February 2021 www.torontobluessociety.com Published by the TORONTO BLUES SOCIETY since 1985 [email protected] Vol 37, No 2 Angelique Francis (along with Matt Sobb) co-hosts the Ottawa edition of the (virtual) Maple Blues Awards Feb 8 on TBS Facebook and YouTube CANADIAN PUBLICATIONS MAIL AGREEMENT #40011871 Maple Blues Awards Online Blues Reviews Remembering the Fonf Blues Events Loose Blues News and More TORONTO BLUES SOCIETY 910 Queen St. W. Ste. B04 Toronto, Canada M6J 1G6 Tel. (416) 538-3885 Toll-free 1-866-871-9457 Email: [email protected] Website: www.torontobluessociety.com MapleBlues is published monthly by the Toronto Blues Society ISSN 0827-0597 2021 BOARD OF DIRECTORS Derek Andrews (President), Janet Alilovic, Jon Arnold, Elaine Bomberry, Ron Clarkin (Treasurer), Lucie Dufault (Vice-President), Carol Flett (Secretary), Sarah French, Lori Murray, Ed Parsons, Jordan Safer (Executive), Paul Sanderson, Mike Smith Musicians Advisory Council: Brian Blain, Alana Bridgewater, Ken Kawashima, Gary Kendall, Dan McKinnon, Lily Sazz, Mark Stafford, Dione Taylor, Julian Taylor, Jenie Thai, Suzie Vinnick,Ken Whiteley Volunteer & Membership Committee: The TBS Volunteer Appreciation Party was held via Zoom this year and featured surprise performances by TBS Lucie Dufault, Rose Ker, Mike Smith, Ed Music Advisory Council members Brian Blain and Suzie Vinnick Parsons, Carol Flett Grants Officer: Barbara Isherwood Office Manager: Hüma Üster Marketing & Social Media Manager: Meg MARK YOUR CALENDAR McNabb 24th Maple Blues Awards, Every Monday throughout February 2021 Publisher/Editor-in-Chief: Derek Andrews 8pm ET via Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/TorontoBluesSociety Managing Editor: Brian Blain [email protected] Monday, February 8 | Angelique Francis and Matt Sobb will be hosting the stream Contributing Editors: Janet Alilovic, Hüma from Ottawa w/performances from JW-Jones and Crystal Shawanda Üster, Carol Flett Monday, February 15 | from Montreal and hosted by Dawn Tyler Watson and Ben Listings Coordinator: Janet Alilovic Racine w/performances from Durham County Poets and Matt Andersen Mailing and Distribution: Ed Parsons Monday, February 22 | from Vancouver and hosted by Dalannah Gail Bowen and Advertising: Dougal Bichan Jim Byrnes w/performances from Liam Docherty and Lindsay Beaver [email protected] Tuesday, March 9 | JUNO nominations announced. For ad rates & specs call 647-860-2815 www.torontobluesociety.com/newsletters/ Sunday, March 28, 4pm Highlights from Mako Funasaka's Talkin' Blues featuring rate-card interviews with Mel Brown, Eddie Clearwater & Jeff Healey. Charitable # 87487 7509 RR0001 Sunday, 25 April, 4pm Looking Back: Archival video (VHS) footage from the Jodie Drake Tribute at the 1995 Toronto Downtown Jazz Festival The Toronto Blues Society acknowledges the annual support of the following agencies: an Ontario government agency un organisme du gouvernement de l’Ontario The Toronto Blues Society is a member of The Toronto Blues Society acknowledges the Theannual Toronto support Blues of theSociety following acknowledges agencies: the annual support of the following agencies: Project support is provided by: Project support is provided by: Project support is provided by: We acknowledge the fi nancial support of FACTOR, the Government of Canada and of Canada’s private radio broadcasters. Nous reconnaissons l’appui fi nancier de FACTOR, du gouvernement du Canada, et des radiodiffuseurs privés du Canada. The Toronto Blues Society is committed to the principles of the Personal Protection and Electronic Documents Act (PIPEDA) in safeguarding the collection, use, and disclosure of personal information. CANADIAN PUBLICATIONS MAIL AGREEMENT #40011871 Return undeliverable Canadian addresses to: Toronto Blues Society, 910 Queen St. W. Ste. B04, Toronto, Canada M6J 1G6 Email: [email protected] 2 MapleBlues February 2021 www.torontobluessociety.com Maple Blues Awards goes Virtual The Toronto Blues Society’s annual Maple Blues Awards will be a little different this year in that, like many arts awards and programs, it will be held virtually and streamed from four cities across Canada on each Monday of the month of February. Newly added to the program is Blues Zooms! Maple Blues Awards pre-show toast and after party gatherings will take place on Zoom before and after each segment to celebrate the winners, to catch up with the community, and to connect. Follow At the first round of the (virtual) Maple Blues Awards on Feb 2, Matt Andersen received the "Acoustic Artist of TBS website and social media for more info. the Year" award. Another Maritime guitarslinger, Garrett Mason is "Guitarist of the Year" and Jack de Keyzer received the "Electric Artist of the Year" award. Steve Sherman & The Smoke Wagon Blues Band received the “The Toronto Blues Society has needed "Recording & Producer of the Year" for Ballad of Albert Johnson and the Ghost Town Blues Band are the "B.B. to become “covid creative” to resolve the King International Artist of the Year." challenge of working