Canadians are rediscovering the blues

Canadian Press

CALGARY — Traditional, light and Canadian are words that describe not just beer, but also what's available these days to blues aficionados who are thirsting for that particular brand of music.

"Blues is now the 'in' thing for the suburban crowd," says Mojo Williams, 57, who has been playing the blues circuit in Calgary - a city better known for country music - since he was a teenager. "Now you've got a whole brand new audience for the blues and we're talking people my age."

The effects of the rediscovery can be seen in many record stores. Re-issues of albums by blues superstars as well as compilations like the one to mark the PBS Martin Scorsese-produced series entitled The Blues, are getting front-of-store displays rather than their traditional place in out-of-the-way specialty aisles.

Blues enthusiasts in Toronto are organizing a Club Blue Note reunion, to take place on Nov. 1. The club was once regarded as the country's top venue to watch blues artists in the 1960s and '70s.

Gary Martin, whose Heavenly Blues band plies its trade in Calgary, says the blues have become more popular among mainstream audiences, although he laments that parts of Western Canada are still lagging behind.

"I mean in the last two years B.B. King recorded with Heavy D.," says Martin, a native of Chicago and former guitarist for the Temptations and blues great Muddy Watters.

"That's how far blues has progressed at home with the King of Blues recording with a rap artist. And you come to Western Canada and they're still doing the 12-bar blues. That tells you how far the gulf is between the music."

Martin says blues music is the root of all North American music - all the greatest blues artists switched over to gospel, to jazz.

"And blues has never got its credit for being the father of all that."

He maintains the only way to educate Canadians about the real blues is to bring in more African-American artists.

"Canada probably hasn't quite realized that the blues for us as African-Americans is a culture. My mother was singing blues when I was a kid in her belly and she was picking cotton," he says.

But it's not all about the emotion of death and loss, said Martin, who concedes that is the cornerstone of blues music.

"I don't go too deep in the blues. Canadians always associate blues as being down. I do the light side of the blues and show them the positive side."

Charlie A'Court, the 2003 East Coast Music Awards blues artist of the year, said blues in Canada does share a common thread with traditional American folk blues. But blues music north of the border has been "Canadian-ized."

"You take Matt Minglewood, for instance, in a lot of his songs he puts landmarks in. He'll talk about travelling down the 401 in Ontario or the 104 in Nova Scotia," said A'Court.

"I think that has a strong following in Canadian blues where we've taken the concept of blues from a generalized concept and made it specific to our surroundings."

But A'Court doesn't agree that you have to be of African descent to play or understand the music.

"There's certainly no argument that it came from the depression of African-Americans and it was something that helped them get through tough times," he says.

"I think white folk do get it. There's a lot of soulful white people out there and I hope I can consider myself one of them," A'Court says.

"It doesn't have to be about getting ready to buy your tombstone because you don't think you can make it through another day. It could be about you just got a job or you just met the woman of your dreams," he says.

John Ciampini, manager of Alley Cats in Toronto, says most of the acts in his club these days are Canadian but adds the blues scene isn't the same as in the United States.

"We've got pretty good local talent now but if you go to Chicago or Detroit or New Orleans, the blues - it's kicking. Here there just aren't that many people that do it ... or do it well anyway," says Ciampini.

"It used to be when you had clubs like this they were bringing in acts from the States. It gets too expensive. You've got to pay their boarding, their lodging and you've got to fly them over."

According to Martin and Williams, playing blues music has finally become profitable for musicians.

"It is now really business and they're out to make money," says Martin.

"B.B King didn't become the king of the blues because he outsold everybody. He became the king of the blues because he whipped everybody who ever came on the stage with him."

Canadians are definitely rediscovering the blues.

We're getting a lot of inquiries from Canadian blues bands about being on our internet radio show, "Every Day I Have The Blues". This is just a sampling of Canadian blues artists you'll hear on the show daily:

The Johnny Max Band (Toronto) -- The Groove Kings (Montreal)

The Rockin' Highliners (Edmonton) -- Mark 'Bird' Stafford (Toronto)

and this is just a small sample. Every week we get two or three emails asking how Canadian groups can get on the show. [It's really easy for any indie group to get their CD played in over 50 countries - all they need do is send us one!]

In fact, last Friday, we had our first ever ALL-CANADA blues hour. Actually, it was an All-Toronto feature but we'll be more "universal" next time.

Those Canucks are cranking out some wonderful blues of all types. And, if you need proof, just tune in to our show on Live365.com (visit our website to link to the show).

During our independent blues artist hour everyday, there's just no telling what/whom you'll hear but you can depend on at least one Canadian group every day (usually several).

canadians love the blues, I'm in texas and our band has 2 canadians that come out to see us.








http://www.geocities.com/buzz_blooze_band

Hi all,

I'm representing a (Canadian!) band called Pork Belly Futures. This is a group that takes writers, rockers, classical musicians and does the only logical thing. It creates a blues band.

I hope you'll read on, and if you'd like more information, I'd be pleased to send you a more detailed biography of the band members. I'm also pleased to extend to you a personal invitation to any of their upcoming shows, should you be in the area at the time.

Thank you,
Janina


The Band

The Porkers reunite the singer/song-writing team of Paul Quarrington and Martin Worthy, whose 1980 album produced by John Capek and engineered by Daniel Lanois yielded the #1 Canadian hit single “Baby and the Blues.” Quarrington is one of Canada's best-known literary figures, having won awards for his novels (Whale Music, King Leary), TV writing (Due South), screenplays (Perfectly Normal) and songwriting. Completing the exciting new band are two of Canada's busiest musicians. Stuart Laughton substitutes his classical trumpet for guitar/harmonica, and ace bassist Chas Elliott continues to do what he does best.

Pork Belly Futures' debut album release, Way Past Midnight, was produced by David Gray, former guitarist with Parachute Club and Paul Butterfield. Assisting artists include award-winning Nashville guitarist Colin Linden (O Brother Where Art Thou?), Rebecca Campbell, Canadian Brass, and others. Way Past Midnight is available for purchase in stores across Canada and at www.mymusic.ca (you'll find it under "Critics Choice") as of June 1.


Tour dates

June 1 - Lula's Lounge in Toronto
June 4 - The Black Sheep Inn in Wakefield, Quebec (just outside Ottawa)
June 7 - The Book Shelf in Guelph
June 10 - Club One in Montreal


Hope to see you there.


For more information or to arrange media interviews, go to www.openingday.com/porkbellyfutures.html, or contact

Robert Wilson, Promoter
819-685-9871 (office)
416-729-5256 (mobile)
bob@robertwilsonandassociates.com

or

Janina Laughton, Assistant Promoter
514-242-3521
janinalaughton@hotmail.com

I know I'm waking up to the blues (finally, age 42). Just found this on YouTube - anyone know who they are?



This post has been edited by eBuddha: Jan 7 2008, 07:57 PM

Welcome aboard - I think you registered twice, the first time under bluesfancan? Can I delete that original account?

Never too late to be a blues fan ! And 42 is pretty young...

No idea who is in the video...

Cheers,

Rob

Well, this is good to know. Spread the love for Blues.