Maple Blues Archive

April 2020 – Loose Blues News

Musicians Take Note: The Toronto Arts Foundation and Toronto Arts Council launched their TOArtist Covid-19 Response Fund yesterday which is an emergency support program that will help Toronto artists who have lost income as a result of COVID-19 arts cancellations. Major donors and partners have generously kick-started the campaign with collective contributions to date of over $500,000 – enough to provide grants for more than 500 artists. Every additional dollar will increase the number of artists supported.

Qualifying artists will each receive up to $1,000 and can apply until April 30th through a simplified online application portal. The first grants will go out by mid-April.Applications at www.torontoartscouncil.org/grant-programs/toartist-covid-response-fund

April 2020 – Top Blues

This month’s recommended listening by Brad Wheeler, music writer for the Globe and Mail Twitter: @bwheelerglobe

April 2020 – 35th Anniversary

March 2020 – Rory Block

After her 6 CD Mentor Series, which focused on the rediscovered blues singers she met personally (all male), Rory Block launched her ‘Power Women of the Blues’ Series with a full disc devoted to Bessie Smith.

March 2020 – Adam Karch

Montreal’s Adam Karch returns with album number five, a most impressive set of originals and selected covers.

March 2020 – Layla Zoe

With her famous ability to improvise lyrics, Layla Zoe would probably prefer to record live albums and this one is her fifth. With that title, this one does indeed look back at most, but not all, of her albums.

March 2020 – David Clayton-Thomas

Say Somethin’ is David Clayton-Thomas’ call to action on a number of social issues. From a failed justice system to gun control to climate change and immigration, we get his bluesiest album in some time.

Sass Jordan – March 2020

Veteran rocker Sass Jordan has won numerous awards and sold over a million albums. She maintains that all her work is influenced by blues and has decided to go all in for her new album, her first for Stony Plain.

Top Blues – March 2020

This month’s recommended listening by John Valenteyn, host of John Valenteyn’s Blues on ciut.fm, 89.5 and CD reviewer for Maple Blues. 

Loose Blues News – March 2019

Congratulations to the HOROJO Trio (pictured), Ottawa’s blues “supergroup” with Jamie Holmes (HO), Jeffrey Rogers (RO) and JW Jones (JO) who were selected as the best blues band at the International Blues Challenge in Memphis.  They were representing the Ottawa Blues Society. JW also took home the Gibson Guitar Award for Best Band Guitarist (and yes, he does get to keep that Gibson ES335). Hector Anchondo, from the Blues Society of Omaha, triumphed in the Solo/Duo Division as well as earning the Memphis Cigar Box Guitar Award as the Best Solo/Duo Guitarist. TBS representatives Sandra Bouza and Sean Pinchin showed Memphis (and the world) what Toronto has to offer and both report a great time while making valuable contacts in the U.S. and beyond. This year’s winners also underscore the international aspect of the IBC, with a Canadian band taking the big prize and runners up from Spain (Felix Slim) and Costa Rica (Jose Ramirez Band), both now based in the USA.