Toronto Blues Society | » Loose Blues News – May 2018

Loose Blues News – May 2018

Published May 2, 2018 in Loose Blues News, News, Uncategorized

RIP Jon Long:

Long & McQuade has long been a highly valued friend to musicians across the country with beloved patriarch Jack Long and his sons serving the music community for decades, but Jon was the Long who would put his arm around your shoulder and show genuine concern and a willingness to make things happen. Following a devastating accident right outside the flagship Bloor Street store, he was never able to fully resume his role at L&M though he kept up playing music and organizing jams and being a great cheerleader for countless Toronto indie musicians. He just turned 60 on April 5.

Here Come the Festivals:

Summer festivals throughout Ontario and beyond are announcing their line-ups on an almost daily basis and the TBS is compiling a comprehensive listing of all the blues festivals at www.torontobluessociety.com/blues-festival-guide-2018/

Jason Buie Update:

To date, the TBS has raised $3800 which will be forwarded to Chris Buie for the Trust Fund created for Jason’s 3 children and their future education needs.

Congratulations to the Double Clutch Band, house band at the 2018 Jack Richardson London Music Awards on April 15th and winners of the Blues award. Complete list of winners at www.jrlma.ca

Blues Archives unearthed:

MajikBus Entertainment, has been making news lately for a deal to exploit the vast untapped CBC library archives including Paddy Sampson’s legendary footage of the 1966 CBC blues show hosted by Barry Callaghan. They will be releasing a three-disc, blues box-set with 36 songs along with a DVD of performances by Muddy Waters, Jesse Fuller, Bukka White, Sonny Terry & Brownie McGee, Otis Spann, Sunnyland Slim, Willie Dixon, and many more. It’s amazing. Also included in the deal are historical TV, vinyl album and photography collections featuring the one-of-a-kind collection of still images of artists that includes The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, Jim Morrison (The Doors), Duke Ellington, Nat King Cole, The Doors, Jefferson Airplane, Neil Young, Bob Dylan, and many more. In the U.K., MajikBus has partnered with a company called Off Beat Lounge, which creates exhibitions of highly sought after rock ‘n’ roll limited edition prints. The genesis of this initiative to explore the CBC Archives and make the best of it available to the public goes back almost 15 years and involves Deane Cameron, former President of EMI Music Canada, and Peter Diemer, EMI’s Head of National Promotion, and their company Blue Wolverine.

Another Blues Club bites the dust:

B.B. King Blues Club & Grill has announced a final run of shows in its Times Square location, closing the doors of its New York venue after 18 years because of “escalating rent,” according to a statement. B.B. King’s will host a very special closing week celebration which will consist of performances by: Buddy Guy, Rick Ross, Slick Rick & Doug E. Fresh + Special Guests, El Gran Combo, George Clinton & Parliament Funkadelic and more. “Unfortunately this has become a growing trend in New York City, with other iconic music venues and businesses falling victim to opportunistic property owners,” Tsion Bensusan, the venue’s chief operator officer, said in a statement. The club is in the process of selecting a new location in Manhattan

Remembering Whitey:

This just in! There will be a tribute and celebration for drum legend Penti “Whitey” Glan with many of the Toronto R&B stars he played with at the Opera House, 735 Queen St E. Sunday, May 27th, 3pm-7:30pm.

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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.