Maple Blues Online - Loose Blues News

Grammy-nominated blues and roots guitarist Duke Robillard (right)is a frequent visitor to Toronto and returns next month to do some "mentoring". He will be an instructor at the Guitar Workshop Plus, this year taking place at the Lakeshore Campus of Humber College. His new release, World Full of Blues (see John's Blues Picks for a review) is a double album loaded with solid blues. This will be the ultimate "master class" for aspiring blues players. In addition, Duke will be participating in a seminar called "Swinging the Blues." For more information, visit www.guitarworkshopplus.com.

Braithwaite and Whiteley at Poconos: Electro-Fi artists Chris Whiteley and Diana Braithwaite will be appearing at the prestigious Poconos Blues Festival in Pennsylvania, which takes place July 27, 28, and 29. Their album Morning Sun has been released in the U.S. and is on top 20 playlists in New Hampshire, Illinois, Maine, Massachusetts, and Michigan. Whiteley will also be playing at the Chicago Blues Festival (June 7 to 10), accompanying Fruteland Jackson.

Global Divas Benefit: Blues/world music guitarist/vocalist Rita Chiarelli will perform her passionate Italian folk songs at the fifth annual Global Divas benefit concert on June 12 at the Palais Royale Ballroom. Other "divas" at the event are Cuban rapper/jazz poet Telmary, the reigning Queen of Haitian Song, Emeline Michel, and South Asian musical master Suba Sankaran of autorickshaw fame. Jazz saxophonist Jane Bunnett and The Spirits of Havana will also perform. All proceeds will benefit Toronto's St. Stephen's Community House Youth Arcade. The concert will be broadcast on June 30 from 8 to 10 p.m. on Canada Live, heard on CBC Radio Two 94.1. www.ststephenshouse.com/globaldivas.html

Twisted Thanks: Twisted Pines festival organizers Paul Northcott and Debbie Brown send a big thanks to the TBS for supporting their inaugural effort producing the Twisted Pines Music and Arts Festival in Midland last month. Many TBS regulars were involved in launching this first-class event including Gary Kendall who booked the talent and David Barnard who was stage manager. TBS volunteers Diane Creighton and Colleen Kenny were seen handing out copies of MapleBlues and spreading the word about the Toronto Blues Society. TBS Musician Advisory Council members Brian Blain, Lily Sazz and Lance Anderson also performed. Paul writes "We are thrilled that everything came together as planned, especially given the logistical challenges involved. Our performers came from all over to take a chance on the communities of Penetanguishene & Midland, our Festival dream and were not disappointed; Ken Whiteley flew back from Italy, Downchild Blues Band flew in from Omaha, Nebraska, and Fred Eaglesmith & the Flying Squirrels drove all night returning from Tennessee. It was a lot of concerts jammed into one incredible weekend! We would like to thank each and every band member for their own unique contribution in creating the Twisted Pines musical pallet!"

Blues Music Awards Winners: The big winner of the 2007 Blues Music Awards held May 10 in Memphis was Charlie Musselwhite, who took home four awards, including Album of the Year for Delta Hardware. New Orleans native Irma Thomas received two prizes: Soul Blues Female Artist of the Year and Soul Blues Album of the Year for `After the Rain.' Janiva Magness, who records for Toronto-based Northern Blues Music, captured the Contemporary Blues Female Artist of the Year award. (Watermelon Slim, who also records for Northern Blues, was shut out despite being nominated for six awards.) Some other winners include: Etta James for Traditional Blues Female Artist, Robert Lockwood, Jr. for Traditional Blues Male Artist, and Tab Benoit for Contemporary Blues Male Artist. The Acoustic Artist of the Year was David "Honeyboy" Edwards, while Rory Block won Acoustic Album of the Year for The Lady and Mr. Johnson. Contemporary Blues Album of the Year went to Guitar Shorty for We the People. www.blues.org/about/news.php4?Id=459

Quebecois blues rocker Pat The White (pictured at left is Pat's 2nd guitar player, Andre Lavergne) plays the Black Bull on Queen St W. on June 7 at 11pm as part of North by Northeast. Photo Eric Paul-Hus

Bo Diddley Suffers a Stroke: Legendary singer Bo Diddley was moved to a regular hospital room from intensive care after suffering a stroke in Iowa following a concert May 13. Diddley was scheduled to perform in Toronto at the Phoenix Concert Theatre on May 22 and in Calgary on May 26. Both concerts were cancelled. The stroke has impaired Diddley's speech and speech recognition but doctors are optimistic he will once again perform. Diddley, 78, has a history of hypertension and diabetes. Considered one of the founding fathers of rock and roll, Diddley is known for his "hambone rhythm" style of playing guitar, influencing a new generation of artists such as Buddy Holly, The Who, and Bruce Springsteen. He received a lifetime achievement Grammy in 1998 and was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1987.

