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A Brief History of the Toronto Blues Society
BACKGROUND
Formed in 1985 by a group of enthusiasts who saw legendary blues nightclub Albert’s Hall spike blues interest and wanted to protect the stability of Toronto’s blues with an organization. This group included Derek Andrews, David Barnard and John Valenteyn, who wanted to ensure that blues music, an indigenous North American art form, was guaranteed a continued presence in Toronto. Although the blues scene at the time was thriving, it had almost disappeared during the late 1970s disco era. This suggested the need for an organization that would work to create a climate in which the opportunities for live performances, radio airplay and national touring that can make a career in music viable were being made available to blues musicians. Interest in the organization was immediate, and a paid membership of over 500 was established within two years. The membership has heald strong around that number ever since.
GOVERNANCE
The Toronto Blues Society (TBS) is governed by a working Board of Directors. Staff positions include an Office Manager and Office Assistant, Event Coordinator, Grants Officer, Bookkeeper, Sponsorship and Advertising Coordinator, Newsletter Editor as well as additional contract services and a large core of volunteers that is continually renewing. Self-generated revenue from memberships, advertising and fundraising has been supplemented by funding from government, foundations and corporate sponsorship.
COMMUNICATION
Since the organization’s inception, the TBS has experienced tremendous growth in terms of its structure, services and programming. The Toronto Blues Society’s monthly publication, Maple Blues, is well known throughout the international blues community. The TBS website is an indispensable portal for blues fans, with an online edition of the newsletter and links to hundreds of other Canadian blues artists and resources. The TBS created the on line Blues Book directory and the Maple Blues listserv, an email discussion group for the Canadian blues community. A weekly email broadcast called Where It’s At promotes events and social media such as Facebook and Twitter are now all used to reach out to blues fans.
Willie Dixon and Derek Andrews
EDUCATION
The Toronto Blues Society began a Blues in the Schools program in 1992 and successfully secured Trillium Foundation funding for three years in 1999 to expand the program. Since then, the TBS has managed a program of outreach to the Toronto area school system that has placed concerts, workshops and intensive sessions in both elementary and secondary schools. The TBS holds this initiative in high regard and looks forward to expanding Blues in the Schools in cooperation with teachers. We also value the education workshops we have staged to help musicians find their way in a competitive creative industry. This includes collaborations with Folk Music Ontario (FMO), Songwriters Association of Canada and Worlds of Music Toronto such as Music Money. These panels led to the creation of a national biannual conference called the Blues Summit where artists showcase for talent buyers, seminars address the evolving music industry landscape and some very social networking takes place.
The Maple Blues Awards has become a must attend blues event with an annual gala at Toronto’s Koerner Hall. The TBS Talent Search has attracted up-and-coming blues bands from across the country and provided a launching pad for many new artists. The TBS programs a diverse array of activities that includes performance workshops (guitar, harmonica, etc), a Blues in the Schools program, the annual Women’s Blues Revue, concerts, showcases and community outreach events, provides consultation to musicians and the music industry, and advocacy on behalf of the blues community.
As the community grows, the Toronto Blues Society continues to find new ways to promote this music that is so deeply connected to the North American spirit.
For more information about the history of the Toronto Blues Society, check out the TBS Archive.
Photo by James Dean
REST IN PEACE JOHN VALENTEYN
After a difficult fight with a rare blood disorder HLH John passed mid day on Sunday October 4 at Toronto Western Hospital according to his wife of 46 years, Brenda Valenteyn. Co-founder of the Toronto Blues Society in 1985, John was a pillar of the Canadian blues community broadcasting at CIUT 89.5 FM for fourteen years following a twenty year run with The Blues Hour at CJRT (now jazzfm). According to life long Port Colborne friend Doug McVicar, John’s first taste of broadcasting at Queens University flipped him from a path in engineering to the Ryerson Radio and Television Arts program and his stint as a producer, leading to years on the air. An avid collector, John travelled yearly to the Chicago Blues Festival trolling the aisles at Bob Koester’s Blues and Jazz Mart while catching live shows at Petrillo Band Shell.
