Chris Antonik started his career as a much in demand side player which grew into his own recording and touring projects, the latest of which is Morningstar (His fourth studio album). A riotous and often genre spanning collection of co-writes, Morningstar stretches the boundaries of the blues, exploring the limits of Chris’ style and creating a compelling sonic landscape.
After a quarter of a century in the recording industry, there’s very little that Steve Hill hasn’t already done. He started out working the club circuit in his native Montreal, building his brand in a succession of bands, before launching an impressive series of recordings and tours as a one man band that saw him constantly expand his repertoire by adding more and more to the music without expanding the band beyond himself.
Over the course of a prolific recording career now spanning 26 years and 13 albums, Vancouver Island-based Michael Kaeshammer has blossomed into a truly multi-faceted artist. The Juno Award winner is a talented singer/songwriter, a virtuoso piano player, a bandleader, and an engaging performer who is now in-demand for theatre concerts across the country.
Blue Moon Marquee will perform at The Maple Blues Awards Gala January 30 at Harbourfront Centre
Goin’ to Memphis: On Sunday January 15 at 8pm at the Function Bar, 2291 Yonge Street, the TBS presents the IBC “Road To Memphis” Fundraiser Concert with Heather Luckhart, Garnetta & Dagroovmasters and special guest Kenny ‘Blues Boss” Wayne. Tickets are $15 ($10 – TBS Members).
This month’s recommended listening by Brant Zwicker, host/executive producer of At the Crossroads syndicated blues radio
Jake Chisholm Hands Held High Electro-Fi
I’m not sure which is the bigger surprise – the fact that this Jake Chisholm is the same front man from Jake & The Blue Midnights or that this release is one of the latest from deeply-respected blues label, Electro-Fi Records. Impresario Andrew Galloway’s label has long specialized in traditional, post-war blues but – as the t-shirt reads: “with a foot in the future.” Hence, Galloway’s own vast musical interests are coming to the surface as he adds newfound success stories like Harrison Kennedy and Blackburn to his esteemed catalogue. In other words, Chisholm’s progressive release is a good fit. Likewise, Chisholm has undergone a personal renaissance, moving from horn-fueled swing crooner to bona fide soul-rocker on a mission.
REVIVAL 69: The Concert That Rocked the World, showcases never-seen footage and behind-the-scenes stories about a life-altering 1969 one-day music festival at Varsity Stadium where John Lennon performed for the first time without the Beatles, doing an impromptu concert with the Plastic Ono Band, featuring Yoko Ono, Eric Clapton, Alan White and Klaus Voormann.
This month’s recommended listening by Brad Wheeler, music writer for the Globe and Mail Twitter: @bwheelerglobe
Patrick Monaghan will receive the Blues Booster Award at the
Maple Blues Awards gala January 30 at Koerner Hall
©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.
