Blue Summit 4 Archive

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BLUES SUMMIT IV: CONFERENCE SCHEDULE

Blues Summit IV has come and gone! But we’ve archived the past summit schedule. Check it out!

CONFERENCE SCHEDULE HIGHLIGHTS:

SATURDAY, JANUARY 17^th, 2009

3-4:30pm – Campfire, Monarchs (Delta Chelsea Hotel – main floor)

5-7pm – Welcome Reception, Monarchs (Delta Chelsea Hotel – main floor)
The Toronto Blues Society cordially invite you to the Blues Summit IV Welcome Reception. Come meet your fellow Blues Summit IV delegates. Performance by Fathead.

SUNDAY, JANUARY 18^th, 2009

11-2:00 – Keynote Brunch with BEN MANILLA: Radio producer Ben Manilla has been invited to give the Keynote Address at Blues Summit IV, being held at the Delta Chelsea in Toronto on January 17-19. Ben has been a pioneer in promoting blues music to the mainstream radio audience through his collaboration with “Blues Brother” Dan Aykroyd on The House of Blues Radio Hour syndicated around the world but regretfully no longer in the Toronto market. His company Ben Manilla Productions, Inc. is a recognized leader in programming for commercial and public radio stations and also produces Drew Carey’s Hi Fi Club and has developed several public radio series including “The Blues hosted by Keb’ Mo’”, “Philosophy Talk” with Stanford University, and the award winning “The Sounds of American Culture” with the Library of Congress. Ben teaches radio journalism and the UC Berkeley Graduate School of Journalism. His clients have included all the major radio networks in the U.S. (ABC, CBS, Westwood One, etc.) and a host of international broadcasters (BBC, CBC, Radio Tokyo, etc.).

2:15-3:30 – Media Roundtable: Publicist Richard Flohil (Flohil & Associates) hosts Chip Eagle (Blues Revue), Ben Manilla (Ben Manilla Productions, Inc.), Danny Marks (Bluz.FM), Errol Nazareth (Toronto Sun / CBC Radio), Eric Thom (Blues Revue), and Ed Torres (DAWG.FM) discuss the State of Blues media and how mass or niche media reflect blues music. Does the blues have an identity problem? Is there anything more credible than blues music? Can Richard Flohil herd these cats? Seymour Room, 2^nd Floor

3:45-5:00 – Digital Blues, Selling Songs. What is the Download on Downloads? How significant are digital and MP3 sales in the blues market, and how much is changing? Hear about Amazon, iTunes, Puretracks, Rhapsody, CDBaby, ioda (independent online distribution alliance) and the new sales tools. Your pay pals are Brian Blain (Musician) Mark Stafford (Musician), Trevor Mills (Top Quark Productions), James Pew (Euphonic Sound), and Rodney Muphy (SOCAN). Seymour Room, 2^nd Floor

3:45-5:00 – Throwing the Sink at Sync Rights: How do you place your songs in film, television, commercials and ringtones? Get some tips from Velma Barkwell (East End Music), David Baxter (Musician), Andrea Higgins (Arpix Media Inc.), and Suzie Vinnick (Musician). Stevenson Room, 2^nd Floor

5:30-7:00 – SOCAN Songs & Stories: SOCAN Education and Outreach Manager Rodney Murphy introduces a high pedigree song swap featuring Matt Andersen (New Brunswick), Ray Bonneville (Montreal / Austin), Amos Garrett (Edmonton), and host Suzie Vinnick (Toronto). Monarchs Pub, Main Floor

MONDAY JANUARY 19^th, 2009

10:00-11:15 – Rob Bowman, Blues Booster of the Year in Interview with Richard Flohil: The professor of rock and roll has a long history and deep knowledge of blues. A pioneer of popular music teaching, now tenured at York University, Rob cut his teeth giving eager customers of Records on Wheels (Yonge Street) solid blues selection info. A renowned writer in print media, but prolific in the liner notes department, Rob won the Grammy award in 1996 for one of his many Stax Record projects. His book Soulsville USA – The Story of Stax Records is the definitive history of the Memphis based label, the times, and a point of view that comes with all the enthusiasm that has become his trademark. Seymour Room, 2^nd Floor

