Maple Blues Online - Loose Blues News

This year the Blues Booster award honouring outstanding contribution to the Canadian Blues industry will be given to filmmaker Mako Funasaka (seen here with Pinetop Perkins) in recognition of his success in documenting the Blues in Canada through his network-broadcast Talkin' Blues series. Photo by Eddy B www.blueheartarchive.com

Healey's is Moving: Jeff Healey will unveil Jeff Healey's Roadhouse, a new live music showcase venue in the heart of the city's downtown entertainment district on Friday December 15 with Luke Mulholland, the Jeff Healey Band, and Canadian classic rock legends April Wine..Located at 56 Blue Jays Way - across from the long-established restaurant, owned by another Canadian icon, Wayne Gretzky - the "new Healey's" will feature a state of the art sound system, a roomy stage with excellent sight-lines, and a comfortable, easy-going ambience. The new club can accommodate as many as 600 visitors, but - using partitioning - can be scaled down for smaller, more intimate events. The venue has spring and summer patio seating for 150 people, and will be open each evening at 6 p.m. for drinks and dining. It will be managed and booked by Randy Charlton, a club veteran with a resume that includes spells at such well-remembered spots as Albert's Hall and The Diamond, as well as The Hard Rock Cafe.

Gospel at the Palais: Londa Larmond brings a powerful and inspiring message to the venerable Palais Royale Sunday December 3 at 1:00pm. With her Pop and Jazz-influenced, R&B-flavored brand of Gospel, Londa Larmond is one of the brightest new talents on today's music scene. Tickets available at door - $35 including buffet brunch. For reservations please contact: reservations@palaisroyale.ca 416-533-3553 www.palaisroyale.ca

"Dancing above the donut joint": Gus Papas and Alec Fraser advise that they have started an all-acoustic jamboree at the Rooftop Pub every Wednesday night, with an 8:30 pm start. There is a 'no amplifier' rule so that all musicians can be heard evenly at the same reasonable volume. The Rooftop is located at the corner of Lakeshore and Cawthra in Port Credit.

Holiday CD Special from Electro-Fi: "It's that time of the year again when we thank you for your support by offering our deluxe Holiday Special of 5 CDs for $50. Select any 5 CDs from www.electrofi.com, then call in your order to 416-251-3036, 9am -7pm EST, or mail your order to Electro-Fi Records, 1320 Islington Avenue, Suite 709, Toronto, Ontario, M9A 5C6. PST & GST are extra, but no charge for postage in Canada. The deal runs until January15, and it's a great way to do some holiday shopping for the blues lover on your list, or to complete your own collection. Our two Maple Blues Award nominees for Recording of the Year, Mel Brown, and Diana Braithwaite & Chris Whiteley, are included, as well as our ultra cool Xmas Blues collection 'Santa's Got Mojo'. - Andrew Galloway"

Christmas with Roxanne Potvin and the Bebop Cowboys: They'll participate in the CBC's The Vinyl Café Christmas tour with Stuart McLean. The 20-date tour of Ontario began November 26 in Sarnia, ends in Lindsay on December 20, and touches down at Toronto's Convocation Hall for three shows December 15,16,17, with other dates and locations available at www.roxannepotvin.com

Tea time with the Blues: Lance Anderson has landed a gig in Darjeeling India. He leaves for a month on December 15 to play a series of concerts with singer Diane White from Ottawa at the world famous Windamere Hotel, one of India's heritage hotels built during the Raj era. Darjeeling, famous for its tea, is in the foothills of the Himalayas on the border of Nepal, and, on a clear day, Mount Everest is visible. They will perform three different shows over ten days, one of which will be a short history of blues and jazz.

Downchild Live: Now in its 37th year and counting, Downchild continues to rock on, last month recording a new live album and its first ever concert DVD at a special show at the Palais Royale on Toronto's lakeshore. www.downchild.com

The best of Paul Reddick: Along with producer Colin Linden, Paul is selecting tracks for a 'Best of' compilation for the NorthernBlues label, following the successful use of his blues-based music in film and TV projects as well as in a ground-breaking commercial for Coke. www.northernblues.com/bio_reddick.html

Serena Ryder: Following her eighth tour of Australia in a little over three years, her first major label album, 'If Your Memory Serves You Well', was released last month on EMI music. The CD offers remakes of a dozen classic Canadian songs, as well as three original tunes (one co-written with Randy Bachman), and even a radio single, Serena's version of Galt MacDermot's hit from Hair, 'Good Morning Starshine'. The CD will be released next April in the US on the prestigious Manhattan label. www.serenaryder.com