His enormous collection made him a natural member of the Maple Blues Award Steering Committee and monthly Maple Blues newsletter reviewer in John’s Blues Picks. His knowledge and passion for blues recordings and artists made him the leading figure in Canada’s blues history. He will be missed.
Read more about John Valenteyn on obituaries posted on FYI Music, and The Globe and Mail.
▶ Cards to Toronto Blues Society and in lieu of flowers, Brenda Valenteyn has requested donations be made to Toronto Blues Society, either online or via cheque sent to the office address: 910 Queen St. W. Suite B04, Toronto-ON M6J 1G6.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
2024 BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Janet Alilovic
Derek Andrews (President)
Quisha Wint (Executive)
Ori Dagan
Brian Blain
Elaine Bomberry
Alana Bridgewater
Sugar Brown (Ken Kawashima)
Ron Clarkin (Treasurer)
Carol Flett (Secretary)
Dan McKinnon
Lori Murray
Jordan Safer (Vice-President)
Alice Sellwood
Ken Simms
Lily Sazz
Mike Smith
Dione Taylor
Julian Taylor
Jenie Thai
Suzie Vinnick
2024 VOLUNTEER & MEMBERSHIP COMMITTEE
Lucie Dufault
Carol Flett
Ori Dagan
Ed Parsons
Mike Smith
2024 MUSICIAN’S ADVISORY COMMITTEE
Brian Blain
Alana Bridgewater
Sugar Brown (Ken Kawashima)
Dan McKinnon
Lily Sazz
Dione Taylor
Julian Taylor
Jenie Thai
Suzie Vinnick
STAFF
For office, contact: info@torontobluessociety.com | (416) 538 3885
Grants Officer: TBS Grants
MapleBlues Newsletter Editor: Brian Blain
Sponsorship and Advertising Coordinator: Manny DeGrandis
Web Designer: Janine Stoll
Marketing & Social Media: Manny DeGrandis
MAPLE BLUES NEWSLETTER
Publisher & Editor-in-Chief: Derek Andrews
Managing Editor: Brian Blain
Contributing Editors: Janet Alilovic
Advertising Coordinator: Manny DeGrandis | 416-722-4175
Distribution: Ed Parsons
Printing: Allegra Toronto North | 289-588-1517 | allegramarketingprint.com
INSTITUTIONAL & BENEFACTOR MEMBERS
INSTITUTIONAL:
Aurora Winter Blues Festival
Choose the Blues Productions
Grand River Blues Society
Music by the Bay Live
Orangeville Blues & Jazz Festival
Stony Plain Records
True North Records
Limestone City Blues Festival | Downtown Kingston
Folk Music Ontario
Dead Dog Records
Waterloo Brewing
Kops Records
Mysterium Music
The Senator Wine Bar
BENEFACTOR:
Brian David Johnston
Dana Clarence
Wayne Anaka
Joel Goldberg
Peter Sidgwick
LIFETIME MEMBERS
LIFETIME:
Andrew Galloway, Donnie Walsh, Holger Petersen, Gary Kendall, Derek Andrews, Barbara Isherwood, Richard Flohil, Ken Whiteley, Brent Staeben, Brad Wheeler, Bruce Iglauer, Rob Bowman, Dave Booth, Liz Sykes, Michael Pickett, Mako Funasaka, Jack de Keyzer, Danny Marks, Elaine Bomberry, Ed Torres, Fred Litwin, Chuck Jackson, Morgan Davis, Rita Chiarelli, Mark Monahan, Brian Slack, Gord MacAulay, Chris Whiteley, Amos Garrett, Curley Bridges, B.B. King, Jackie Richardson, Nanette Workman
ORGANIZATIONAL MEMBERSHIPS
