's newly revamped Drake Hotel, and will feature Raoul when his other commitments allow.
5th Annual Stone Soup Concert for the Alan Howard Waldorf School: On Saturday May 8, 7:30 to 11:00 pm at the Isabel Bader Theatre (Victoria University, 93 Charles Street West, Museum subway, on the campus of the University of Toronto), the trio of Jackie Washington, Ken Whiteley and Mose Scarlett headlines a show also featuring Jenny Whiteley, Tabby Johnson, Sax Family Robinson and The Brothers Cosmoline, hosted by Rick Roberts (An American in Canada) and Gregory Hoskins. General Admission tickets are $25, and are available at The Alan Howard Waldorf School, 250 Madison Avenue, 416-963-5068, on-line at www.ahws.org or by email stonesoup@sympatico.ca. Bucky Berger produces the event to raise awareness and funds for Waldorf education, as well as to "bring together some fabulous artists, as this year's line-up attests."
11th Annual Child Find Benefit: Hosted by Virgil Scott at the Hollywood On The Queensway last month, this benefit featured the Hollywood Players with special guests Ginny Lynn, Penny Skolski, Johnny Max, Heather Katz and John Mays, as well as door prizes and a silent auction, with all proceeds to Child Find www.ontario.childfind.ca.
Living Blues Awards: Electro-Fi recording artists Mel Brown and Snooky Pryor have both been nominated for 2004 Living Blues Awards in the Most Outstanding Musician category, respectively for guitar and harmonica. Congratulations as well to Eddy B whose Electro-Fi release Midnite Blues Party (vol.2) Rare Blues and Rhythm & Blues from the 1940s and 1950s, garnered a nomination as Best Blues Album of 2003 in the Historical Recording category.
Other Electro-fi News: "Our spring releases hit the stores May 18th and include the first solo CD from Mississippi blues legend Sam Myers, `Coming From The Old School', which was recorded at Liquid, Toronto. Probably best known for his work with Anson & The Rockets and Elmore James, Sam was joined in the studio by Mel Brown, Jack de Keyzer, Michael Fonfara, Pat Carey, Jim Boudreau and Alec Fraser for a truly inspired set of original blues which showcase Sam's stellar vocals and dynamic harp work. Also out May 18th, Paul Oscher's Electro-Fi debut `Alone With The Blues', an outstanding collection of deep blues from the multi-instrumentalist and former Muddy Waters harpman. Asked to describe Paul, James Cotton replied `He's a monster. Plays harp, guitar and piano. Plays slide just like Muddy'. Visit www.electrofi.com for further info."
Niagara blues continue: Despite the demise of Bumpin Uglies, you can still jam on weekends in St. Catharines, at the Odyssey Tap & Grill (131 King Street). Sunday afternoons, 2 to 6 pm, no cover, the open mic blues jam is hosted by The Bloozehounds, Jerry Salfi bass and vocals, Rick Scriver drums, Paul Sonier guitar and vocals, and harpist Pete "Lemon Lime'" Gallant.
Blues Saxophonist Chris Murphy celebrated the release of his new CD I'm a Happy Guy last month at Downtown Kathy Brown's in London Ontario. Chris was the first recipient of The Lifetime of Blues Award from The Labatt's Firehall Reunion in 2003, and has been nominated for Maple Blues Awards and London Music Awards. I'm a Happy Guy was produced by Jack , a recipient of the Order of Canada. For more information contact Speakeasy CDs www.execulink.com/speakeasy.
Ten Years After: Their new guitarist, Joe Gooch, who replaces band co-founder Alvin Lee, has been likened to some of the best blues guitarists. Decide for yourself at their performances in these upcoming blues festival appearances: July 10 in Thunder Bay, July 11 in Windsor, July 17 in London, or, if you're travelling, August 14 in Sonora, California. www.tenyearsafternow.com.
Get Well Soon: Montreal Blues Society President André Tessier is recovering from a stroke, and appreciates all of your emails to montrealblues@videotron.ca.
More Montreal News: Rob Lutes has been hosting a CBC National radio show called "Routes Montreal". His next broadcast date is Saturday May 29 at 5:05, featuring Buck 65.
