“We were reminded how those simple tasks that consumed your day are such an antidote to the panicked rat race life we tend to lead these days,” recalls Jen Schaffer on Jen Schaffer and The Shiners’ newest single, “Panic Life” — available now!

Pleasantly necessary chores like gathering wood and tending to the fire became par for the course while staying mid-winter deep in the woods near Scugog, Ontario in none other than famed, late artist, sculptor, inventor, naturalist, and filmmaker Bill Lishman’s off-grid tree house.

“(We were) rising at dawn, and retiring at dusk, and heating and cooking with the small wood stove,” continues Jen. “The song that emerged reflects that amazing experience of living closer to a, what we imagined, was a pioneering lifestyle.”

Jen Schaffer and The Shiners’ Games We Play and song “Panic Life” was released this February 2018, less than a handful of months following Bill’s recent December passing. “Bill was the most remarkable renaissance man,” Jen recalls fondly. “I had the privilege of meeting Bill and his family through a friend of a friend who is a close friend of the family. I got to stay at Purple Hill and get a tour of the amazing property from Bill himself, and only a couple of Christmases ago, Simon and I stayed at Bill’s ingenious treehouse in the woods on his property.

“Bill was a teacher to us in that one personal moment, so this song is as much in honour of his inspiring legacy.”

Jen Schaffer and the Shiners (featuring GRAMMY-winner Simon Law of Soul II Soul) released their second full-length release, Games We Play this past February 10, 2018.

// ABOUT GAMES WE PLAY

“The songs are reflections upon the manipulations and machinations of human behaviour,” says Jen Schaffer on her writing process for the album. Containing twelve original songs recorded over the span of 18 months, the band’s take on defiance, delusion, dysfunctional tendencies, as well as contemplation, fear, and foolishness when in love all underlie the central themes throughout.

“But always a hint towards redemption!”

Cases in point…

"Garnet Strand" is Games We Play’s opening track and speaks to a jeweller's daughter's take on transformative love, while ”Lament" — written in 2009 and one of the earliest tunes on the record — is the awakening plea of a mother to her distressed daughter.

"Blood of the Lamb" explores the consequences of gun culture.

“I wrote “Blood of the Lamb” several years ago after hearing about the death of Christina Taylor Green, the 9 year old girl killed during the mass shooting targeting Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords in Tuscon, Arizona in 2011,” shares Jen. “That this young girl was born on 9/11 and died in this tragic way inspired the song. Musically, it’s an homage to The Band featuring horn arrangement by Gary Barnacle reminiscent of Van Morrison’s St Dominic’s Preview/Moon Dance era.”

“Gone" is an underlying story of a young girl’s rejection of the confines imposed by her extreme religious sect. “The very struggles that inspired this song are those experienced, for example, by the “yotzes” — or young ultra orthodox Jewish women — in Israel.” This phenomena was more recently explored in the documentary One Of Us and in Deborah Feldman’s book Unorthodox. Jen also drew inspiration from Linda Grant’s book about contemporary and contradictory Israeli life, People On The Street.

"At the very least, I had to write a song about those 'awkward squads’!"

The title track “Games We Play" has its essence captured by the self-damning lyric “can I call your bluff, having never called your name.”

With the help of videographer Evan Trestan, the video tracks the band’s ten year journey, from its inception and maiden voyage gigs at The Cameron and C’est What in Toronto, to Casa Del Popolo in Montreal, Mariposa Folk Festival in Ontario, recording at Canterbury Music Company in Toronto, mastering at Abbey Road Studios in London, UK, and finally a performance and photo shoot at their local venue, Dora Keogh Irish Pub.

The song, a lover’s plea to stop the game playing and resurrect a failing love, is delivered with a Cajun rock-inflected swagger, accordion, fiddle and all.

Produced by Simon Law, mixed by Jeremy Darby at Canterbury, and mastered by Miles Showell at Abbey Road Studios in London, UK, Games We Play is Jen Schaffer and The Shiners’ second full-length album release.

In addition to Jen Schaffer and the Shiners — GRAMMY-winner Simon Law, Astrid Foster, John Teshima, and Jonathan Marks — special guest artists on Games We Play include Lain Gray (Soul II Soul, Wookie, Nu Colours, London West End musicals We Will Rock You, and The Harder They Come), Gary Barnacle, and Denis Keldie.

Lain is Simon’s longtime songwriting partner and is featured vocalist on the song "Jerusalem Fields." “The idea for this collaboration was born when Lain performed with us in the UK in the summer of 2017 on Jazz FM and BBC Radio London whilst promoting Simon’s solo album Look To The Sky — which went to #1 on the UK soul charts!

“We are also honoured to have Simon’s good friend and longtime collaborator Gary Barnacle join us,” continues Jen. “Gary is one of the leading UK musicians of his generation and adds dazzling brass arrangements and his masterful playing to two tunes on the album: "Blood of the Lamb" and "Ominous Change."

Games We Play is notably the first time the Shiners have added horns to their music. “It’s a thrill to hear how Gary’s powerful playing adds fuel to the fire!”

Toronto master musician Denis Keldie joined on accordion, Hammond and Lowrey Organ. “The gorgeous accordion playing on "Lament" and "Games We Play" infuses new and beautiful flavours to the Shiner sound,” Jen reflects. “The driving B3 part he plays on "We Had Our Time" injects the song with jubilant power, and on "Gone" he plays full on ska-style Lowrey organ to this klezmer/ska mashup!”

// ABOUT JEN SCHAFFER AND THE SHINERS

Jen Schaffer and the Shiners hail from Toronto via Montreal, Hamburg, Calgary and the UK.

The band, best known for original, alt-country meets soulful folk rock music bolstered by lush harmonies and heavy bass, is lead by Jen Schaffer, the lead singer, songwriter and acoustic guitarist.

Jen’s self-penned works — which have garnered praise from the likes of Ron Sexsmith — speak of love, struggle, and injustice, and are sharply focused through the lens of her own life’s journey.

Montreal-born and raised, her path to the stage is heralded as an unconventional one full of uniquely impassioned insights. Having spent time as a public defender in the Appalachian foothills of Ohio, it was there she discovered songwriting, her love of alt-country music, and heightened sense of social conscience — each of which reflect prominently in her original lyrics and compositions. After working on a homicide case involving a battered woman that proved pivotal in changing the state’s self-defense law, years later the experience resulted in her first song, “For Teresa”, and a four-song EP Angel Ridge.

Grammy Award winning Simon Law — the Shiners’ drummer, keyboardist, background vocalist and producer — was also an original member of Soul II Soul.

The Shiners also include Astrid Foster on bass and sweet background harmonies, John Teshima on guitar — both electric and acoustic — as well as keyboards and background harmonies, and Jonathan Marks on violin, viola, mandolin as well as background harmonies.

Jen Schaffer and the Shiners released their first all-original, full-length recording in 2014, Fate Line, deftly introducing the bands eclectic talents and Jen’s depth and skill as a songwriter. Highlights of the band’s ten year journey include playing the Mariposa Folk Festival, Jen being interviewed by CBC in her hometown of Montreal before a performance at Casa Del Popolo, and gaining kudos from Fred Tackett of Little Feat for their version of “Fool Yourself.”

Singer, songwriter, producer, performer, mother, teacher, rock ‘n’ roll legend… Lee Aaron is wearing a lot of hats these days. With a career spanning over 35 years and still going strong, Aaron is one of Canada's most diverse artists and, as Billboard once described her; “an invincible voice.”

She proves it yet again on Diamond Baby Blues, which is out now. Aaron delivers a world-class vocal performance that may very well be the finest in her career.

She was one of the first women in Canada to navigate the male-dominated waters of rock’ n' roll, pioneering the way for a significant number of artists. Her 1989 album BodyRock was proclaimed by Chart Magazine as “one of the 20 most influential Canadian albums of the 80’s, with artists like Avril Lavigne, Alanis Morissette and Shania Twain under Aaron’s influence.”

Born in Belleville Ontario, Lee's family relocated to Winnipeg when she was two. Living two doors down from the MacLean family (MacLean & MacLean), Burton Cummings was a frequent visitor and Aaron's earliest musical memories were of the rehearsals and parties that occurred in that Dowling Avenue home throughout much of her early childhood.

Smitten by the music bug, after moving back to Ontario she studied voice and piano as a teenager as well as appearing in numerous musical theatre productions. At 15 she was invited to join a band in the Toronto suburbs. Initially playing saxophone and keys, by 17 she had evolved into the band's lead singer and was discovered by local talent agent the summer she graduated school. Working with Canadian greats from Moxy, Santers and Rick Emmett, by 19 she had written and recorded her debut album, 1982’s The Lee Aaron Project.

Between 19 and 21 Aaron weathered a period that she today describes as "painful and embarrassing" in which she was subjected to overtly sexist marketing, exploitive photographs, emotionally uncomfortable stage wear and "being thrown into situations I had neither the self confidence, maturity or life experience to navigate." As a result of this, the song “Metal Queen” was born. A response - not just to her own experience but the entire sexist culture of 80's rock - the song was intended as a feminist statement of power and strength. Women were much more than the ornamental, eye candy depictions of the era, but strong and intelligent, in control and a force to be reckoned with. The song and subsequent video catapulted Aaron to iconic status with legions of fans around the globe and over the years has become an enduring anthem of empowerment for men and women alike.

The late 80's and early 90's brought radio hits, gold and multi-platinum sales with Body Rock and Some Girls Do (1991), multiple JUNO nominations and song writing awards. She appeared on the cover of dozens of magazines - even TV Guide! - and for several years seemed to be everywhere, her videos in near constant rotation on MuchMusic. Aaron turned the tables on the sexist status quo in her video for Whatcha Do To My Body, which featured a group of rugged, attractive men objectified in a tongue and cheek, yet respectful manner. This resonated deeply with the public and became a smash hit.

Recurrent themes in her writing – from teenager to maturity – have always been female empowerment and individualism, challenging the feminine stereotype and of course, love, in all its beauty and iniquity.

She re-emerged in 1998 performing blues and jazz in intimate venues around Vancouver, surprising fans and industry insiders alike with a musical left turn and released Slick Chick (2000) a spirited and soulful nod to her early influences. Despite initial skepticism, her authenticity and solid live performances from coast to coast led to credibility as one of the country’s most respected and versatile female vocalists and songwriters.

She followed up with the jazz infused, Beautiful Things (2004) but perhaps her most challenging career move to date was to become a wife and mother. Less than a month after completing the Beautiful Things tour, Lee and her husband welcomed a daughter in 2004 and a son in 2006. She took a recording hiatus to focus on her young family, but continued to perform selected live dates. She also released Museum, a collection of jazz performances on DVD in 2006, Rarities, Studio & Live a 3-DVD career anthology in 2008, Live in Sweden a DVD of her 2011 concert at Sweden Rock Fest, and a 30 year commemorative CD, Radio Hitz and More in 2012.

During this time Aaron returned college to expand on her post secondary education, acquiring a certification in Specialized Education. Working with exceptional youth in her community, she soon found herself helping design and implement programs for gifted children. “I've worked with differently-abled thinkers all my life…they're called musicians! Working with kids who learn in unconventional ways is intuitive work; just like music. When you find a teaching strategy that works - just like a song idea - the light bulb goes on and it's magical."

In 2016 Aaron catapulted back onto the scene with Fire and Gasoline, a stellar collection of rock originals. Canadian and European and UK dates followed and video singles, “Tom Boy”, “Fire and Gasoline”, and “Bad Boyfriend” have well over 100K views on YouTube and continue to grow in popularity.

Last year brought multiple honors, with a permanent star on the Arts Walk of Fame in her former hometown of Brampton, Ontario, her iconic Metal Queen and BodyRock outfits on display at The National Music Centre in Calgary and the “Back In The Spotlight” Fan’s Choice award from Music Express.

April 27, 2018 marks the release of Diamond Baby Blues, a fiery collection of blues-based rockers, rock ‘n’ roll and hard-rock that pays homage to the giants of the late ’60s and ’70s music scene. Set to perform at Wacken, Germany's biggest open air festival this summer, Sweden's, Skogsrojet Fest and a string of Canadian shows, this multi-talented songstress shows no signs of slowing down anytime soon. A Canadian original and a national treasure - Lee Aaron.

Canadian blues music renaissance man Manitoba Hal has thumbed through his 15+ year career archive to release this, his newest album, Vintage Blend — available now!

The 11-track release pulls from the Shelburne, Nova Scotia-based artist’s earliest years in Winnipeg, reinventing, reimagining and rearranging them for cigar box guitar, ukulele, slide guitar and Hal’s ’57 license plate piece o’beauty. Together, they combine his rich, lyrical tapestries with the clear and uncomplicated tone of homemade, ‘front porch’ instruments.

“The album begins with my first ukulele,” Hal offers, describing his 1955 Martin. “My grandfather gave it to me on the condition that I learn to play it.

“I did, and it changed everything.”

