February 2015 www.torontobluessociety.com Published by the TORONTO BLUES SOCIETY since 1985 [email protected] Vol 31, No 2 PHOTO BY LORI HODDINOTT BY PHOTO It was the first ever tie at The Maple Blues Awards. Harpdog Brown and Guy Belanger duke it out for Harp Player of the Year CANADIAN PUBLICATIONS MAIL AGREEMENT #40011871 MBA Winners Loose Blues News Voxxy Lady Event Listings John’s Blues Picks Top Blues 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 2015 BOARD OF DIRECTORS Derek Andrews (President), Jon Arnold (Executive), Gord Brown, Lucie Dufault (Secretary), Sharon Evans, Sarah French, Michael Malone (Treasurer), Jamie MacDonald, Ed Parsons (Executive), Norman Robinson, Paul Sanderson, Mike Smith (Executive), John Valenteyn (Executive) Musicians Advisory Council: Chris Antonik, Brian Blain, Gary Kendall, Lily Sazz, Mark Stafford, Suzie Vinnick Membership Committee: Michael Malone, Lucie Dufault, Gord Brown, Sarah French, Mike Smith, Debbie Brown, Ed Parsons, Norm Robinson, Nick Lanaro Volunteer Committee: Ed Parsons, Sharon Evans, Lucie Dufault Office Manager: Alice Sellwood [email protected] Office Assistant: Ivy Mairi Event Coordinator: Jordan Safer [email protected] Sponsorship Coordinator: Dougal Bichan [email protected] Webmistress: Janine Stoll Grants Officer: Barbara Isherwood Publisher/Editor-in-Chief: Derek Andrews Managing Editor: Brian Blain [email protected] Contributing Editor: John Valenteyn Listings Coordinator: Razani Fulwell Mailing and Distribution: Ed Parsons Advertising & Sponsorship: Dougal & Co. For rates & specs call 416-645-0295 Email: [email protected] or visit www.torontobluesociety.com/newsletters/ rate-card Charitable # 87487 7509 RR0001 The Toronto Blues Society is a member of The Toronto Blues Society acknowledges the annual support of the following agencies: an Ontario government agency un organisme du gouvernement de l’Ontario Project support is provided by: 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 2015 www.torontobluessociety.com New Members: Philippa Cunningham, Steven Oszertag, Robert Seneshen, Ken Wallis, Steven Doede, Bob Naugler & the Midtown Blues Band, D. Major Entertainment, Kim Doolittle Renewing Members:Rick Fines, Lisa Hutchinson, Sharon Evans, Jerome Godboo, Angela Martin, Lori Huddinott, Colin Baxter, Brenda McCurdy, Daniel Munro, Jeff Bradshaw, Rick Brouckxon, Chris Murphy, Sabrina Weeks, Stephen Sinclair Institutional/Benefactor Members: Longshadows Music Ltd., Choose The Blues Productions, Music By The Bay Live, Grand River Blues Society, Mike Calhoun, Joel Goldberg, Rick Barber, Dana R. Clarence, Joel Goldberg, Brian David Johnston, Michael Malone, Scott Peaker, Canal Bank Shuffle Blues Festival, Dan Aykroyd Wines, Dee’s Deeds, Eaton Chelsea Hotel – Monarchs Pub, Linus Entertainment – True North Records, Re/Max, Stony Plain Recordings, Porquis Blues Society Honorary Members (Honorary Membership is assigned to musicians in the past year who have participated in a TBS event): Lindsay Barr, Tom Bona, Patrick J. Carey, Richard Dawson. Julian Fauth, Matthieu Gagnon, Rebecca Hennessy, Harrison Kennedy, Jon Knight, Teddy Leonard, Al Lerman, Rob Lutes, Steve Strongman, Joanna Swan, Dawn Tyler-Watson, Rachelle van Zanten, David Vest, Suzie Vinnick, Sacha Williamsonr Lifetime Members (Blues Boosters are Master guitarist Tony "Wild T" Springer will be guesting at the upcoming Toronto Blues Society guitar workshop Maple Blues Award recipients for their good to be hosted by Emily Burgess. Watch this space and check TBS weekly e-blast "Where It's At" for details once the work in the national blues community): John date and venue are confirmed Valenteyn, Liz Sykes, Gord MacAuley, Ed Torres, Rob Bowman, Brad Wheeler, Mako Funasaka, Richard Flohil, Brian Slack, Elaine MARK YOUR CALENDAR Bomberry, Andrew Galloway, Fred Litwin, Ralph Strodeur, Brent Staeben, Mark Monahan, TBS Guitar Workshop (Date and venue to be confirmed) Emily Burgess hosting and Holger Petersen guests Sean Pinchin, Suzie Vinnick, Tony Springer and more to be announced. Lifetime Members (Blues With A Feeling Award members are the Maple Blues Award May 2015, Hugh's Room, 2261 Dundas Street West, Toronto TBS Blues Photography lifetime achievement recipients): Matt Exhibit (part of Contact Photography Festival) Minglewood, Paul James, Rita Chiarelli, Chris Whiteley, Amos Garrett, Big Dave McLean, July 16, 2015 Palais Royale, 1601 Lakeshore Blvd TBS 30th Colin Linden, Danny