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.
After an eight-year recording hiatus, The Fabulous Thunderbirds are back in action with the album Struck Down comprised of 9 original tracks by Kim Wilson, the band’s leader since 1974, i.e. 50 years already, and by Canadian bluesman and guitarist Steve Strongman of Hamilton.
The Haligonian hippie couple Christine Campbell and Blake Johnston have crafted a throwback salute to a big band sound with sprinklings of tender ballads that expose some true blues heart in their song craft.
One Guitar Woman, A Tribute To The Female Pioneers Of Guitar, the first acoustic album by guitarist Sue Foley among sixteen personal opuses, let’s say it bluntly, is a tour de force!
Adam Karch is a Quebecois acoustic guitarist and singer, proven and expressive, who tells stories, life facts in a panorama of Americana and blues music.
Anthony Geraci is an experienced pianist and organist born in New Haven, Connecticut and residing in Boston.
It’s not easy to settle on a genre that defines Red, Hot and Blue the latest album from Newmarket, Ontario’s Glenn Marais & the Mojo Train. Is it blues? Funk? Rock? R&B? Yes.
Rick Vito, born in 1949 had, I must say, escaped my attention, like an invisible man who has nevertheless played on over a hundred records, including a dozen releases, CDs and DVDs under his own signature.
After five decades of a fruitful career and thirty-six albums behind him, Eric Bibb, in the tireless pursuit of his musical journey of blues, folk, gospel and Americana represents for me a style, a genre in itself.
During the pandemic shut-down, what better way for a seasoned blues guitarist and singer to keep his spirits up and stay in top form than delving into performing and recording a new CD, mainly in the acoustic and traditional style.
Just want to Have Fun is the 23rd album by the prolific Mike Goudreau. It includes twelve originals by the artist and is co-produced and recorded with his long-time friend, Dany Roy, the brilliant saxophonist and arranger who also plays trumpet and flute on this opus.
©2025 Toronto Blues Society. Design by Janine Stoll Media.
TBS logo and WBR artwork by Barbara Klunder
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.