Whether on four strings or six, Manitoba Hal is one of Canada’s most versatile, engaging, expressive and down-to-earth blues artists. With 14 recordings under his own name and appearances on countless others, guitarist, ukulele master and singer-songwriter Manitoba Hal is nationally known for his baritone voice and mastery of his instrument.

A skilled storyteller and prolific songwriter through and through, Manitoba Hal takes audiences from the deep south to the islands with songs that are mournful, hopeful, silly, romantic, and introspective.

Vintage Blend lands in line.

Album preview releases included “A Night Like This” — “that’s about a lonely night in a graveyard, longing for lost love,” Hal explains — and “Wake Up Jake,” an instrumental track inspired by a breakfast shop in Barkerville, British Columbia. “The restaurant is said to be named for a miner,” he continues. “He’d order breakfast and then fall asleep at the table. They’d have to wake him up to eat.”

Now that Vintage Blend is available in its entirety, audiences can amble up to the sonic smorgasbord for a little folk, a little blues, and a little rock n’ roll for good measure.

The rest of the album includes “Paradise,” written in the midst of a Winnipeg winter, dreaming of warmer days and sandy shores, plus “King Of The World,” “30 Odd Days,” “Poulet Shack,” “A Thousand Miles of Blacktop,” “Cost Of The Blues,” “Love Carries On”…

“This Condition” is Hal’s take on the classic Christmas story, save for the fact that Mary is arrested for shoplifting and Jesus is hauled away in handcuffs. “There are barstool prophets and angles for hire and three wise drifters by the oil can fire,” he says of the song. “They proclaim only God could love a child in this condition.”

“Last Transmission” is fitting in its title, being the final track on Vintage Blend. It’s a quiet story delivered with the sound of song birds singing outside studio window. “We had a hard time convincing them to open the window and place a mic there for the session,” Hal recalls. “But, we did! The last sounds are those birds singing and the wind rustling in the trees.”

Vintage Blend is available now.

Tour Dates:

November 23 @ Garafraxa Cafe, Durham ON

November 24 @ Part Deux House Concert, Ottawa ON

November 27 @ Moonshine Cafe, Oakville ON

November 28 @ London Music Club, London ON

November 29 @ Cameron House, Toronto ON

November 30 @ Batstone's Northern Ramble, Renfrew ON

December 1 @ Beau's Brewery, Vankleek Hill ON

December 2 @ Smoke Meat Petes, L'Ile-Perrot QC

December 4 @ House Concert, Perth-Andover NB

True North Records announces a June 25th release date for A Sweet Relief Tribute to Joey Spampinato, which features a lengthy list of friends and fans of the NRBQ founding member/bassist saluting him with 14 versions of their own previously unreleased takes of Spampinato-penned songs.

Pre-order the album at:   https://truenorthrecords.com/sweet-relief

A Sweet Relief Tribute to Joey Spampinato is an inspired album recorded by an astounding group of musicians who are all generously donating their proceeds from these recordings to the Sweet Relief Musicians Fund to support Joey with his current health issues. The Sweet Relief Musicians Fund provides financial assistance to all types of career musicians and music industry workers who are struggling to make ends meet while facing illness, disability or age-related problems.

Joey Spampinato, a singer, songwriter and bassist, was co-founder of the legendary NRBQ, a rock quartet whose genre-defying music continues to inspire generations of music fans and fellow musicians. Many of those musicians answered the call from Joey’s wife Kami Lyle and producer Sheldon Gomberg when they contacted them about recording one of Joey’s songs for an album to help raise funds for Joey when it was revealed he was battling cancer.

A Sweet Relief Tribute to Joey Spampinato Track Listing

1. Al Anderson – “You Can't Hide” - Original Release: 1980 on Tiddlywinks
2. Los Lobos – “Every Boy, Every Girl” - Original Release: 1987 on God Bless Us All
3. Deer Tick – “That I Get Back Home” - Original Release: 1980 on Tiddlywinks
4. Ben Harper with Keith Richards, Charlie Musselwhite, Benmont Tench, Don Was, & Don Heffington – “Like a Locomotive” - Original Release: 1989 on Wild Weekend
5. Peter Case – “Don't Knock At My Door” - Original Release: 1972 on Scraps
6. She & Him – “How Can I Make You Love Me” - Original Release: 1983 on Grooves in Orbit
7. The Minus 5 – “Don't She Look Good” - Original Release: 1979 on Kick Me Hard
8. Steve Forbert – “Beverly” - Original Release: 1986 on Uncommon Denominators
9. Buddy Miller & Jim Lauderdale – “How Will I Know” - Original Release: 2013 on Smiles
10. Bonnie Raitt & NRBQ – “Green Lights” - Original Release: 1978 on At Yankee Stadium
11. Robbie Fulks – “Chores” - Original Release: 1979 on Kick Me Hard
12. Penn And Teller – “Plenty of Somethin’” - Original Release: 1997 on You’re Nice People You Are
13. The Nils & Chris Spedding – “That's Alright” Original Release: 1977 on All Hopped Up
14. Kami Lyle with Joey – “First Crush”

“That life is hard is true, and yet we’re graced with gifts that make it easier. One of those gifts is Joey Spampinato,” writes Michael Simmons in his album liner notes.

“The singer, songwriter and bassist was co-founder of NRBQ, a rock quartet who released their first album in 1969 and whose early line-ups lasted 40 years. It wasn’t unusual for them to perform an unyieldingly ear-wormy pop-rocker that integrated an atonal skronky horn section. They added elements of everything from bossa nova to zydeco. Each Q member was a master of their realm, but Joey was my favorite.

“‘If Paul McCartney was from the Bronx, he’d be Joey Spampinato,’ proclaims The Simpsons writer/producer Mike Scully, one of many of the Q’s rabid fans who attained massive success in myriad professions. Keith Richards hired musicians’ musician Joey to play bass behind Chuck Berry in the all-star tribute, Hail! Hail! Rock ‘n’ Roll, due to his ability to make a bass guitar swing like an upright. And while Spampinato was playing a residency with Eric Clapton in London, McCartney (the one from Liverpool) invited Joey to his studio to jam for an afternoon.

“Spampinato also shares with McCartney a rich voice that alternates between a rocker’s energy and a balladeer’s gentle open-heart. But the reason we’re here today is to celebrate his songs, perfect gems that are examples of his mastery of the art and craft of melody, coupled with lyrics that extol the unsurpassed power of love. There’s inherent empathy in Spampinato songs – a quality that’s been tragically diminishing in this troubled world.

“Spampinato grew up in an Italian-American home filled with music. Joey’s first instrument at 10 was alto saxophone. ‘I had a great teacher,’ he chuckles. ‘Mr. Fleishaker.’ The kindly mentor led the kid through practice every afternoon for years, culminating in a concert at Carnegie Hall at age 13. Another crucial influence is composer Richard Rodgers – a god of pre-rock melody. Passion for the Everly Brothers was followed by the same for the Beatles. ‘I instantly identified with them because of their similarity to the Everlys.’

“In recent years Joey and brother Johnny have played as the Spampinato Brothers, but work was halted when Joey became seriously ill. Producer of this set, Sheldon Gomberg, knew Joey and wife, musician Kami Lyle, and hooked them up with Sweet Relief, the organization that provides aid to ailing musicians. He’s now recuperating nicely and feeling pretty damn good.

“Joey Spampinato has a gift – he knows how to bring joy by combining the perfect chord change with perfect turn of phrase. His music delivers the message that kindness brings its own sweet relief. The wonderful and eclectic musicians on this collection have gathered to return this singular gift.”

And we’ll leave the final word on this project to the recipient of all these good musical vibes, Joey Spampinato: “I want to say, I’m humbled by the fact that all these great musicians here wanted to be a part of this. As a person who is easily embarrassed by presents, or even a compliment, this is, in a word, overwhelming. Some of the people here are dear personal friends, people I’ve had the great pleasure of writing, recording, or playing gigs with over the years. Others are newer artists on the scene, people I’ve also admired, and am happy to now discover that they like what I do, too! Here’s to all of you, and thank you for coming to my party!"

 For more information about Sweet Relief Musicians Fund visit https://www.sweetrelief.org

Like a cat with nine lives, The Legendary Downchild Blues Band keeps on rolling and doing what they do best - playing the blues, with co-founder Donnie "Mr. Downchild" Walsh leading the charge, as he's done for over 52 years.

When Downchild kicked off their 50th Anniversary Tour in Canada on June 22, 2019 at the Toronto Jazz Festival with a star studded lineup including Dan Aykroyd, Paul Shaffer, David Wilcox, Kenny Neal, the late Gene Taylor and Erja Lyytinen, the band had no idea the world would be hit by a pandemic and their tour would come to a grinding halt mid-tour for over a year and a half.

Then, Downchild's keyboard player for over 25 years and former Lou Reed bandleader, Michael Fonafa, passed away in January 2021, which hit the band hard and left them wondering what the future held. With the long break from touring, drummer and 20-year Downchild veteran, Mike Fitzpatrick decided to retire from music to spend more time at home with his family.

"Chuck, Gary, Michael, Pat, Mike and I have been performing together as a band for over 20 years, which is longer than most bands stay together." says Donnie Walsh.  "It was tough to think about Downchild continuing without them, but we talked it over and we all still love to play live, so we knew we had to find some new guys."

In June the band asked drummer Jim Casson , who was a member of Downchild from 1996 - 2001, if he'd be interested in filling the drum chair and he jumped at the chance to rejoin the band again.

"It’s been 20 years since my first stint in Downchild and I’m really looking forward to making great music with old friends again,” says Jim Casson

Downchild has a long tradition of incredible keyboard players from Michael Fonfara to Gene Taylor (The Fabulous Thunderbirds/The Blasters) to the much beloved Jane Vasey. Needless to say, they're big shoes to fill but after playing a few songs with Toronto based, Tyler Yarema, they knew they'd found their man.

Tyler Yarema states, “I have been a fan of the Downchild Blues Band since I was a little boy growing up in Thunder Bay, Ontario.  This music has been the soundtrack of my life and the main reason I play music today.  It is with this that I accept, from the incredible Jane Vasey, the great Gene Taylor, and the Master Michael Fonfara, the torch that has now been passed to me."

"It's great having Jimmy back in the band and adding a young guy on keys like Tyler, who's an amazing player and singer and a perfect fit with the Downchild sound and both bring a cool new energy to the band,” says Donnie Walsh.

Downchild are fired up and ready to hit the road again to audiences across the country with their new lineup on The Longest 50th Anniversary Tour Ever.

Downchild is a Canadian blues institution with an international reputation. They have shared the stage with blues icons and contemporaries B.B. King, Buddy Guy and John Lee Hooker to name a few and have performed around the world, leaving fans thoroughly entertained wherever the go.

For further information on Downchild see www.downchild.com

New York Times best-selling author, award-winning playwright, multi-disciplined artist and singer/songwriter Ralph Pezzullo brings an exceptional group of musicians together to set 2021 ablaze with his debut single, “Lockdown Blues” –– available now!

As the first single off Pezzullo’s self-titled album, “Lockdown Blues” is a sonically exhilarating up-tempo Blues fusion that’s anything but isolating. Pezzullo’s vision comes to life with the help of a star-studded band that includes John Prine’s keyboardist, P!nk’s bass player, The Wallflowers’ guitarist, and Dolly Parton’s drummer to create something wholly unique.

This project came together after Pezzullo reached out to producer Rocco Guarino (Velvet Revolver, Scott Weiland) with some early song ideas. Guarino immediately responded to the music with enthusiasm, saying: “I’ve been waiting to work with someone like you.”

The recording process took place in the sun-kissed studios of North Hollywood, California. “Working with them in the studio was fantastic,” Pezzullo says of the extraordinary chemistry in the room. “They got the feel of the tunes and the grooves right away, and we took off creatively.”

“Lockdown Blues” takes the fallout of our tumultuous recent history with the pandemic and flips it on itself with a bright, splashy guitar progression and a chorus that begs to be sung live in concert halls. The process of capturing this song is immortalized in the corresponding music video peppered with footage of the genesis of this post-Covid anthem.

Ralph Pezzullo’s self-titled release is the result of a decades-long journey of creative discovery that began as a teenager in Bogota, Colombia as a member of what one music blogger calls “a seminal Latin rock garage band,” Wallflower Complexion. The son of a diplomat who is still filled with enthusiasm and curiosity, Pezzullo says he’s “traveled to more than fifty countries and lived in a dozen, and discovered that every one of them has its own distinct culture and sound. Each has left an indelible impression on my musical and creative psyche.”

The result is a eight-song debut LP brimming with lived experience and musical influences as varied as Bob Marley, Ruben Blades, Radiohead, and even Stravinsky — all delivered with the assured voice and sonic resonance of a band that has toured for decades.

When Ralph Pezzullo isn’t putting together a low-key supergroup, he’s adding to his bibliography of over two dozen bestselling books. He’s also a poet, award-winning playwright, and screenwriter — with hits Off-Broadway; his most recent play, “The American Wife” which premiered in London

“Lockdown Blues” and Ralph Pezzullo are available now.

