January 2016 www.torontobluessociety.com Published by the TORONTO BLUES SOCIETY since 1985 [email protected] Vol 32, No 1 Bonnie Raitt plays Toronto's Sony Centre for the Performing Arts on March 15th CANADIAN PUBLICATIONS MAIL AGREEMENT #40011871 Blues Booster - Larry Kurtz Loose Blues News Harmonica Workshop 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 2016 BOARD OF DIRECTORS Derek Andrews (President), Jon Arnold, Gord Brown, Lucie Dufault (Secretary), Sarah French, Carol Flett, Jamie MacDonald (Vice-President), Lori Murray, Ed Parsons, Paul Sanderson, Terry Sellwood (Treasurer), Mike Smith, Earl Tucker, John Valenteyn (Executive) Musicians Advisory Council: Brian Blain, Gary Kendall, Lily Sazz, Mark Stafford, Suzie Vinnick,Ken Whiteley Membership Committee: Lucie Dufault, Gord Brown, Sarah French, Mike Smith, Debbie Brown, Ed Parsons Volunteer Committee: Ed Parsons, Lucie Dufault Office Manager: Alice Sellwood [email protected] Office Assistant: Ivy Farquhar-McDonnell 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 Editors: John Valenteyn, Alice Sellwood 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 January 2016 www.torontobluessociety.com MARK YOUR CALENDAR January 8, 2016 5:00pm Deadline for submissions for the Cobalt Prize. The intention behind the Cobalt Prize is to promote blues music through CONTEMPORARY BLUES exploration of its COBALT COMPOSITION AWARD form. The winning composition will be judged on its ability to creatively utilize blues traditions within the broad contemporary musical landscape. The successful song will explore and refresh blues as an art form. The Toronto Blues Society and Paul Reddick announce the second annual competition for theCobalt Prize Contemporary Blues Composition Award. This year, a generous donation from The Unicorn Project will provide a cash prize of New TBS board members Earl Tucker, Lori Murray and Carol Flett are pictured enjoying the Swinging Blackjacks at the TBS Christmas/Volunteer Appreciaion Party and celebrating a record number (71) of new and renewing members with incoming $1000 that will be presented to the winner at Vice-President Jamie MacDonald. Not pictured is new Treasurer Terry Sellwood who replaces retiring boarder Michael the upcoming Maple Blues Awards on January Malone. Many thanks to Mike and other board retirees Sharon Evans and Norm Robinson for their years of dedicated service. 18, 2016, with second and third place winners Chris Antonik is leaving the Musicians Advisory Council and Ken Whiteley is coming onboard. each receiving $250. awards and concert will be the popular TBS Talent To enter the competition, please email after-party nominee jam with Big Dave Search winner your submission to [email protected] McLean with The Sinners Choir. Michael Schatte by January 8, 2016 at 5:00pm. Tickets now available through the Koerner will be representing Hall Box Office. TBS Charter Members can the Toronto Blues All submissions must include: purchase best available tickets for only Society in the solo/ • One attached WAV (preferred) or MP3 $28! To take advantage of this offer, please duo category at file of the track to be considered (NOTE: Only contact the TBS Office at 416-538-3885 or the International one track per composer will be considered) [email protected] to retrieve Blues Challenge in • Track information (including track title, the required promo code. Memphis January 26-30. A fundraiser lyrics sheet, and composers’ name) to defray his travel costs will be • Contact information (including first and January 26-30, 2016 The 32nd (2016) taking place in January and the TBS last name, email address, current city and International Blues Challenge will be held in would like to thank the Ontario Media province of residence) Downtown Memphis, Tennessee in the Beale Development Corporation for their Street Historic District. Michael Schatte will generous support. • A $10 admin fee payable to Jennifer Anne be representing the Toronto Blues Society in at https://www.paypal.me/cobaltprize the solo/duo category. Monday, January 18, 2016, 7pm Koerner Saturday, February 20, 1-4 pm Paintbox Hall, 273 Bloor St W, 19th Annual Maple Bistro, 555 Dundas St E., TBS Harmonica Blues Awards. Workshop with Carlos del Junco and Performers include Bharath Rajakumar hosted by Jerome nominees Colin Godboo. Cover $12 ($10 for charter Linden, David members in good standing) Gogo, Samantha Martin & Delta Sugar, Harrison Kennedy, Cécile Doo-Kingué, and John Campbelljohn and the gala will be hosted by Gill Deacon, host of Here and Now on CBC Radio One. The performers will be backed by The Maple Blues Band, comprised of Gary "Like" us on Facebook! Follow us on Twitter Kendall, Michael Fonfara, Teddy Leonard, www.facebook.com/ @tobluessociety Al Lerman, Jim Casson, Chris Whiteley, Pat TorontoBluesSociety Carey and Chris Murphy. Following the www.torontobluessociety.com MapleBlues January 2016 3 “It really is great for the organization of the festival to have the board of directors, and so much local involvement. Last year, we even had 120 volunteers who were part of the festival, and I know the support of the area is a big help with keeping things organized the way it is. It really is the whole group of people involved that have helped keep things going with what we are doing today.” With Kurtz at the helm of the festival, and with Orangeville helping to steer the ship, the Orangeville Blues & Jazz Festival shows every sign that it will continue to flourish as an event that brings Blues fans and top Blues artists to the area for years to come. When asked about the 2016 event, Kurtz says” The festival is in the midst of assembling itself for 2016. There are lots of new initiatives that have structured the festival for success, so I look forward to it happening, and it being a great year.” The culmination of Kurtz’s efforts in bringing the Blues to the forefront have been noticed by artists, music lovers and industry not just as a musician, but also as a listener.” professionals alike for years. That’s why this Notes &Quotes Since that first experience, Kurtz has had year, Larry Kurtz will be awarded by the Blues Booster of the Year his hat in the performance ring, continuing to Toronto Blues Society with this year's Blues play harp and sing on stages that are friendly Booster Award. The coveted Blues Booster to the Blues. He has even been nominated for Award is a Maple Blues Award honouring a Maple Blues Award when his band, Trouble outstanding contribution to the Canadian Larry Kurtz & Strife, was nominated for New Artist/Group blues music industry, and is held in high If you’ve ever been to the Orangeville of the Year in 2006. One might think that his regard by those who know its meaning and Blues & Jazz Festival, you probably have some main stage performances and accolades as intention. The most pressing question of the insight into how much effort Larry Kurtz sinks an artist might have quenched his thirst for conversation with Kurtz was to ask how it felt into the Blues. What you see today is the the Blues, however, Kurtz has another vision to be recognized via the Blues Booster Award. success of his vision to bring the music he for the Blues that could just be his piece Modestly, he says this; “It is very humbling. loves to Orangeville 13 years ago. It was his de resistance: The Orangeville Blues & Jazz This is the last reason why I got into doing visualisation that got the ball started in the Festival. When speaking about how the this. I never did anything I do with respect to beginning, and now, the festival is arguably festival first launched 13 years ago, he says the festival to be noticed, but rather to enjoy one of the best the province has to offer. “I first got into starting the Blues festival by it, and share it. This is really great, not just for Beyond that effort, Larry is also a musician, watching some really great acts in Toronto. me, but also for the people involved, and the dedicated to playing the harmonica and My original idea was to bring them out to collective Blues community.” Larry’s reaction singing, and an artist whose paintings often Orangeville so that they could play here, and to the Blues Booster Award is anticipated feature the Blues Greats. It just might be the people who are here could hear and enjoy to those who know him, or have worked safe to say that Larry Kurtz is living the Blues, these great acts like I was. The first year did alongside him. It is most likely his ability in the best possible way.