Maple Blues Online - Loose Blues News

Blues dynamo Ronnie Baker Brooks (right) will be Jeff Healey's special guest on February 26 at (where else?) Healeys.

Sunday Gospel Series at Hugh's Room: On Feb. 6 Ken Whiteley's special guests are Jane Sapp, Diana Braithwaite, Pat Patrick and George Koller. Jane is an incredible singer, piano player and songwriter, originally from Alabama, now living in Mass. Her songs have been recorded by Sweet Honey In the Rock, Pete Seeger and many others and this show will mark her cd release of "Movin' On". Diana Braithwaite is well known to TBS members for her great vocals and warm presence. Pat Patrick is one of the lowest bass singers on the continent. He has appeared on several of Ken's recordings as well as Jane Sapp's and David Wall's. The incomparable George Koller anchors the proceedings from his perch at the string bass.

On March 6, the man called the "Muddy Waters of Sacred Steel", Calvin Cooke and his wife, Grace Cooke will be joining Ken. Calvin has been a mentor to sacred steel stars such as Robert Randolph and Chuck Campbell of the Campbell Brothers.

Coming up on April 3, the last show of this season, Suzie Vinnick and John Mays will be rocking out with Ken. All the shows start at 2 p.m., with Hugh's Room open for lunch from noon. The format is patterned after the gospel workshops at folk festivals, with all the artists on stage together and joining in with each other. For reservations call 416-531-6604, www.hughsroom.com.

Blues Tsunami Relief: Through donated club and concert performances, the blues communities in Montreal, London, St. Catherines, Burlington, Mississauga, Port Credit, Etobicoke, Oshawa, and Toronto, among others, have raised substantial funds to support Asian tsunami victims, thus far totalling over $60,000 and still counting.

The Indie Awards: The nominees for Favourite Blues Artist/Group' are Hot Toddy, The JW-Jones Blues Band, Jim Byrnes, The Jimmy Bowskill Band, and John & The Sisters. The Awards will be presented on Wednesday, March 2, kicking off the festivities for Canadian Music WeekMore at www.cmw.net.

Wickens*Knight website: "Now up and running at www.wickens-knight.com. We hope you'll drop in, have a listen to some downloads from a live show this past summer, sign the guestbook, and maybe even join the forums page." In addition to their regular weekly gigs, WK will be opening for award-winning guitar heavyweight Larry McCray, and legendary former Icebreaker Johnny B Gayden on bass, at Healey's on Saturday, February 5.

Groove Corporation: A new 10-piece funk, r'n'b, soul and groove outfit features keyboardist and Women's Blues Revue bandleader, Lily Sazz, and some of the best players between Toronto and London, all with a passion for music that ranges from Average White Band and Tower of Power, to Colin James and The Temptations. Other band members include Kim Anthony on lead vocals and congas, Randy Preksta on lead vocals and rhythm guitar, Pete Crolly on bass and vocals, Dave Cross on lead guitar and vocals, Randy Gallant on drums, and a horn section featuring Les Kadar on trumpet, and Morris Sardo, Cole G. Benjamin and Pete McFarland on saxes. Check them out on Sundays, February 20 to March 13, 4:30pm to 8pm, at the Dior Lounge, 385 The West Mall, Etobicoke, 416-621-9010.

Wayne Buttery and the Groove Project: The band hosts a Tuesday night blues jam in Orillia, at the 2nd Last Call, 500 Gill Street, from 8pm to midnight, and a Thursday night jam in Penetanguishene, at the Inn At Bay Moorings, 200 Fox Street, 8pm to midnight. Wayne Buttery performs solo at the Inn at Bay Moorings, Sundays 10am to 2pm, and in Collingwood at the Georgian Manor Resort and Country Club, 10 Vacation Inn Drive, on Fridays and Saturdays, 7pm to 11pm.

"Clarkology" Release: The western contingent at the Blues Summit included saxman Mike Clark who made many new friends in Toronto and blew everyone away when he sat in with the house band at the Maple Blues Awards. His band releases their much anticipated second recording, "Clarkology", Saturday, February 5th at the Red Onion Bar, Grill and Stage, 12100 MacLeod Trail in Calgary. Mike will have his 8-piece band featuring guitar legends Amos Garrett and Johnny V, and the "Where's my Money" Horn Section.

Living Blues' Third Annual Blues Today Symposium: "Anyone who thinks that the blues is ailing need only travel to the University of Mississippi February 17 to19 for Living Blues magazine's third annual Blues Today Symposium. Record label reps, disc jockeys, radio industry insiders, journalists, blues scholars, and, of course, blues artists will gather to celebrate the music that made Mississippi famous. The symposium is a great opportunity for scholars, fans and musicians to come together and share their knowledge and passion for blues music and culture,' said Mark Camarigg, publications manager for Living Blues. The subject matter lends itself to a lot of discussion and debate, and the very location of this event in Oxford, Mississippi, gives fans an opportunity to visit the state most recognized for fostering a unique American art form.'

