In this issue…
• Summer Blues Festivals
• TBS Members Have Access to Ticket Giveaways!
• TBS Gladstone Series: Chris Antonik CD Release
• Submissions Open for TBS Talent Search
• TBS Blues Dance Birthday Bash
• Donate to TBS
• Concert Notes
• Mississippi’s Got the Blues!
• Dan Aykroyd Wines

Summer Blues Festivals

Holy smokes it’s already April! You know what that means…blues festival season is almost here! Check out the festival websites to find out who is performing, and remember, you can always check http://torontobluessociety.com/summer-blues-festivals/ for updates on festival dates.

Orangeville Blues & Jazz Festival featuring Ben Racine (pictured) May 30-June 2 http://objf.org/
Waterfront Blues Festival May 31-June 2 http://waterfrontblues.ca/
Barrie Jazz & Blues Festival June 6-17 http://www.barriejazzbluesfest.com
Orillia Spring Blues Festival June 7-9 http://orilliaspringblues.com/
Stratford Blues & Ribfest June 19-23 http://stratfordbluesandribfest.ca/
Beaumont Blues Festival June 21-23 http://beaumontblues.net
TD Toronto Jazz Festival June 22-July 1 http://torontojazz.com/  
Montreal International Jazz Festival – June 28-July 7 http://www.montrealjazzfest.com/
RBC Royal Bank Bluesfest July 4-15 http://www.ottawabluesfest.ca/
Wreckhouse International Jazz & Blues Festival July 4-7 http://wreckhousejazzandblues.com/
Thunder Bay Blues Festival July 5-7 http://www.tbayblues.ca
Mariposa Folk Festival July 5-7 http://www.mariposafolk.com/
Porquis Blues Festival July 5-7 http://www.porquis.ca/web-content/
Tremblant International Blues Festival July 5-14 http://www.tremblantblues.com
Lighthouse Blues Festival July 12-13 http://www.lighthousebluesfest.ca
Festival Beauport en Blues July 18-20 http://www.beauportenblues.net/
Beaches International Jazz Festival July 19-28 http://www.beachesjazz.com/
Calgary International Blues Festival July 29-August 4 http://www.calgarybluesfest.com/
Kitchener Blues Festival August 8-11 http://www.kitchenerbluesfestival.com
Brampton Jazz Festival Dates TBA http://www.artofjazz.org
Festiblues August 8-11 http://www.festiblues.com/
Dutch Mason Blues Festival August 9-11 http://www.dutchmason.com/festival/
Burnaby Blues & Roots Festival August 10 http://www.burnabybluesfestival.com/
Donnacona Blues Festival August 14-18 http://www.donnaconablues.com/
Calabogie Blues Festival August 16-18 http://calabogieblues.com
Winnipeg BBQ & Blues Festival August 16-18 http://winnipegbbqandblues.ca/
Salmon Arm Roots & Blues Festival August 16-18 http://www.rootsandblues.ca/
Edmonton Blues Festival August 16-18 http://www.bluesinternationalltd.com/
Underground Railroad Music Festival – Date TBA http://www.braithwaiteandwhiteley.com/music-festival.html
PEI Jazz & Blues Festival August 21-25 http://www.jazzandblues.ca
Summertime Blues Auguest 23-25 http://www.nanaimobluesfestival.com/
Limestone City Blues Festival – Dates TBA http://www.kingstonblues.com
Wasaga Beach Blues Festival September 13-15 http://www.wasagabeachblues.com/
Southside Shuffle September 6-8 http://www.southsideshuffle.com/
Harvest Jazz & Blues Festival September 10-15 http://www.harvestjazzandblues.com
Canal Bank Shuffle October 17-19 http://www.canalbankshuffle.com/

TBS Members Have Access to Ticket Giveaways!

TBS Members save money to TBS events and have access to discounts and giveaways! Give the gift of membership to the Toronto Blues Society and you will be giving all year long!

Become a TBS Member Today! Have the Maple Blues Magazine delivered right to your door each month. Meet like-minded blues lovers and help keep the blues alive in Toronto. The Toronto Blues Society offers several different membership options:

CHARTER MEMBERSHIP – $50/year – Monthly Maple Blues Newsletter, membership card, DISCOUNTS to TBS Events, exclusive access to special TBS events, other discounts, and voting rights.

FAMILY MEMBERSHIP – $70/year – Same privileges as Charter membership for a maximum of two adults and two children under 19.

INSTITUTIONAL or BENEFACTOR MEMBERSHIP – $125/year – Same privileges as Charter membership, plus more – Please inquire.

GENERAL MEMBERSHIP – $35/year – Monthly Maple Blues Newsletter sent in fourth class mail

STUDENT MEMBERSHIP – $20/year – Same benefits as CHARTER membership (please include student card number)

Contact the TBS office today!

Are you already a TBS charter member? Interested in brainstorming on ideas to help the community come together? Send an email to info@torontobluessociety.com to let us know you are interested in joining the membership committee. You must be available to attend monthly meetings.

TBS Gladstone Series: Chris Antonik CD Release

The Toronto Blues Society presents the best in blues talent the first Thursday of each month at the Melody Bar in The Gladstone Hotel. Performances are free to the public, begin at 9pm, and the Gladstone has an excellent menu if you arrive for the show early! The next show is Chris Antonik‘s CD Release on May 2!

