And the Blues Juno went to... Garrett Mason for I'm Just A Man on the G-spot label. Just 22 years old, Garrett was mentored by his dad, Dutch Mason, even though Dutch had stopped playing guitar before Garrett was born due to crippling arthritis in his hands . Another big influence was the late Rick Jeffery. This debut CD features Garrett's talent for strong original songs, a voice that is reminiscent of a veteran performer and his extraordinary aptitude for playing electric guitar. Accompanying Garrett on this project are his band made up of Noel Taussig (bassist) and Ainsley Jardine (drums),as well as Joe Murphy (harmonica), Bill Stevens (piano), Gary Potts (drums) and Carter Chaplin. Photo CARAS/iphoto.ca

International Songwriting Competition: Canada was once again very well represented amongst the winners in the 2004 International Songwriting Competition. In the Blues category, First Place was awarded to Suzie Vinnick with co-writers David Leask, Liz Tansey, for their song "The Honey I Want". Honourable Mentions in the Blues category were awarded to Al Lerman for "Blue Water", and to Danny Brooks for "Righteous Highway". Danny Brooks also received an Honourable Mention in the Gospel/Christian category for his song "Glory Hallelujah". Called "the songwriting competition to take note of" by the New York Times, prizes include more than US$100,000 in cash and merchandise, shared by 50 winners in 16 categories, selected from over 11,000 entries from 77 countries in its third year. Judges for the 2004 competition included many of the music industry's top executives and recording artists: Monte Lipman (President, Universal Records); Sean "P. Diddy" Combs; Aaron Lewis (Staind); John Ondrasik (Five For Fighting); Bo Diddley; Clint Black; David Hidalgo (Los Lobos); Branford Marsalis; Darryl McDaniels (Run D.M.C.); Peter Furler (Newsboys); Taj Mahal; Sully Erna (Godsmack); Macy Gray; Stacey Earle; Scott Kirkland (The Crystal Method); Michael Gudinski (Chairman, Mushroom Group of Companies); Alan Meltzer (CEO, Wind-Up Records); Tara Griggs-Magee (Executive VP Gospel/Urban Music, Sony Records); Michael McDonald (President, ATO Records); Tracy Gershon (Sr. Dir A&R/Artist Dev, Sony Records Nashville); Chris Parr (VP of Music Programming & Talent Relations, CMT); Peter Asher (Co-President, Sanctuary Artist Management); Kim Stephens (VP A&R, Lava Records); Barbara Sedun (VP Creative, EMI Music Publishing Canada) and Leib Ostrow (CEO, Music For Little People). ISC is now accepting entries for 2005. Entry forms are available at www.songwritingcompetition.com.

Spring Fest 2005: Iridescent Music and Hollywood On The Queensway present a night of music on Tuesday, May 17, 7:30 pm to midnight, featuring The Iridescent Music House Band of Pat Carey, Garth Vogan, Jimmy Casson, Michael Fonfara, Steve Grisbrook, and a multitude of other special guest musicians and vocalists, with master of ceremonies Chuck Jackson. See you at Hollywood On The Queensway, 1184 The Queensway. www.hollywoodonthequeensway.com/ www.iridescentmusic.ca

TBS Secretary-Treasurer Rosie Fleischer and Vice-President Julie Hill had the rare privilege of visiting with blues legend B.B. King on his tour bus to present him with his Maple Blues Awards for International Musician of the Year. Photo by Dan Dufour.

Guitar Workshop Plus: Blues guitar great Robben Ford will be one of the many guest artists teaching and performing at Guitar Workshop Plus this summer. The sessions will take place July 17-22 and July 24-29 and for the first time there will be a workshop in Vancouver (August 15-20). Visit www.guitarworkshopplus.com or call 905-785-7087 for more details.

Blueheart Archive Update: Eddy B has revamped his Blueheart Archive website, at www.blueheartarchive.com, with over 100 new blues photographs from 1968 to a new 2005 Gallery, and additional information.

