Congratulations to Matt Andersen who received two nominations (Contemporary Artist and Solo Artist) for the 2016 Canadian Folk Music Awards. The Awards will be presented on Saturday, December 3 at the Isabel Bader Theatre in Toronto (and blues fans will be happy to hear that one of the performers at the gala will be Colin Linden)
This month’s recommended listening by Brad Wheeler, music writer for the Globe and Mail (globeandmail.com and Twitter: bwheelerglobe)
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.
Man’s Best Friend, Angel Forrest on STOP!TV, Eighth Annual Concert For Peace, Blues on the Rideau Announces their 12th Season, Farewell to another venue and Good Causes
The big sound comes directly from Hound Dog Taylor and Uncle J.B. Hutto, the two bestknown exponents of this slide driven Chicago Blues. Lil’ Ed and The Blues Imperials have taken the sound, made it their own, winning multiple awards, playing around the world, done network television and continuing to delight festival goers everywhere. In short, they’ve taken that sound to places never even dreamed of by Hound Dog or Uncle J.B. And they have a new album with twelve new songs plus two by Uncle J.B. Lil’ Ed Williams has worked with this band for many years: Mike Garrett on rhythm & lead guitars, Ed’s half-brother James ‘Pookie’ Young on bass & Kelly Littleton on drums.
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”.
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.
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.
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.
Dawn Tyler Watson will be a featured vocalist at the TBS Women’s Blues Revue
©2024 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.