Today's Chicago Blues: Blues music has been wailing in Chicago for more than 70 years. Yet despite its rich cultural legacy, "information about the blues is hard to find unless you know where to look," says Karen Hanson, author of Today's Chicago Blues. "Even then, it's scattered, incomplete, or outdated." Today's Chicago Blues is a comprehensive guidebook that offers a mix of history and biography within a cultural context. It also gives practical information on everything from the massive Chicago Blues Festival to intimate nightspots that feature the best blues artists working in Chicago today. www.lakeclaremont.com

Atlantic Blues Boxed Set: Rhino Handmade will celebrate the 60th anniversary of Atlantic Records with a trio of limited-edition boxed sets beginning June 12 with the release of Atlantic Blues (1949-1970). The next title in the series, Atlantic Soul (1959-1975), is due in August, with the third installment, Atlantic Vocal Groups (1951-1963), expected later in the fall. For each, Rhino Handmade will limit production to 3,000 individually numbered boxed sets. All three will be presented in a vintage-looking 12" x 12" box that includes a booklet filled with extensive liner notes and rare photos. Atlantic Blues will be available exclusively from www.rhinohandmade.com for $79.98.

Great Lakes Blues Summit: Blues societies are invited to the Second Annual Great Lakes Blues Summit, taking place during the annual Chicago Blues Festival. It's at the 7-Eleven Route 66 Stage from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. and they'll be discussing regional blues music tour partnerships. www.stlblues.net/blues_summit_07.htm

Maxine's Hope: Canada's award-winning Celtic folk music band, The Irish Descendants, is giving a portion of the proceeds from the sale of its latest release, Southern Shore, to Maxine's Hope Fund. Together with the Insception Cord Blood Program in Mississauga, the band established the fund to help families in need bank their children's umbilical cord blood. (Umbilical cord blood has been used to treat over 75 life-threatening diseases, including a wide range of cancers, genetic diseases, immune system deficiencies, and blood disorders.) The fund was set up in memory of Maxine Edgington, who lost her battle with breast cancer last year. Maxine's hope was that her 16-year-old daughter Jessica would not be affected by this cancer. Maxine touched the hearts of many with the song "We Laughed", written for Jessica with the help of British musician Billy Bragg. The Irish Descendants were so moved when Bragg first told them of Maxine and her song they decided to record and release "We Laughed" on Southern Shore. www.MaxinesHope.ca

Carey Bell 1936-2007: Mississipi-born blues harmonica master Carey Bell died on May 6 of heart failure in Chicago. He was 70. According to the Blues Foundation, "Bell's classic, funky and deeply soulful blues place him firmly on the short list of blues harmonica superstars." Bell was a veteran of both Muddy Waters' and Willie Dixon's bands as well as an award-winning solo artist. Although Bell originally wanted to play saxophone, a harmonica was a more affordable option. He taught himself to play by the time he was eight and began playing professionally with his godfather, pianist Lovie Lee, when he was 13. In 1956 Carey moved to Chicago where he met Big Walter Horton, Little Walter Jacobs, and Sonny Boy Williamson II. He later learned to play bass, getting gigs with Honeyboy Edwards, Johnny Young, and Big Walter. While playing bass in Big Walter's band, Bell studied Walter's harmonica playing. By 1969 Bell was fronting his own band. He was featured in 1978 on Alligator's Grammy-nominated Living Chicago Blues series. In 1990, Bell, along with fellow harp players Junior Wells, James Cotton, and Billy Branch, recorded the Blues Music Award-winning Alligator album, Harp Attack!. Most recently, in 2007, Delmark Records released Getting' Up Live, a CD/DVD featuring Bell performing with his son, Chicago blues guitarist Lurrie Bell. Married several times, Bell reputedly fathered 15 children and is survived by at least 10.

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