Maple Blues Online - Loose Blues News

Trouble & Strife's Larry Kurtz was on hand to accept their Indie Award for Favourite Blues Group of the Year. The other regular band members are the father/son team of guitarists Bruce and Michael Ley. Indie Award winners are selected by a combination of voting by the fans and by a panel of judges. The Indies (aka The Independent Music Awards) were part of Canadian Music Week which attracted over 500 showcasing bands over 4 days in 40 Toronto venues.

CD Release Party: Join Fathead on Wednesday April 18, 8 pm at Healey's Roadhouse for the release of "Building Full Of Blues." The disc features guest appearances by Shakura S'Aida on vocals, Jesse O'Brien on piano, and Lance Anderson on Hammond B3 organ. As an additional bonus, admission is free and Fathead will offer any of their previous five discs for only $5 if you buy the new CD. www.fathead.biz

More FATHEAD news: FATHEAD has announced that veteran drummer Bucky Berger has joined the band. His celebrated history in the roots and blues music scene makes him a superb fit for the group. Bucky replaces drummer Hayden Vialva who signed on in 2003. While Bucky makes his debut with the band in Thorold on April 6, Hayden will be playing the CD release party on the 18th.

Celebrate Blues Poetry: Blue Room isn't your average blues band -- and to prove it, the band is back at the Silver Dollar, this time with a group of spoken word artists to celebrate National Poetry Month. Guests at the April 28 performance include Nik Beat & The Tyranny of Love, the PoetiKs (Nancy Bullis, Michael Morse, and David Story). There will also be an open mic. The TBS's own "Blues Doctor" Julie Hill will host the evening and sing a few tunes with the band. The link between the blues and poetry are obvious, according to bandleader Paul Sanderson. "Blues lyrics ARE poetry, and joining forces with young, unorthodox poets at a fun event like this brings poetry to a new audience." Show time is 9 pm and cost is $10. www.blueroommusic.com

Healey Back in Action: After facing cancer surgery late last year, Jeff Healey returned last month to his club, playing with the Jazz Wizards on Saturday afternoons and the Healey's House Band on Thursday nights. He plans to tour Europe this month and the UK in May. Nominated for Best Jazz Artist at the Indie Awards during Canadian Music Week on March 7, Healey was back on the air in February for his "My Kinda Jazz" radio program on Jazz FM.

Special Two-Night CD Launch: Innovative guitarists Harry Manx and Kevin Breit will launch their new Stony Plain CD, In Good We Trust, at Hugh's Room on Friday and Saturday April 13 and 14 at 8:30 pm. The pair, who first played together in 2001, recorded the award-winning CD Jubilee, which was released to wide critical applause. Now, five years later, Manx and Breit have collaborated once again. The new release, which hits stores April 3, includes four original songs from each of them, a co-write, a traditional ballad, and a cover of Bruce Springsteen's "I'm on Fire." (See John Valenteyn's review on page 10). The pair plan to perform together at festivals this summer. The cost for the concerts at Hugh's Room is is $30 in advance or $35 at the door. Call (416) 531-6604 or www.hughsroom.com. Dinner reservations are recommended.

No Easy Way Out for Brooks: Danny Brooks' new CD, "No Easy Way Out," is to be released this June at Hugh's Room. Bonnie Bramlett, who was part of Delaney, Bonnie & Friends and the only white Ikette of the Ike & Tina Turner Revue, is singing on the new disc, as is Carla Russell, whom Brooks describes as "Janis meets Aretha" www.dannybrooksmusic.com www.dannybrooksmusic.com

The Dollar Opens Earlier: The Silver Dollar Room has moved its "doors open" time from 8 to 7:30 pm. All shows are general admission and most start at 9:30. The Dollar only reserves tables for customers who plan on coming for dinner. To reserve a table e-mail info@silverdollarroom.com or call 416-975-0909. If the event has advance tickets on sale at www.ticketpro.ca, buy your tickets first and then reserve dinner. www.silverdollarroom.com

Here Come the Festivals: The Twisted Pines Festival kicks off festival season with an exciting line-up in their new location, Midland/Penetanguashene, on the May long weekend, May 18-21. Lineup includes Downchild, Fathead, Treasa Levasseur and many more including a reunion of Colorblind Brian and the New Blainettes. The festival is offering $20 off a week-end ticket ($45 instead of $65) to TBS members who purchase their tickets online before the end of April. Go to www.twistedpines.com, click on "Buy Tickets" and enter the code "tbs0407." Watch for the MapleBlues "Festival Round-Up" starting with next month's issue for everything you needed to know about Blues Festivals in the area.

