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 Jan 2016 – Front Porch Roots Revue

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

This Edmonton-based group of veterans grew out of a revue called Up On Cripple Creek, which as you may have guessed performed the music of The Band in the Edmonton area, much like Lance Anderson’s revues do here. And equally successfully, it seems. The four who form the core of the new group are Ron Rault on bass & acoustic guitars, David ‘Crawdad’ Cantera on harp, Gord Matthews on guitar and drummer Thom Moon. All but Moon write & sing.

MORE

John’s Blues Picks Jan 2016 – Tim Williams

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

The ‘So Low’ is a take off on ‘solo’. Calgary’s Tim Williams performs that way most of the time and decided it was time to record that way – all his previous discs had varying groups of accompanists, one had a full band. As one of our premier blues performers, such a project is not to be taken lightly – if superb country blues is your forte, get this one any way you can.

MORE

John’s Blues Picks Jan 2016 – Derek Miller

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

The NMAI is the National Museum of the American Indian and Mohawk bluesman Derek Miller’s contribution is an eye and ear opening survey of First Nations contributions to popular music.

MORE

John’s Blues Picks Dec 2015 – Reno Jack The Bear

Published December 5, 2015 in John's Blues Picks, News

A veteran of Toronto’s cow punk scene, Reno Jack has lately teamed up with Aitikokan’s blues woman Sunday Wilde. Her blues influence is apparent on this recent disc, with various styles from his lengthy performing history coming out as a very pleasing blend. Reno Jack plays bass and has a great, low voice, sometimes described as ‘barbed wire wrapped in velvet’.

MORE

John’s Blues Picks Dec 2015 – Les Copeland

Published December 5, 2015 in John's Blues Picks, News

Vernon, BC blues guitarist Les Copeland came to my attention with his earlier disc on Chicago’s Earwig label. Owner Michael Frank is a hands-on kind of guy, he plays harp very well and takes a major interest in the careers of the blues men he signs. His most important artist for some years was the legendary Delta veteran David “Honeyboy” Edwards.

MORE

John’s Blues Picks Dec 2015 – Jordan Officer

Published December 5, 2015 in John's Blues Picks, News

Montreal’s Jordan Officer found the inspiration for I’m Free, his last album in New York. This time he moved his young family to Los Angeles for a month. The album grew into a journey through the music styles that got him to this point.

MORE

John’s Blues Picks Dec 2015 – Dione Taylor

Published December 5, 2015 in John's Blues Picks, News

It’s been too long between albums for this Regina-born, Toronto-based singer. Her first disc Open Your Eyes was nominated for a Juno in 2004. Since then she’s been nominated for a Gemini Award for her performance of Oscar Peterson’s “Hymn To Freedom” with Oliver Jones at the Canadian Songwriter’s Gala (it’s on YouTube) and toured with David Clayton Thomas, and of course her appearance with the Women’s Blues Revue.

MORE

John’s Blues Picks Dec 2015 – Neil Young

Published December 5, 2015 in John's Blues Picks, News

In 1988, during a period of experimentation with different genres of music, Neil Young released an album called This Note’s For You, featuring Crazy Horse and a large horn section and some surprisingly bluesy songs. The album sold poorly and received poor reviews but he took the band on the road anyway and the latest release in his archive series is this two-disc set of recordings from that tour – playing the songs live has clearly made a world of difference.

MORE

John’s Blues Picks Nov 2015 – Murray Kinsley & Wicked Grin

Published November 30, 2015 in John's Blues Picks, News

Ottawa’s Wicked Grin took home last year’s MBA for New Artist, and the album Shame On Me has garnered several other awards as well. Murray Kinsley is the bandleader, vocalist, guitarist and main songwriter, hence the new special billing, I guess. Rod Williams plays harp, Leigh-Anne Stanton, bass & Liam Melville, drums and all the attention has been a major confidence builder.

MORE

John’s Blues Picks Nov 2015 – Mark Crissinger

Published November 30, 2015 in John's Blues Picks, News

Mark Crissinger hails from Nanaimo now but he was a longtime Toronto resident, playing in the band Caution Jam, and before that in the rock band Sweet Jones. These days he performs solo and with a band on occasion, and you should be able to catch him in both formats on his current tour, which lands him at Monarch’s Pub on November 12 for the official CD Release Party.

MORE
DONATE
JOIN TBS

Twitter

Facebook

The Toronto Blues Society

SEARCH :

Donate Join TBS Volunteer

©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.