Mike McKenna's Jam: Every Thursday, blues guitarist Mike McKenna is hosting a jam at Toronto's Black Swan, from 9:30 pm to 1 am. Mike's history includes McKenna, Mendelson, Mainline (now just Mainline), the Ugly Ducklings, Luke & the Apostles, and The Guess Who. Mike will be accompanied at the Swan by drummer, harp player, and vocalist Tyler Burgess, and Gary Latimer on bass.

Hamilton's "Blues with a Feeling" 2005: This year's event will be held Saturday May 28, at `The Arnie' in Mohawk College, featuring Chuck Jackson & the Allstars, Guitar Mickey & Trickbag, The Stingrays, and Jackie Washington. The show will be MC'd by Jason Farr, and presented by CHAM, Labatt, the Hamilton Musicians Guild, and View Magazine. Doors at 7:30, show at 8:00 pm. Tickets are $20, at Cheapies, Dr. Disc, and Looney Tunes (Burlington).

Condolences: Long standing TBS member and blues supporter Gord Brown passed away suddenly. Gord had been looking forward to the Coco Montoya show at the Silver Dollar and in commemoration, friends gathered before the show to offer condolences to his widow Patty. Photos of Gord were prominently displayed at Gord's regular spot, stage right at the Silver Dollar and resident photographer/archivist Eddy B spoke of Gord to the packed house before the show began. Coco played his heart out and raised the roof presenting one of the best blues shows of the year. We hope Gord was listening from a comfortable balcony seat in Blues Heaven." The TBS received several donations for the Blues in the Schools Program in memory of Gord.

Deepest condolences to Western Ontario bassman Douglas Watson on the loss of his 2 year-old son Cyrell Xavier Watson-McBride.

Bill Perry brings his New York City Blues to our town with an appearance at the Silver Dollar on Saturday, May 14th. His new Blind Pig CD - Raw Deal - is just that - a raw, stripped-down showcase of his incendiary guitar playing and songwriting prowess. It features Bill playing not in a Chicago or Memphis blues style, but blues Bill Perry style - robust blues with strong characteristics of rock and equal soul and folk influences, blues that's modern but raw, and a tad psychedelic.

We remember John Wilds: The jazz/blues/roots/folk harmonica player John Wilds died last month. He lived in New Orleans, Toronto, Michigan and New York. In 1981, John won the Louisiana State Harmonica Championship. He played at many music festivals, including the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival and the DuMaurier Jazz Festival in Toronto. Marshall Lawrence was at Homestead Studio in Edmonton, Alberta recording his new acoustic blues CD "The Morning After", with John Wilds on harmonica and Russell Jackson on bass. On Saturday April 16, 2005 during the recording session, John Wilds suddenly passed away. A memorial service was held in Edmonton. For more information, visit www.doctorblues.com/db/bio.htm#wilds.

Johnnie Johnson, 1924 - 2005: Johnnie Johnson, a rock `n' roll pioneer who teamed with Chuck Berry for hits like "Roll Over Beethoven" and "No Particular Place To Go," died in St. Louis on 13 April 2005 in his sleep. He was 80. Johnson died at his St. Louis home. The cause of death was not immediately known, said publicist Margo Lewis. He had been hospitalized a month ago with pneumonia and was on dialysis for a kidney ailment, said John May, a friend and fellow musician. Though he was never a household name, Johnson and Berry's long collaboration helped define early rock `n' roll. Johnson often composed the music on piano, then Berry converted it to guitar and wrote the lyrics. In fact, Berry's "Johnny B. Goode" was a tribute to Johnson. After he and Berry parted ways, Johnson performed with Keith Richards, Eric Clapton, John Lee Hooker and Bo Diddley, among others. He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2001 in the "sidemen" category. "He left the indelible imprint of his sound," May said. "He was able to transition through any musical style because he just loved to play music." Johnson was born in Fairmont, W.Va., and began playing piano. He moved to Chicago after World War II, where he played jazz and blues in clubs. He moved to St. Louis in the early 1950s, forming his own R&B band, the Johnnie Johnson Trio. When a band member became ill on New Year's Eve 1952, Johnson hired Berry to fill in. Johnson and Berry parted ways in the early 1970s, and in 2000, Johnson sued Berry, seeking a share of royalties and proper credit for what Johnson said were more than 50 songs the men composed together. A federal judge dismissed the suit in 2002, ruling that too many years had passed since the disputed songs were written. The lawsuit contended that Berry took advantage of Johnson's alcoholism, misleading him into believing that only Berry was entitled to own the copyrights and reap the monetary benefits. Johnson is survived by his wife and children. © 2005 The Associated Press. © 2005 MSNBC.com