around restrictions and continuing to connect community”, says Year, and Recording / Producer of the Year. Derek Andrews, President of Toronto Blues Monday, February 15th the Maple Blues Society. “Our four sessions are being pulled Awards will be streamed from Montreal and together with ingenuity, and we look forward hosted by Dawn Tyler Watson and Ben to staging virtual social contact by hosting Racine and will feature a performance from “Blues Zooms” national gatherings to chat and Durham County Poets, who are nominated check in around the Maple Blues Awards”. for Songwriter of the Year and Recording / The first Maple Blues Awards event had Producer of the Year. Matt Andersen, who Alana Bridgewater and Johnny Max hosting has been nominated for Acoustic Act of the from Toronto on Monday, February 1st. The Year and Male Vocalist of the Year will also evening featured a performance from Dione be performing. Taylor, who has been nominated for Female The final night of the Maple Blues Awards Vocalist of the Year, new Artist / Group of stream will be coming from Vancouver Island the Year, and Songwriter of the Year. Also on Monday, February 22nd and will be hosted performing was Jack de Keyzer, who has by Dalannah Gail Bowen and Jim Byrnes been nominated along with his bandmates and will have performances from 14-year old for Entertainer of the Year, Electric Act of the New Artist / Group of the Year nominee Liam Attention TBS Members! Year, Male Vocalist of the Year, Recording / Docherty and Drummer of the Year nominee Producer of the Year, Guitarist of the Year, Lindsay Beaver, streaming from Halifax for a Due to COVID-19 pandemic, Horn Player of the Year (for Richard Thornton), true coast-to-coast MBA experience. TBS is unable to deliver and Bassist of the Year (for Alan Duffy). The 24th Annual Maple Blues Awards will a physical copy of the On Monday, February 8th Angelique be streamed at 8:00 PM Eastern via Facebook MapleBlues February Francis and Matt Sobb will be hosting the and on Toronto Blues Society’s YouTube issue. However expiring, stream from Ottawa, sponsored by Clyde channel. new & renewing members River Productions, and the evening will Toronto Blues Society is a volunteer- can expect a letter from us feature a performance from JW-Jones, driven non-profit charity dedicated to the who has been nominated along with his promotion & preservation of the Blues on soon. Please e-mail info@ bandmates for Entertainer of the Year, Electric both a local and national level. Celebrating its torontobluessociety.com Act of the Year, New Artist / Group of the 35th anniversary in 2020, it is crucial to have if you have any questions Year (for Jones’ other project HOROJO Trio), the support of our followers especially now and Recording / Producer of the Year. Also during pandemic. Your tax-deductible gift and be sure to follow TBS streaming a performance from Ottawa is means that the TBS can continue to produce accounts on social media Nashville-based Indigenous artist Crystal educational, career development and other for immediate updates. Shawanda, who has been nominated for public events. Female Vocalist of the Year, Songwriter of the www.torontobluessociety.com MapleBlues February 2021 3 Congratulations to all MAPLE BLUES AWARDS nominees ...especially ours! Sue Foley Matt Anderson Crystal Shawanda Paul Reddick Kenny “Blues Boss” Wayne Michael Kaeshammer Matt Sobb, Steve Marriner & Tony D. www.truenorthrecords.com • www.stonyplainrecords.com 4 MapleBlues February 2021 www.torontobluessociety.com Remembering JAMES DEAN BY PHOTO Michael Fonfara Toronto-based keyboardist, songwriter, arranger, and producer Michael Fonfara died on Jan. 8, at age 74, from complications brought on by a lengthy battle with prostate cancer. He enjoyed a fascinating and accomplished career as a professional musician over the course of six decades. From ‘60s R&B and underground blues-rock in such outfits as Jon and Lee and The Checkmates, The Electric Flag, and Rhinoceros, Fonfara went on to a long stint with Lou Reed and then the Downchild Blues Band, plus work with Rough Trade, Foreigner, The Lincolns, reggae pioneers Sly and Robbie, and more. It is fair to claim his resume is as musically diverse as any in Canadian music. He has perhaps been something of an unsung hero, but the huge outpouring of affection as news of his passing spread on social media recently affirms that he was held in enormous respect by his musical peers Michael Fonfara was the most beloved of Toronto keyboard players who rose to international fame. A GoFundMe and all who came in contact with him. That is campaign has been set up to help his family deal with funeral and other expenses. https://ca.gofundme.com/f/ evident in the tributes we have included later show-some-michael-fonfara-family-love. in this obituary feature, taken from social media Bloomfield, with Fonfara replacing keyboardist wrote with Danny Weis and which has become or gathered by our reaching out to Fonfara’s and founding Electric Flag member Barry an R&B standard.