We’re all so happy to announce that Bruce Cockburn is getting back on the road with live concert tour dates starting in December, 2021.

Bruce’s last live concert show was November 23, 2019, in Monterey California at the Golden State Theatre.

Here’s what Bruce has to say about getting back on the road: “As 2020 rolled up on the horizon, it was shaping up to be an exciting year — the fiftieth anniversary of the release of my first album. A considerable number of shows had been booked. The expectation was that much of the year would be spent on tour in celebration of that first step into what has been a pretty interesting professional life.

“My expectations, like everyone else’s, took a big hit from the pandemic and all that has gone with it. That “Big 50th” was not to be!

“Now, as we poke our heads up to see where this past year-and-a-bit has brought us to, I’m getting excited again about getting out and sharing my songs with all who will do me the honor of listening — in actual rooms! With people who are physically present! The 50th Anniversary Tour: 2nd Attempt…May we all stay safe and functional so it can happen!”

Here are Bruce’s first confirmed dates, with more to follow:

DEC          7                                            GRASS VALLEY CA                           CENTER FOR THE ARTS

DEC          8                                            SANTA CRUZ CA                               RIO THEATRE

DEC          9                                            BERKELEY CA                                    FREIGHT & SALVAGE

DEC        10                                            BERLELEY CA                                     FREIGHT & SALVAGE

DEC        12                                            EUGENE OR                                       SORENG THEATRE

DEC        13                                            BEND OR                                            TOWER THEATRE

DEC        14                                            GRANTS PASS OR                            ROGUE THEATRE

DEC        16                                            PORTLAND OR                                  ALADDIN THEATRE

DEC        17                                            PORTLAND OR                                  ALADDIN THEATRE

DEC        18                                            SPOKANE OR                                     BING CROSBY THEATRE

DEC        19                                            SEATTLE WA                                      NEPTUNE THEATRE

FEB         24                                           BURLINGTON VT                             HIGHER GROUND

FEB         25                                           ALBANY NY                                        THE EGG

FEB         26                                           NORTHAMPTON MA                     ACADEMY OF MUSIC

FEB         27                                           BOSTON MA                                     WILBUR THEATRE

MAR          1                                          WATERVILLE ME                              OPERA HOUSE

MAR          2                                          FALL RIVER MA                                CENTRE FOR THE ARTS

MAR          4                                          RIDGEFIELD CT                                 RIDGEFIELD PLAYHOUSE

MAR          5                                          NEWTON NJ                                      NEWTON THEATRE

MAR          6                                          NEW YORK NY                                  SYMPHONY SPACE

MAR          8                                          ANN ARBOR MI                                THE ARK

MAR         10                                         CHICAGO IL                                       OLDTOWN SCHOOL OF FOLK

MAR         11                                         CHICAGO IL                                       OLDTOWN SCHOOK OF FOLK

MAR         12                                         MADISON WI                                    BARRYMORE THEATRE

MAR         13                                         IOWA CITY IA                                    ENGLERT THEATRE

APR          19                                          PETERBOROUGH ON                     SHOWPLACE CENTRE

APR          21                                          KITCHENER ON                                 CENTRE IN THE SQUARE

APR          22                                          TORONTO ON                                   MASSEY HALL

APR          23                                          OTTAWA ON                                     NATIONAL ARTS CENTRE

For on sale ticket information please check in your local market.   

Stony Plain Records announces an October 22 release date for Pinky’s Blues, the new album from award-winning blues guitarist/singer Sue Foley. Featuring several Sue Foley originals, as well as songs from some of her favorite blues and roots artists, Pinky’s Blues was recorded at Fire Station Studios in San Marcos, Texas. Joining Sue Foley (guitar, vocals) for the recording sessions were Jon Penner (bass), Chris “Whipper” Layton (drums) and Mike Flanigin (Hammond B3 organ), who also produced the album.

To support the release of her new disc, Foley will embark on an extensive tour schedule that includes both an official showcase at the upcoming September Americana Music Conference in Nashville, as well as a set at the Kessler Day Party Showcase during the conference.

Foley also shot videos for three songs from the new album that were directed by Tim Hardiman, who directed the latest Black Keys video.

Pinky’s Blues is the follow up to Sue Foley’s breakout album The Ice Queen, released in 2018. Foley’s new album is a raw, electric guitar driven romp through the backroads of Texas blues, with Foley’s signature pink paisley Fender Telecaster, “Pinky,” at the wheel. She won “Best Traditional Female (Koko Taylor Award)” at the 2020 Blues Music Awards in Memphis, was nominated for a Juno Award (Canadian Grammy), and she took home the award for “Best Guitar Player” at the Toronto Maple Blues Awards. For the last few years Foley and her band have kept a rigorous touring schedule across the USA, Canada and Europe. Some highlights were appearances at The Beacon Theater (NYC), guesting with Jimmie Vaughan (opening for Eric Clapton) at Royal Albert Hall in London, Montreal Jazz Fest, Ottawa Blues Fest (w/ Buddy Guy), Moulin Blues (Holland), NPR’s Mountainstage (with Bela Fleck), Doheny Blues Fest, and the Jungle Show in Austin, Texas.

Foley and producer Mike Flanigin decided to make the album in the middle of the COVID lockdown in 2020. "Mike, drummer Chris Layton and I had just finished making Mike's album, West Texas Blues, and we needed another challenge to keep us busy," Foley says. "And because we'd been hanging out together we were comfortable in each other's presence, and this would be a very low-key closed session. I brought in Jon Penner to play bass, who was my first bass player and had been on all my early records. So just the four of us along with engineer Chris Bell went into the studio and recorded the entire album in three days. What you're hearing is live, off the floor, in the moment the music was played totally spontaneously and, mainly, improvised. And, we wanted to make something representative of the Texas blues that we had been schooled on in Austin. So, we picked great songs and I wrote a few of my own to round things out. Everything on it is a labor of love.”

Some of the album’s many highlights include her takes on classics such as Lavelle White's “Stop These Teardrops,” Frankie Lee Sims’ “Boogie Real Low” and Lillie Mae Donley's “Think It Over,” alongside newer songs like Angela Strehli’s “Two Bit Texas Town” and Foley's own “Dallas Man.”

Foley consider her guitar a living extension of who she is and it helps guide her through the rambunctiously-deep renditions of everything she performs. It was while playing Pinky and doing a series of live-streaming events with Mike Flanigin that much of Pinky’s Blues came together. “"During the COVID lockdown, Mike Flanigin and I had started a live-stream show called ‘Texas Blues Party’,” she says, “and all we were doing was live-streaming from Mike's house, just the two of us along with a drum machine and playing and talking about the history of Texas blues. It was a fun concept and it ended up being the foundation for both Mike's album and mine. We called Angela Strehli one day and ended up learning some of her songs. I think she's one of the most soulful blues singers there ever was. And besides being such a great singer Angela is also a wonderful songwriter, so I was thrilled to be able to include two of her incredible songs on this album.”

The disc’s first single, “Dallas Man,” also bears special significance to Foley. “I realized when I wrote 'Dallas Man' it was just about all these great guitar players from Dallas and right around there,” Foley says. "I've always been infatuated with Blind Lemon Jefferson and had been reading about him and working up some of his songs. Between Blind Lemon Jefferson and Frankie Lee Sims, and then working on some Freddie King and always watching Jimmie Vaughan came the idea of 'Dallas Man.' Stevie Ray Vaughan, Jimmie Vaughan, Freddie King, T-Bone Walker, Blind Lemon Jefferson, Frankie Lee Sims, Anson Funderburgh, Zuzu Bollin, Doyle Bramhall II, Denny Freeman and Derek O'Brien all came from that area. That's almost a whole album right there!”

Leaving Canada as a young player, Foley knew she had to go where the music thrived. All her years in Austin, and including those when she left to learn new approaches to life, have all come together on Pinky’s Blues. “The fact that I have ended up back in Austin just seems right," Foley says. My home is Canada and I definitely identify as a Canadian. But I had a yearning for this music and I can't even put my finger on why or how. It got in my soul when I was a teenager. I guess I was open and I got imprinted by the sound and the force of blues music. I saw my first blues show at 15 and I swear I've never been the same. I was lucky because I was able to play with so many legends before they passed away. That direct transmission, as we know, is what it's all about. I have the kind of experience and education that you can't even get anymore. In a way it's a big responsibility to carry the message of these giants. But even more important, it's about finding your own voice within this framework. In blues, that takes time. The beauty of blues, and something I've always loved about it, is that you get better as you get older. I've always been a fan of older musicians. There's something about the message, the life experience, the whole package. If you can keep a good perspective on life, a sense of humor, and a love for what you're doing, you have much more to give. This is when it all really happens.”

The “cabin fever” atmosphere created by the pandemic, also afforded her an opportunity to really map out her next moves. “I’ve had a lot of time to think about what the next chapter is,” Foley admits. “After being home for so long, all I really want to do is turn up and play my guitar for as many folks as I can. I can’t wait to get out on the road.”

Sue Foley Partial Tour Itinerary

September 23                    Kessler Day Party – Bobby Hotel (3pm) – Nashville, TN

September 25                    Americana Fest - Nashville, TN
October 15                          Antone's - Austin, TX
October 22                          Rockefellers - Austin, TX
October 25                          SPACE - Evanston, IL
October 26                          Shank Hall - Milwaukee, WI
October 28                          Sportsmen's Bar - Buffalo, NY
October 31                          The Met - Pawtucket, RI
November 1                       City Winery - Boston, MA
November 2                       Cafe Nine - New Haven, CT
November 3                       Iridium - New York, NY
November 5                       The Living Room - Philadelphia, PA
November 6                       Thunderbird Cafe/Music Hall - Pittsburgh, PA
November 7                       Natalie's Grandview - Columbus, OH

While Canadians were largely at loose ends self-isolating during the lengthy series of pandemic-related lockdowns, prolific folk singer/songwriter James Gordon hunkered down and got busy creating his 40th album, When I Stayed Home — available now.

That’s right; Four. Zero.

And the timely 13-track full-length release also features Gordon’s powerful musical response to the national residential school tragedies with the song, “We’ll Bring You Home.”

The arrival of COVID-19 — and the fear, uncertainty, and disruption it brought with it — initially affected Gordon, like many of us, negatively. Since the Guelph, Ontario based artist has toured all over the globe relentlessly since his twenties, being stuck at home was depressing… At least, for a while.

Then, the creative muse stepped in and Gordon got busy with a capital B. From his tiny home studio, he finished a soon-to-be-released ‘musical novel’, The Ark of the Oven Mitt, set to be accompanied by a 36-song recording. He also created a virtual tour of his one-man show, James Gordon’s Emergency Climate Musical, as well as successfully navigated his side hustle as a Guelph city councillor, and, perhaps most significantly, wrote and recorded When I Stayed Home.

“I can’t seem to stop writing songs,” Gordon shares. “Mostly,they write themselves — I just hold up a net, and catch them as they flutter past.”

Some of those 1,500+ songs Gordon modestly claims to have merely ‘fluttered past’ have also landed on stage and in studio with the likes of Cowboy Junkies, James Keelaghan, Melanie Doane, Laura Smith, Miranda Mulholland, and various international choirs.  

The songs Gordon wrote for When I Stayed Home cover an array of compelling and current topics — including climate change, the income gap, racism, empathy, social justice, our natural environment, and ‘love in a challenging time’.

The first single, “We’ll Bring You Home,” packs a punch that hits closest to the heart for all of Canada right now; in response to the horrific discoveries of hundreds of unmarked graves belonging to unknown Indigenous children at residential schools in Western Canada, Gordon wrote and recorded the late addition to the album just prior to final preparations for its release.

We’ll bring you home, bring you home

So your names and your stories can be known

Bring you home, bring you home

We’ll give a voice to your dust and to your bones

Over his enduring forty-year career, Gordon has released music both as a longtime, successful solo artist, and as a founding member of the groundbreaking Canadian folk group, Tamarack.

That said, When I Stayed Home marks the first time a James Gordon solo album has been created almost exclusively… Well, solo.

Unable to bring any of his stable of top Canadian talent into the studio, Gordon took on the formidable task of playing all the instruments himself on the album’s baker’s dozen of tracks — including acoustic and electric guitar, banjo, mandolin, piano, bass, accordion, harmonica, tin whistle, ukulele, and percussion. Just two brief exceptions were made to Gordon’s “all by myself” rule, with stellar cameos from vocalist Tannis Slimmon and clarinetist John David Williams.

After a year and a half of being off the road and pivoting to a live streaming show world, James Gordon is looking forward to leaving home again and lighting up stages with his warm, reflective and topical songs of When I Stayed Home, and more.

“These songs demanded to be written,” says Gordon. “I’m excited about sharing them with the opening-up world.”

When I Stayed Home and  “We’ll Bring You Home” are available now.

