John’s Blues Picks is the monthly album review column originally launched by the late Toronto-based blues historian and broadcaster, John Valenteyn. Submission can be sent to the TBS office for consideration and will be circulated to a pool of journalists and others for review in the monthly Maple Blues newsletter and placed at the Spotify playlist.
John Primer is perhaps the finest bluesman performing today in the classic Chicago Blues sound. He was a member of Muddy Waters’ last band as well as with Junior Wells and for many years with Magic Slim.
Cape Breton slide guitar master John Campbelljohn has just been signed to a worldwide record deal with the German company ZYX Music Pepper Cake Records and his first album under that deal will be Guitar Lovin’ Man, to be released shortly. Until then we get a most magnificent fill-in: Elmore’s Blues is a loving tribute to Elmore James with veteran Halifax singer Wayne Nicholson.
Veteran Vancouver singer Dalannah Gail Bowen’s last album featured only virtuoso bassist Owen to stunning effect. This time out she has assembled a full band under the direction of Michael Creber.
Electric guitar virtuoso Philip Sayce has come a long way since his apprenticeship with the Jeff Healey Band. Spirit Rising puts his mastery of the guitar and of the recording studio in the service of some very good songs.
Straight, no chaser. That’s what we get from Watermelon Slim here.
Saxophone legend Sonny Del Rio aka Dennis Grasley, has long been a fixture of the Hamilton music scene, most prominently as a member of Crowbar and of King Biscuit Boy’s bands.
Sandra Bouza was our Talent Search winner this past year and the winner of our playoff to head to Memphis for the International Blues Challenge in January where she reached the semi-finals. She released a couple of songs during this time and now we have a full album.
In some ways, Ken Whiteley’s new album is not a surprise in that it contains his usual blend of personal, political and spiritual songs. He also continues to bring along some remarkable guests to help out. He has however come up with some brilliant new songs and he’s singing very well indeed.
Crystal Shawanda is from the Wikwemikong reserve on Manitoulin Island although she has lived in Nashville for several years now. With husband Dewayne Strobel on guitars & production and Crystal on powerhouse vocals & songwriting, they make for quite a couple and they have outdone themselves on this new one.
After her 6 CD Mentor Series, which focused on the rediscovered blues singers she met personally (all male), Rory Block launched her ‘Power Women of the Blues’ Series with a full disc devoted to Bessie Smith.
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