March 2022 – Loose Blues News
Toronto City Budget includes Increases For The Arts: Toronto City Council has approved an enhancement of $1.83 million to Economic Development and Culture, of which Toronto Arts Council will receive a much-needed $500,000, or 2% increase. This increase, which comes at a time of ongoing pandemic disruption, affirms City Council’s understanding of the benefits of arts funding to the city. According to Stats Canada, Toronto’s arts sector has been amongst the very hardest hit by COVID-19. For the last couple of years, every musician in town has been singing the blues.
Folk Music Ontario Conference – Live in London: Folk Music Ontario has announced that the 2022 Conference will take place Thursday, October 13 through Sunday, October 16, 2022 in London, Ontario. It is Canada’s largest provincial networking event devoted to the folk, roots, and traditional music community. For over three decades, FMO and its membership have supported the growth and development of the folk music community and industry across Ontario and Canada.
Blues On The Rideau Returns To The Cove: James Doran’s Choose The Blues Productions has announced the lineup for the revived Blues On The Rideau Dinner & Show Fundraiser Series at The Cove Inn, Westport Ontario. It kicks off with blues belter Zoom backed up by Shawn Kellerman and his band on March 25 & 26. Detroit-based Zoom has toured the world with the likes of Bobby Rush, Sherman Robertson and Lucky Peterson. Jack de Keyzer will be appearing April 15 & 16 and Kenny “Blues Boss” Wayne will play May 12 & 13. All shows 7 to 11 pm. $80 + HST & Gratuity – Advance reservations required at 613-273-3636 or thecoveinnwestport@gmail.com. Check with The Cove for current Covid restrictions, Proof of Vaccination and dining/dancing protocol upon booking. Can’t make it in person? All shows will be live streamed in high quality HD video/audio, google Blues On The Rideau YouTube Channel to watch!
IBC Showdown in Steeltown: Best of luck to the performers competing to represent the Grand River Blues Society at the International Blues Challenge (IBC) in Memphis: Riley Michaels, Bywater Call, Paul Coombs Band, Frank Cosentino, Garnetta & Dagroovmasters, Waterstreet Band, Long Black Cadillacs, and Jim Dan Dee. Ticket purchases help offset the winning band’s travel expenses to Memphis, where they will compete against other top Blues contenders from around the world. This stellar lineup will perform on Sunday March 27 at 12:00 – 5PM at Stonewalls Restaurant in Hamilton, 339 York Blvd. Advance tickets – $20.
The DT Concert Series has become a central part of the event calendar in the County of Brant. The locale is a stop for a number of major touring musicians, including blues stars like Matt Andersen on March 21 & 22 and Digging Roots on May 26. Husband and wife team Tim Des Islets and Michelle Kloepfer of Noisemaker Management (Tim used to manage the TBS office years back) moved to Paris from Toronto in 2013, the region where Michelle was born. The wide array of shows performed to sold out crowds has been moved for the 2021-2022 season from the Dominion Telegraph Event Centre to the Presbyterian Church (aka forParis venue) to allow for social distancing and provincial capacity guidelines. https://www.dtconcertseries.com/
SHINE Music Bursary Show: The yearly SHINE! gala, previously held at Lula Lounge, has moved online and will be streaming a short, heartfelt and thrilling show on Sunday March 6th. The bursary is aimed at youth 16-24 years who wish to further their study in folk, traditional and related musical genres, but face significant financial barriers to that goal. The bursary originated from friends/family celebrating the life of Jim Fay, James Grey and Doug Queen, Toronto musicians who inspired others to music and were lost too soon. Hosted by Bill Heffernan, performers include Michelle Rumball, Raha Javanfar & Fraser Melvin, Donne Roberts, and more. Donate what you can. Tune in Sunday Mar. 6th at 7:30PM. http://shineconcert.ca/
Blues Radio Award: The Trent Radio show Blues Themes Delivered By The Milkman (see our newly updated Blues Radio listings on pg 11), was honoured for Best in Jazz or Blues Programming in 2021 from the National Campus and Community Radio Association (NCRA). Hosted by Peterborough’s Blake Frazer, the 90 min program explores a different theme weekly (past themes include Indigenous Blues, The Maple Blues Awards and East Coast Blues). The episode submitted and recognized was dated June 2020, inspired by protest and unrest following the death of George Floyd, and aired Blues songs on the subject of racism, anti-war, justice and oppression. Tune in to the Milkman Thursday evenings on CFFF 92.7FM or livestream at www.trentradio.ca.