Winterfolk Roots and Blues Festival Returns February 9, 10, 11: Winterfolk returns for the fifth year to downtown Toronto clubs featuring a great lineup of Southern Ontario's finest singer songwriters for three days of roots and blues music - including concerts, sessions, and workshops. All performances are free and venues will be within comfortable walking distance on the Danforth at Broadview Avenue. Now in its 5th year, the weatherproof event offers daytime festival fare for families including seminars, workshops, and audience participation events throughout the weekend. They are still accepting artists submissions - visit the website for details. www.winterfolk.com

Stony Plain Records: Canada's 30-year-old independent roots music label will be releasing the third in Maria Muldaur's series of classic blues records - this one will feature bawdy blues from the early days - as well as a new Kevin Breit-Harry Manx collaboration. www.stonyplainrecords.com

Harrison Kennedy signs with Electro-Fi: And "will be recording a CD in 2007 for international release. A contemporary blues troubadour whose musical roots run deep, Harrison had million-selling success in the 1970s as a member of Detroit's ultra funky Chairmen of the Board. Both an impressive vocalist and songwriter, Harrison's music is an eclectic mix of funky soul, r&b, rock, folk, roots, gospel and blues." www.harrisonkennedy.ca

Robert Lockwood Jr. passes away: He had been hospitalized and in critical condition since November 3rd and passed away on Nov. 21 at 5pm from a blood vessel that had burst in his head. He was 91. Robert's last full length recording was released on M.C. Records in 2004 and titled "The Legend Live." It was nominated for a W.C. Handy Award. Lockwood had also recorded for Chess, Rounder, Trix, Delmark and Telarc to name a few. He learned the guitar, at age eleven, from Robert Johnson and eventually became the top session man for Chess Records. Lockwood's solo recording career, exclusive of the 1941 Bluebird Sessions, began in 1970 and in the early 80s he teamed up with another long-time friend, Johnny Shines, to record three albums for Rounder.

Ruth Brown, the Original Queen of R&B and Royalty Reform Pioneer, Passes at the Age of 78: The incomparable Ruth Brown, whose musical legacy was matched by her fight for royalty reform for herself and other R&B Artists, passed away on November 17, 2006 in a Las Vegas area hospital from complications following a stroke and heart attack. Howell Begle, longtime friend and legal representative, made the announcement for the family. Known as 'The Girl with a Tear in her Voice', 'The Original Queen of Rhythm & Blues,' 'Miss Rhythm & Blues,' and the well-known moniker of 'Miss Rhythm,' the nickname given her by Mr. Rhythm, Frankie Lane, Ruth Brown was also credited as the first star made by Atlantic Records. Her regal hit-making reign from 1949 to the close of the '50s helped tremendously to establish the New York label's predominance in the R&B field, a track record for which the young label was referred to as 'The House That Ruth Built.' Known for her resilient and feisty nature, she spent those years raising her two sons on her own and earning a living as a maid, school bus driver, and teacher. In the mid-70s Brown came out of retirement to a renewed career, recording blues and jazz tunes for a variety of labels and enjoying success in theatre and film. She continued to perform and record through her later years, becoming a popular host of National Public Radio's 'Harlem Hit Parade.' Best known as a voice that took black pop music into the era of rhythm & blues, In 1997 Ruth Brown won a Grammy for best jazz vocal performance, and in 2006 was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.

Ahmet Ertegun has serious head injury: NEW YORK (UPI) - Ahmet Ertegun, the founder of Atlantic Records, was in a coma after falling backstage at former President Bill Clinton's birthday party in New York. Ertegun slipped and hit his head as the Rolling Stones were going onstage to perform on Sunday, Oct. 29, The Daily Mail reported. "Mick was terribly upset," an aide to the band said, referring to lead singer Mick Jagger. "Ahmet was unconscious in the intensive care unit, and the doctors at first didn't give him much of a chance. But they are now listing him as stable." Ertegun, son of a Turkish diplomat, founded Atlantic in 1947 with his brother, using money borrowed from their dentist. The label's roster has included luminaries of jazz, R&B and rock ranging from Ray Charles and Duke Ellington to Led Zeppelin and the Stones.

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