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.

Ronnie Earl and the Broadcasters - Maxwell Street

John’s Blues Picks Sept 2016 – Ronnie Earl and the Broadcasters

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

Maxwell Street is not just a nod to the famous market in Chicago but also Ronnie Earl’s way of paying tribute to an old friend who recently passed away, the legendary pianist and former Broadcaster David Maxwell. Dave Limina, who now has the piano chair, composed “Elegy For A Bluesman” and Earl wrote “Blues For David Maxwell” – a more fitting tribute would be hard to imagine. Ronnie Earl excels at these slow blues and “In Memory of T-Bone” is mesmerizing. The tempo picks up a bit for Diane Blue’s vocal, “Kismet”.

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Duke Robillard - Blues Full Circle

John’s Blues Picks Sept 2016 – Duke Robillard

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

The last album, The Acoustic Blues & Roots of Duke Robillard, was a collection that Duke had banked over the years but it was no filler as he won the Blues Music Award for Acoustic Album of The Year. In the notes to this one, he reveals he had suffered a rotator cuff separation and couldn’t play guitar for a year! It’s all fixed now and he’s back with an album of new material that reconnects to his Roomful Of Blues days, hence the title. But it’s Roomful without the horns. Duke just has Bruce Bears on keyboards, Brad Hallen on basses and longtime drummer Mark Teixeira.

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Sunday Wilde - Bluesberries & Grits

John’s Blues Picks Sept 2016 – Sunday Wilde

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

Sunday Wilde seems to spend almost as much time in the Mississippi Delta as she does in her hometown of Atikoken ON. Album number six was recorded in Clarksdale and Memphis and is sub-titled as ‘all acoustic blues and roots’. The mix of instruments played on these songs is delightful. Wilde’s honky tonk piano is featured prominently and her love of classic blues opens the album with “Show Me A Man”. With trumpet, dobro, acoustic bass (Reno Jack) & drums, this sassy original is a gem.

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Kenny Neal - Blood Line

John’s Blues Picks Sept 2016 – Kenny Neal

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

How many of you remember the nights at the Hotel Isabella when Kenny Neal and his brothers hosted shows with such visitors as Big Mama Thornton, Johnny Dollar, Sunnyland Slim and Junior Wells? Or his tenure with the Downchild Blues Band? He has been back in Baton Rouge for so long we tend to forget his contributions to our scene. He still has family here and visits regularly. Donnie Walsh didn’t forget, Kenny was a star attraction at Downchild’s 45th at Massey Hall last fall.

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Jordan Patterson - The Back On Track Recording Project

John’s Blues Picks March 2016 – Jordan Patterson

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

Kitchener’s vocalist/harpist Jordan Patterson released a very good CD in 1996 on the JSP label called Give Me A Chance featuring guest spots from Bobby Rush and Bobby Parker. We learn from the press release that he then went into artist tour management & promotion. He returned to his first love last year with a four song EP that did so well he’s here with an exciting full album and a major label distribution deal. He released two singles from the album before its official release February 19.

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Sean Pinchin - Monkey Brain

John’s Blues Picks March 2016 – Sean Pinchin

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

Port Credit’s Sean Pinchin returns following his breakthrough Rustbucket CD of a couple of years ago. That album led to an MBA nomination, excellent reviews and much work, as he played most of the major festivals across the country. He also played on Dione Taylor‘s recent CD, Born Free. We learn this time from his press release that he has been suffering from severe bouts of depression for years. He realized he could write about this and perhaps help himself as he did so. The result is a stunning new album, produced once again by Rob Szabo, the JUNO-winning producer for Steve Strongman, who also supplies keyboards and backing vocals.

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Matt Andersen - Honest Man

John’s Blues Picks March 2016 – Matt Andersen

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

For someone who tours as much as this man, it’s a wonder he has time to record a new album at all, let alone one that involves a fair amount of production time. He went to New York to record with Commissioner Gordon, who has worked with many of the greatest in the pop music business. MattAndersen writes in the press release that he was very happy with the new ideas that Gordon brought to the sessions. To Gordon”s great credit, he has made sure that that great voice was front and centre. That voice is in the service of some excellent new songs, all co-writes once again, that while aimed squarely at the mainstream has more than enough to delight all his fans.

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John’s Blues Picks March 2016 – The Way We Was – The Story of the Kendall Wall Blues Band

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

Christopher Darton is the filmmaker but the prime mover behind this project is Gary Kendall. Cash Wall was a fellow Downchild alumnus and the matinee they began at the Black Swan every Saturday afternoon on the Danforth became a Toronto blues institution. The documentary tells that story and it is now available for all to see on YouTube. As the documentary shows, the special guest concept proved to be the biggest piece of the puzzle. Darton found an amazing amount of footage of the band performing at the Swan and footage of a remarkable number of the guests.

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John’s Blues Picks Jan 2016 – Carson Downey Band

Published January 19, 2016 in John's Blues Picks, News

It’s been a while between albums for this Halifax area player but you’ll be pleased to know he still has the blues-rock chops you remember from his first album. Since that disc, he’s been to Afghanistan to entertain our troops there, among his regular festival & club dates mostly in the Maritimes.

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John’s Blues Picks Jan 2016 – Rooster Davis

Published January 19, 2016 in John's Blues Picks, News

Rooster Davis is David ‘Rooster Davis‘ Aide on keyboards & vocals with a second vocalist & partner, Ann Vriend; drums, Peter Hendrickson; and trombone, Brad Shigeta. If with this lineup you’re thinking New Orleans you’re on the money.

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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.