Maple Blues Archive

Guitar City

Danny Marks will host the 11th Annual Toronto Blues Society Guitar Workshop Saturday afternoon, March 22 at the Silver Dollar. This popular event will feature Little Ed & Dave Weld from Chicago (appearing at the Dollar that night), Rick Fines, singer-songwriter/bluesman, TBS board member and Jackson Delta man; Mike McKenna, Slidewinder Slide Man; and Philip Sayce, who will represent the younger generation of player at the workshop. Danny is currently working on a CD called Guitarcheology and making regular appearances on CBC Radio doing the “Humline.”

Loose Blues News

Slidewinder

Mike McKenna and Slidewinder will be celebrating the release of their new self-titled CD at the Silver Dollar on Wednesday, February 26.

Loose Blues News

HARP SHOP

Chicago harp legend Little Mack (Simmons) will be featured at the harp workshop at the `Shoe on Jan 25.

Scott Cushnie – A Modern Primitive?

Scott Cushnie (aka Professor Piano) is shown at far left with his legendary ensemble, The Canadian Aces (Jody Golick, Terry Wilkins, Mitch Lewis , Bucky Berger and Marian & Eileen Tobin. Scott’s new album, Two Pianos, No Waiting (with Doug Riley and Joan Besen) has just been released nationally and promises to bring Toronto’s beloved keyboard wizard back to national (and international) attention.

Jani Lauzon

As we head into the month of our biggest event, the Women’s Blues Review, we continue with our policy of profiling its performers. We begin in this issue with an update of Jani Lauzon‘s career, continue with excerpts from Robin Banks‘ trip to Memphis, and tell you about Chris Armstrong‘s new CD. The big show is Nov. 30, at Trinity St. Paul’s, and the other singers are Dianne Brooks, Andrea Koziol, Lee Aaron, Georgette Fry & Melanie Jean. The Band Leader is Lily Sazz.

Dianne Brooks

Dianne Brooks will share the stage with1996 New Blues Talent Search winner Robin Banks, rock diva Lee Aaron, Chris Armstrong, Juno nominee Georgette Fry, Melanie Jean, Andrea Koziol, and Jani Lauzon. This exceptional occasion to hear a wide range of Canadian women’s Blues will be hosted by CBC Radio’s Shelagh Rogers. This year’s vocal luminaries will be backed by a sidereal band including keyboardist and band leader Lily Sazz, guitarist Kris St. Louis, bass player Suzie Vinnick, and drummer Maureen Brown, trumpet player Sarah McElcheran, and saxophonists Colleen Allen and Carrie Chesnutt.

There… and Back Again

Randriamananjara Radofa Besata, better known in blues circles as Madagascar Ben is a featured performer at the TBS event called “World Blues” being held at 2pm, Sunday, October 6 in the Water’s Edge Cafe at Harbourfront Centre.Toronto’s Irshad Kahn will be playing sitar in this exploration of international blues expression.

Suzie

Suzie Vinnick will be performing acoustically on August 22nd. with Rick Fines at the Nathan Phillips “Square in Motion” concert. Also appearing will be the Sidemen and the Whiteley Brothers. The show runs from 7:30 to 10:30 pm. Suzie has been confirmed as bassist for the 10th Annual Women’s Blues Revue this November and Rick is celebrating the release of his new CD, Arcadia, on Wednesday, August 28th at the Silver Dollar.