Blue Room (left) l. to r. Fraser Lawrason, Pat Quinn, Brian Neller, Norm Ryan and Paul Sanderson) release their third CD, Everything But The Blues, on Friday, April 29th at The Silver Dollar Room and do the Saturday matinee at The Rex Jazz & Blues Bar on May 14 (3:30). They've shared the bill with B.B. King, Buddy Guy, John Hiatt and John Hammond, and taken part in numerous blues and jazz festivals and their two videos have been featured consistently on Bravo. Bring your dancing shoes!

B.B. King Monument to Be Built in Arkansas: The Arkansas Legislature has approved a $5,000 expenditure to build a monument honouring bluesman B.B. King in the tiny Delta town of Twist. More than 50 years ago, King's famed guitar Lucille earned its name after a dance hall brawl in Twist. King's trademark Gibson guitars have been called Lucille ever since. "B.B. put Twist, Ark., on the map," Allan Hammons, interim director of the planned B.B. King Museum in Indianola, Miss., said Thursday. "I think it's very important that the state of Arkansas took the opportunity to memorialize that great American story." State Sen. Steve Bryles said that he pushed the funding through for the monument because too little is known of King's connection to the state. Bryles also hopes the marker will draw tourists to the area. "We want to make sure we do it tastefully," said Bryles, who has some of his own ideas. "You can make it look like the Gibson Lucille model or it could be something really plain that just contains some writing that explains the story." Hammons said the $10 million museum and Delta cultural center is set to break ground on June 10. He said Arkansas' efforts highlight another part of King's legacy. "Fate was kind to him," Hammons said of the 79-year-old blues singer. "The guitar got a name and Twist was known around the world. It is a piece of American history."

OCFF Deadline Reminder for Showcase Applications: The deadline for applications to Showcase at the 2005 OCFF Conference is May 13, 2005. Showcasing at the OCFF Conference: A valuable opportunity to get your music heard is by Showcasing at the OCFF Conference. The official showcases feature over 25 artists, performing for artistic directors and presenters from far and wide. Folk, roots, traditional, world, blues, Francophone, Aboriginal, culturally diverse and other artists from different genres of music are welcome to apply. Applications are welcome from artists based anywhere. Applications must be postmarked by May 13, 2005. The Showcase application is available at: www.ocff.ca/showcase.htm. The OCFF's annual Conference is the largest industry gathering for folk, roots and traditional music in Ontario. This year's Conference takes place October 13-16, 2005 in Kingston, Ontario. Gathering together for a weekend of discussion, exchange, networking and fun are festival organizers, presenters, organizations, fundraisers, musicians, artistic directors, media representatives and many others who contribute to the health and vitality of the roots and traditional community. It's an excellent opportunity for everyone to connect, share ideas, techniques, information and inspiration. 1-866-292-6233, fax 613-560-2001, info@ocff.ca, www.ocff.ca.