Stony Plain Records announces an October 22 release date for Pinky’s Blues, the new album from award-winning blues guitarist/singer Sue Foley. Featuring several Sue Foley originals, as well as songs from some of her favorite blues and roots artists, Pinky’s Blues was recorded at Fire Station Studios in San Marcos, Texas. Joining Sue Foley (guitar, vocals) for the recording sessions were Jon Penner (bass), Chris “Whipper” Layton (drums) and Mike Flanigin (Hammond B3 organ), who also produced the album.

To support the release of her new disc, Foley will embark on an extensive tour schedule that includes both an official showcase at the upcoming September Americana Music Conference in Nashville, as well as a set at the Kessler Day Party Showcase during the conference.

Foley also shot videos for three songs from the new album that were directed by Tim Hardiman, who directed the latest Black Keys video.

Pinky’s Blues is the follow up to Sue Foley’s breakout album The Ice Queen, released in 2018. Foley’s new album is a raw, electric guitar driven romp through the backroads of Texas blues, with Foley’s signature pink paisley Fender Telecaster, “Pinky,” at the wheel. She won “Best Traditional Female (Koko Taylor Award)” at the 2020 Blues Music Awards in Memphis, was nominated for a Juno Award (Canadian Grammy), and she took home the award for “Best Guitar Player” at the Toronto Maple Blues Awards. For the last few years Foley and her band have kept a rigorous touring schedule across the USA, Canada and Europe. Some highlights were appearances at The Beacon Theater (NYC), guesting with Jimmie Vaughan (opening for Eric Clapton) at Royal Albert Hall in London, Montreal Jazz Fest, Ottawa Blues Fest (w/ Buddy Guy), Moulin Blues (Holland), NPR’s Mountainstage (with Bela Fleck), Doheny Blues Fest, and the Jungle Show in Austin, Texas. 

Foley and producer Mike Flanigin decided to make the album in the middle of the COVID lockdown in 2020. "Mike, drummer Chris Layton and I had just finished making Mike's album, West Texas Blues, and we needed another challenge to keep us busy," Foley says. "And because we'd been hanging out together we were comfortable in each other's presence, and this would be a very low-key closed session. I brought in Jon Penner to play bass, who was my first bass player and had been on all my early records. So just the four of us along with engineer Chris Bell went into the studio and recorded the entire album in three days. What you're hearing is live, off the floor, in the moment the music was played totally spontaneously and, mainly, improvised. And, we wanted to make something representative of the Texas blues that we had been schooled on in Austin. So, we picked great songs and I wrote a few of my own to round things out. Everything on it is a labor of love.”

Foley consider her guitar a living extension of who she is and it helps guide her through the rambunctiously-deep renditions of everything she performs. It was while playing Pinky and doing a series of live-streaming events with Mike Flanigin that much of Pinky’s Blues came together. “"During the COVID lockdown, Mike Flanigin and I had started a live-stream show called ‘Texas Blues Party’,” she says, “and all we were doing was live-streaming from Mike's house, just the two of us along with a drum machine and playing and talking about the history of Texas blues. It was a fun concept and it ended up being the foundation for both Mike's album and mine. We called Angela Strehli one day and ended up learning some of her songs. I think she's one of the most soulful blues singers there ever was. And besides being such a great singer Angela is also a wonderful songwriter, so I was thrilled to be able to include two of her incredible songs on this album.”

As life turned inward throughout 2020 and now into 2021, everyone has had to learn new ways to live and relate to not only others, but to the whole outside world. In some ways, many days feel like we're all back in school again, feeling our way through the new fundamentals of living. Sue Foley's life has been an exploration of the blues and so much more. Leaving Canada as a young player, she knew she had to go where the music thrived. All her years in Austin, and including those when she left to learn new approaches to life, have all come together on PINKY'S BLUES. "The fact that I have ended up back in Austin just seems right," Foley says. My home is Canada and I definitely identify as a Canadian. But I had a yearning for this music and I can't even put my finger on why or how. It got in my soul when I was a teenager. I guess I was open and I got imprinted by the sound and the force of blues music. I saw my first blues show at 15 and I swear I've never been the same. I was lucky because I was able to play with so many legends before they passed away. That direct transmission, as we know, is what it's all about. I have the kind of experience and education that you can't even get anymore. In a way it's a big responsibility to carry the message of these giants. But even more important, it's about finding your own voice within this framework. In blues, that takes time. The beauty of blues, and something I've always loved about it, is that you get better as you get older. I've always been a fan of older musicians. There's something about the message, the life experience, the whole package. If you can keep a good perspective on life, a sense of humor, and a love for what you're doing, you have much more to give. This is when it all really happens."

It for sure is all really happening all over PINKY'S BLUES. Sue Foley's well-loved guitar is stepping up and stepping out, playing the music of the spheres and sharing a love for something so deep and so pure there are no words to truly describe it. Though Foley tries: "I've been on the road for over 30 years. You could call that paying my dues. I've made over a dozen albums of my own. I've raised a child. I've bought and sold homes. I've had great successes and great failures. And all of this just makes my life richer and more colorful. It's funny I keep coming back to the same 30 or 40 albums as my place of inspiration. I keep studying the same artists, over and over again. Freddie King, Muddy Waters, Memphis Minnie, T-Bone Walker, Howlin' Wolf, etc...etc.,... You never really get there. You're just always going. But it's a great trip and I never get tired of playing a slow blues. That's the ultimate." Today, in 2021, Sue Foley is surely one of the ultimate. With Pinky right by her side.

The “cabin fever” atmosphere created by the pandemic, also afforded her an opportunity to really map out her next moves. “I’ve had a lot of time to think about what the next chapter is,” Foley admits. “After being home for so long, all I really want to do is turn up and play my guitar for as many folks as I can. I can’t wait to get out on the road.”

Sue Foley Partial Tour Itinerary

September 23, 2021        Lone Star Shindig                       Nashville, TN

September 25, 2021        City Winery (AmericanaFest)      Nashville, TN

October 15, 2021              Antone's                                     Austin, TX

October 16, 2021              Mercer Street DanceHall           Dripping Springs, TX

October 22, 2021              Rockefellers                               Houston, TX

October 23, 2021              Poor David's Pub                       Dallas, TX

October 25, 2021              The Space                                 Evanston, IL

October 26, 2021              Shank Hall                                 Milwaukee, WI

October 28, 2021              Sportsmen's Tavern                  Buffalo, NY

October 29, 2021              Abilene                                      Rochester, NY

October 30, 2021              Falcon                                       Marlboro, NY

October 31, 2021              The Met                                     Pawtucket, RI

November 1, 2021            City Winery Boston                    Boston, MA

November 2, 2021            Cafe Nine                                   New Haven, CT

November 3, 2021            Iridium Jazz Club                       New York, NY

November 5, 2021            The Living Room                       Ardmore, PA

November 6, 2021            Thunderbird Cafe                      Pittsburgh, PA

November 7, 2021            Natalie Grandview                    Columbus, OH

November 13, 2021         Sam's Burger Joint                    San Antonio, TX

December 4, 2021            Zoo Bar                                     Lincoln, NE

December 8, 2021            Turf Club                                   St. Paul, MN

December 17, 2021          Mercer Street DanceHall          Dripping Springs, TX

February 21, 2022            Keeping The Blues Alive At Sea VIII           Miami, FL

Additional dates forthcoming….

Toronto, ON-based NY Times and BILLBOARD-charting global music supergroup Sultans of String have released their brand-new single, “Mi Santuario” — available now!

This song features the four core Sultans, as well as an incredibly talented and inspiring special guest Juan Carlos Medrano, who co-wrote the music with the band, and sings his original lyrics, as well as performing on gaita, the traditional flute.

Originally from Cartagena in the north coast of Colombia, Juan Carlos moved to Canada in 2006 as a refugee. “It was tough back home, lack of opportunity for people like me, people that look like me, Afro-Colombian” says Juan Carlos. “We were not comfortable with the system, the rules, and how they treat their people.”

He knew since he was 15 that he would leave Colombia, even though it’s the place he loved most on Earth. “I love the culture; I love the music; everything,” he shares. “But in my head was the idea that I need to leave this place because I want more…

“Internal peace, and being happy doing what I love — that was to go to school, to go to university... To just make it to university was a big deal.”

Juan Carlos likens existence in his home country like living in a concrete jungle, “where you have to survive, where you don't think about ... You don't plan.

“People like me, people that look like me, we don't plan,” he continues. “We just live day by day, and are looking for a future.”  

In “Mi Santuario,” Juan Carlos expresses in his lyrics how everyone doesn't have the luxury to utilize the legal immigration process like he did. “I'm screaming ‘run, run’ because the immigration is coming, and they are coming sometimes to kill you, because no one sees anything on the border.”

Now Juan Carlos is an educator after having attended York University to become a teacher, and says “it's time for me now to give back to this beautiful country.

“Back home, people don't talk about native people, aboriginal people, or how they struggle inside this beautiful country. So the way for me to pay back [is to] inspire these little kids. And my main goal is to bring music, to bring art together, and give these kids hope.”

“Mi Santuario (feat. Juan Carlos Medrano)” is released in standard stereo as well as Dolby Atmos, and also kicks off a new Friday lunchtime livestream series led by producer Chris McKhool and band members — with Juan Carlos as the first guest; Backstage with Sultans of String is a free series that features in depth connections, behind the scenes footage, fan interactive conversations, up close and personal stories behind the songs with their stories of both struggles and success, and live music.

“Mi Santuario (feat. Juan Carlos Medrano)” is the first single off Sanctuary, the highly anticipated eighth album from Sultans of String, and the second instalment in their Refuge Project. The first, simply entitled Refuge, was heralded as "a fantastic, moving, dreamlike, epic, timely album” by Ken Micallef (Jazz Times, Stereophile, Downbeat), and won many awards including Producer of the Year at the 2021 Canadian Folk Music Awards for bandleader and violinist Chris McKhool.

This ambitious, diverse, inclusive and passionately political album puts the band face-to-face with a VIP roster of global ‘ambassadors’, some of whom are recent immigrants and refugees to Canada, as well as important Indigenous voices. All are masters of world music that communicate with each other through the global language of sound.

Addressing the struggles of life on Mother Earth has always inspired Toronto-based quintet, Sultans of String. On Sanctuary, Sultans of String bring their unique brand of musical synergy and collaboration to bear on 11 songs that speak to the challenges facing the world’s displaced peoples–their stories, their songs, their persistence and their humanity.

Joined by an international cast, some of whom are recent immigrants to North America, the celebrated quartet immerses themselves in the plight of the international refugee on Refuge, and the humanitarian response that should greet everyone in search of a home.

“The larger Refuge Project is centred around the positive contributions of refugees and new immigrants to Canada,” bandleader Chris McKhool explains. “We are bringing in special guests that are newcomers to this land, as well as global talents that have been ambassadors for peace.  We wish to celebrate the successes of those who make the journey here, and bring their extraordinary talents with them, in this case music. Each one of us has a remarkable story to tell, and we are excited to share the beauty of these collaborations with you.”

Sanctuary features seven new tracks with stellar performances by Tara and Ahmed Moneka from Iraq, Amchok Gompo from Tibet, Donné Roberts from Madagascar with partner Yukiko Tsutsui from Japan, Algeria’s Fethi Nadjem, Juan Carlos Medrano, Syrian refugee Leen Hamo, Iran’s Padideh Ahrarnejad, Nyckelharpa player Saskia Tomkins. It also includes three stunning new versions of songs off Refuge. These include an astonishingly gorgeous orchestral version of “The Power of the Land” featuring Indigenous performers Duke Redbird and Twin Flames, Turkish mega-pop star Suat Suna singing Hurricane, and flamenco dancer and singer Tamar Ilana singing a version of “Asi Soy” that will rip your heart out.

“Mi Santuario (feat. Juan Carlos Medrano)” is available now. Sanctuary is available this November. 

Ripping guitar riffs, hot-as-hell horns, plus a torqued, musclebound rhythm section with firestarter vocals and the swagger of rhythm and blues masters delivering the goods with confidence and precision... These key ingredients combine and react for the Izzo Blues Coalition’s explosive new single, “Take It or Leave It” — available now!

The song serves as the title-track for the Montreal-based band's forthcoming sophomore release; Take It or Leave It is set to land this Fall.

Conceived and recorded during the heart of our global pandemic, Take It or Leave It was chosen as the new album title for not one, but two life and art-affirming reasons. “Thematically, the title track deals with the notion that we have no choice but to get up every morning and make the best of it,” band co-lead Tino Izzo says. “It’s a theme that resonates throughout the album and speaks to our pandemic experiences.

“Secondly, this collection of songs was conceived for the sheer pleasure of it.”

Izzo Blues Coalition is award-winning guitarist, hit songwriter, and producer Tino Izzo (Celine Dion/Roch Voisine/Bobby Bazini), and his longtime creative partner, drummer/percussionist Bob Telaro.