BluesLINK benefit: Long-time TBS supporter Roger Smith has been promoting an annual blues event to raise money for the YouthLink organization to help vulnerable youth -- adolescents with developmental disabilities and their families. This year it's at Healey's Roadhouse on April 11 (8:00 start) with Gary Kendall, Mark "Bird" Stafford's Harmonica Knights (Paul Reddick, David Rotundo, Chuck Jackson and Dr. Nick), Steve Grisbrook, Jani Lauzon, Colorblind Brian with Lily Sazz and Michelle Josef, Mr. Rick and the Biscuits and many more plus a special performance from a young fellow named Lucian Thomas, who was actually part of the Inner City programme at YouthLink. Says Roger, "After raising $4000.00 last year and shaving my head, I want to do better - and possibly keep my hair." There will be door prizes and a silent auction Tickets are $18. in advance ($20 at door) available at 416-967-1773. www.youthlink.ca

Open Jam to Help Musicians: A benefit and guitar raffle was held March 25 at the Aurora Legion to help Jimmy Thompson and John Butcher, who are waging an uphill battle against cancer. Well known as both a player and a recording engineer, Thompson has hosted many Toronto and area musicians over the years in his Temperance St. Studios in Aurora. A relative newcomer in the blues world, Butcher, who fashions himself in the style of older blues vocalists, released "Green Couch Sessions" a few years back.

Soulful Night Coming Up: On April 14 The Blind Boys of Alabama will appear at Massey Hall with special guest Bettye Lavette. Dubbed "The Great Lady of Soul," Lavette won the W.C. Handy Blues Award for Comeback Album of the Year for "A Woman Like Me" in 2004. For their part, The Blind Boys are nothing if not soulful. They have spread the spirit and energy of gospel music for over 60 years, ever since the first version of the group formed at the Alabama Institute for the Negro Blind in 1939. The group, which has won an impressive array of music awards in recent years, plays both traditional gospel songs as well as contemporary songs or older ones with innovative arrangements. They will also perform April 10 at Belleville's The Empire Theatre and Ottawa's Dominion Chalmers Church on April 12. Bluesfest Recognized: Festivals & Events Ontario recently awarded Cisco Ottawa Bluesfest for Best Volunteer Program and for Most Innovative Sponsorship. This latter award recognizes Bluesfest's efforts to "green" the festival. Some of the innovations include the use of compostable beer cups made of corn, disposed through "Cupsuckers," a plastic tube which helps stack and separate cups from the rest of the garbage. The lineup for Bluesfest, which will be held July 6 to 15, will be announced April 25. Also, Bluesfest's Blues in the Schools program is coming up April 23 to May 4. Last year, students in 14 Ottawa schools learned about blues history and listened to live performers. www.ottawabluesfest.ca/en

Festival Not Dead After All: After six weeks of uncertainty, the Thunder Bay Blues Festival is back on. According to Thunder Bay's Source, the Thunder Bay Community Auditorium announced that the festival would proceed after the Ontario Lottery Corporation, a local businessman, and the city of Thunder Bay stepped in to help. The Auditorium agreed last year to take over the event from the Thunder Bay Blues Society after the festival lost an estimated $32,000. About15,000 people attended last year, but only 8,600 paid. Auditorium general manager Bob Halvorsen said the giveaways have come to an end. The lineup, to be announced shortly, is expected to be tried-and-true blues favourites. Tickets are expected to go on sale by April 1 for the July 6 to 8 festival. www.tbayblues.ca

Waiting List for Workshop: The May 7 to 11 Hornsby Island blues workshop is still accepting names for its waiting list. The event features 40 workshops including songwriting, fingerstyle blues, gypsy swing blues, and early delta blues. Instructors include Carlos del Junco, David Gogo and Suzie Vinnick. www.hornby-blues.bc.ca

Spring Shuffle: Wander down to Thorold's Spring Blues Festival -- also known as the Canal Bank Spring Shuffle _ on April 5 and 6. Featured artists include Jill West and the Blues Attack, Wild T & the Spirit, Jack de Keyzer, Fathead, Jerome Godboo, David Rotundo, and Maria Autogema. A two-day pass costs $10 with all proceeds going to charity. www.canalbankshuffle.com

Bluesaganza 2007: Hear some great blues and help support Autism Ontario on April 5 at the CAW Hall in St. Catharines. This year's Bluesaganza includes Shrimp Daddy & the Sharpshooters; alumni of the renowned Downchild Blues Band _ Chuck Jackson, Pat Carey, Michael Fonfara, and Gary Kendall; members of Juno Award winning Fathead _ Johnny Mays, Al Lerman, and Darran Poole, along with the incredible Jerome Godboo. Tickets are $10 advance and $15 at the door and are available at the CAW Hall (124 Bunting Rd), FirstOntario Credit Union branches, and Autism Ontario Niagara Region. For more information call 905-682-2776.

