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.
This album has almost as many grooves as Steve Dawson has guitars. From the opening track, “Dimes”, reminiscent of Little Feat complete with a slippery horn arrangement and searing slide guitar to the solo, open-tuned acoustic guitar instrumental, Cicada Sanctuary, there is never a dull moment on this album.
Every so often in the world of Canadian blues a project comes along that captures the imagination. Say for example three individual artists, each amazing on their own right, combine to create an entirely new entity, a power trio that generates incredible buzz. That is HOROJO Trio in a nutshell.
The past two years of Covid restrictions have just been a total drag for musicians, music lovers, club owners, sound techs and anyone else with ears. That’s stating the obvious, but this live album by the Harpoonist and the Axe Murder just might be the closest thing to being at a killer live show in a crowded bar.
When Angel Forrest released her landmark album, Angel’s 11, I thought she had finally reached the pinnacle or her creative abilities. By teaming up with the 11 guitarists who have helped her to solidify her standing as one of Canada’s finest blues acts, I thought maybe she had defined her 3 decades in music with one CD.
Boy was I wrong!i
This is one of those albums that pushes the boundary of Blues in ways most people could never imagine. I am sure some blues purists would say that it is not blues, but if you listen closely you can hear blues undertones throughout every cut on this CD.
Like in all forms of music, there will always be the debate between modern and old school, just as there will always be those who strive to connect the two, and in doing so create new and compelling music that appeals to the educated ear. That is Rocket Ride in a nutshell.
When the COVID-19 pandemic hit and the world locked down, our working musicians lost their main source of income when the venues shut down and all the tours were cancelled. Some tried ‘busking’ on facebook, some sequestered themselves home to write in anticipation of new projects to come, while others just shut down completely to wait out the storm.
Shakey Trill strips down the blues to its glorious essence. This eponymous debut album is the product of a duo from Saugeen Shores, Ontario — guitarist Mike “Shakey” MacDonald and harmonica player Tyler Pantlin, who was influenced by the trill of Muddy Waters’ harp blowers. As Pantlin says of this acoustic release, “There are no bells and whistles; [it’s] completely naked and unfiltered.” Their aim was to create an album that stayed true to the core of the genre, with no excess or over-production.
AV (Ann Vriend) is not a conventional blues artist. Over the course of a career discography now totalling seven albums, the Edmonton-based singer/songwriter has incorporated soul, folk and blues stylings in her work. It has been pleasing to see her accepted into the Canadian blues community though, as evidenced by her two Cobalt Music Prize wins at the Maple Blues Awards, acknowledging her songwriting talent.
Terry Whalen and Friends There Ain’t Nothing in this World
Probably the only good thing to come out of the pandemic is the growing list of albums where artists team up remotely. It is an indication of just how strong the Canadian blues village is.
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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.