10:00-11:15 – International Touring, Getting Your Blues Out of Canada: Derek Andrews (Global Café) hosts booking agent Darcy Gregoire (The Agency Group), Jean Guillermo (Blues sur Seine, Paris France), Jostein Forsberg (Nottoden Bluesfest, Norway), and Carlos Del Junco (Musician) discuss the challenges, rewards, and tactics of touring into Europe and the United States. Stevenson Room, 2^nd Floor

11:30-12:45 – Digital Blues, Promotion: Is The Press Kit Dead? How do artists get gigs and build audience with digital tools such as Websites, Sonicbids, YouTube, Facebook and Myspace as marketing tools. With Sarah French (Publicist), ShoShona Kish (Musician), James Pew (Euphonic Sound), and Lily Sazz (Musician). Seymour Room, 2^nd Floor

11:30-12:45 – Blues Societies Roundtable: A gathering of organizations and blues societies from across Canada hosted by Gord MacAulay (Saskatoon Blues Society). Stevenson Room, 2^nd Floor

2:00-3:15 – Festival Roundtable: Blues Festivals are showing up all over. Small towns, big cities, blended with jazz and folk, pure as the driven snow and all over the musical map. This is a gathering of music and blues festivals from across the country, continent, and world who will discuss the state of festivals and their importance to the future of blues performance. Hosted by Brian Slack (Tremblant International Blues Festival) and Mark Monahan (Ottawa Bluesfest) with Jeff Davis (Playing With Fire – Omaha), Jostein Forsberg (Nottoden Bluesfest – Norway), Bruce Forth (Southside Shuffle – Port Credit), Jean Guillermo (Blues sur Seine – France), Chuck Jackson (Southside Shuffle – Port Credit), Larry Kurtz (Orangeville Jazz & Blues Fest), Chris Murphy (Red, White, and Blues Fest – London), Jacques Noel (FestiBlues International de Montreal), Paul Northcott (Twisted Pines Music and Arts – Penetanguishene), and Garret Zack (Cowpie Blues Festival). Seymour Room, 2^nd Floor

2:00-3:15 – Recording for Blues. Five master producers assembled in one room. Recording veterans David Baxter (Treasa Levasseur), Michael Jerome Browne, Alec Fraser (Jeff Healey), David Travers-Smith (Harry Manx & Kevin Breit), and Ken Whiteley (Lonnie Johnson) share studio advice and techniques of recording and producing. Stevenson Room, 2^nd Floor

3:30-4:45 – Blues In The Schools: Carrying on the blues tradition by reaching out to the young and impressionable has become an essential ingredient in today’s blues scene. Join Deb Brown (Stellula Music in Schools), Ken Whiteley and Mark Stafford (moderator) as they share their experiences developing programs with young blues fans. Seymour Room, 2^nd Floor

3:30-4:45 – Grants – Art of the Grant: What Funds are Available for Your Career Development? How do you translate the sometimes intimidating language of grant applications? How are the blues doing in the arts funding landscape? Catharine Bird (Cat Bird Grant Writing Service), Karen Doyle (Department of Canadian Heritage, Arts Presentation Canada), Krista Culp (FACTOR), and Michael Murray (Music Officer, Ontario Arts Council). Stevenson Room, 2^nd Floor

