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John’s Blues Picks August 2015 – Stephen Barry Band “Treat Her Right” (Bros/Select)

Published August 31, 2015 in John's Blues Picks, News

The Stephen Barry Band of Montreal vies with Downchild for the title of longest-serving blues band, they’re celebrating their 40th this year with a new album and a tour. In fact, as the Back Door Band, they go back to 1968. An original member, guitarist Jörn Reissner, was coaxed out of retirement for the event and his “Sister Francis” is one of the highlights on a disc that doesn’t have as much blues as you might expect. The lineup here also includes current & longtime members Andrew Cowan on guitar & vocals, Gordon Adamson on drums & vocals, Martin Boodman on harp & vocals and Jody Golick on sax with Stephen Barry on bass & vocals.

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John’s Blues Picks August 2015 – Dalannah and Owen “Been Around A While” (Self)

Published August 31, 2015 in John's Blues Picks, News

Dalannah Gail Bowen and Owen Owen Owen (Owen Veber) have both been around a while: Bowen a long time vocalist/actress & social activist and Veber a veteran and inventive bassist, both hail from Vancouver. Owen is 40-year man in the Vancouver scene but this is the first time I’ve seen his name on a blues disc. He proves here that it shouldn’t be his last. And yes it is just bass and voice. It’s a testament to both their talents that this works so well as there is no place to hide.

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John’s Blues Picks August 2015 – Terra Lightfoot “Every Time My Mind Runs Wild”

Published August 31, 2015 in John's Blues Picks, News

With Crystal Shawanda already announced for the Women’s Blues Review, Terra Lightfoot’s second solo disc will give you a taste of the next featured artist to be announced. Just as Shawanda came over from country, Terra’s first one was an acoustic folk disc, although she’s also a member of the alt-country group The Dinner Belles. Rocking Blues seems to suit both of them.

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August 2015 – Terra Lightfoot

Published August 1, 2015 in Maple Blues Newsletter, News

Terra Lightfoot will be a featured vocalist at the TBS Women’s Blues Revue at Massey Hall on November 28

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John’s Blues Picks July 2015 – Ronnie Earl “Father’s Day”

Published July 20, 2015 in John's Blues Picks, News

With its long, fluid lines and searing intensity, Ronnie Earl’s guitar mastery has maintained a devoted following over some forty years now. He won a Blues Music Award last year as Guitar Player of the Year, proof that his reputation only continues to grow. His ninth album for Stony Plain will definitely keep the trend going.

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John’s Blues Picks July 2015 – Jeff Healey “Best of…”

Published July 20, 2015 in John's Blues Picks, News

Sub-titled ‘Vintage Jazz, Swing and Blues’, it’s the music that Jeff Healey was always most interested in and was able to record with Stony Plain Records. This compilation collects highlights from those three discs released on that label and is at a most affordable price.

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John’s Blues Picks July 2015 – The Bentley Collective “Songs”

Published July 20, 2015 in John's Blues Picks, News

Brooke Blackburn is the guitar-playing brother in Blackburn. His middle name is Bentley and this is his way of differentiating his solo work from that the band. The Collective refers to the combined efforts of his friends and brothers who appear occasionally. This is one lovely disc: Brooke says he very much enjoys playing acoustic guitar and he certainly proves that here.

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John’s Blues Picks July 2015 – Cheryl Lescom “1953”

Published July 20, 2015 in John's Blues Picks, News

Cheryl Lescom is a veteran, 1953 being the year of her birth.  It shows in her I’ve-seen-it-all voice and in these songs. A winner of the prestigious Mel Brown Award, she’s currently based in Kitchener with her band the Tucson Choir Boys. This is her fifth recording and while that may not seem like a lot for 40 years in the business, they’re all very good. Ray Walsh (Sameday Ray, in the notes) co-wrote most of the songs with Lescom and they’re a blend of blues & country, thoughtfully constructed and very well arranged.

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John’s Blues Picks July 2015 – “Muddy Waters 100”

Published July 20, 2015 in John's Blues Picks, News

John Primer was in Muddy Waters’ last band. He was already then and is to this day the foremost practitioner of Muddy’s style of Chicago Blues. He brings to this role a unique ability to keep the music sounding fresh. It is fitting then that this tribute to Muddy on his Centenary is built around him. He gets an enormous amount of help from a Who’s Who in blues today. The rhythm section is the same as on Raisin’ Music’s Chicago History discs: Billy Flynn on guitar, Felton Crews on bass, Kenny “Beedy Eyes” Smith on drums and Johnny Iguana on keys. They can play anything and the new settings of Muddy’s most famous songs get most impressive performances here.

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July 2015 – Crystal Shawanda

Published July 1, 2015 in Maple Blues Newsletter, News

Crystal Shawanda will be a featured vocalist at the TBS Women’s Blues Revue at Massey Hall on November 28

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