Maple Blues Online - Loose Blues News

Harry Manx, winner of the Acoustic Act of the Year award, sent a message from New York City where he performed in a special tribute concert for Bruce Springsteen as part of the Guitar Festival. He is seen here backstage with "The Boss".

Things Go Better with Coke: Paul Reddick and NorthernBlues Music are part of the 2006 Coca-Cola TV ad campaign launched during Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve on ABC in the United States. `I'm a Criminal', performed and written by Paul Reddick from Rattlebag'(NorthernBlues Music 2001), is played in one commercial where a 20-something guy fills up a fountain drink at a convenience store, takes a couple of sips, glances around, and then tops off his Coke again. The caption at the end of the ad reads "Sip stealing. Not a felony in all 50 states." Since 2002 NorthernBlues Music has been fairly successful in the film, TV and advertising market. The label has placed songs by Otis Taylor, Rita Chiarelli, Harry Manx, Kevin Breit, Mavis Staples and Paul Reddick in several movies and TV series and two ad campaigns.

2006 Indie Awards: Canadian Music Week has announced the nominees for the 2006 Indie Awards. Taking place on Wednesday, March 1, 2006 at The Docks Concert Theatre (11 Polson Street) in Toronto, The Indies celebrate the best in independent music. This year's Indie Awards show will be hosted by the Trailer Park Boys, and will feature performances from several of the nominees, as well as Indies Hall of Fame inductees The Pursuit of Happiness and The Parachute Club. Tickets for are available through Ticketmaster (www.ticketmaster.ca or 416.870.8000), and on the Canadian Music Week website (www.cmw.net). Nominees are selected by committees of industry professionals from all areas of the music scene, and winners will be decided by a combination of public and industry voting. Fans can cast their votes for their favourite independent artists at www.cmw.net until midnight on Sunday, February 12." The nominees for Favourite Blues Artist/group are Doug Cox & Sam Hurrie, Carlos Del Junco, Julian Fauth, Garrett Mason, and Paul Reddick.

The Kinsey Report Report: Chigaco's Kinsey Report, featuring Donald Kinsey & Bros, will be appearing at Healey's Friday, February 17th and will also be making an appearance at a Cancer Benefit called `The 24 Hour Spin' on Saturday February 8 at Mississauga's Hershey Center. Kinsey showtime is 11am to 12pm. Admission is free as this event is covered by corporate sponsorship. Families are welcome. The event raises funds for the Better Wallace Center for Women (last year, over 1¦2 million dollars). The Kinsey Report play a hard drivin' modern Chicago Blues. Donald Kinsey played in Albert King's band, and also toured and recorded an album with Bob Marley. The Black Crowes singer Chris Robinson was featured on a Kinsey Report album. Also scheduled to appear at this major benefit: Goddo, Doug Soul, Honeymoon Suite, and April Wine. For more information: www.gears24hourspin.com."

Junior Watson (right) makes a rare guest appearance at The Silver Dollar Room in Toronto, Saturday February 4, at 10pm, while in town to record the latest CD with Maple Blues and Real Blues Award winners Raoul and The Big Time.

Pickett Cotton: Across the border, Torontonian Michael Pickett was the special guest of James Cotton at the Washington Center for the Performing Arts last month, in Olympia, Washington. Pickett opened the show solo acoustic, and later joined 70 year-old Cotton on harmonica. Pickett then spent a couple of days in the studio with Lee Oskar.

Upcoming: Janiva Magness is finalizing her second album for NorthernBlues Music entitled Do I Move You, available March 7. David Gogo's Skeleton Key, on Cordova Bay Records, has been released in the U.S. by OarFin Distribution.

Junior Big Time: Junior Watson makes a rare guest appearance at The Silver Dollar Room in Toronto, Saturday February 4, at 10pm, while in town to record the latest CD with Maple Blues and Real Blues Award winners Raoul and The Big Time. At 56 years old, the California-based blues and swing guitar legend brings back to Toronto his trademark energy, technical wizardry and unmistakable sound. An original member of Rod Piazza's The Mighty Flyers and a long time member of Canned Heat, he is considered by many to be one of the best living blues guitar players. He has gained particular kudos in his ability to accompany harmonica players such as Charlie Musslewhite, Big Mama Thorton, George `Harmonica' Smith, Shakey Jake, Rick Estrin, Kim Wilson, Mark Hummel, William Clarke, Kid Ramos and Lynwood Slim. He has also performed with late guitar legends Hollywood Fats, Pee Wee Crayton, Jimmy Rogers and Luther Tucker. Watson has released just two solo recordings during his illustrious 35 year career, Long Overdue (Black Top) and, more recently, If I Had a Genie (Heart and Soul) showcasing his fierce and diverse guitar prowess along with his heartfelt vocals. Junior Watson's association with Raoul and The Big Time began a number of years ago when he recorded a track for their 2004 release Cold Outside, and he returns to Toronto to record a number of tracks on their third release due out in 2007. Watson will be joined by The Big Time (Darren Gallen, Cheong Liu and Tom Bona) along with front man and harpist Raoul Bhaneja. As an actor, Bhaneja is currently appearing in the hit production of Hamlet (solo) at Theatre Passe Muraille, and was a series regular on the TV series Train 48 as well as the upcoming Hotel for CBC. In April he appears worldwide in the feature film The Sentinel opposite Michael Douglas. Watson will also perform with Raoul & the Big Time in Montreal on Wednesday February 1, at Café Campus. www.raoulandthebigtime.com.