DELEGATES

Last Name	First Name	Association
Andersen	Matt	Musician
Anderson	Lance	Musician
Andrews	Derek	Global Café
Babcock	Dave	Musician
Barkwell	Velma	East End Music
Barnard	David	Pivotal Productions / Lowdown 2 Uptown Media
Barnett	Kathy	Kashaga Productions
Bauer	Vanessa	Playing With Fire
Baxter	David	Musician
Baynton	Marina	Musician
Bell	Alex	Kashaga Productions
Bhaneja	Raoul	Musician
Bichan	Dougal	Dougal & Co. Inc
Bird	Catharine	Cat Bird Grant Writing Service
Blain	Brian	Musician
Blersh	Terry	Musician
Bonneville	Ray	Musician
Boser	Len	Saskatoon Blues Society
Bowen	Dalannah Gail	Musician
Brown	Debbie	Stellula Music in Schools
Brown	Gord
Browne	Michael Jerome	Musician
Burnside	Peter	Pacemaker Entertainment
Butler	Steve	Paquin Entertainment
Campbell	Kathy	Pooka Print – Music & Event Management
Chisholm	Joe	IndieCan Radio
Clarke	Rick	Bruce County Blues
Clarke	Marilyn	Bruce County Blues
Culp	Krista	FACTOR
Davis	Jeff	Playing With Fire
Davis	Robert	Musician
Dawson	Richard	CBC Newsworld
Degryse	Tim	West Michigan Blues Society
Del Junco	Carlos	Musician
Doyle	Karen	Canadian Heritage, Arts Presentation Canada
Druckman	Howard	SOCAN
Dube	Gabriel	Toronto Blues Society
Eagle	Chip	Blues Revue
Fera	Peter	SOCAN
Ferrara	Rico	Blues For A Big Town
Fischer	Laura	Bluesline Music
Flohil	Richard	Flohil & Associates
Forsberg	Jostein	Nottoden Blues Festival
Forth	Bruce	SouthSide Shuffle
Fraser	Alec	Musician
French	Sarah	Publicist
Garrett	Amos	Musician
Gillespie	Donna	Limestone City Blues Festival
Gregoire	Darcy	The Agency Group
Guillermo	Jean	Blues Sur Seine
Hall	Bruce	Grand River Blues Society
Hill	Debbie
Hovan	Paul	Producer
Hummel	Coralie	SOCAN
Jackson	Betty	Musician
Jackson	Chuck	SouthSide Shuffle
Jones	JW	Musician
K	Tracy	Musician
Kelly	Jadea	Flohil & Associates
Kennedy	Harrison	Musician
Kish	ShoShona	Musician
Kreller	Bev	SPEAK Music
Krivy	Joel	Musician
Krushelnicki	Earl	Blues Underground Network
Krushelnicki	Nancie	Blues Underground Network
Kurtz	Larry	Orangeville Blues & Jazz Festival
Lawrence	Marshall	Musician
Levasseur	Treasa	Musician
Lundeen	Michele	Blues Festival Guide
MacAuley	Gord	Canadian Blues Alliance
MacAuley	Christine	Saskatoon Blues Society
Mackey	Wesley	Musician
MacLean	Doc	Musician
Malone	Mike
Manet	Arthur	French Consulate
Manilla	Ben	Ben Manilla Productions, Inc.
Marks	Danny	Bluz FM
Martin	Jenn	IndieCan Radio
McCord	Scott	Musician
McKeigan	Ann	CBC – Canada Live
McNulty	Frank	JBG Productions
Metcalfe	Robyn	DAWG FM
Mills	Trevor	Top Quark Productions
Monahan	Mark	Ottawa Bluesfest
Morel	Bruce	Music Marketing International
Monpetit	Pierre	Montreal Blues Society
Mosley	Marcus	Musician
Murphy	Chris	Red, White and Blues Festival
Murphy	Rodney	SOCAN
Murray	Michael	Ontario Arts Council
Nazareth	Errol	CBC Radio / Toronto Sun
Neilsen	Ross	Musician
Neveu	Mark	Field Holler Productions
Newhook	Kirk	Wreckhouse Jazz and Blues
Noel	Jacques	FestiBlues International de Montréal
Nordquist	Chris	Musician
Northcott	Paul	Twisted Pines Music and Arts
Otis	Pete	Musician
Peet	Shannon	Canada Council
Petrie	Bill	Sapience Inc.
Pew	James	Euphonic Sound / Studio Manifesto
Phillips	Cathy	Grand River Blues Society
Puffer	Colin	Sound Technician
Reid	Mike “Shrimp Daddy”	Musician
Ritchie	Doug	Limestone City Blues Festival
Robinson	Chris	Arpix Media Inc.
Rombough	Wendy	IndieCan Radio
S’Aida	Shakura	Musician
Salmon	Jim	Musician
Sanders	Will	Musician
Sanderson	Paul	Sanderson Entertainment Law
Sarni	Greg	Blues Trust Productions / WBRS Radio
Savein	Tracey	South Paw Productions
Sazz	Lily	Musician
Schneider	Rich	Blues Beat Magazine
Scott	Meghan	Tuck and Roll Productions
Seto	Ted	SOCAN
Sieleman	Jay	The Blues Foundation
Sinnet	Tim	Canal Bank Shuffle
Slack	Brian	Montreal Blues Society
Small	Ron	Musician
Stafford	Mark	Musician
Sykes	Liz	Ottawa Blues Society
Tanguai	Joane	Montreal Blues Society
Theriault	Sylvie	Sapience Inc.
Thom	Eric	Blues Revue
Thorington	Debra	Ottawa Blues Society
Torres	Ed	DAWG FM
Travers-Smith	David	Musician
Trottier	Yves	DAWG FM
Valenteyn	John	CIUT – Let The Good Times Roll
Vaughan	Tim	Musician
Veronica	Irene	Montreal Blues Society
Vinnick	Suzie	Musician
Whiteley	Ken	Musician
Ybarra	Felix	West Michigan Blues Society
Zack	Garrett	Cowpie Blues Festival