Marks, Jackie Richardson, Mel Brown, Chuck Jackson, Jack de Keyzer, Anniversary Celebration Genius+Soul= The Music of Ray Charles - with Michael Pickett, Long John Baldry, Morgan musical director Lance Anderson, Jesse O'Brien, Al Lerman and Michael Davis, Gary Kendall, Donnie 'Mr. Downchild' Sloski featuring special guests. Dinner & Show $100 +HST/Service Walsh, Dave 'Daddy Cool' Booth, B.B. King, (Show only $30 +HST/Service) Holger Petersen, Bruce Iglauer, Derek Andrews Donors Janet Zopfi, Linda Partington, Joel Goldberg, Sharon Evans, Trynie de Vries, The Toronto Blues Society is a Registered Charity Carol Flett, Sue Bracken, Derek Andrews, Michael Malone, Noah Blackstein, Jon Arnold, Gordon Brown, Suzie Vinnick, Ed Parsons Make a donation beyond membership and merchandise, and Many thanks to Shawn Caissie, Rachel get your charitable tax receipt in time for this year! (Charitable Cameron, Zoe Chilco, Sokhna-Dior Cissé, # 87487 7509 RR0001). You will be helping to support events like Ursula Durosh, Carol Flett, Heather Green, the annual Women's Blues Revue at Massey Hall, The Blues in the Anita Hannam, Janice Knowles, Nick Lanaro, Patricia McCully, Alexander McTaggart, Anne Schools program, The monthly Gladstone Blues Series, numerous O'Flynne, Susan Simpson, Geoff Virag and workshops and carreer development activities for the musician John Warrener for their help at Blues Summit community as well as the Maple Blues Awards and the Blues Summit conference, 7 and the Maple Blues Awards. Many thanks the most important blues industry gathering in Canada that occurs every other year. as well to Carol Flett and Anne O'Flynne for their help with the Newsletter mailing and to Networking events within this conference allow for industry discussion alongside Roz for helping with the listings artist discovery through the showcase program. www.torontobluessociety.com MapleBlues February 2015 3 PHOTO BY LORI HODDINOTT BY PHOTO The Quebec/Ottawa contingent (l. to r.) Denis Coulombe, Greg Morency, Guy Belanger, Nanette Workman, Sam Harrison, Jordan Officer, Angel Forrest, Dawn Tyler Watson, Leigh-Anne Stanton, Liam Melville, Matt Sobb, Paul DesLauriers, Murray Kinsley, Steve Hill, Rod Williams thriving Quebec blues scene were Nanette promoting the blues as a broadcaster, talent Workman who won the Blues with a Feeling buyer and festival Artistic Director. Blues Invasion Lifetime Achievement Award and Greg An additional award was handed out last Morency of the Paul DesLauriers Band who night as the winners of the first ever Cobalt Talk about a “summit”! Hundreds of blues won Bassist of the Year. From Montreal, Guy Prize for Contemporary Blues Composition players, the best in the country, gathered in Belanger won Harmonica Player of the were announced. The creator and benefactor Toronto for an intense week of networking, Year, sharing it with Vancouver’s Harpdog of the award, musician Paul Reddick, catching up with old friends, making new Brown in the first ever Maple Blues Awards presented Digging Roots the grand ones, and acknowledging those who had a tie. prize for their song “Hwy 17”, great year. Vancouver’s Brandon with Rob Lutes and Samantha The finale was on Blue Monday, January 19, Isaak won the Acoustic Act of Martin announced as runners up. thought to be the most depressing day of the the Year award with David Hosted by renowned year, but it was anything but as internationally Vest taking home the musician and broadcaster, renowned Canadian Blues Artists from coast- award for Piano/Keyboard Toronto’s own Danny Marks, to-coast were honoured by their peers at the Player of the Year. The New the Maple Blues Awards 18th Annual Maple Blues Awards gala. Artist or Group of the Year included outstanding Montreal’s one-man band, Steve Hill took award was presented to performances from Maple home all of the awards he was nominated for Ottawa’s Wicked Grin. Blues Award nominees past including Entertainer of the Year, Electric Edmonton Folk Festival and present, including the Act of the Year, Recording of the Year for producer Terry Wickham joined evening’s big winners Steve Solo Recordings Vol. 2, and Guitar Player of Stony Plain Records president Holger Hill and Angel Forrest, Joel the Year. Angel Forrest won two awards Petersen to present the Blues Booster of the Johnson, Downchild, Harpdog including Female Vocalist of the Year and Year Award to Edmonton’s Peter North, Brown and Brandon Isaak, all backed Songwriter of the