2006 ECMA Nominees: For Blues Recording of the Year, the nominees are Ada for `Blue', Matt Andersen for `Solo at Sessions', Matt Minglewood for `The Story', Rattlesnakin' Daddies for `Rattlesnakin' Daddies', and Ross Neilsen for `Where I'm From'. Andersen was also nominated for Male Artist of the Year. The awards will be handed out February 27 in Charlottetown, PEI and broadcast on CBC TV.

The Blind Boys of Alabama (left) make their way back to Massey Hall on March 3, 8pm. For six decades, this legendary gospel group, led by the charismatic founding member Clarence Fountain, has been heating up world stages with their fervent spirituals and soulful gospel music. Also of interest to blues fans is a Massey Hall appearance by Colin James on February 4 (w/Cowboy Junkies). Visit www.masseyhall.com

New Niagara blues venue: Wacky Wings in Niagara Falls is the new spot for blues on a Friday night, when the Blooze Hounds host goodtime blues music, with musicians welcome to jam as well. The room is newly renovated and sounds great. 9pm every Friday, no cover charge, 5329 Ferry Street.

Calgary's Red Onion: The Red Onion has changed its weekly music offerings in 2006 with the launch of a Singer/Songwriter series on Thursdays, and the move of the popular Blues Jam from Thursday nights to Sunday afternoons, (3-7 pm). Hosted by Mike Clark, the "Big Slick Blues Jam" will be a full band jam with many of Calgary's hottest players participating, plus an all-day happy hour all day and free pool.

Who You Gonna Call: When the "cattle call" went out for a blues musician to be featured in a TV commercial for a leading fast food franchise, several of the "usual suspects" showed up at the casting office. Pictured (l to r) are John Dickie, Al Lerman, Doc Maclean, Don Bird, Brian Blain and Gary Kendall.

Mr. Rick of Mr. Rick and The Biscuits hosts the 20th Annual Toronto Blues Society Guitar Workshop with guests Donna Lynn Kay, Jon Knight, Brian Cober and Jack de Keyzer. It's an afternoon event, Sunday, February 26 at 2pm at Healey's.

Hey Rick, you are the host for the TBS guitar workshop this year and you seem to be doing a lot of performance work around Toronto lately. What's up?

Well we had a great new CD release at Hughs room this past summer, it was standing room only, our CD "Cocktails and Cornbread" got lots of airplay from CBC, College radio, and the Roots and blues programs across Canada. Thank you Jennifer Claveau!! After that we were doing our usual club rotations at places like the Gate 403, add to that a scad of festival work, special event concerts,Thank you Richard Flohil. Early in Feb. We have several appearances at Winterfolk here in Toronto, yes I'm quite busy. I got asked to host the yearly TBS guitar work shop which I feel really honored to do. The guests so far are, Jack de Keyzer, Donna Lynn Kay, Brian Cober and Jon Knight. This should be a great show/workshop because of the quality and variety of the players.

It's really old time fingerstyle, I get my playing from blending the styles of Bill Broonzy, Merle Travis, Memphis Minnie, Doc Watson and others.

I became a Canadian citizen a couple of years ago. I came here from the States in 1972.

I had a little transistor radio that I listened to at night, I would surf the stations and listen to American music in all it's shapes and forms. In Detroit where I grew up, the population was made up largely of rural people drawn to the jobs in the post-war auto industry. The late night radio programming reflected this fact. I could listen to Howlin Wolf one minute and the next would be some hillbilly swing!! Then around 1966 me and some friends started hanging around a coffee House called "the Chessmate". I would see every major folk and Blues act known at the time. Muddy, Wolf, Butterfield, Hooker, James Cotton, Gary Davis, Martin, Bogen and Armstrong, the Kweskin Jug Band, Dave van Ronk, Chuck and Joni Mitchell!! etc. etc. I wanted to play guitar like Rev. Gary Davis and Dave Van Ronk. I guess this is where it all started. Me and my friends started a blues band and began playing art gallery and coffee house type gigs for the Beatnik crowd. Fast forward a bit, by 1969 we were in California playing Sunset strip clubs. We even had a manager and recording contract for about 15 minutes.

Your current music project is called "Mr. Rick and The Biscuits", How would you describe your sound and music style ?

We struggle with this question in Toronto all the time. I think in Toronto a lot of people need a tight definition of what style you play in and what is the name of it ?! In the States or in the Maritimes people get it right away. We've come up with a few descriptions that work. First of all we mostly fall into a folk type of category. I like to call our sound "Skillet Fried Roots music" What I also call it is "acoustic string band Americana". Richard Flohil calls us "Skiffle". If there was a cook's recipe for us, it might read like this, one part Bill Broonzy, one part Louis Jordan, one part Merle Travis, another part Bob Wills sprinkle in some Carter Family, Bill Monroe, Nick Lucas, Tiny Tim, Fats Waller, cook with lots of grease at high heat!!!

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