As contemporary blues artists, Izzo and Telaro say the new album truly represents who they are and where they come from. It also builds on the ‘Coalition’ aspect, with Izzo and Talero inviting two other lead vocalists, Annie Major-Matte and Mimmo Oliveri, to sing songs. Working with a rotating cast of singers, musicians, engineers and arrangers, Izzo and Talero created a celebratory atmosphere of music making for their second opus that deftly navigates the side-by-side, sonic neighborhoods of contemporary blues, blues rock and traditional blues.

An energetic, driving shuffle, “Take It or Leave It” features an off-the-charts vocal performance by Oliveri, and a huge brass arrangement by Saby Buccella. Buccella is a frequent IBC collaborator who arranges the horns throughout the new album, as well as the symphonic arrangement on the album’s final track, the soaring and emotional instrumental, “2020.” Izzo and Talero call Buccella “a true musical force to be reckoned with.”

Take It or Leave It is composed of eleven original songs written by Izzo, and punctuated by a breathtaking cover of the Carole King/Gerry Goffin/Jerry Wexler classic, “A Natural Woman” — arranged by Buccella and showcasing stunning vocalist Annie Major-Matte’s unbelievable range, tone and precision. “The girl can sing!” notes Izzo.

Izzo’s characteristic fingerpicking technique and immaculate playing are front and center throughout the new album and, along with the production, arrangements and overall vision, provide for a slick and expansive listen that highlights the Billboard Choice Award winner’s distinct intensity and passion.

Take It or Leave It brings a fresh perspective to the contemporary Canadian blues landscape, spotlighting Izzo’s producer chops and the extensive experience the band has accumulated in studio and over numerous live concerts, and most recently, a string of pandemic-necessitated live videos. Izzo Blues Coalition has reached a new plateau of creativity captured in a stellar new album to discover.

“Take It or Leave It” is available now. Take It or Leave, the album, is available this Fall from TAB Records.

Nanaimo, BC’s multi-award winning and JUNO nominated Canadian artist David Gogo knows the blues, and so does his songwriting, his guitar, and his sharp-witted lyrics that relate as easily as they break your heart. And nowhere is this more apparent than on the roots rocker’s newest album and single of the same name, Silver Cup — available now.

‘All of my life has been the same, and I ain’t never, never gonna change,’ Gogo whiskey-sips over a slide guitar on “Never Gonna Change,” a lead track from his 2021 release, Silver Cup. It’s a set up to an old-fashioned, yarn-spinning story of life from the hard side of the tracks, and the commitment to leaning into what’s created of you.

“I was listening to my vinyl albums, going down rabbit holes on the internet, reading biographies of musicians, and playing my many guitars and just feeling the energy of so much great music,” Gogo says of the album and song’s inspiration.

Serving up his sixteenth full-length album, Gogo knows a thing or two about laying it all on the railroad ties of truth. This album, birthed of a global shutdown pandemic, is a passion project penned acoustically alongside long-time friend and producer, Steve Marriner. Gogo says he utilized the downtime the pandemic provided to delve deep into his heritage; Silver Cup becoming the liner notes of his history.

“The title track was inspired by an antique cup made in the 1800’s that was passed down to me from my 95-year-old grandmother,” Gogo reveals. “The cup once belonged to my Great, Great, Great Uncle James McKay who was a Métis builder of Canada. McKay was originally a trapper and guide, but eventually was involved in the negotiations of Treaties 1 through 5 and held several positions with the newly formed Province of Manitoba, including dealings with Louis Riel.”

How could this incredible Familia legacy not pour its way into the cup of Gogo’s creativity and immensely talented storytelling? “I am very excited about the release of my new album, Silver Cup,” he says. “These have been difficult times for all of us, and the music industry in particular has taken a severe beating. Despite the uncertainties, I felt that the one thing that I could focus on was to stay creative. Having spent my adult life playing on the road, I took the lockdown as an opportunity to woodshed and get back to the roots of what made me the artist that I am today.”

Gogo is a six-time JUNO Award nominated artist and hailed as Guitarist of the Year at the Maple Blues Awards three times. He was named Musician of the Year at the West Coast Music Awards, won Blues Recording of the Year at the Western Canadian Music Awards, and received the Great Canadian Blues Award for his lifetime contribution to the blues in Canada as voted by the listeners of CBC's Saturday Night Blues.

While his own DNA may spur a classic blues tune (or in the case of Silver Cup, 10 blues tunes!), Gogo’s legacy is also one to be written about and praised. This album is cut after cut of authenticity; from trilling honky-tonk piano to Gogo’s, to spoon-slapping harp sung straight outta the boot-stompin’ blues stage, Gogo commits himself to his craft, and his allegiance to the blues. His vocals are laced with grit and grime, purity, and clarity, and the titular track produces captivating acoustic riffs, lyrics oozing truth and relatability — a vibe that causes you to wonder if you just walked into the best kept Western you’d never seen.

“Of course, there are a lot of blues to fill your shoes,” Gogo says. “Steve and I had fun getting the sounds we were looking for out of the vintage acoustic instruments on hand, and we even wrote a couple of songs together.

“I can’t wait for things to get back to normal so I can hit the road with these new songs. In the meantime, I hope you enjoy listening to this album as much as we enjoyed making it!”

Settle in. Sit back. Set the speakers. Let the needle drop on David Gogo. And sip.

Silver Cup is available now.

Marking its final Fall 2021 date, Make Music Matter’s innovative and exclusive virtual series #UnpluggedTogether is set to host Grievous Angels — as well as MonkeyJunk’s Steve Marriner and 'The Sheepdogs' Jimmy Bowskill — this October 21st!

Hosted by legendary broadcaster Alan Cross and Make Music Matter founder and CEO Darcy Ataman, and produced by three-time Grammy Award-winner David Bottrill, the streamed show is the latest and last of the year in a banner run of special performances, candid interviews, and interactive live Q&A sessions. 

#UnpluggedTogether is put on by the Ottawa-based non-profit Make Music Matter in support of Healing in Harmony — a program for trauma survivors. Tickets are $15, and 100% of the funds raised will support Healing in Harmony as part of Make Music Matter’s mission to use the creative process as a therapeutic tool to help empower marginalized individuals and communities.

#UnpluggedTogether premiered this past August 5th with The Standstills and Neil Sanderson (Three Days Grace), and featured The Trews Acoustic Trio, Corey Hart, The Tragically Hip’s Gord Sinclair, Sum 41’s Cone McCaslin, Billy Talent’s Ian D’Sa, and Blackbird in events throughout September. 

“With this project, we’re building community and bringing together leaders in different areas of the music industry who are dedicated to making a difference,” Bottrill — who is also a Make Music Matter Board Chair — shares. “It’s also an opportunity for fans to get up close and personal, even if virtually, with the artists who support Make Music Matter’s mission.” 

Make Music Matter thanks event sponsors Canadian Music Magazine, Canadian Music Week, A Journal of Musical Things, Revolution Recording, Union Sound Company, Mainstation Music, YSL Pro, Bandzoogle, Grant Thornton, Sonic Boom, Null & Void, Kinspira, BLKWTR, A4A Music, Long & McQuade, Roland Canada, Mike Ormsby/Studio Jiimaan, and The Edge 102.1 for their support of #UnpluggedTogether.

// ABOUT MAKE MUSIC MATTER

Make Music Matter uses the creative process as a therapeutic tool to help empower marginalized  individuals and communities. Its innovative Healing in Harmony program for trauma survivors combines psychotherapy with music therapy. Research published in April 2021 has demonstrated its effectiveness in reducing anxiety, depression, and PTSD. 

Program participants emerge as empowered artists with original songs for personal healing and  advocacy tools to help combat stereotypes, stigma, and shame. Their music is recorded, produced, and  disseminated via local radio stations, community concerts, social media, and major streaming platforms through A4A Records, with distribution through Warner Music Canada. A ground-breaking new publishing model helps to ensure that all royalties from the songs are sent back to the artists and their communities, regardless of socio-economic circumstances. 

Developed in close partnership with 2018 Nobel Peace Prize winner Dr. Denis Mukwege, the Healing in Harmony model integrates existing holistic programs. Make Music Matter works in 8 countries - DRC, Rwanda, Turkey, Guinea, South Africa, Uganda, and Peru - with a first Canadian site at Fox Lake Cree Nation, Manitoba, set to begin in 2021. 

Jesse Cook — the multi-Platinum/Gold award-winning and internationally acclaimed producer, composer, and guitarist — has announced his Canadian and U.S. “Tempest II” tour, alongside the release of his new music video for the song “Oran,” and another single, “Updraft” — available now!

The two songs arrive ahead of Jesse Cook’s 11th studio album, Libre. Out Friday, December 3rd via Jesse’s own Coach House label imprint, distributed by Outside Music/Redeye, the 10-track album combines Cook’s iconic Spanish guitar flair with Algerian multi-instrumentalist Fethi Nadjem, modern trap rhythms and 808 beats. 

“I wrote and recorded Libre during the pandemic when, like most people, I was longing for freedom,” Cook shares of the new project. “My music was my escape from the four walls that surrounded me, and the storm that was swirling outside.”

The inspiration for Libre came from a long summer-day drive with his 14-year old, Cook reveals. “My daughter entertained me with her favorite playlists, much of which were trap and 808-inspired. I loved them too, and a question was planted in my mind: ‘what would my music sound like mixed with those sounds?’” 

He wasn’t short on material to draw from; it’s been more than 25 years since the internationally-lauded virtuoso first stepped onto the scene with his now-iconic release, Tempest. In the time since, he’s come to hold ten Gold and Platinum studio albums with a combined sales of two+ million copies, five concert DVDs and live discs, five PBS specials, and multiple awards — a JUNO win, 11 nominations, three Canadian Smooth Jazz Awards, a Gemini, and an Acoustic Guitar Magazine Player’s Choice Silver Award.

The digital convergence of the past several years has also resulted in Cook’s music streamed in rather impressive numbers across a series of platforms; by September 2021, his Spotify stats had surpassed 55+ million, and plays on Pandora soaring beyond the 300+ million milestone. YouTube’s universally visual appeal has also grown steadily for Cook’s connection with audiences, with his channel accumulating upwards of 25+ million views since 2010. 

“Oran” and “Updraft” are available now. Libre is available December 3rd. 

And Jesse Cook’s Tempest II Tour officially kicks off this January. 

Track Listing for Libre

“No. 5”
“HEY!”
“Boom”
“Libre”
“Onward Till Dawn”
“Solace”
“Jaleo”
“Updraft”
“Oran”
“One World, One Voice”

Tempest II Tour Dates

January 17 - The Port Theatre, Nanaimo, BC
January 19 - Bing Crosby Theatre, Spokane, WA
January 20 - Edmonds Centre For the Arts, Edmonds, WA
January 21 - Aladdin Theatre, Portland, OR
January 22 - Tower Theatre, Bend, OR
January 23 - Criterion Theatre, Medford, OR
January 25 - Pioneer Performing Arts Centre, Reno, NV
January 26 - The Centre for the Arts, Grass Valley, CA
January 27 - World Records, Bakersfield, CA
January 28 - Palace of the Fine Arts Theatre, San Francisco, CA
January 29 - Rio Theatre, Santa Cruz, CA
January 30 - California Centre For the Arts, Escondido, CA
February 1 - Del E Webb, Wickenburg, AZ
February 2 - Virginia G Piper Theatre at the Scottsdale Centre for the Performing Arts, Scottsdale, AZ
February 3 - Fox Tucson Theatre, Tucson, AZ
February 4 - National Hispanic Cultural Centre, Albuquerque, NM
February 5 - Paramount Theatre, Denver, CO
February 22 - Winspear Centre, Edmonton, AB
February 24 - Kelowna Community Theatre, Kelowna, BC
February 25 - The Clarke Theatre, Mission, BC
February 26 - The Centre, Vancouver, BC
March 2 - Southern Alberta Jubilee Auditorium, Calgary, AB
March 3 - Knox United Church, Saskatoon, SK
March 4 - Knox United Church, Saskatoon, SK
March 5 - Burton Cummings Theatre, Winnipeg, MB
March 30 - Royal Oak Music Theatre, Royal Oak, MI
March 31 - Wealthy Theatre, Grand Rapids, MI
April 2 - South Milwaukee Performing Arts Centre, South Milwaukee, WI
April 3 - The Sheldon, St. Louis, MO
April 6 - Lincoln Theatre, Columbus, OH
April 7 - Music Box, Cleveland, OH
April 8 - Memorial Hall, Cincinnati, OH
April 9 - Walker Theatre, Chattanooga, TN
April 10 - Buckhead Theatre, Atlanta, GA
April 11 - Franklin Theatre, Franklin TN
April 14 - Stafford Centre, Houston, TX
April 15 - The Majestic, Dallas, TX
May 11 - Centennial Hall, London, ON
May 12 - Centre in the Square, London, ON
May 13 - Meridian Hall, Toronto, ON
May 14 - The Empire Theatre, Belleville, ON
May 15 - National Arts Centre, Ottawa, ON
June 8 - Salle Louis-Frechette at the Grand Theatre de Quebec, Quebec City, QC

Straight from their ranch nestled in the foothills of the Rocky Mountains, Alberta folk-roots and swing duo Over The Moon deliver their signature stone-ground sound in the form of new single, “Lonesome Bluebird”— available now via Borealis Records.

