June 2023 – Loose Blues News
Shuffle Honoured: The Southside Shuffle has just received the 2023 Creative City Business Award from the Mississauga Board of Trade. Nice to see that kind of community support for a blues festival.
Mako Funasaka’s Talkin’ Blues has just posted their latest episode – an interview with New Orleans journeyman guitarist John Fohl who was at Dr John’s side pretty well every time he played Toronto. John has a long resume as a sideman but also performs as a solo artist in small clubs in his home town. Check out talkin blues at https://talkinblues.podbean.com/
JW on the Road: After winning Best Guitarist at the 2020 International Blues Challenge in Memphis, prolific blues singer/guitarslinger JW-Jones started working on his 12th CD, Everything Now, and it was finally released on May 26. Produced by Gordie Johnson (Big Sugar), the all-original project features guest turns from Jimmie Vaughan, The Texas Horns, and Johnson. Jones is supporting the release with multiple Canadian festival appearances over the next six weeks. See the complete itinerary at www.jw-jones.com
Blues on the Rideau: Choose The Blues Productions has announced their first ever 1000 Islands Blues Cruise on June 20, 2023 – a 3 hour evening cruise through the magnificent 1000 Islands combined with a deluxe buffet Dinner and Show featuring boogie-woogie piano legend Kenny “Blues Boss” Wayne and his band. Cruise + Dinner + Show is $200 (+ HST) , Cruise + Show-Only is $140 (+ HST). Proceeds go to support the Kingston Food Bank. The event takes place on the Island Queen, the unique 3 decker Mississippi style riverboat operated by Kingston 1000 Islands Cruises. During the Cruise a delicious full course chicken & rib buffet dinner will be served followed by the Show and dancing with a short intermission to hand out Door Prizes and present the donation cheque to the Food Bank. Choose The Blues Productions continues their series at The Cove Inn, Westport Ontario with 3 Dinner & Show evenings – July 13 Steve Strongman Band, August 10 Monkeyjunk and September 3 Miss Emily, three of Canada’s most popular Blues bands. These will be Rain or Shine events – if the weather is bad they move indoors. More details at www.ChooseTheBlues.ca
Living Blues Awards: Voting is now open for The 30th Annual Living Blues Awards. Go to LivingBlues.com and vote for your favorite blues artists. Voting is open until June 15, 2023. Everyone is eligible to vote. No subscription or membership is required. Winners will be announced in the July/August #285 issue of Living Blues.
Blues Awards: The 44th edition of the BMA honors were held last month at the Renasant Convention Center in Downtown Memphis. Buddy Guy, Albert Castiglia, John Németh, Christone “Kingfish” Ingram and Charlie Musselwhite were among the winners. Sue Foley took home the Koko Taylor Award for Traditional Blues Female Artist. Buddy Guy’s The Blues Don’t Lie won for Album of the Year and Contemporary Blues Album, while Castiglia’s “I Got Love” won for Blues Rock Album. Castiglia also took home the prize as top Blues Rock Artist.
Tommy Castro won the coveted B.B. King Entertainer of the Year Award for the second year in a row and Laura Chavez, earned top Instrumentalist in the Guitar category. Junior Kimbrough and blues scholar Dr. David Evans were inducted into the Blues Hall of Fame. Here is the complete list of the 2023 Blues Music Awards Winners