PANELISTS

Matt Andersen is a well-known and established part of the East Coast music landscape and a favourite live performer at clubs and festivals. He has just released his first studio album of original material, Something in Between.

Derek Andrews is an arts consultant, concert promoter and volunteer with a wide range of non-profit music organizations including Small World Music, Worlds of Music Toronto, Folk Alliance Canada, the Guelph Jazz Festival and is founding President of the Toronto Blues Society.

Velma Barkwell is a respected music industry veteran with expertise in licensing music for film and television, music publishing, soundtrack development & production, music supervision, and overall creative project management. She is the Director of Music Licensing for Sony BMG Music Canada, and the founder/music supervisor for East End Music Productions.

David Baxter is a guitar player, songwriter, and producer extraordinaire. Performing regularly with Justin Rutledge, Treasa Levasseur, The Undesirables, and Blue Rodeo, he has just released his debut solo album, Day & Age.

Catharine Bird is a freelance grant writer for arts organizations and artists. With more than 15 years experience in the music industry including stints as a record label executive, booking agent, manager, music festival coordinator and director of a national arts organization, Catharine’s diverse experience is an asset to decoding the application process.

Brian Blain is a popular mainstay of the Toronto music scene both as a player and behind the scenes. Originally from the hills of rural Quebec, he has been performing his unique brand of slow-cooked, contemporary country blues for more than 40 years – soulful, thoughtful, always entertaining.

Ray Bonneville’s gritty storytelling and deep-grooving blues style has won him much critical attention including a Juno Award for his album Gust of Wind. A world-class guitarist, harmonica player and hard-hitting songwriter, he has just released his sixth album, Goin’ By Feel.

Rob Bowman is a Professor in Ethnomusicology at York University, Grammy-winning liner note writer, award-winning author, broadcaster, and 2008 Blues Booster of the Year. His book, Soulsville U.S.A.—The Story of Stax Records, has garnered numerous honours, including the Sweet Soul Music Award at the Poretta Soul Festival, Italy, and the ASCAP-Deems Taylor Award.

Debbie Brown is a former Twisted Pines Festival founding partner and General Manager and has recently developed Stellula Music in Schools, a program designed to promote music and arts for young people in Simcoe County communities. This year, students will write and perform their songs, document their work through newsletters and videos and taking part in monthly meetings with professional musicians.

Michael Jerome Browne is a master of multiple roots styles, a fine singer, a multi-instrumentalist, a songwriter (in collaboration with lyricist B.A. Markus) and a record producer. He has been nominated three times for Juno awards in the Blues and Roots & Traditional categories.

Krista Culp joined FACTOR in July of 2006 as their Communications Manager. As Communications Manager, Krista is responsible for maintaining relationships with Canada’s private radio broadcasters, attending industry events, panels and information sessions and all the while, answering any questions you may have about FACTOR.