“This song is basically about a beautiful young woman who is letting the fear of failure or the impression she might be making cause her to miss out on so many of life’s real experiences,” co-front Craig Bignell explains. “She makes up for it by only focusing on her outer beauty and possessions.

“We’ve always loved the movie ‘Cat Ballou’ and the way Nat King Cole and Stubby Kaye are always in the shot somewhere, singing songs about the scene,” he continues, with a nod to the duo’s counterpart, Suzanne Levesque. “We thought this would be a great concept for the ‘Lonesome Bluebird’ video.”

As musicians that spent their previous careers recording and performing ‘live’ with other artists, the multi-instrumentalists and singer/songwriters endeavoured on their own pairing — in more ways than one… Somewhere between the milestones of having met and married, the duo discovered that, not only do they collectively draw inspiration from their surroundings, but their voices also blend together beautifully.

Creating music that reflects the pulse of life lived in a territory that is both dirt-hard rugged and breathtakingly stunning, their music is a wild ride from Appalachian old-timey 1940s-esque western swing to contemporary cowboy blues — all woven together with a common thread that speaks of the Canadian west. And as a follow-up to their critically acclaimed debut LP, Moondancer, in 2017, nowhere is this more apparent than through the soundscape that is this year’s 10-song sophomore album, Chinook Waltz.

“Our concept for Chinook Waltz was to try and convey a feeling that one gets living in the foothills of Southwestern Alberta’s ranching community,” Bignell offers, citing the pair’s home base of Longview. “It’s beyond beautiful, but also rugged and unforgiving; people help each other here, and a neighbour is just as important as family.

“Like John Denver’s song ‘Country Roads’ says: ‘Life is old there.’

“We produce and record our music at home, which was a huge learning curve for us, but we feel that we’re able to get the songs and sounds we wanted that way. Words that come to mind to describe it are ‘organic’ or a ‘stone ground sound’…

“There are no studio tricks because we don’t know any,” he adds, with a wink.

“Lonesome Bluebird” and Chinook Waltz are available now.

Toronto folk rockers The Honeyrunners set the scene ablaze, asking “What Are You Scared Of?” with the release of their new single and debut LP, Everything Is On Fire — available now via Gypsy Soul Records / Warner Music Canada / FUGA / Proper Music Group.

The band’s new nine-song full-length aims to disrobe our culture of apathy — a sentiment that everything is always on fire, with nothing to do but watch. The chorus of the title track sums up the band’s approach to art: ‘Let it burn. It’s the ashes that I admire.’

Written and composed by the band’s pianist and lead singer Dan Dwoskin and engineer, producer, bassist and vocalist Guillermo Subauste, Everything Is On Fire is a response to a public outpouring of anxiety and depression. The record was born of late nights and long drives; a tapestry of rhythm and melody, underpinned by desperate optimism and a stark reminder of why your presence is needed in times like these.

After a year and a half of challenges in a broken music industry, the two musicians are well-acquainted with these feelings (as are most artists, to some extent), yet they are also acquainted with self-reinvention (as are most artists). The process was cathartic — writing and recording songs for people who need to feel they are not alone in this heaviness, surrounded by a world full of apathy.

“We write songs for the times we need them,” pianist and lead singer Dan Dwoskin notes when asked about the insomnia-fueled lyrics of the album. For him, “this record was born of the love, fear, and insecurity of being a new Father.”

“We anchored tracks with a New Orleans sensibility, using pocket rhythms, countless styles of keys, and punchy horns to bring the songs to life,” Subauste says. “The cherry is a quilt of guitar hooks, a choir’s worth of harmonies, and a soulful lead vocal by Dan.”

It feels like home; there is no coincidence that the band toured to New Orleans in January 2020, showcasing at Folk Alliance International, with the entire industry coming to a standstill shortly after.

“The music on Everything Is On Fire was years in the making, honed during a gap between the original Honeyrunners roster and a new lineup of musicians joining the band between 2018 and 2020,” Dwoskin continues. “We started with 25 songs and trimmed it down to nine, crafting a front-to-back listen with a potent story.”

The four-piece Toronto group (toting 11 members for larger shows) is fronted by Ottawa-born songwriter Dan Dwoskin (keys, lead vocals) and Canadian-Peruvian multi-instrumentalist, engineer, and producer, Guillermo Subauste (bass, vocals). Newer additions to the lineup include the soulful Conor Gains (electric guitar, vocals) and Toronto-born drummer and filmmaker, Lewis Spring (drums, percussion, vocals).

Recording at Subauste’s Pacha Sound studio in Toronto was a blessing for the band, taking the time to fine-tune their new sound, a melting pot of folk, pop, rock, blues, and soul-Americana to the discerning Radio DJ.

Self-produced by Subauste and Dwoskin, the band enlisted a slew of local Toronto talent for the album; Carleigh Aikins (Bahamas, Paper Bird), Haig Beylerian, Marcus Bucci, Meg Contini (The O’Pears, Dwayne Gretzky), Tom Ionescu (Jane’s Party, Whitney Rose), Bruce Mackinnon, Samantha Martin, Tom Moffett (Arkells, Bedouin Soundclash), Andrew Moljgun, Champagne James (Lindi Ortega, Lydia Persaud), and Micah Sky.

The Honeyrunners are a Northern take on Southern Americana – hot-blooded and rife with the poetry of heartache. Their energy is contagious on stage and on record; as are their stories. Their music suits fans of bands like The Lumineers, Bahamas, Alabama Shakes, Brandi Carlile, Nathaniel Rateliff, and Leon Bridges, to name a few influences.

The Honeyrunners have toured North America coast-to-coast, fueled by early commercial success with song placements on ads by Coca-Cola and Bacardi. Singles from the band’s earlier releases, EP I (2013) and EP II (2014) have garnered heavy play on hundreds of Canadian and US college radio stations, paving the road for live appearances on national television, music festivals, breweries, club circuits, and Nashville-style backyard BBQ’s alike (a band favourite). They have been lucky to share stages with friends and mentors, including The Sadies, The Trews, The Beaches, Philip Sayce, Nick Waterhouse, King Khan, U.S.S., Grapes of Wrath, Skye Wallace and many more.

“What Are You Scared Of?” and Everything Is On Fire are available now.

It’s official: Celebrating its landmark 20th year presenting the finest sounds around, Toronto’s Winterfolk Blues and Roots Festival adds award-winning guitarist and singer/songwriter Sue Foley to this year’s event lineup online February 18th - 20th.

Fresh off the release of her latest album, 2021’s Pinky’s Blues, Sue Foley will close-out the three-day event, rounding out the highly acclaimed roster that includes the best and award-winning musicians across blues, rock, jazz, folk, roots, and more.

Registration to watch the expansive list of 18+ concerts is free, and optional donations collected to assist with festival expenses, the main one being remuneration for artists.

Friday, February 18th – all times in EST:
Announcer: Jeanne Beker
7:00pm — Josh Ritchie
7:30pm — Taylor Abrahamse
8:00pm — Lynn Miles
8:30pm — Jerome Tucker Band
9:00pm — Lucy Kaplansky
9:30pm — Jack de Keyzer

Saturday, February 19th – all times in EST:
Announcer: Brian Gladstone
7:00pm — Ori Dagan
7:30pm — Ken Whiteley and Belua Band
8:00pm — Mean Mary
8:30pm — Julian Taylor
9:00pm — Robert Priest
9:30pm — Shari Ulrich

Sunday, February 20th – all times in EST:
Announcer: Laura Fernandez
7:00pm — Graham Lindsey
7:30pm — David Storey Band
8:00pm — Rob Lutes
8:30pm — Suzie Vinnick
9:00pm — Donne Roberts Band
9:30pm — Sue Foley

Winterfolk Blues and Roots Festival was founded by Festival Director Brian Gladstone, and is a division of The Association of Artists for a Better World, a registered non-profit organization.

When a festival has been running for 20 consecutive years — in the middle of Canadian winters, no less — rest assured, organizers have seen it all. Last year, Gladstone and his team added ‘pivoting to online due to a pandemic’ to that list and, in 2022, those conditions have continued…

When they started planning for this year’s fête, venues in Ontario were operating at full capacity; in the wake of Omicron’s rapid spread, that lowered to 50%, before recently dropping off altogether.

“We had to temporarily pause planning until things stabilized, and have since confirmed Winterfolk will not be live in-person for the second year now,” Gladstone shares. “In celebrating our 20th anniversary, we set out to make this the Festival’s biggest and best Winterfolk ever — and still plan to do so with everyone safely tuning in online, locally and beyond.

“This year’s virtual celebration is once again affirming what we in Toronto have long-recognized: this city has an unwavering commitment to musical excellence and, especially in times like these, an equally great commitment to our communities.”

Those planning to tune in will need to register online for free access at http://www.winterfolk.com

Pinky’s Blues, the new Stony Plain Records album from award-winning blues guitarist/singer Sue Foley, scored a trifecta of nominations at the recently announced nominees from the Blues Foundation for the 43rd Blues Music Awards. Foley garnered nominations for “Album of the Year,” “Traditional Blues Album,” and “Traditional Blues Female Artist.”

"I'm over the moon about these three Blues Music Award nominations,” said Texas-based Sue Foley after she heard the news. “What an incredible honor to be acknowledged in Memphis. Speaking for everyone who helped create Pinky's Blues, we're proud to have made a real blues album and are thrilled that folks are loving it.”

Blues Foundation members are invited to vote for the Blues Music Awards. The ballot will be open to current Blues Foundation members only until 11:59pm CT Friday, March 18, 2022. To cast your vote, log in to your Member Portal and once logged in, the link to the BMA Ballot will be available at the top of the page.

To become a Blues Foundation member, visit www.blues.org and click on the Join button to learn about the different membership levels and how to easily and securely join online. Upon membership confirmation, new and renewing members will be sent instructions on how to access the 2022 Blues Music Awards Ballot.

Featuring several Sue Foley originals, as well as songs from some of her favorite blues and roots artists, Pinky’s Blues showcases  Sue Foley (guitar, vocals), accompanied by Chris “Whipper” Layton (drums), Jon Penner (bass), and Mike Flanigin (Hammond B3 organ), who also produced the album. The legendary Jimmie Vaughan joins is a special guest on rhythm guitar on the track, “Hurricane Girl.”

Pinky’s Blues is the follow up to Sue Foley’s award-winning album, The Ice Queen, (2018). Foley’s new album is a raw, electric guitar driven romp through the backroads of Texas blues, with Foley’s signature pink paisley Fender Telecaster, “Pinky,” at the wheel.

Foley won “Best Traditional Female (Koko Taylor Award)” at the 2020 Blues Music Awards in Memphis, was nominated for a Juno Award (Canadian Grammy), and she took home the award for “Best Guitar Player” at the Toronto Maple Blues Awards. For the last few years Foley and her band have kept a rigorous touring schedule across the USA, Canada and Europe. Some highlights were appearances at Love Rocks NYC (with Cyndi Lauper, Dave Mathews and Tedeschi Trucks) at The Beacon Theater (NYC), guesting with Jimmie Vaughan (opening for Eric Clapton) at Royal Albert Hall in London, Montreal Jazz Festival, Ottawa Bluesfest  (with Buddy Guy), Moulin Blues (Holland), NPR’s Mountain Stage (with Bela Fleck), and The Jungle Show (with Billy F Gibbons and Jimmie Vaughan) in Austin, Texas.

Sue Foley Tour Itinerary

February 19                 Continental Club - Austin, TX

February 20                 Blue Jay Listening Room, Jacksonville, FL

February 21                 Keeping the Blues Alive at Sea - Miami, FL

March 3                       Zebulon- Los Angeles, CA

March 4                       Hop Monk Tavern, Novato, CA

March 5                       Delta Blues Festival - Antioch, CA

March 6                       Moe’s Alley, Santa Cruz, CA

March 10                     Mary Lim Theatre - Kelowna, BC

March 11                     Rio - Vancouver, BC

March 12                     Hermann's Upstairs - Victoria, BC

March 13                     The Queens - Nanaimo, BC

March 14 - 20              SXSW - Austin, TX

March 25                     Bugle Boy - Le Grange, TX  SOLO SHOW

April 6                          Natalie's Grandview - Columbus, OH

April 7                          Sportsmen’s Tavern, Buffalo, NY

April 8                          Abilene, Rochester, NY

April 9                          City Winery, Boston, MA

April 11                        Iridium, New York City, NY

April 13                        Paradise Theatre, Toronto, Ontario

April 14                        Empire Theatre, Belleville, Ontario

April 22/23                  Arts Commons, Calgary, Alberta

Additional dates forthcoming….