In addition to generally celebrating the blues, this year's event - with the theme of `radio and the blues highway' - will also celebrate 20 years of "Highway 61," the radio program produced weekly at Ole Miss for Mississippi Public Broadcasting. On hand to discuss the history and role of "Highway 61" will be past host David Nelson, who edited Living Blues during the 1990s. Also scheduled are talks and panel discussions on blues radio featuring most notably Hugh Smith and "Sunshine" Sonny Payne, both longtime hosts of the six-decade-old radio show King Biscuit Time. Rounding out the symposium program are a panel discussion on Robert Johnson, keynote address by pioneering musicologist Samuel Charters, and a lecture by Florida folklorist Bob Stone, who, according to Camarigg, is "a big reason we know about sacred steel music." Although academic discussions are no doubt a key component of the three-day event, "symposium" might be a bit of a misnomer, since on tap as well are film screenings by renowned documentarian Les Blank, an audience jam session, traditional Southern meals, the production of the live radio show "Thacker Mountain Radio" - featuring internationally acclaimed Georgia blueswoman Precious Bryant - and a tour of the Ole Miss Blues Archive, where curator Greg Johnson will premiere the recently acquired Sheldon Harris Blues Collection.

Aside from the slate of events for registered participants, the symposium offers some half-dozen performances open to the public. "We really want to involve the Oxford community this year," Camarigg says. "One way that we hope to do this is through Blues on the Square Friday night following a free Campbell Brothers performance at Second Baptist Church here in Oxford. And we've also planned a `Juke Joint Jaunt' for Saturday night." Out of Buffalo, N.Y., the Campbell Brothers are known not only for their sacred steel mastery but also for their influence on Robert Randolph. In fact, group member and pedal steel aficionado Chuck Campbell has been compared to both Jimi Hendrix and Django Reinhardt. As for Blues on the Square, Precious Bryant will take the stage with fellow Georgian Chick Willis at Proud Larry's, while local favorites Wiley and the Checkmates are set to play The Longshot. Artists for a third Friday night venue have yet to be confirmed. Saturday night's Juke Joint Jaunt, at Abbeville's Club Disco 9000, features the legendary Honeyboy Edwards and Duwayne Burnside of the North Mississippi All-Stars, as well as a "very special guest," Camarigg said. In addition to events in Oxford, separate Mississippi Delta excursions flank the three-day symposium. Again this year, Living Blues has joined with Greenwood's Viking Range Corp. to present the Blues X'Cursion, Feb. 16 to17. The event features stops at famous blues sites, world-class Southern cuisine and the chance to hear the blues where it originated. On Sunday, Feb. 20, following the symposium, Blues Today participants will have the opportunity to experience the Clarksdale blues scene. Proprietors of several businesses, including Cat Head Delta Blues and Folk Art, Ground Zero Blues Club, and the Delta Blues Museum are opening their doors to treat symposium participants to live music and food. "Blues Today is becoming the key event to help begin the blues festival season," said Charles Reagan Wilson, director of UM's Center for the Study of Southern Culture, which publishes Living Blues.

This year's topic of blues radio presents a unique way to understand how the blues has been and continues to be spread throughout the country, with places like Mississippi at the heart of it.' For more information, including a complete schedule of events, or to register for Blues Today or the Delta trips, visit http://www.livingblues.com, or contact Mary Beth Lasseter at marybeth@olemiss.edu or 662-915-5993.

Mike Stevens hosts 18th Harmonica Workshop

Harmonica virtuoso Mike Stevens will be joined by some of the most adventurous and inventive harpmen in the country for the next Harmonica Workshop. Stevens is not well know in blues circles but the TBS has tried on more than one occasion to bring him to town for our annual "harpshop" and this year it all came together. He is a regular on the Grand Ole Opry and has backed everyone in the bluegrass world from Bill Munroe to Jim and Jesse to the Lewis Family to Raymond McLain. Stevens is also well known for his philanthropic initiatives linking creative artists with Native youth (visit www.artscancircle.ca).

Proclaimed as an innovator of Bluegrass Harmonica, Mike has written several definitive harmonica instruction booklets published by Centerstream Publishing and distributed worldwide by Hal Leonard Distributing.

In 1990, he recorded "Harmonica," his first solo album, which was given the "Recording of the Year" award by the Central Canada Bluegrass Association. In 1992 he recorded "Blowin' up a Storm" which achieved the Pinecastle Recording Co.'s accolade for "Best Selling Recording of 1992".

His new CD with Raymond McLain, "Old Time Mojo", reflects their backgrounds in bluegrass, blues and old time country music.

He will be joined by Kelly Hoppe, a harp player who has crossed all the boundaries of harmonica playing (most recently with Big Sugar), Rolly Platt, one of the tastiest harp players in the country, Robbie Antone, the hot new star on the Rez Blues scene and Oshawa's "Little Bobby" Chorney, who will lend his band, The Jumpstarts, (Pete Scmidt, James Rasmussen and Bob Vespaziani) for the occasion.

The TBS Harmonica Workshop is one of the most popular events presented by the Toronto Blues Society and returns for the second year to a beautiful venue (in case you haven't been there yet), Club 279, above the Hard Rock Cafe at Dundas Square.

TBS MERCH AVAILABLE ONLINE

As a result of the blues festivals that didn't happen,
we have lots of brand new TBS T-shirts sitting around the office.

To make it easier for you to own a new TBS T-Shirt or other merchandise, we have added secure transactions on our website to allow you to buy merchandise over the Internet.
Visit our merch page.

You may also take advantage of our Secure On-line Processing to renew your membership with a VISA card at our join up page.