Jeff Davis is the organizer/presenter of the Playing with Fire concert series in Omaha, Nebraska. Jeff became passionate about music when as a teen he first heard Roy Orbison and became a Blues Hound after seeing B.B.King at the Fillmore West.

Carlos del Junco has toured Canada regularly since 1996 and tours often in Germany and the United States. Juno winner and seven time Maple Blues Award winner, he has just released his fifth record, Steady Movin’.

Karen Doyle is a Program Officer with the Department of Canadian Heritage’s Arts Presentation Canada Program. The program funds professional arts presenter organizations, arts festivals, and presenter support organizations across Canada

Chip Eagle is the publisher of the two largest Blues publications in the world, Blues Revue and BluesWax.com and the two largest Folk music publications, Dirty Linen and FolkWax weekly. He is also a partner in the VizzTone Label Group.

Rico Ferrara has been a mainstay on the Canadian Blues scene since 1997 and is involved with The Barrie Waterfront Festival, The Beaches Jazz Festival, the Wasaga Beach Fest, and his company Blues For A Big Town. The Waterfront Blues Festival is his pride and joy where he takes free rein in all the booking, media relations, and stage management.

Richard Flohil is a 40-year veteran of the Canadian music business and heads a small, but extremely busy, music publicity and promotion company working with Stony Plain Records, Downchild, Roxanne Potvin, Treasa Levasseur and Paul Reddick.

Jostein Forsberg has been in a leading role of the Notodden Blues Festival in Norway since 1990 and was one of the initiators of the Norwegian Blues Union in 1997. He was the chairman of the board for the Norwegian Blues Union for four years and has also worked as a developer for the European Blues Center in Notodden.

Bruce Forth is the Chairman of the Southside Shuffle Blues and Jazz Festival, which is now entering its eleventh year. Since its inception in 1999, the Festival has grown from a modest one day event featuring two acts to a five day festival drawing close to 100,000 people to its many stages and venues.

Alec Fraser plays electric bass guitar for The Jeff Healey Band, Jerome Godboo, and the upright bass for Brokenjoe. As a producer he has three Juno awarded albums and multiple Maple Blues awards for recording and bass playing.

Sarah French is a life-long blues fan who is happy to make a living through music. She is a publicist in Toronto, working with True North Records and has worked with Richard Flohil and Jeff Healey.

Amos Garrett has been playing guitar for more than 40 years – and his list of credits is exhaustive. One of the most lyrical and original guitarists playing today, his single note solos and melodic figures are so distinctive that it is virtually impossible to mistake them for anyone else’s.

Jean Guillermo After retiring from IBM, Jean launched Blues sur Seine ten years ago. The festival features blues in the schools, social initiatives, extends into 22 regional cities and involves a variety of audiences. Twinned with Montreal’s Festiblues, Blues sur Seine received a Blues Foundation “Keeping the Blues Alive” award in 2008.

Darcy Gregoire A licensed agent since 1994, Darcy joined The Agency Group in Toronto in 2007 after seven years as President of LiveTourArtists. Darcy serves artists of a variety of musical genres. His blues music clients include Harry Manx and Sue Foley.

Chuck Jackson is a founder of the Southside Shuffle Festival in Port Credit and is the singer of infamous Canadian blues band Downchild. Together with Downchild he has won seven Maple Blues Awards including the Blues With A Feeling Award presented for Lifetime Achievement in blues music.

ShoShona Kish is a multidisciplinary artist who has fused her art school training with her first love of music and songwriting. She has become best known for her work as a co-creator and front woman for the Juno-nominated group DiggingRoots and has won a CBC Galaxie Rising Star Award and the Best Blues album at the Indian Summer Music Awards.

Larry Kurtz is half of the band Trouble & Strife and also hosts Roots’N’Blues on 88.8FM. In 2003, Larry founded the Orangeville Blues & Jazz Festival which has since grown into one of the most popular and successful festivals in Ontario.

Michele Lundeen is editor of the Blues Festival Guide magazine and a respected singer/songwriter/bandleader. This six-time San Diego Music Award “Best Blues” Nominee was a 2006 IBC “Best Self-Produced CD” finalist and also competed in the IBC band division in 2001. Michele is a Blues In The Schools presenter, a founding member/former editor of two blues societies, and owner of a graphics/print broker business.

