Toronto Blues Society | » Attention all Harmonica Players: Chuck Jackson Hosts Toronto Blues Society’s Harmonica Workshop April 2009, 2006

Attention all Harmonica Players: Chuck Jackson Hosts Toronto Blues Society’s Harmonica Workshop April 2009, 2006

Published April 12, 2006 in Press Releases

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE / PLEASE UPDATE LISTINGS

Who: Chuck Jackson hosts Jerome Godboo, Howard Willett, and Mark “Bird” Stafford, with house band Gary Kendall, Tyler Burgess, and Pete Schmidt
What: An all-ages practical workshop for all Harmonica players and blues enthusiasts
Where: The Silver Dollar Room, 486 Spadina Ave., Toronto
When: Saturday, April 29 2PM – 6PM
How much: $10.00 TBS members, students / $12.00 non-members
Website: www.torontobluessociety.com

The Toronto Blues Society will hold a special workshop for harmonica players and blues fans on Saturday afternoon, April 29 at the Silver Dollar Room (486 Spadina Ave., Toronto).

The event will be hosted by Downchild Blues Band frontman Chuck Jackson and is designed to include both novice and seasoned players in an informative dialogue that addresses harmonica tone, sound and style. Jackson is a multiple Maple Blues Award winner, including the 2002 Blues With a Feeling award for lifetime achievement. Armed with a hot blues harmonica, Jackson has also been featured on many television and movie projects as well as working with Bo Diddley, James Cotton and Georgie Fame. Jackson is also the driving force behind the South Side Shuffle, one of Canada’s most successful blues festivals

Jackson will be joined by some of the most adventurous and inventive blues harp players in the country including Jerome Godboo, Howard Willett of the Bebop Cowboys, and Mark “Bird” Stafford.

He’s played his high-energy and funky blues harp on stage with an eclectic mix of North America’s best musicians. Those who have seen Jerome Godboo in past workshops know that the flamboyant bluesman has a professorial streak and often brings specially-designed charts to the workshops.

Howard Willett has spent most of his musical career playing in the country and blues genres. His work with Toronto music staples Bebop Cowboys has allowed him to create a unique Country-inspired style of harmonica with suggestions of clarinet and accordion tones in addition to the blues harp sound. Willett understands the close linkage between Blues, Country, Jazz, and Western Swing and can effortlessly adapt his harmonica playing to any
genre, making it seem a natural part of the overall flow.

A serious student of “fat tone” harmonica, Mark “Bird” Stafford subscribes to the teachings of the masters: Sonny Boy Williamson, Little Walter Jacobs, Big Walter Horton, Junior Wells and James Cotton, imbuing what he’s learned with a healthy dose off his own creativity. Stafford is also an expert on harmonica equipment.

The Harmonica Workshop is one of the most popular events in the Toronto Blues Society’s ongoing programme. It is made possible by the generous support of the Department of Canadian Heritage, the Ontario Arts Council, the City of Toronto through the Toronto Arts Council, Wilson Music Services, and Lee Oscar Harmonicas.


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The Toronto Blues Society acknowledges the annual support of the Ontario Arts Council, the City of Toronto through the Toronto Arts Council and the Department of Canadian Heritage, and project support from FACTOR< and the Government of Canada through the Department of Canadian Heritage (Canada Music Fund) and of Canada’s Private Broadcasters, The Canada Council for the Arts, the SOCAN Foundation, SOCAN, the Ontario Media Development Corporation, and the Ontario Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Sport.