The search for contentment and personal freedom is often a lifelong journey that can take us to many different places along the way. Blues/Rock “Woman of the World” Caroline Cotto has lived that journey and shows us the map with her smoldering new single “A Momma To Cry To” — available now!

The drive to find herself and develop her artistry led the New Orleans-based guitarist/vocalist and songwriter from New York to Paris to London and finally, to NOLA to signal her arrival as an artist and woman who has discovered through all her travels that she’s always carried everything she needs within herself.

“‘A Momma To Cry To’ describes a young woman on the journey to her spiritual awakening,” says Cotto. “The song’s message is about forging your own path and moving forward despite one’s past.”

Laden with feverish longing, “A Momma To Cry To” is a slow-burn ballad in 6/8 time featuring Cotto’s soulful, at times mournful, vocals over tremolo guitar arpeggios, a rich rhythm section and a few sonic surprises and nods to Cotto’s diverse influences.

“It started off as a country song,” she notes. “Then, it developed into a beautiful, atmospheric world reminiscent of Pink Floyd’s album, ‘The Dark Side of the Moon,’ with touches of glockenspiel à la Bruce Springsteen’s ‘Born to Run.’”

Those intriguing touches she includes in her blues has helped Cotto’s music to be featured on high profile radio shows such as  “Little Steven's Underground Garage” and Genya Ravan's "Goldie's Garage”.

Forging her own path is something Cotto has done all her life. A lover of literature and poetry from a very early age, she became a published poet before she was 12-years-old. Then, words were not enough and Cotto looked for a vehicle for them in music. She started learning guitar and became obsessed with it, performing at local open mics. She then went on to study at Connecticut College and New York University, performing in East Village clubs like the famous Sidewalk Café.

Cotto still longed to find her voice and more artistic opportunities elsewhere. Then, just after her 22nd birthday, she bravely left New York for Europe, settling in Paris and then London to soak up their unique inspiration, growth lessons and opportunities to perform. All these experiences have helped fuel the creation of her music since, including “A Momma To Cry To”.

“I moved to Paris to find my freedom and be inspired by my literary heroes such as Rimbaud and Baudelaire,” recalls Cotto. “Then, life took me to London where I played in blues clubs. A repeating lyric in the song is, ‘Where is my home?’ My home has been in many cities, but ultimately the greatest home I discovered was within myself.”

With “A Momma To Cry To” and her raucous and self-assured previous single “Cherry Red”, that hard-earned maturity and confidence in herself and her artistry shows up all over Caroline Cotto’s music. It’s clear that she’s an artist who’s arrived at the perfect place to give herself permission to launch.

“‘A Momma To Cry To’ is about the power of a woman aware of her circumstance but rising above it in all her glory. She enters the realm of her divine path full of happiness, peace and is free.”

“A Momma To Cry To” is available now.

Featuring Ojibway Elder Dr. Duke Rebird and Indigenous artists Twin Flames, NY Times and BILLBOARD charting band Sultans of String have released their collaborative new single, “The Power of the Land” — available now!

The orchestral version of the song is the latest to land from the multi-award-winning and JUNO-nominated group’s most recent album, 2021’s Sanctuary — an 11-track offering featuring a broad range of incredible talents from the USA/Canada, many of whom arrived as recent immigrants and refugees, and essential Indigenous voices.

The potent and poetic single soars with interwoven vocals of Indigenous spoken-word artist Duke Redbird and married Ottawa folk duo Twin Flames. The poem is by Duke, who is an Ojibwe Elder from the Saugeen First Nation in Southwestern Ontario, and is performed by Sultans of String with Duke and Twin Flames — comprised of Chelsey June, Métis (Algonquin Cree heritage) from Ottawa, and Jaaji, Inuk and Mohawk from Nunavik and Kahnawake.

"I heard Duke recite that poem years ago," Sultans of String frontman Chris McKhool says. "I was so moved that I introduced myself to him after the performance and said, 'Have you ever thought about putting this to music?'”

Fast-forward three years — to the day — when McKhool realized he had finally written the right backdrop for Redbird's stirring words. "It was just one of those beautiful moments where I realized those lyrics might work perfectly."

Redbird explains the genesis of the original poem: “It's essential that we understand that nature is our survival and survival is nature. Money and power have interrupted the power of the land and, until we understand that nature is the real economy and the economy is nature, and that's the only way we're going to survive, is if we take care of our mother, the earth. And money and power, it doesn't really have a place in the healing associated with what needs to be done as the climate changes and the earth retrieves her sacredness and plants it in our minds and our bodies.”

Like most of the collaborations on Sanctuary, “The Power of the Land” came to life in the studio with Sultans of String and their guests composing and creating together. But no matter how they began, they all ended the same: with all the artists recording together at Jukasa, a world-class recording facility on the Six Nations reserve between Toronto and Buffalo.

"We knew we had to do it this way," McKhool stresses. "We couldn't make an album of deep collaborations and do it long-distance. Having everyone in the room at the same time made it extremely challenging, both from a logistical and technical standpoint, but the results certainly made it worthwhile."

This single is co-produced by the multiple award-winning team of bandleader Chris McKhool and 2021/2022 JUNO nominated engineer John “Beetle” Bailey. The beds were recorded on First Nations land at the Indigenous-owned Jukasa Studios. Founded by Ohsweken's Kenneth Hill & Jerry Montour, Jukasa Studios is a multi-million dollar studio created for world-class and developing artists to make music in surroundings rich in spirit and tradition. The legendary 8072 G Series Vintage Analog Console which spent 12 years of its life in studio 3 at Abbey Road Studios in London England, was purchased and moved to Jukasa Studios in 2009.  Overdubs and mixing were done at The Drive Shed with John “Beetle” Bailey and mastering by Harry Hess at HBomb Mastering.

Sultans of String are 3x JUNO Award nominees and 4x Canadian Folk Music Award winners. They recently celebrated their 10th anniversary as a band, crisscrossing North America and UK, and performing at many taste-making forums such as JUNOFest, Celtic Connections in Glasgow, Birdland in NYC, and California’s hip music scene — including the San Jose Jazz Festival.

They have sold out Koerner Hall three times (Toronto’s Carnegie Hall) and performed with Toronto, Vancouver, Edmonton Symphony Orchestras. Sultans of String were recently recorded live on BBC TV, Irish National Radio, and internationally syndicated shows including SiriusXM in Washington DC.

At the core of the band’s sound is Chris McKhool’s (Jesse Cook, Pavlo) bold and fiery fiddle, melded seamlessly with founding guitarist Kevin Laliberté’s (Jesse Cook) rumba rhythm- together their musical synergy created Sultans of String’s signature sound – the intimate and playful relationship between violin and guitar. Added to this rich foundation are bass master Drew Birston (Chantal Kreviazuk), and Cuban percussion master Rosendo Chendy Leon (Alex Cuba).

Following their award-winning 2020 album, Refuge arrives Sanctuary — a release that highlights the extraordinary contributions of those that have arrived here from around the globe, as well as global talents who’ve long been ambassadors for peace, the band shares.

“The true inspiration behind this album is the incredible artists we get to collaborate with,” McKhool says. “We learn so much from these diverse voices, and each one of them is so personally inspiring. As Ahmed Moneka, an artist and refugee from Iraq says, ‘Love is the main reason for a great future,’ and we are so privileged to be able to collaborate with so many incredible voices on this project.

“Each one of us has a remarkable story to tell, and we are excited to share the beauty of these collaborations with you — featuring special guests from First Nations, Turkey, Somalia, Iraq, Iran, Pakistan, Greece, Syria, Mexico, Portugal, Cuba, and Sudan.”

“The Power of the Land — Orchestral Version (feat. Duke Redbird & Twin Flames)” and Sanctuary are available now.

This recording was produced with the support of the City of Toronto through the Toronto Arts Council. Sultans of String would like to acknowledge funding support from the Ontario Arts Council, an agency of the Government of Ontario, and Canada Council for the Arts.

The festival with a capital ’N’, as in Next to discover the best bands before they break through is back; North by Northeast (NXNE) is officially starting to unveil its 2022 plans right as the sun starts to warm our souls. 

Taking place in the nation’s entertainment mecca that is Toronto, Canada’s quintessential annual cultural explosion featuring music and more is set to span June 14th - 19th and feature more than 300 of the world's best artists of today — and tomorrow. 

Case in point? NXNE had Grimes, Lumineers, Daniel Caesar, Run The Jewels, The Weather Station, Sarah Harmer, Metz, Sarah Harmer, the Arkells, Sam Roberts, Lizzo, Future Islands, Vince Staples, Billy Talent, Post Malone, Feist, and thousands more on stages as part of the festival… All before they became household names. 

“We’re back and taking over more than 20 of Toronto’s top live music venues,” NXNE Founder and President Michael Hollett reveals. “We want to make it very easy for people to come back to live music and experience stage-hopping like festivals used to be.”

NXNE makes great music accessible and inclusive to all, no artists are asked to pay to apply to play, all performers are paid, and admission to Club Shows in 2022 is low cost or free.

A preview of the forthcoming roster will be announced on May 4th, and passes are available for sale today, Tuesday, April 26. 

Speaking of which, full festival five-day passes are $20 — an inflation-defying $9.99 less than they were in 1995 when NXNE launched. “That’s actually cheaper than when it first started,” Hollett notes. “Especially given the pummelling the live music scene has taken over the last two years, we committed to removing financial barriers to NXNE to best connect artists with audiences; even for artists, it’s free to submit and they get paid to play. 

“We have had an incredible response to our submission process and can’t wait to present these great acts to the world,” Hollett continues. “It’s time to experience live music again – and listen to the future at NXNE.” 

The festival is committed to gender equity and BIPOC representation boasting a diverse line up that reflects the festival’s core theme “Talent is Everywhere.”

NXNE is proud to work with their supporting partners of this year's festival including Slaight Music, Indie88, Gladstone House, Steam Whistle, Bulova, Long & McQuade, Yamaha, Exclaim, Grassroots, along with showcase sponsors KW TheMuseum, The City of Brampton, Music Manitoba, and WKBO The Bridge - with funding made possible by FACTOR, Canada Summer Jobs. 

NXNE will take place Tuesday, June 14th - Sunday, June 19th in Toronto.

A new band of multi-award-winning not-so-new blues players are set to make their musical mark: The Hogtown Allstars have released their debut album today, Hog Wild, via Stony Plain Records.

Featuring eight new all-original songs, and two covers, Hog Wild was recorded throughout 2021 once the group nailed their first challenge: coordinating everyone’s schedule to hit the studio. It’s the first release for the undeniable supergroup that first started in 2013 as a collaborative, creative outlet for Toronto-based musicians dedicated to the genre.

As for ‘Allstars,’ they come by the moniker honestly; built with some of the most dynamic and experienced players on the global blues scene, the 7-piece adds up to Downchild Blues Band alum Chuck Jackson, Pat Carey, Gary Kendall, Jim Casson, and Tyler Yarema alongside Maple Blues Band alums Teddy Leonard and Howard Moore. 

Their collective shelves are lined with more than 20+ Maple Blues Awards, five JUNO Awards, two Lifetime Achievement Awards, and countless international blues and jazz music awards. 

// Hog Wild Track Listing:

“Mr. Lucky”

“Hog Wild”

“Real Good Night”

“I Just Think Of You”

“Angel In My Bed”

“Subway Casanova”

“The Sad One”

“Biscuits & Beans”

“She’s Got The Stuff”

“I Ain’t Lyin”

Racing along the thin, permeable line between blues and rock is the high octane, precision-crafted, musical muscle car driven by Canadian power blues quartet Jim Dan Dee. On the way to delivering their much-anticipated second full-length album, they’re stopping just long enough to drop a hot and heavy appetizer, their searing new single “Bleed Me Dry” — available now!

At the fiery crossroads where Thorogood, the Fab Thunderbirds, and the Stones meet you’ll find Jim Dan Dee’s “Bleed Me Dry” revving up and running the red. It’s a raw, hard-rocking lament about giving it all that revels in those desperate, after midnight moments of total careless abandon.

I need a break cuz it’s never enough

Knock ‘em down and they jump back up

What happens next, I don’t know

Caught between a spoonful and diggin’ a hole 

Featuring Jim “Dan Dee” Stefanuk on vocals/guitars, Bobby Sewerynek on saxophone, newcomer Dwayne Lau on bass, and Shawn Royal on drums, this Southern Ontario-based four-piece has a tight, interlocked sound only a multitude of live shows can foster. Their recordings, including this one, give the listener that heady sense of ‘being there’ as all that good stuff was laid down from the stage, not the studio.

“Nothing is more important to us than our live show, and that energy is what we tried to capture on this record,” notes Stefanuk. “The band recorded with the same amplifiers and instruments we use on stage to keep our performance and tone authentic.”

Authentic blues infused with a modern rock swagger is what will be found on the band’s upcoming second album Real Blues — set for release May 13. Real Blues follows the group’s self-titled first album released in 2018, and an EP, Five Stiff Shots, that introduced the band in 2015. 