Here Come the Festivals! The Blues Festival season is already looking great for Ontario blues fans. It's not that close to home, but the Chicago Blues Festival is one that many travel to and it's the unofficial kick-off of another great summer of blues. The schedule for this year's festival, Thursday June 10 to Sunday June 13, has been posted on the Mayor's website, and includes performers Dave Maxwell, Fruteland Jackson, Eddy Clearwater and Los Straitjackets, Jerry Ricks, Robert Jr. Lockwood, Homesick James, Luther "Guitar Junior" Johnson and the Magic Rockers, Lonnie Brooks 70th Year Celebration with his Family Band, Harry Manx, Alvin Youngblood Hart, Nigel Mack & The Blues Attack, Otis Clay and his City Limit Band, Paul Wine Jones, T-Model Ford, Kenny Neal and Billy Branch, Fat Possum Juke Joint Caravan, and Howlin' For Hubert featuring Hubert Sumlin, David Johanson, Levon Helm, Jimmy Vivino, David Maxwell, and Mike Merritt. Plus a Photographers' Round Robin with James Fraher, Marc Pokempnor, Paul Natkin, Susan Greenberg, and Eric Werner; A Centennial Remembrance moderated by Larry Hoffman with Jim O'Neal, Chris Strachwitz, and Jerry Ricks and much more. www.ci.chi.il.us/SpecialEvents/
It's not part of the festival, but Brad Wheeler of the Globe & Mail advises that the blues exhibit at the Museum of Science and Industry in Chicago is very well done. Running to June 20, more information is available at www.msichicago.org/temp_exhibit/blues/index.html.
Closer to home, the Ottawa Bluesfest, which spawned the Toronto Bluesfest last summer has now expanded with two more major events that will have Ontario blues fans jumping for joy.
Producer Mark Monahan (pictured) provided the details
and even dropped a few names to whet our appetites: The Cisco Systems Toronto Bluesfest will take place July 16-25 once again at Exhibition Place. There will once again be three stages but one of them will be indoor - The Queen Elizabeth Theatre - which
will mostly feature world music as well as a tribute to
Gram Parsons mounted by former TBS staffer
Dan Kershaw. Bernie Leadon & Chris
Hillman will be part of that. Blues divas Marcia Ball, Angela
Strehli and Tracy Nelson will be in town as well as
hot new sensation Ana Popovic. There will be late night shows at the Silver Dollar and perhaps other venues.
The formula of eclectic programming that has proven so successful in Ottawa will be reflected in Toronto, Mark states. "We did a lot of on-site surveys last year that confirm there's an audience in Toronto for the kind of thing we were doing in Ottawa. We had many hurdles last year in Toronto, weather & otherwise, but the patrons' response was very positive and the support of the public was great. Expect the unexpected." The line-up will be announced May 17. www.torontobluesfest.com
The 11th edition of the Cisco Systems Ottawa Bluesfest takes place July 9-18 at Ottawa Festival Plaza, City Hall. They had an attendance of 200,000 last year and they're still growing. The Ottawa lineup will be announced May 8. www.ottawa-bluesfest.ca
The inaugural Wasaga Beach Bluesfest will be held July 9-11 at Wasaga Beach. Imagine sitting back on the beach at this idyllic venue listening to Taj Mahal and the Hula Band (opening night). There will be a Main Stage and a Roots Stage. One unique feature of this event will be performances by several unknown American blues artists making their first appearance in Canada. They will be brought up by Tim Duffy as part of his Music Makers Relief Foudation, a charity that helps blues artists who need financial assistance. Visit their informative and entertaining website: www.musicmaker.org for more information. www.wasagabeachbluesfest.com will have all the details when they are announced.
The first Annual Sudbury Bluesfest takes place July 23-25 at Laurentian University. There will be a Main stage & a Roots stage and a couple of the artists being featured are Little Charlie and the Nightcats, Omar and the Howlers and the inimitable Candye Kane. www.sudburybluesfest.com Tickets for all four festivals will be available at all Ticketmaster outlets. Wasaga, Sudbury and Ottawa tickets will be on sale May 8. Toronto on May 15.
Toronto's Downtown Jazz festival (June 25-July 4) brings back the Blind Boys of Alabama on Monday, June 28. They were the hands-down favourite at last year's Bluesfest and are bound to be a show stopper in the tent at Nathan Phillips Square. The Ken Whiteley Band will do an opening set. The Silver Dollar will present Magic Slim and John and the Sisters w/Kevin Breit. Other blues friendly names...The Funk Brothers at Kool Haus, Jay McShann at the Montreal Bistro, Laura Hubert, Tyler Yarema, Tony Springer, The Blue Monkeys, Nationals and Steven C. Big Bad Voodoo Daddy does a midnight show in the tent on Saturday the 26th and local favourites Taxi Chain, with TBS board member Joe Burns plucking the bass, will open for Bela Fleck on Wednesday, June 30. And of course there's a lot jazz types...Oscar Peterson, Joey DeFrancesco, Wynton Marsalis, Stanley Clarke, George Benson....guys like that. www.torontojazz.com
And this just in..The Beaches Jazz Festival (July 24-25) will feature two blues greats on their Main Stage at Kew Gardens, Kid Ramos and Byther Smith
Glamour Puss Update: This is the second year in a row that Management for Glamour Puss Bruce Morel has secured the NorthernBlues recording artists a licensing deal with the province of New Brunswick's Tourism and Parks department . "Rockin' in the Pocket" taken from the group's 1999 recording Blues du Jour has been rewritten and re-recorded by the group into "Summer in New Brunswick" a 60 & 30 second track promoting New Brunswick as a choice tourism destination. The campaign featuring a 30 second TV commercial with the red-hatted Travis playing his Gibson off the top was shot at last year's Harvest Jazz & Blues Festival, the spot features destinations throughout the province while all the way through Travis and the band sings the message to the melody from the original song. As well the week of May 10-15 Glamour Puss heads out on a whistle stop promotional campaign on Via Rail with stops in Windsor, London, Toronto and Ottawa part of a promotion of New Brunswick to the Ontario market. Check www.glamourpuss.ca for exact times and locations.
