Toronto Blues Society | » John’s Blues Picks

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’s Blues Picks February 2017 – Steve Kozak

Published February 1, 2017 in John's Blues Picks

The small print on the cover points out that The Harpoonist & The Axe Murderer are guests on Steve Kozak’s new, fourth, one. In even smaller print are the names of Jerry Cook and Dave Vidal. Cook has a very prominent role on the first two songs with his sax work. The basic quartet is Kozak on guitar & vocals, Dave Webb on keys, Roger Brant on bass and Chris Nordquist on drums. Kozak’s “Cane Sugar Sweet” is firmly in the west coast jump blues sound as is the fine version of Jody Williams’ “You May”.

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John’s Blues Picks February 2017 – Matt Minglewood

Published February 1, 2017 in John's Blues Picks

Cape Breton Blues Legend Matt Minglewood debuts album # 14 to kick off 2017. He is a pioneer of that uniquely East Coast blend of blues, country & rock and Fly Like Desperados has eleven new songs and one cover firmly in that vein. He also has a hot new band to play them: Emily Dingwall is on bass & vocals, 16 year old Nick McInnis on guitar, Jeff Stapleton on keyboards & vocals and long time drummer Moon McInnis.

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John’s Blues Picks February 2017 – Harry Manx

Published February 1, 2017 in John's Blues Picks

Harry Manx has a Canada 150 show at Koerner Hall on Feb. 3 and it will debut a new touring ensemble. Faith Lift is the new CD to go along with the tour. It is quite a departure from his usual sound in that he is accompanied by a string quartet. On the recording it is members of the Sydney Opera House Strings but at Koerner, it will be the Dévah Quartet (plus Kevin Breit, Davide Di Lorenzo & Clayton Doley).

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John’s Blues Picks January 2016 – Holly Hyatt & Jon Burden

Published January 1, 2017 in John's Blues Picks, News

This veteran duo from BC, with Hyatt on electric bass & vocals and Burden on electric guitar and vocals have a live CD that gets a little help from Marvin Walker on subdued drums. They perform a set of covers and originals, with Muddy’s “Blow Wind Blow” and Memphis Slim’s “Mother Earth” opening.

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John’s Blues Picks January 2016 – Lucas Haneman Express

Published January 1, 2017 in John's Blues Picks, News

The Lucas Haneman Express hails from Ottawa. Haneman is a visually impaired guitarist/vocalist/songwriter who has a degree in jazz studies and who won an Oscar Peterson Scholarship to do so. He has now decided to write original material, using his background to take blues in some non-traditional directions. The non-traditional directions include an awareness of current sensitivity to malefemale relationships.

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John’s Blues Picks January 2016 – Debra Power

Published January 1, 2017 in John's Blues Picks, News

Debra Power is a veteran Calgary pianist/vocalist with a long overdue first album. If you haven’t heard of her, it’s because she’s mostly played in clubs in Calgary while raising a daughter. But she is going to represent Western Canada at the IBCs this month and I’m sure her dusky voice and new songs will be well received there.

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John’s Blues Picks January 2016 – The Vaudevillian

Published January 1, 2017 in John's Blues Picks, News

The Vaudevillian is Jitterbug James (vocals/guitar/carzoobamaphone), Piedmont Johnson (vocals/bull fiddle) and Norah Spades (vocals/kazoo/ washboard) and they hail from Hamilton. As the name suggests, they recreate their own vaudeville or medicine show, right out of the twenties or even earlier. Brendan Stephens, as Jitterbug James, writes the original material and handles the lead vocals.

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John’s Blues Picks January 2016 – Mike Goudreau & The Boppin’ Blues Band

Published January 1, 2017 in John's Blues Picks

Mike Goudreau started out a few decades ago leading this band and although he’s released many CDs on his own, he continues to stay close to the Boppin’ Blues brand of horn-led swing blues. Those horns are still by founding members Dany Roy on sax and Maxime St-Pierre on trumpet.

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John’s Blues Picks January 2017 – Jeff Healey

Published January 1, 2017 in John's Blues Picks, News

Jeff Healey would have been, should have been, celebrating his 50th birthday last March but it was not to be. But it was still a time for celebration: a very successful tribute concert was held at Massey Hall and his estate undertook to release some music Jeff recorded in the 90’s but did not release. What was released at the time was Get Me Some on his own Forte label, but it was a prolific period.

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The Big Sound of Lil' Ed & The Blues Imperials

John’s Blues Picks Sept 2016 – The Big Sound Of Lil’ Ed & The Blues Imperials

Published September 1, 2016 in John's Blues Picks, News

The big sound comes directly from Hound Dog Taylor and Uncle J.B. Hutto, the two bestknown exponents of this slide driven Chicago Blues. Lil’ Ed and The Blues Imperials have taken the sound, made it their own, winning multiple awards, playing around the world, done network television and continuing to delight festival goers everywhere. In short, they’ve taken that sound to places never even dreamed of by Hound Dog or Uncle J.B. And they have a new album with twelve new songs plus two by Uncle J.B. Lil’ Ed Williams has worked with this band for many years: Mike Garrett on rhythm & lead guitars, Ed’s half-brother James ‘Pookie’ Young on bass & Kelly Littleton on drums.

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