Danny Marks is a winner of the Toronto Blues Society’s Blues with a Feeling Award for lifetime achievement in music and broadcast. As well as hosting JAZZ.FM91’s Saturday night blues show, bluz.fm, Danny is also an in-demand guitar player.

Mark Monahan is the founder of the Ottawa Bluesfest. Mark fills the role of executive director and, along with a volunteer board of directors, provides leadership for the festival organization. He is the artistic director and is responsible for all artist negotiations and bookings.

Trevor Mills is not only an in-demand bass player and performer, but also programs the long-running Eaglewood Folk Festival. He has been invited to this conference for his knowledge of the online webisphere amassed through running his own website programming business and just generally thinking all that stuff is neat!

Chris Murphy is a musician, bandleader, and booking agent based out of London, Ontario. He performs regularly with Jack de Keyzer, has led his own band since 1985, and is a member of the Maple Blues Band.

Rodney Murphy is the Education and Outreach Manager for SOCAN – the Society of Composers, Authors and Music Publishers of Canada. He spends most of his time attending shows, seminars, and industry events providing member education and public speaking on behalf of SOCAN.

Michael Murray started as an Officer at the Ontario Arts Council in the fall of 2007 where he took over the responsibilities of Popular & World Music granting programs and has recently started overlooking OAC’s Arts Service Organizations.

Errol Nazareth has been playing with words professionally for over 16 years. He’s written for NOW Magazine, EYE Weekly, and is a music columnist with The Toronto Sun. He’s a regular contributor to CBC Radio’s Metro Morning and Big City Small World.

Paul Northcott was a founder of the Mundy’s Bay Folk Society and the Orillia Spring Blues Festival. In 1997 he created the Twisted Pines Blues Festival; which has morphed into the Twisted Pines Music & Arts group in recent years: hosting concerts, films, art gallery tours, children’s workshops and an annual music festival each May long weekend.

Jacques Noel has been involved with the FestiBlues International de Montréal since its foundation in 1998. He has always been involved in the Festival International de Jazz de Montréal, Francofolies de Montréal, Blues High Way.

Doug Ritchie has been the Managing Director of the Downtown Kingston! organization since 1983. Downtown Kingston! has run more than 1300 music concerts, created a world famous street performer festival – Kingston Buskers Rendezvous, an the award-winning Limestone City Blues Festival.

Chris Robinson has worked as a Music Supervisor for Film and Television w/ Arpix Media since 1999. In that time he has worked on wide variety of productions, helping drive the music creative via song selection and licensing, negotiating rights and fees for everything from top 10 hits to indie bedroom studio recordings. He also consults with score composers to help shape the overall score sound of various productions. He is currently working on season 2 of the CTV / CBS series Flashpoint, and season 1 of CTV / NBC series The Listener.

Shannon Peet worked as a professional musician and producer during the eighties and nineties, commissioned and recorded new work, presented and toured extensively, dabbled in theatre and dance, and spent a lot of time traveling between New York, Holland and her home in Toronto. At the Canada Council she has worked extensively with most programs in the Touring Office and the Music Section with a couple of recent detours (including Theatre) along the way.

James Pew is owner and in-house producer at the Toronto-based independent recording studio Euphonic Sound. He’s also a partner in the boutique pro audio shop Origin Audio Electronics, and the founder of Toronto based independent record label Broken Window Records.

Greg Sarni is the founder of Blues Trust Productions and the Boston Blues Festival. Non-profit promotes Blues music through presentation and publicity. Produced two live recordings from the Boston Blues Festival. The Blues Trust honors veteran performers with the Blues Trust Lifetime Achievement Award and assists artists with emergency relief.

Lily Sazz has been the musical director and keyboard player for the highly-acclaimed Toronto Blues Society Women’s Blues Revue and currently performs with award-winning funk groove r’n’b band Groove Corporation. She is a long-time member of the Musicians Advisory Council of the Toronto Blues Society

Brian Slack is a manager and agent representing premier blues, jazz and roots artists across Canada and abroad. In addition to his roles as Artistic Director of four Quebec festivals, including the Tremblant International Blues Festival and the Maximum Blues International Festival, he is a festival and artist consultant. Brian is a founding member and the Vice President of the Montreal Blues Society.