Hornby Island Blues Workshop: The now legendary Hornby Island Blues Workshop takes place April 30 to May 7. It’s probably mostly booked up but registration is open until all classes are filled so if you want to go hang with the likes of Jack de Keyzer, Rick Fines, Alec Fraser, Roly Platt, David Vest and Angel Forrest it may not be too late. Registration is on a “first come first served” basis. More info and registration at www.hornby-blues.bc.ca
Uke Blues: Manitoba Hal has just released an instructional book that shares his specialty, blues ukulele (and anyone who has heard Hal knows that blues can certainly be played on the humble ukulele). The 32-page Ukulele Blues method book covers the basics of the blues for the standard tuned Ukulele (GCEA). The basics of the blues progression is covered along with the shuffle groove, turnarounds, pentatonic scales and song examples (“Sweet Home Chicago”, “See That My Grave is Kept Clean”, etc). Available on Amazon.
Awards Season: The East Coast Music Awards have announced their nominees and the candidates for Blues Recording of the Year are Beauwater – Who Works For Who?, Campbell & Johnston – Campbell & Johnston’s Black Market Band, Jon Hines – Down To Funk, JP LeBlanc – Late All Day and Wayne Nicholson and John Campbelljohn – Elmore’s Blues. And the versatile Charlie A’Court’s When Country Gets The Blues collaboration with Witchitaw has been nominated for Country Recording of the Year. The 34th annual East Coast Music Awards: Festival & Conference will be held May 4 – 8, 2022 in Fredericton, NB.
The JUNO Awards nominations are being announced March 1 as well as performers at the live outdoor show at Ontario Place on May 15. And let’s not forget the Grammy Awards on April 3!
And the premiere event for blues fans, the Blues Awards, takes place on Thursday, May 5th at Memphis’ Renasant Convention Center followed immediately by The International Blues Challenge (IBC) May 6-9. Here’s a full list of nominees for the 2022 Blues Music Awards:
B.B. King Entertainer of the Year, Tommy Castro, Eric Gales, Mr. Sipp (Castro Coleman), J.P. Soars, Sugaray Rayford
Album of the year, Holler If You Hear Me, Altered Five Blues Band, Not In My Lifetime, Wee Willie Walker & The Anthony Paule Soul Orchestra, Pinky’s Blues, Sue Foley, Raisin’ Cain, Chris Cain, Tommy Castro Presents A Bluesman Came To Town, Tommy Castro
Band of the year, Anthony Paule Soul Orchestra, J.P. Soars and the Red Hots, Lil’ Ed & the Blues Imperials, Sugaray Rayford Band, Tommy Castro & The Painkillers
Song of the year
“Fragile Peace and Certain War” — written & performed by Carolyn Wonderland
“Holler If You Hear Me” — written by Jeff Schroedl, Mark Solveson; performed by Altered Five Blues Band
“I’d Climb Mountains” — written & performed by Selwyn Birchwood
“Real Good Lie” — written by Christine Vitale, Larry Batiste, Anthony Paule; performed by Wee Willie Walker & The Anthony Paule Soul Orchestra
“Somewhere” — co-written by Tommy Castro & Tom Hambridge; performed by Tommy Castro & The Painkillers