Mark your calendars for upcoming Gladstone series shows including Morgan Davis (June 6), Fraser Daley (July 4). http://www.gladstonehotel.com

Submissions Open for TBS Talent Search

Attention emerging blues artists! The Toronto Blues Society Talent Search are now open for submissions and must be received at the TBS office by Friday May 10 at 5pm. The competition is open to emerging Canadian blues artists who have not appeared in the finals of the talent search in the past and who do not have national distribution. This year, the finals will take place at Dominion on Queen(500 Queen St E) on Friday June 7 and Saturday June 8. The prize for the winner includes a showcase slot at Blues Summit Seven in 2015, a performance at this year’s Southside Shuffle, a gig at the Delta Chelsea Hotel Monarchs Pub, a day at Revolution Recording, a performance at the Kitchener Blues Festival subject to final approval, mentoring meetings with industry professionals and more! Artists can submit by sending a CD, one sheet and $15 submission fee to the TBS office (910 Queen St W, Suite B04, Toronto, ON, M6J 1G6) or throughSonicbids.

TBS Blues Dance Birthday Bash

Mark your calendar for the Toronto Blues Society’s 28th birthday partyfeaturing a performance by Jack de Keyzer (pictured) that will feature material off his new CD Electric Love at the Delta Chelsea Monarchs Pub on Thursday May 30, 8pm. The event will be free to the public, so members are encouraged to bring a friend! Cake will be served between sets and this show will have a special focus on the art of blues dancing! Learn more about blues dancing here: http://hamfats.ca/bluesdance

Donate to TBS

Make a donation to the Toronto Blues Society! The TBS is now a registered charitable organization and is able to issue tax receipts to donations made beyond membership and merchandise. Your generousity will assist the ongoing operations of the Toronto Blues Society such as the Blues in the Schools program, workshops, the Women’s Blues Revue, the Maple Blues Awards, the Maple Blues Newsletter and more. Donate here: http://torontobluessociety.com/store/#donate

Charitable #: 87487 7509 RR0001

Concert Notes

Serena Ryder – Danforth Music Hall – April 11  |  Jake Chisholm Album Release – Dakota Tavern – April 11  |  The Three Kings of the Blues w/Danny Marks, Jack de Keyzer, Chris Antonik, Dylan Wickens – Hugh’s Room – April 12  |  Aretha Franklin – Roy Thomson Hall – April 12  |  Shuggie Otis (pictured) – Phoenix Concert Theatre – April 14  |  Kevin Breit CD Release – Hugh’s Room – April 17  |  Buddy Guy – Massey Hall – April 20  |  Jimmie Vaughan & The Tilt-a-Whirl Band – Mohawk College, McIntyre Performing Arts Centre – April 25  |  Trixie Whitley – Drake Hotel Underground – April 30  |  Chris Antonik CD Release – Gladstone Hotel Melody Bar – May 2  |  Edgar Winter & Kim Simmonds of Savoy Brown – Regent Theatre Oshawa – May 4  |  Charles Bradley & His Extraordinaires – Phoenix Concert Theatre – May 11  |  The Rolling Stones – Air Canada Centre – May 25  |  Thom Swift & Steve Marriner– Hugh’s Room – May 29  |  TBS Birthday Party w/Jack de Keyzer – Delta Chelsea Monarchs Pub – May 30  |  Diana Braithwaite & Chris Whiteley – Hugh’s Room – May 31  |  Waterfront Blues Festival – May 31-June 2  |  Morgan Davis – Gladstone Hotel Melody Bar – June 6  |  The Rolling Stones – Air Canada Centre – June 6  |  TBS Talent Search Finals – Dominion on Queen – June 7/8  |  Mavis Staples & Dr. John – Nathan Phillips Square – June 22  |  James Hunter & Sharon Jones – Nathan Phillips Square – June 27  |  Fraser Daley – Gladstone Hotel Melody Bar – July 4  |  Fathead – Hugh’s Room – July 27  |  John Mayer – Molson Amphitheatre – Aug 14  |  Tribute to Elvis w/Johnny Max, Robin Banks, Chuck Jackson – Hugh’s Room – Aug 16  |  Johnny Winter – Peter’s Players – Aug 17/18  |  TBS Blues in the Garden – TBS Artscape Garden – Sept 22  |  Harry Manx – Peter’s Players – Oct 24  |  TBS Women’s Blues Revue – Massey Hall – Nov 30  |  TBS Maple Blues Awards – Koerner Hall – Jan 20

Mississippi’s Got the Blues!

Hopson Plantation – www.hopsonplantation.com
Planning a visit to Mississippi? Why not stop and visit some of the Blues Trails Markers, dotted across the state? www.msbluestrail.org
Po’ Monkey’s – www.msbluestrail.org/blues-trail-markers/po-monkeys
To Get More Mississippi Blues News check out www.deltabluesmuseum.org
If you’d like to receive more information about Mississippiwww.visitmississippi.org/e-news-registration.aspx

The Toronto Blues Society is planning a trip to Mississippi. Before you book your trip, contact the office to learn more!

Dan Aykroyd Wines

The TBS would like to welcome Dan Aykroyd Wines as the newest year round sponsor. You may be seeing their logo more often and there may even be some wine tastings at TBS events like the one that occurred at the Maple Blues Awards. http://www.diamondestates.ca/canadian-wines/alphabetical-listing/dan-aykroyd