Mark ‘Bird’ Stafford earned his nickname from his ability to soar on the harmonica in the fiery fashion of Charlie Parker. Mark shares a phenomenal passion for making music and, as he’s been performing since he was knee-high to a sharecropper, he’s developed a musical voice that’s become somewhat legendary in these parts – and beyond.

Eric Thom has come by his blues honestly – first, as a fan and, second, as a writer. He writes, reviews and photographs the blues for Blues Revue (U.S.) and Exclaim and Penguin Eggs (Canada), writes the occasional feature article and enjoys working with the Maple Blues Awards nominating committee.

Ed Torres is the President and General Manager of Skywords Radio, a national broadcasting company that employs over 40 people in offices from Halifax to Vancouver. Ed is also the Chairman of CIDG-FM and is working to license Canada’s first All Blues commercial FM station

David Travers-Smith is a Toronto-based Producer, Engineer, Mixer and Musician. Recordings he has produced and/or engineered have garnered seven Juno Awards, along with nominations and wins at the Maple Blues Awards, Western Canadian Music Awards, American Folk Alliance Awards, American Indie Music Awards, Canadian Folk Music Awards, and East Coast Music Awards

Suzie Vinnick is an award-winning singer, songwriter and musician. She was nominated 2008 & 2007 Female Vocalist and 2007 Bassist at the Canadian Maple Blues Awards, and was the recipient of three 2006 Canadian Maple Blues Awards for Female Vocalist, Bassist and shared Songwriter of the Year with Rick Fines for their 2006 release, Nothing Halfway.

Ken Whiteley is one of Canada’s most respected “roots” musicians. Drawing on his incredibly rich background in blues, gospel and folk styles, this six time Juno award nominee has played at virtually every major folk festival in Canada and has received 11 Gold or Platinum albums, 18 Juno nominations, 2 Juno winners and 2 Grammy nominations, with total sales in excess of 6 million copies.

Garrett Zack is a co-developer and producer of The Cowpie Blues Festival, developed and produced “Blues on the Mall”, the largest blues music performance series in the State of Michigan, and is also an active traditional musician who plays guitar, mandolin and fiddle.

SHOWCASES

Showcase concerts will be featured on the evenings of Saturday, January 17 and Sunday, January 18. Admission is free for Blues Summit IV registered delegates. (See showcase artist bios below)

SATURDAY, JANUARY 17, 2009

	Monarch’s Pub, Main Floor	Market Garden, Main Floor
9:00-9:40	Dalannah Gail Bowen	9:30-10:10	Mike “Shrimp Daddy” Reid
10:00-10:40	Raoul & The Big Time	10:30-11:10	Marshall Lawrence
11:00-11:40	Anderson/Sloski	11:30-12:10	Ross Neilsen
12:00-12:40	Blackburn	12:30-1:10	Wes Mackey

SUNDAY, JANUARY 18, 2009

	Monarch’s Pub, Main Floor	Market Garden, Main Floor
9:00-9:40	Keith Hallett	8:30-9:10	Monkey Junk
10:00-10:40	Scott McCord and the Bonafide Truth	9:30-10:10	Suzie Vinnick
11:00-11:40	Steve Strongman	10:30-11:10	Carlos del Junco
12:00-12:40	Pappy Johns Band III	11:30-12:10	Tracy K

*All times and venues are subject to change.