Matt's Hat Takes Off: Cape Breton musician Matt Minglewood's trademark black Akubra hat disappeared from the dressing room after he performed his 60th birthday bash concert at Halifax's Marquee Club last month. Minglewood has owned this hat for 20 years. It was bought from a company in Australia that is long out of business. Minglewood's manager and wife Barb Batherson has been online and calling stores in Australia trying to find one like it. Minglewood, who won the 2005 Maple Blues Award Entertainer of the Year Award, will be touring Northern Ontario in April. www.mattminglewood.com

Age No Barrier to BB: He may be 81, but B.B. King hasn't given up touring yet. He begins his Canada tour this spring, playing Roy Thompson Hall on May 11. He'll also be touring with Al Green and Etta James on a 16-city U.S. trek beginning July 24. www.bbking.com. And speaking of Etta, she' s booked for the Hummingbird Centre on June 27. www.etta-james.com/tourdates.html.

Koko on the Go: Alligator Records has set an April 3 release date for "Old School," the first CD in seven years from Grammy-winning "Queen of the Blues," Koko Taylor. Inspired by the sound and spirit of the Chicago blues of the 1950s, Taylor wrote five new originals and chose songs from Willie Dixon, Lefty Dizz, Magic Sam. Taylor will also be playing at the Chicago Blues Festival June 7 to10 http://chicagobluesfestival.org and at the Beale St. Blues Festival in Memphis May 4 to 6 http://memphisinmay.org. (Other great blues act to appear at this festival include Ann Peebles, Bobby "Blue" Bland, Taj Mahal, and Tab Benoit.)

Hall of Fame Inductees: On May 9 in Memphis, Dave Bartholomew, Dr. John and the late artists Eddie "Guitar Slim" Jones and Sister Rosetta Tharpe will be inducted into the Blues Hall of Fame. The following singles or album tracks were also selected: "Black Angel Blues" by Robert Nighthawk; "Death Letter" by Son House; Freddy King's "Hideaway" ; and "I Pity the Fool" by Bobby Blue Bland . These albums were chosen as well: Driving Wheel by Little Jr. Parker; Down and Out Blues by Sonny Boy Williamson; and Angola Prisoners' Blues by various artists. www.blues.org

Keeping Hill Country Blues Alive: A foundation to preserve and archive the rich musical heritage of North Mississippi's Hill Country has been created in Como, Mississippi. The JMH Foundation, named in honor of the late blues singer Jessie Mae Hemphill, hopes to draw attention to indigenous music of the region. The Alan Lomax Archive has donated photographic prints and field recordings of Sid Hemphill, Rosa Lee, and Sydney Hemphill (Jessie's grandfather and aunts), Fred McDowell, Lucius Smith, the Pratcher Brothers, and the Youngs. Lomax collected the materials in 1949. North Mississippi blues musicians, many who live in extreme poverty, are experiencing something of a renaissance.

Legendary Drummer Takes Ill: At last word, celebrated Chicago blues drummer Sam Lay is in Mt. Sinai Hospital in Chicago after suffering symptoms resembling a stroke. Lay began his career in 1957 as drummer for the Original Thunderbirds and soon after became the drummer for Little Walter. In the early 1960s, Lay recorded and performed with Willie Dixon, Howlin' Wolf and Muddy Waters, and in the mid 60s Lay joined the Paul Butterfield Blues Band. Lay also played and recorded with Bob Dylan - most notably on "Highway 61 Revisited." More recently he has been a front man with The Siegel-Schwall Blues Band. Lay's unique double shuffle style of drumming can be heard on over 40 recordings for the famed Chess Records label. He has recently toured major blues festivals around the US and Europe with the Chess Records All-Stars. Lay was inducted into the Blues Hall of Fame, Jazz Hall of Fame, and the Rock `n' Roll Hall of Fame. He was nominated eight times for the W. C. Handy Award for "Best Instrumentalist" and he was featured on a PBS-TV broadcast of Martin Scorsese's "History of the Blues."