Very busy these days is Michael Jerome Browne another Morel client, Michael will be releasing his third solo recording and second on Borealis Michael Jerome Browne and the Twin Rivers String Band will be in stores at festivals staring June. Preliminary release events are set in Toronto at "Hugh's Room" and Ottawa's "Bayou" for more details www.michaeljeromebrowne.com. In other MJB news Michael has not only been busy putting the finishing touches on his own recording he has been in studio with Eric Bibb, the Susie Arioli Band, Maria Dunn, Rachel Kane, and the McGarrigles and is recording in Memphis while performing on the Handy Awards. Canada will get to see Michael from coast to coast no less than three times this year, the first Western Canadian Tour in May also includes Vancouver's Rogue Folk Club.
The newly-formed East Coast Blues Society held a special evening in Halifax inducting Dutch Mason and his long time harp-player, Rick Jeffery into their Blues Hall of Fame. Jeffery's sister Joy Blackburn accepted on behalf of Jeffrey who passed away in November after a lengthy battle with lung disease. Many musicians and friends gathered to honour the two East Coast blues pioneers including Dutchie's son Garrett Mason, who is making a buzz on the local blues scene himself.
Marshall Lawrence CD release: For most of you who missed the party at the Sidetrack Café in Edmonton last month, you can listen to streaming audio samples from the new CD, Where's the Party, at www.doctorblues.com/db/newcd.htm. Described as "smokin' acid blues", his next release, The Morning After, will be an acoustic offering, such as he performed on Channel A television's The Big Breakfast morning show.
"The Big Blues Broadcast": Host Billy Rose of this Sunday night radio show on KROS AM 1340 in Clinton Iowa requests "music to play on the air and stuff to give away (posters, cds, t-shirts, tickets, etc.)", and appreciates any donations to Billy Rose c/o MR IMO, PO Box 2213, Clinton, Iowa 52733-2213.
- Julie Hill, Brian Blain
Blues in the Schools
If I had to pick one perfect moment in this year's Blues in the Schools program, it would be at The Student School (an alternative secondary school in the west end). Fruteland Jackson was nearing the end of his one-hour history of the Blues and, as he usually does, he invited students to come up and improvise a verse of blues lyrics over his guitar playing. Instead, a student pulled out a saxophone and came forward to jam - the first time I'd seen it happen in all the schools Fruteland had been to in Toronto over two years. They played beautifully together; one shining minute that may reverberate for years in that young man's life.
But, there were lots of similar moments in school after school. Sometimes the students sang alone, sometimes with Fruteland, sometimes with the local musician/educator. Sometimes the class played as a band, and almost always they sang their own words. The Blues are an excellent medium for teaching creativity, as the essential form is simple enough for young people to learn quickly. Once they have a grasp of the form they can move on to creating their own songs within that structure, and it can be astounding to watch and listen as the neurons start firing.
Each of the musician/educators (Ken Whiteley, Eddie Baltimore, Tabby Johnson, Mark Stafford, Diana Braithwaite, Michael Jerome Browne, Rick Fines, Suzie Vinnick, and Madagascar Slim) has their own approach, and to watch each of them at work is to witness a huge and complex palette of skills evolving within the Toronto blues community. If you're interested in hearing what some of them have accomplished, drop by the TBS office and listen to a couple of CDs - one recorded by Ken Whiteley featuring the students at Clinton St. Public School, and one of Madagascar Slim with the students at Roden Public.
And if you want to see a master at work, catch Ken as he does workshops and concerts at the upcoming Milk International Children's Festival of the Arts, at Harbourfront Centre, May 23 - 30.
I'll give the last words to Beth Tomlinson, a teacher at The Student School: "Fruteland Jackson's presentation on the history of the blues was one of the most successful student events we have ever had. Jackson had the one hundred plus crowd in the palm of his hand. The presentation is an excellent introduction to a legacy of music that has had a huge impact on the music the students listen to. The presentation had a profound effect of several students.
Several students went to the evening performance of Fruteland Jackson at the Black Swan. There was a real buzz the next day as students attended school (atten. is one of our daily challenges) just so that they could talk about it. I have noticed more diverse music in the school since the presentation and an increased sharing of music between students. The halls bounce with the sounds of CDs, tapes, and records." e-mail pmsinc@interlog.com
- Alex Sinclair
Toronto Blues Society Copyright _ 2004