The Toronto Blues Society is pleased to announce the winners of our 2001 Talent Search,
Big Mark and the Blues Express.
Selected following performances by all six finalists across two nights at the Silver Dollar Room in Toronto, Montreal's Big Mark & the Blues Express, a six-piece swing blues ensemble, won a cash prize from CBC's continuous music station Galaxie, as part of their rising star programme. As well, Big Mark won a showcase performance on July 7 during the Great Canadian Blues & BBQ Festival at Toronto's Harbourfront Centre, which will be recorded for later national broadcast on CBC radio.
Big Mark's debut cd, Steak & Potatoes, is also scheduled for a July release. Their recent performance at the Talent Search finals was Big Mark & the Blues Express' Toronto debut, but they'll be back at the Silver Dollar during the North by Northeast Festival.
A very close runner-up was Saskatoon's Jordan Cook Band, fronted by the 17 year-old guitarist and vocalist who has headlined western Canada for 6 years, and has performed with BB King, Colin James, Big Sugar, Jeff Healey, Wide Mouth Mason, Big Dave McLean, Edgar Winter, Jonny Lang, and on a tribute recording to Jimmy Rodgers with Taj Mahal, Van Morrison, Kim Wilson and others at the Montreux Jazz Festival. His energetic power trio performance at the Silver Dollar last night demonstrated why he and his young band have achieved this level of success at such an early age. Jordan will return to Toronto for engagements this summer.
Our final runner-up was Toronto-based harmonica-player, vocalist and songwriter Jerome Godboo. Currently a member of the Ronnie Hawkins band, Jerome has been performing for over 15 years, most recently as frontman for his own band who perform regularly all over Ontario and beyond. His new recording will be released shortly.
Other finalists included Toronto's Jimmy Helverson Blues Band, the Soul Kings from Oshweken, and Halifax's Barry Mack. The high quality of all of the finalists, selected by a screening panel from dozens of submissions, resulted in two very entertaining nights of music, and difficult decisions for the judges. Many thanks to our panel of judges, including Fred Litwin, president of new Canadian blues recording label NorthernBlues Music, Steve Gash, host of Blues du Jour on Toronto's CKLN FM, Ian Angus, host of Let the Good Times Roll on Toronto's CIUT FM, Al Kirkcaldy, host of Blue in the Face on Peterborough's Trent radio, and John Valenteyn, the former long-time voice of blues on CJRT FM in Toronto.
Many thanks also to the screening committee, the Silver Dollar Room, CBC radio and Galaxie, all the applicants and finalists, and the blues enthusiasts who supported and enjoyed two nights of great blues talent.
Finalists Info:
The
Winners: Big Mark & the Blues
Express (Montreal): In the three years since their formation, this six-piece swing ensemble have accomplished much.
Winners of the 1998 Up and Coming Blues Band competition and St-Hyacinthe's Band Search 2000, they've played numerous festivals, performed with Big Jack Johnson and
Mel Brown, and released their first recording, Steak and Potatoes. Individual members have performed with
Aziz, The Absolute Blues Band, and with other noted jazz
and blues bands on the Montreal scene. www.bigmarkblues.com
The Jimmy Helverson Blues Band (Toronto): Originally from Savannah, Georgia, vocalist and bassist Helverson moved to Canada in 1997. He
describes his sound as "soulful, electric blues that ain't afraid to get down in the alley." He's played many of Toronto's prime blues venues with his band, which features local
lights Darren Gallen and Slavka Kobrin on guitars, and Laura Hubert sideman Walter Maclean on drums. He also works solo and with his duo,
Bluesfolk, and has
performed at the Port Credit Blues and Jazz Festival for the past two years.
The Soul Kings
(Oshweken): Performing an electrifying mix of blues, rock, soul and funk, The Soul Kings are fronted by Josh Miller, who makes his
home on the Six Nations Reserve in Southern Ontario. Josh has performed throughout North America, and impressed a lot of folks on the way. The band takes their name
from a comment by blues legend Jimmy Rogers, who was moved by Miller's powerful delivery: "That boy's got soul - he's a king." The Memphis Blues Society
concurs: "Amazing...guitar playing with the intensity of Buddy Guy."
Jerome Godboo (Toronto): Since moving to Toronto from Ottawa in the late 1980s, the Victoria-born Godboo has continued to re-invent his musical
self, getting deeper into the blues with each incarnation. A harmonica player, vocalist and songwriter, Godboo has released two recordings with blues-rockers, The
Phantoms, and two on his own - Live at Grossman's, and One Monkey. He's shared stages and recording sessions with James Cotton, Ronnie Hawkins, Johnny Winter, Levon
Helm and many more. His current incarnation is the Jerome Godboo Band, whose repertoire ranges from funky originals to innovative interpretations of tunes by the likes
of Stevie Wonder, the Beatles and Muddy Waters. A new recording, produced by Alec Fraser, is due out soon.
Barry Mack (Halifax): Barry Mack learned to play the guitar at age twelve, then toured with his family band for nine years, playing roots, country
and blues. A prolific songwriter, Mack's pure blues sound has turned heads on the east coast - "A hidden
treasure...bluesman Mack pens great tunes" says the Halifax
Daily News. Regular performances in blues venues , TV and radio appearances, and a debut recording, "Pray to the Father, Pray to the Son" continue to raise Mack's
profile, and an upcoming tour of Europe and the US.
The Jordan Cook Band (Saskatoon): At age 17, Cook already has six years experience as a touring blues musician! From his beginnings as a
child
|
|
|
[Back to Maple Blues Magazine] [TBS Home]
Toronto Blues Society Copyright _ 2001