Paul Joseph deLay _ Jan. 31, 1952—Mar.7, 2007 The death last month of larger-than-life Portland bluesman Paul deLay stunned friends and fans. Hospitalized with what he thought was a bronchial infection, doctors discovered deLay had leukemia which, along with kidney and liver failure, caused his death.DeLay was a leader in the prolific Portland blues scene that developed in the 1970s and 1980s. After leading the '70s Northwest electric blues band Brown Sugar, he started the Paul deLay Band in 1978. He also toured with Chicago pianist Sunnyland Slim and Howlin' Wolf's guitarist Hubert Sumlin, who called him "the best harp player in the world." A distinctive vocalist and prolific songwriter, DeLay played harmonica in a personal, jazz-influenced style. Although he was resistant to being typecast as a blues revivalist, his harmonica playing won him wide acclaim in national blues circles. He was lauded for his unique tone and was considered by some players to be even more inventive than harmonica giants Little Walter or James Cotton. DeLay recorded a dozen albums in his four-decade career, won several music awards and was nominated for a W.C. Handy Award. He and his band toured constantly, right up until his death.

His second-to-last performance was at the Cascade Bar and Grill in Vancouver, where he performed regularly. DeLay had chronic health problems associated with his weight as well as alcohol and cocaine addictions that he eventually kicked. "I don't know anybody that's played that instrument who has gotten as deep an emotional connection as he did," said DeLay's longtime guitarist Peter Dammann. "He seemed to pull notes out of such a deep place in himself."

In early 1990, deLay was busted for cocaine trafficking and served time in a minimum-security prison. While deLay was in prison, his band played on as the No Delay Band. After his release in 1995, a clean and sober deLay launched a productive series of albums that showed off his songwriting skills. There will be a memorial show honouring his life at Portland's Art Museum on Apr 1.

One of Toronto's hardest working and most respected bluesmen has left the building. Rod Phillips didn't have a "high profile." He didn't have a website, a MySpace page, or an official 8x10 glossy, but there isn't a musician on the local blues scene who has not been knocked out by Rod's mastery of the organ. Lucky are the ones who had the opportunity to work with Rod, because anyone who shared the stage with him learned from the experience and played better for it. Steve Grisbrook was one of Rod's regular collaborators and shares his memories of Rod.

My band, Midnite Walk was performing their first show together. The keyboard player who we had rehearsed with, disappeared, left town ... not sure. I was working at a local music store and was very excited to try out "a new toy", that would make my guitar sound like an old Leslie-driven keyboard. My bass player hired a replacement keyboard player, and in my self-absorbed mission for a cool new tone, I failed to notice the people and equipment getting set up around me. Needless to say, Rod Phillips was in the room. When he hit note 1, I put a stop to my tonal pursuit, introduced myself, and Midnite Walk was complete... an instant brotherhood developed.

I had the pleasure of working with Rod for only a short time, compared to the wonderful musicians he'd worked with and introduced me to along the way.

Since 1969, Rod's career as a musician has included many different musicians, bands, and adventures. In the early years, he played with The Modern Rock Quartet (MRQ). Upon moving to Toronto, he was in constant demand, playing with the "crème de la crème" of the GTA music scene - Lighthouse, George Olliver, Robbie Lane, Johnny Wright, and several members of The Downchild Blues Band - all round, a very impressive resume.

In addition to recording numerous commercial jingles and voiceovers, Rod's music is preserved through many recordings with such artists as Rita Chiarelli, Morgan Davis, Sparkjiver, Chuck Jackson as well as two live CDs with our band Midnite Walk. Some of these recordings earned him several Juno nominations.

Rod was a child at heart. He was a member of the faculty at CAMP ROCK, a summer camp in Northern Ontario offering young musicians a week of playing music and honing live performance skills.

His musicianship has taken him to the North Pole and the Gulf, entertaining Canadian Troops as musical director with a USO style musical show.

My relationship with Rod was truly that of a big brother. We laughed and cried together. On stage we knew what each other was doing before it happened. He taught me to play "like there was no tomorrow". We argued and fought, spent long sleepless nights racing F1 automobiles in the video game world. We spent hours on the phone in our cars after gigs, sharing stories and nightmares, making sure we both made it home okay.

The sound of his organ firing up and the intensive look on his face, followed by a devilish grin, will be forever in my heart.

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Canadian Blues rules in Memphis

Ray Bonneville and Penny Lang take some time out from the Folk Alliance conference in Memphis to cut a few tracks in the legendary Sun Studios, a veritable museum of Rock `n' Roll history. Photo by Brian Blain

As that old song says, "Blues is Hurting" (who wrote that anyway?) and the Folk Alliance Conference in Memphis last month showed that the folk music community in America is not exactly embracing the blues like it used to. It's easy to understand why. Singer-songwriters have become the dominant force in an organization that was developed to nurture traditional music (and dance). At the same time, world music has captured the imagination of this audience and now someone performing the obscure folk music of some far-away land on an instrument that no-one's ever seen can get on the fast track to the main stage of many folk festivals.