Best emerging artist album, GA-20 Does Hound Dog Taylor: Try It… You Might Like It!, GA-20, Just Say The Word, Gabe Stillman, Live On Beale Street: A Tribute To Bobby “Blue” Bland, Rodd Bland and the Members Only Band, Welcome To The Land, Memphissippi Sounds, You Ain’t Unlucky, Veronica Lewis
Acoustic blues album, Dear America, Eric Bibb, Land of the Sky, Catfish Keith, Let’s Get Happy Together, Maria Muldaur, Let Loose These Chains, Hector Anchondo, The Trio Sessions, EG Kight
Blues rock album, Alafia Moon, Damon Fowler, Dance Songs For Hard Times, The Reverend Peyton’s Big Damn Band, Resurrection, Mike Zito, Tinfoil Hat, Popa Chubby, Unemployed Highly Annoyed, Jeremiah Johnson
Contemporary blues album, 662, Kingfish, Damage Control, Curtis Salgado, Holler If You Hear Me, Altered Five Blues Band, Raisin’ Cain, Chris Cain, Tommy Castro Presents A Bluesman Came To Town, Tommy Castro
Soul blues album, Let’s Have A Party, Gerald McClendon, Long As I Got My Guitar, Zac Harmon, Not In My Lifetime, Wee Willie Walker & The Anthony Paule Soul Orchestra, You Get What You Give: Duets, Dave Keller, You Gotta Have It, Tia Carroll
Traditional blues album, Be Ready When I Call You, Guy Davis, Bob Corritore & Friends: Spider In My Stew, Bob Corritore, Boogie w/ R.L. Boyce (Live), R.L. Boyce, Little Black Flies, Eddie 9V, Pinky’s Blues, Sue Foley
Acoustic blues artist, Eric Bibb, Kevin Burt, Guy Davis, Doug MacLeod, Keb’ Mo’
Blues rock artist, Albert Castiglia, Tommy Castro, Tinsley Ellis, Ana Popovic, Joanne Shaw Taylor
Contemporary blues female artist, Vanessa Collier, Thornetta Davis, Ruthie Foster, Danielle Nicole, Carolyn Wonderland
Contemporary blues male artist, Selwyn Birchwood, Chris Cain, Christone “Kingfish” Ingram, Kenny Neal, Mr. Sipp (Castro Coleman)
Soul blues female artist, Annika Chambers, Trudy Lynn, Terrie Odabi, Kat Riggins, Vaneese Thomas
Soul blues male artist, William Bell, Don Bryant, John Nemeth, Johnny Rawls, Curtis Salgado
Traditional blues female artist (Koko Taylor Award), Rory Block, Sue Foley, Rhiannon Giddens, Diunna Greenleaf, EG Kight
Traditional blues male artist, Cedric Burnside, Super Chikan, Taj Mahal, Sugar Ray Norcia, Jontavious Willis
Instrumentalist – bass, Willie J. Campbell, Larry Fulcher, Jerry Jemmott, Scot Sutherland, Danielle Nicole
Instrumentalist – drums, Danny Banks, June Core, Tom Hambridge, Derrick D’Mar Martin, Chris Peet
Instrumentalist – guitar, Christoffer “Kid” Andersen, Chris Cain, Laura Chavez, Anson Funderburgh, Eric Gales, J.P. Soars
Instrumentalist – harmonica, Billy Branch, Bob Corritore, Jason Ricci, Brandon Santini, Kim Wilson
Instrumentalist – horn, Mindi Abair, Jimmy Carpenter, Marc Franklin, Regi Oliver, Nancy Wright
Instrumentalist – piano (Pinetop Perkins Piano Player Award), Eden Brent, Mike Finnigan, Dave Keyes, Veronica Lewis, Jim Pugh
Instrumentalist – vocals, Thornetta Davis, Ruthie Foster, John Nemeth, Sugaray Rayford, Curtis Salgado
– Janet Alilovic, Derek Andrews, Brian Blain