Alligator Records has a proud history of signing electric blues guitarists. In fact, many would say it’s the label’s main attraction, starting with Son Seals and continuing through Albert Collins, Johnny Winter, Roy Buchanan, Michael Hill, Michael Burks, Toronzo Cannon, Selwyn Birchwood and now Christone “Kingfish” Ingram.
It is not so well known that Terry Robb is one of blues’ top acoustic fingerpicking guitarists. That may be partly because this longtime Portland, Oregon resident rarely travels to the east. It is even less well-known that he was born in Vancouver. Now 62, he has released fourteen albums, both with band & solo, and this latest is a combination of the two and, he says, a culmination of his career.
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.
Montreal’s Jim Zeller is a harmonica ace, a forty-year man with eight albums under his belt and a long list of session credits, principally with Nanette Workman, Boule Noire and the rock band Mahogany Rush. Known for his wild stage show, his albums reflect his taste for the unusual and unpredictable.
Kevin Breit’s mastery of anything with strings is legendary. A first-call session player when he chooses to be, he also continues to release albums that reflect his eccentric and unclassifiable musical tastes.
Gary Kendall hosts the Big Blues Bash on June 4th and Downchild’s 50th Anniversary at the TD Toronto Jazz Festival on June 22nd.
This month’s recommended listening by Greg Torrington, Blues Channel Manager at Stingray Music – available on digital cable providers throughout Canada.
Veteran music publicist and “eminence grise” at the TBS, Richard Flohil presented Buddy Guy with his Maple Blues Award for International Artist of the Year backstage at Roy Thomson Hall. Flo played a big part in Buddy’s introduction to Toronto blues fans in the 60s and has lent a helping hand to many emerging and established Canadian blues & roots artists, many of whom will gather at the Horseshoe Tavern on Friday, June 28 to celebrate his 85th birthday. Ariana Gillis and David Gillis, Jay Aymar, Jaymz Bee, Jenie Thai, Kaia Kater, Paul Reddick, Russell deCarle, Samantha Martin & Delta Sugar, Scotty Campbell, Shakura S’Aida and more will be performing while friends and fans will enjoy birthday cake and other vegetable-less “Flohil food.” All the performers have donated their time and all proceeds after expenses will go to the Unison Benevolent Fund. Photo by Jag Gundu.
This is Sunday Wilde’s eighth album and the first one since the passing of her partner Reno Jack. It also continues her practice of re-working some blues standards all featuring her ‘one-of-a kind’ vocals & barrelhouse piano.
Out of the Blue is a very apt title for this album. Jack de Keyzer was just starting out in Hamilton and Pat Finochio was a fellow student of the blues. They lost touch and only recently reconnected when Finochio asked if he would produce an album on him.
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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.