The Canadian contingent certainly made their mark in Memphis. Canadian blues pioneers Penny Lang, Bill Bourne and Ken Whiteley were featured in special showcases and events. TBS Talent Search winners The Undesirables were official showcase invitees and played numerous "guerilla" showcases in various hotel suites. They were the "discovery of the year" for Aussie blues guitar hero Jeff Lang and made a great impression on numerous artists and presenters. Taxi Chain and Digging Roots demonstrated their respectively unique take on the blues and New Brunswick's Hot Toddy raised the roof, especially at their late night "kitchen party" on the 18th floor. The irrepressible Treasa Levasseur charmed the Americans, performing with Undersirable guitarist Sean Cotton and percussionist Michelle Josef. Michelle was recruited as a "drum tech," a sign that this folk-music conference has grown far beyond the hummin' and strummin' of the old days. My discovery of the year was a young New Brunswick guitarist named Stephen (?) LeBlanc jamming up a storm at 4am in the East Coast suite.

The Folk Alliance gave the Blues its due, not surprising since the organization has moved their headquarters to Memphis, the "Mecca" of the Blues. There were Blues Showcases, Blues Workshops and even an "official" Blues Jam hosted by our own Ken Whiteley. But the blues events I attended seemed to have more participants than audience. The general audience at this conference were not much interested in hearing blues. Of course, the vast majority of registrants are folk musicians who came to promote their own careers.

You had to be there for Rory Block's show on the Martin Stage. Rory is a blues headliner and probably got a nice fee from Martin Guitars (all the better to pay the gas in her giant tour bus). The Martin Stage was in a cavernous space in the convention centre outside the trade show area. There was hardly anybody seated up by the stage though there were lots of people wandering around in the distance. That was a thankless gig but Rory dug in and put on a show for anyone who cared to listen. She talked about her early days as a teenager touring the rural south with Stefan Grossman telling how he would stop in at every pawn shop and ask if they had any old Martin guitars. Many times the pawnbroker would pull out a banged up pre-war Martin and Stefan would get it for 40 or 50 bucks. When they returned to New York, he had accumulated ten or more of these priceless guitars. We can only imagine what they're worth today.

I slipped away from Rory's set to make my way to the Blues Workshop where I found Saffire's Ann Rabson (playing guitar, which she pointed out was her main instrument long before piano). Also on stage was William Lee Ellis whom I met earlier in our showcase room. I found out later that he is a prominent music writer in Memphis and he did the "celebrity interview" with Jesse Winchester. He's a great finger-picker too - I was watching carefully. But there was a very small audience in the Blues workshop, so few that the players opted to turn off the PA system, which was fine until the banjo workshop got going in the adjacent room.

Following the Blues workshop, we had a blues jam and I joined in. Ken Whiteley and Alice Stuart were the hosts though Alice hardly played and split early. Apparently she is one of the first women on the blues scene to play lead electric guitar and has not been performing for quite a while. Regrettably, I never got to see her doing her showcase.

I had the privilege to tag along for a recording session with Penny and Ray at the legendary Sun Studios. Now there's a studio with some history. The front area had been converted into a souvenir shop and the upstairs was a veritable museum but the studio itself was pretty well the way it was when Johnny Cash, Elvis Presley and Howlin' Wolf recorded there. The equipment was not the same, though. There were a few old tape machines hanging around for décor, but the control room featured what many would consider "semi-pro" gear. Regardless, they laid down some great tracks and Penny loved that classic Memphis "slap-echo" on her vocal. I hope they get to use some of these tracks on her next album. Penny is a true national treasure and Ray Bonneville is a hard-core road warrior who lives to play.

Yer guitar-pickin' (barely) managing editor was part of many late-night jams and a showcase that featured several Memphis blues artists who are virtually unknown outside their city; one-man-band Adolphus Bell, Terry "Harmonica" Bean and a phenomenal 63-year-old Gospel group called the Spirit of Memphis. It seemed like there were more blues luminaries in the audience than performing including Chris Strachwitz (founder of Arhoolie Records), Ken Irwin (founder of Rounder Records) and renown musicologist and blues player Dr. David Evans (he wrote the biography of Tommy Johnson). Despite some great moments jamming with amazing musicians, the most memorable highlight had to be sitting front and centre as the Spirit of Memphis, five elderly black gentlemen in well-pressed dark suits and matching ties, sang a capella and "testified" for a few of us packed into that tiny hotel room. Next year I'm going a day early so I can take the all-day excursion to the Mississippi Delta. Meet me at the Crossroads.

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