FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE / PLEASE UPDATE LISTINGS

Who: Julian Fauth, DiggingRoots, and The Undesirables with host Brian Blain
What: Blues for Your Festival: A showcase of exciting market-ready blues talent
Where: Ontario Council of Folk Festivals Conference, Crowne Plaza Hotel 101 rue Lyon Street, Ottawa, Chaudiere Room
When: Friday, October 13, 11PM

The Toronto Blues Society will host a reception to showcase three market-ready blues acts to the folk music industry at the 20th Annual OCFF Conference in Ottawa. The conference is where Canada’s professionals involved in all aspects of folk, roots and traditional music come together to share innovative experiences, ideas, and or course music.

The Blues showcases will connect three Toronto-area blues acts with talent buyers, promoters, presenters, and label representatives to facilitate touring possibilities both in Canada and abroad.

The showcasing artists are:

JULIAN FAUTH—1130PM
JUNO NOMINEE—BEST BLUES ALBUM 2005
Electro-fi Records artist Julian Fauth is at the forefront of the new generation of musicians, who are breathing fresh life into Blues Music here in the 21st century. Fauth has already been Nominated for a Juno in 2005 for his debut album Songs of Vice and Sorrow. A gifted songwriter, still in his 30’s, Britain’s prestigious Blues and Rhythm magazine has already compared his work to Bob Dylan and Tom Waits.

DIGGINGROOTS—1210AM
INDIAN SUMMER MUSIC AWARD—BEST BLUES RECORDING
DiggingRoots, are an innovative and dynamic group of indigenous artists who bring an empowered message to roots and blues music. Cofounding songwriters ShoShona Kish and Raven Kanatakta create a music called ‘Odeimin Nigamowin’ which stirs in soulful, spiritual roots and blues music with grooves of reggae, jazz and traditional First Nations vocal harmonies. Their current CD ‘seeds’, released by Jericho Beach, is an uplifting album that speaks to all listeners regardless of background, practicing the art of unifying audiences through music. They were recently awarded Best Blues Recording 2006 at the Indian Summer Music Awards. DiggingRoots are represented by The Agency Group Ltd.

THE UNDESIRABLES—1250PM
TORONTO BLUES SOCIETY TALENT SEARCH WINNERS 2006
The Undesirables are a refreshing and infectious songwriting duo who kick out heat like an old woodstove. Guitarist/harmonist Sean Cotton and lyricist/singer Corin Raymond deliver a brand new vibe with roots-and-blues clout. In performance The Undesirables are a mesmerizing unit. Corin hand-delivers each lyric while Sean provides a rich colour and unexpected fullness of sound on the acoustic guitar; their voices blend with sibling harmony, and everyone who hears them is a little happier.

HOSTED BY BRIAN BLAIN
Northern Blues recording artist Brian Blain is a popular mainstay of the Toronto music scene both as a player and behind the scenes. Brian is the quintessential 21st century northern bluesman – a study in contradiction, starting with the title of his new album, “Overqualified For The Blues”. His guitar style is as authentic and soulful as you will find in any blues but his lyrics reveal a unique, contemporary point of view. His vocals do not sound like some old blues guy, yet he is an old blues guy, with 60 years of life experiences and 40 years writing and singing about them (on the same guitar). His lyrics are thoughtful but he’s an entertainer at heart.

Media Contact:
Toronto Blues Society
416-538-3885
[email protected]