Alternate showcase performers:

Aaron Griggs
Peacework
The Bluesers
Bradley/McGillivray Blues Band
John Lee Sanders

Showcase Artist Bios:

Saturday, 9:00-9:40 PM, Monarchs Pub

Dalannah Gail Bowen African-Canadian/Cherokee singer, Dalannah Gail Bowen’s vocals have been described as “Billie Holiday meets Howlin’ Wolf.” A singer, musical activist, playwright & actor, Dalannah’s recent release, Mamma’s Got The Blues, is her first blues recording. (Vancouver, BC)

Saturday, 9:30-10:10 PM, Market Garden

Mike “Shrimp Daddy” Reid are a rocking Blues, Swing, R&B, and Rock & Roll band who go out of their way to provide great music and get the crowd dancing and singing along. (Oakville, ON)

Saturday, 10:00-10:40 PM, Monarchs Pub

Raoul and the Big Time are one of the most highly regarded and awarded young blues acts in Canada. They have released two records to critical acclaim – Big Time Blues and Cold Outside. (Toronto, ON)

Saturday, 10:30-11:10 PM, Market Garden

Marshall Lawrence is taking traditional blues styles and infusing them with a raw, fiery energy. His adrenaline-driven sound is a fierce combination of funk, rock and soul, a wild ride he calls “acid blues.” (Edmonton, AB)

Saturday, 11:00-11:40 PM, Monarchs Pub

Anderson/Sloski—Joint Chiefs of Soul maintain tradition while lighting a new flame to their music. From Gospel to Funk, Jazz to Boogaloo to blues they cover it all and really nail it. (Orillia, ON)

Saturday, 11:30-12:10 PM, Market Garden

Ross Neilsen and the Sufferin’ Bastards is a two time East Coast Music Association nominee and two time CBC Rising Star Award winner. He eats, breathes and sleeps the blues! (Fredericton, NB)

Saturday, 12:00-12:40 AM, Monarchs Pub

Blackburn is a unique, soulful Blues band with a diverse sound comprised of a fusion of soul, R&B and Blues which is versatile and exciting. Blackburn brings it all together with conscious lyrics to create a smooth and soulful groove. (Toronto, ON)

Saturday, 12:30-1:10 AM, Market Garden

Wes Mackey is a Bluesman who has a totally unique, individual sound and identity. Wes has definitely paid-his-dues in full and he’s got a special gift that he wants to share. (Vancouver, BC)

Sunday, 8:30-9:10 PM, Market Garden

Monkey Junk is Tony D, Steve Marriner, and Matt Sobb. They draw heavily on the legends of the blues and translate that influence into a contemporary blend of sweet tones and good time grooves. (Ottawa, ON)

Sunday, 9:00-9:40 PM, Monarchs Pub

Keith Hallett has something to say through his music and the audience feels it instantly. Though only nineteen, he has already won the 2007 CBC Galaxie Rising Star Award and shared the stage with a who’s who of Canadian Blues. (Fredericton, NB)

Sunday, 9:30-10:10 PM, Market Garden

Suzie Vinnick has just released her third album, Happy Here, and continues to prove herself as an award-winning songwriter, singer, and musician. (Toronto, ON)

Sunday, 10:00-10:40 PM, Monarchs Pub

Scott McCord and the Bonafide Truth present a dynamic show that delivers soul and blues drenched pop songs with the kind of heart, sweat and precision that drove the live R’n’B shows of the 60s and 70s. Scott won the Toronto Blues Society Talent Search in 2008 and has just released his first album, Blues For Sunshine. (Toronto, ON)

Sunday, 10:30-11:10 PM, Market Garden

Carlos del Junco’s virtuosic harmonica-driven blues/roots/jazz music is as eclectic as it is bluesy. Be prepared to be amazed. The stigma of the harmonica as a “fringe folk instrument” will quickly disappear once you hear Carlos. (Toronto, ON)

Sunday, 11:00-11:40 PM, Monarchs Pub

Steve Strongman’s searing, blues soaked guitar and warm soulful vocal harmonies evokes the emotion, maturity and authenticity of classic blues themes like lost love, truth and hard times. Listening to him is guitar paradise. (Hamilton, ON)

Sunday, 11:30-12:10 AM, Market Garden

Tracy K’s voice is well controlled and gritty as a whisky-soaked hobnail. With harmonica, vocal & songwriting awards, her music ranges from rockin’ the blues to authentic real folk-blues. (Thunder Bay, ON)

Sunday, 12:00-12:40 AM, Monarchs Pub

Pappy Johns Band III have been playing together for nearly 30 years and provide, without a doubt, one of the tightest, most soulful and fat backbones any blues band could wish for…period. (Grand River, ON)