Jack de Keyzer Celebrates 25

Silver anniversary tour reflects move to soulful, jazzy blues

Jack De Keyzer and his 6-piece band (Tony Ajo, drums; Al Duffy, bass; Chris Murphy, sax; Martin Aucoin, piano/organ; Kelly Craig, trumpet) launches his Silver Anniversary Tour at Hugh's Room, Toronto, Friday, May 13 in Toronto; Saturday, May 14 at the Registry Theatre in Kitchener; Sunday, June 11 at the Uxbridge Music Hall in Uxbridge, Ontario. He'll also be doing a warm-up date on Thursday, May 12 at Chicago's in Oshawa.

Jack de Keyzer, Juno and multiple Maple Blues award winner, and one of the top blues players in the country, is currently a man in transition, straddling old and new approaches to the blues. And that delicate, intriguing balance is reflected in his May/June Silver Anniversary tour.

Though he's been playing professionally for over 30 years, Jack says the Silver Anniversary refers to a more personal milestone for him -- his debut as a songwriter 25 years ago with the release of the first album by his original band, The Bopcats.

"For this tour, I've augmented my usual band of Tony Ajo, drums; Al Duffy, bass; and Chris Murphy, sax, by adding Martin Aucoin on piano and organ. Martin adds a Muscle Shoals kind of swing to the mix." Also, Jack has included Kelly Craig, who has played for the Funk Brothers, on trumpet.

"Introducing different instruments to the mix is pretty cool," says Jack. " Chris and I have been working on some spare horn arrangements that allow us to get away from always playing in A and E -- I don't mind playing in keys like Bb or Ab," Jack laughs.

For a man used to playing over 150 gigs a year, it's a bit surprising to hear the undercurrent of excitement in Jack's voice as he discusses the new tour. One senses a ground swell of renewed enthusiasm and creativity that promises to produce some fresh and exciting music.

"I think of this tour as playing the old songs that started as rockers and now are changing into something new and more soulful. I'm hoping my old fans will enjoy the fresh arrangements of songs while we attract a new set of fans to our more soulful jazz/blues approach. I'm not a nostalgist; I like to keep pushing myself ahead of the trend - that's what keeps the blues alive," Jack says.

The changes Jack is going through musically are reflected in his approach to the guitar. His signature muscular, aggressive playing with lots of attack arose during the years he played in a trio and had to cover a lot of guitar territory. But he says, "more recently, with a 4-piece band, the playing can get a bit lighter, so we are able to open up the music harmonically.

"I've been a huge jazz fan all my life, listening to guys like Lenny Breau and Wes Montgomery, so I'm now trying to integrate more jazz, musically and harmonically, to my core experience as a blues guitarist," Jack says.

It definitely sounds like audiences are in for a unique treat on this Silver Anniversary tour. And as a bonus, Jack mentions that award-winning producer Alec Fraser will be recording the sets at Hugh's Room for a live album.

TBS TALENT SEARCH CALL FOR ENTRIES:

Deadline for submissions is May 6, 5 PM

Send a CD with 3 songs (original music encouraged) with a $15 processing fee to: Toronto Blues Society Talent Search, 910 Queen Street West, Suite B04,
Toronto, Ontario M6J 1G6

Your CD should have been recorded within the last 2 years without national distribution.
Finals will be held at Distillery Blues Festival on June 10-12, 2005

Winner will receive a prize package that includes recording time at Bassline Studios, a photo shoot with Rick Zolkower, and a showcase performance at the Distillery Blues Festival and CBC recording for future broadcast on Saturday Night Blues.

FOR MORE INFO

TEL: 416-538-3885 toll-free 1-866-871-9457

This event is produced with the support of the Ontario Arts Council, the City of Toronto through the Toronto Arts Council, the Ontario Ministry of Culture and the Department of Canadian Heritage.

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.

Loose Blues News

Jack de Keyzer Celebrates 25

Silver anniversary tour reflects move to soulful, jazzy blues

TBS TALENT SEARCH CALL FOR ENTRIES:

TBS MERCH AVAILABLE ONLINE