April 2019 – FOG Blues & Brass Band
Published April 1, 2019 in John's Blues Picks, News
This is a band from Kitchener that I was introduced to at the Blues Summit. They are indeed what they advertise themselves as: a brass band that plays blues.
Maple Blues Archive
April 2019 – Murray Porter
Published April 1, 2019 in John's Blues Picks, News
Mohawk Turtle Clan, Six Nations born & bred, this Vancouver-based singer/songwriter/pianist has a new album for us to enjoy.
April 2019 – Al Lerman
Published April 1, 2019 in John's Blues Picks, News
Even a casual glance at www.allermanmusic.com will tell you he’s performing all over southern Ontario with his guitar and harmonica.
April 2019 – Harpdog Brown
Published April 1, 2019 in John's Blues Picks, News
Harpdog Brown’s last album, Travelin’ with the Blues, was a masterpiece of stripped-down traditional blues but he has now completely changed direction, having discovered his New Orleans familial roots.
April 2019 – Manx Marriner Mainline
Published April 1, 2019 in John's Blues Picks, News
Sixteen-year-old harp student Steve Marriner asked to sit in with Harry Manx at an Ottawa gig. Manx was so impressed that Marriner would tour with him for five years.
Top Blues – April 2019
This month’s recommended listening by John Valenteyn, host of John Valenteyn’s Blues on ciut.fm, 89.5 and CD reviewer for Maple Blues.
Loose Blues News – April 2019
Published April 1, 2019 in Loose Blues News, News
Congratulations to Colin James who received the JUNO award for 2019 Blues Album of the Year for “Miles To Go.” Colin did not attend in person because he was kicking off a huge cross-Canada tour with the same crack band that played on the album, including some familiar faces on the Toronto blues scene, Jesse O’Brien, Chris Caddell, and MonkeyJunk’s Steve Marriner. Colin beat out a field of top contenders, Samantha Martin and Delta Sugar, Jack de Keyzer, Myles Goodwin and Sue Foley. Congrats to all!
April 2019 – Matt Andersen
Published April 1, 2019 in Maple Blues Archive, Maple Blues Newsletter
Matt Andersen plays 2 nights at the Danforth Music Hall, May 10 & 11.
March 2019 – Gaye Adegbalola
Published March 4, 2019 in John's Blues Picks, News
It’s been said that no one is singing protest songs these days but whoever said that hasn’t checked out Gaye Adegbalola. This founding member of Saffire-The Uppity Blues Women has never stopped being uppity. Now 74, she sees herself in the role of Griot, the African custodian of oral history and storytelling and her stories are most certainly worth telling. About half the album takes on political and social themes while the other half tackles relationships past & present.
March 2019 – Dashboard Rattle
Published March 4, 2019 in John's Blues Picks, News
This new combination of four London area veterans shows great promise. Rick Taylor’s is the name you might most easily recognize and he’s on one guitar; Joe Fournier is on the other guitar; Jay Riehl, drums and Richard J. Miron on bass. They all sing, they all write and they describe their sound as ‘everything roots’ and perhaps more accurately as a ‘kickin’ guitar band’. The opening track, and the first single, is “All Kinds of Good”, an attractive one about the effect a new partner has on our singer.