“Bleed Me Dry” is the lead single from Real Blues’ dirty near-dozen tales of struggle, loneliness, love, and lust, with co-writes by Stefanuk, Sewerynek, and Royal. A rugged, brawny cover of Eddie “Guitar Slim” Jones’ “The Things That I Used to Do” sets the tone for the rest of the tracklist that creates the feeling that you just heard, felt, and saw a killer live set from the group.

“We tried for a no overdubs approach whenever possible; listeners will get about as close as they can to the live band experience without leaving their homes,” Stefanuk explains. “We really wanted this album to breathe; all the squeaks, breaths, clicks, and buzzes remain on record, so the quiet moments have a life of their own. You’ll understand when you hear it.”

Listeners will also understand that this raw and honest creative statement from Jim Dan Dee was formed from the unprecedented and life-shaking experience we’ve all experienced during two years of dealing with a global pandemic.

“Real Blues comes out of a dark and unprecedented time for most of us on planet Earth,” says Stefanuk. “Fighting an unseen enemy in a battle that lasted years instead of weeks, we’ve lost careers, mobility, hope, and sometimes even the people we love.”

Turning to the innate healing power of music was a natural response for the group, who’ve shared major festival stages with Canadian legends such as Big Wreck, I Mother Earth and The Trews. 

“Music may be one of the only ways to describe the individual battles we all fight within our own minds, and it may have saved more than a few lives.”

Jim Dan Dee, which takes its name from the expression “everything is just Jim Dandy,” is a foursome of survivors, thrivers, and prolific creatives. The 10 original tracks they chose to record for Real Blues were picked from a pile of sixty songs and span the full spectrum of dark to light subjects and emotions. 

“Over the ‘damndemic’ we got to know the dark sides of ourselves a little better. We lost some people. We strengthened some bonds. It was a war of self-awareness and patience.”

With Real Blues, the band also wanted to pay reverence to the 100-plus-year-old music genre that has been the foundation and framework of their own music.

“We hope the album can bring Blues fans great joy and remind them at least a little of the incredible giants whose shoulders we humbly sit on.”

With the May 13th album release date quickly approaching and a summer of shows starting to pile up in Ontario and the Maritimes, so far, Jim Dan Dee will get many chances to show off their prowess at paying tribute in their own, exciting and unique style.

“Real Blues has 11 stories, some relate to this viral prison we've lived in, and some are a beautiful distraction that harkens to better times in the past and a future that is opening up…fast.”

Opening up fast for Jim Dan Dee and the whole world of music.

“Bleed Me Dry” from the forthcoming Real Blues is available now!

The countdown is on; North by Northeast Music Festival (NXNE) has announced its initial list of Showcasing Artists invited to perform at this year’s music festival June 14th - 19th in Toronto.

The annual cultural explosion featuring music and more is set to feature over 300+ of the world’s best artists of today and tomorrow — including Omega Mighty, Osé, Balto, Dallas, Broken Islands, Vicky R, Jeremy Voltz, and hundreds more! 

“We’re back and taking over more than 20 of Toronto’s top live music venues,” NXNE Founder and President Michael Hollett reveals. “We want to make it very easy for people to come back to live music and experience stage-hopping like festivals used to be.”

The festival is committed to gender equity and BIPOC representation, boasting a diverse lineup that reflects the festival’s core theme, ‘Talent is Everywhere.’ NXNE also makes great music accessible and inclusive to all; no artists are asked to pay to apply, all performers are paid, and admission to Club Shows in 2022 is extremely low-cost.

Full festival five-day passes are just $20 — an inflation-defying $9.99 less than in 1995 when NXNE launched. “That’s actually cheaper than when it first started,” Hollett notes. “Given the pummeling the live music scene has taken over the last two years, we wanted to remove financial barriers to attending NXNE to best connect artists with audiences. You can see live music all week for the price of a movie ticket and popcorn.

“We can’t wait to present these great acts to the world,” Hollett continues. “It’s time to experience live music again – and listen to the future at NXNE.” 

While further announcements of NXNE’s full lineup will follow, passes are currently available for sale at nxne.com.

A partial list of artists invited to perform include: 

3409- Toronto, ON

Ana Lía- Toronto, ON

Anna Smyrk- Melbourne, Australia

Atay & JAX- Halifax, NS

B.Knox- Toronto, ON

Balto- Los Angeles

Bealby Point- Vancouver, BC

Big Smoke Brass Band- Toronto, ON

Black Pontiac- Vancouver, BC

Broken Fires- London, UK

Brooklyn Doran- Peterborough, ON

Buffalo Bill- Toronto, ON

Cam Maclean- Montreal, ON

Chad Price- Toronto, ON

December Rose- Montreal, QC

DESIIRE- Toronto, ON

Diane Coffee- Indiana, Usa

Dover Lynn Fox- Toronto, ON

dwi- Vancouver, BC

Emma Campbell- Toronto, ON

Erez Zobary- Toronto, ON

Faeya- Canada

Fjord Mustang- Toronto, ON

Foolproof- St Catharines, ON

FRANKIE FLOWERS- Waterloo, ON

GETCHNAH- Toronto, ON

GROWERS- Toronto, ON

I, the Mountain- Kitchener, ON

INNR CIRCLE- Toronto, ON

Jeff Beadle- Niagara, ON

Jeremy Voltz- Toronto, ON

Jhyve- Toronto, ON

Joan Smith & the Jane Does- Toronto, ON

Jordan Astra- Toronto, ON

Just Costa- Montreal, On

Kingdom Of Birds- Toronto, ON

Kyara Tetreault- Toronto, ON

Kydd Jones- Austin

Late Night Thoughts- Brooklyn/NYC

Late Night Trouble- Montreal, QC

Lexxicon- Toronto, ON

Lindsey & The Lonelies- London, ON

LOR- Toronto, ON

Luxe- Toronto, ON

Maddisun- Vancouver, BC

Majo- Toronto, ON

Mattie Leon- Hamilton, ON

Mear- Toronto, ON

Mélissa Vales- Ottawa, ON

Michaela Slinger- Vancouver, BC

Mighloe- Toronto, ON

MY ØWN MØNEY- Toronto, ON

Newby- Toronto, ON

No Tourists- Toronto, ON

Olivia Khoury- Montreal, ON

Omega Mighty- Toronto, ON

Osé- Toronto, ON

Paige Warner- Owen Sound, ON

Peter Peres- Toronto, ON

prettyboys- Montreal, QC

Pyramid Theorem- Richmond Hill, ON

Raeshaun- Mississauga, ON

Rise Carmine- Toronto, ON

Sabby Sousa- Toronto, ON

Sleepy Gonzales- Vancouver, BC

Spitty- Brampton, ON

TAKAAYLA- Toronto, ON

Talking Violet- Windsor, ON

The Broken Islands- Vancouver, BC

The Crease Rule- Toronto, ON

The Free Label- Toronto, ON

The Holy Gamblers- Toronto, ON

The Midnight Echo- Vancouver, BC

The Redhill Valleys- Hamilton, ON

The Sarandons- Toronto, ON

Toebow- Brooklyn/NYC

Tripper and the Wild Things- Hamilton, ON

Twice Bleached- Cambridge, ON

Victory- Toronto, ON

Vintage Boring- Toronto, ON

NXNE is proud to work with their supporting partners of this year's festival including Slaight Music, Indie88, Gladstone House, Steam Whistle, Bulova, White Claw Hard Seltzer, Long & McQuade, Yamaha, Exclaim, Grassroots, along with showcase sponsors KW TheMuseum, The City of Brampton, Music Manitoba, and WKBO The Bridge — with funding made possible by FACTOR, Canada Summer Jobs. 

NXNE will take place Tuesday, June 14th - Sunday, June 19th in Toronto.

In a storied career of many accolades and firsts, celebrated seven-time Blues Music Award-winner Rory Block will release perhaps her most-ambitious album yet, with Ain’t Nobody Worried, coming October 7th on Stony Plain Records.

As the third volume of her “Power Women of the Blues Series,” Ain’t Nobody Worried follows the logical course of its predecessors. Produced by Rory Block and Rob Davis for Aurora Productions, Ain’t Nobody Worried was recorded and mixed by Rob Davis at Kentucky Studios, Sandy Hook, Kentucky; and mastered by Toby Mountain of Northeastern Digital. Rory Block sang all the vocals, played all the guitar parts, slide, bass and percussion.

“The inspiration for this recording was born during the dreaded shutdowns,” recalls Rory Block about the album’s genesis. “Being quarantined led us to the idea of Home Broadcasts, which soon blossomed into two concerts per week over two years with an incredible following of viewers from around the world. We were all hungry for togetherness and music and found ourselves clinging to the idea that some form of normalcy still existed, somewhere, almost certainly in music. After covering just about every blues, folk and Old Timey song I ever knew, the idea popped into my head to reach into the iconic songbook of the ‘60s, ‘70s and ‘80s. That meant music that was on the radio over 50 years ago. It could be called historic, early American music. Viewer requests for their own favorites strengthened and expanded this idea, turning the concerts into a major potpourri of material. It was challenging, satisfying, and inspiring. The consensus was that it was time to hear these incredible songs again.

“While it was challenging, and I never had enough time to really learn the songs properly, no one minded or expected my acoustic versions to be replicas of the originals. We wanted to remember, celebrate, and cling to the emotions and memories these great songs embodied. We wanted to sing along. We wanted it to be a sentimental journey with an unexpected twist. That’s what this record is all about.

“I started referring to it as ‘The Campfire Sessions.’ That meant ‘Hey, pass me the guitar... lemme try that one!’ I was the person saying pass me the guitar- and that was just alright with everyone.

“In keeping with my latest ongoing project, ‘Power Women of the Blues,’ and inspired by the enthusiasm generated by the Home Concerts, I chose hit songs performed or written by female artists whose music changed the world. I could do multiple volumes easily as there are, as always, just too many great songs to choose from.

“There will be those who will question why I would decide to do songs by legends such as Gladys Knight, Mavis Staples, Mary Wells and others. Why attempt to resurrect such untouchable greatness? I suppose the answer is the same reason I dare to do Robert Johnson, Bessie Smith and other early blues legends. I do not do these songs to create a better version than the original. Those versions are enshrined in the halls of Musical Heaven. I do these songs because I play the music I love the most. Creating new versions honors the original artists. And, as I learned during the Home Concerts, it’s time we thought about these amazing songs again.”

There’s an unmistakable magic that comes with — not only being in the room with live music — but live music captured live-off-the-floor and forever archived in album form. Now such experience is on the horizon with multi-award-winning powerhouse blues guitarist and singer Sue Foley and the upcoming show recording this September 8th at the El Mocambo.

Presented by El Mocambo and Sam Grosso, the JUNO-nominated and Blues Music Award and Toronto Maple Blues Award-winner’s Live Recording event joins an iconic roster of previous live releases at the legendary venue — including The Rolling Stones, Stevie Ray Vaughan, and Elvis Costello.

Sue is a 5-time JUNO Award nominee and 2001 winner for Best Blues Album and a few weeks ago, was also named as the winner of the Traditional Blues Album, and Traditional Blues Female Artist of the Year at the 2022 Blues Music Awards in the US. Last month, she won Guitarist of the Year and Entertainer of the Year at the Maple Blues Awards, and her new album, Pinky’s Blues has been on the Roots Music Report’s Canadian Chart top 10 albums for the last 27 weeks.

Sue Foley’s Live Recording will take place on September 8th at El Mocambo. Tickets are $40, and $20 for students with a special meet and greet VIP ticket for $80.

El Mocambo & Sam Grosso Present: Sue Foley, Live Recording

September 8th @ El Mocambo, Toronto ON

Tickets $40; Students $20 (+ Fees); VIP Meet and Greet $80 (+ Fees)

Tickets

Chris Antonik, the blues-rock, guitar wielding, singer-songwriter from Toronto has released his new album, Morningstar. The 14-track album features guest artists such as 2x-GRAMMY Award-winner Mike Mattison (Tedeschi Trucks Band, Derek Trucks Band), multiple-Maple Blues Award-winning guitarist Paul Deslauriers, Juno Award-nominee Alison Young and 3x-Blues Music Award nominee Jarekus Singleton.

Antonik has just gone through a five-year process of personal growth and self-compassion building — and he wears his stories on his sleeve across Morningstar. The album’s lead single, “Waves of Stone” (released June 3), debuted at #6 on Roots Music Report’s Blues Singles Charts in the U.S. and #1, respectively in Canada. The blistering song hits like a thunderbolt on a musical and emotional level. Musically, it’s riff-driven blues-rock showcasing Antonik trading searing lead guitar solos with American counterpart, Jarekus Singleton.

Both “Waves of Stone” and the album’s sophomore single, “Pilgrim,” found support from Joe Bonamassa by being added to the acclaimed guitarist’s Spotify playlist, “Cutting Edge Blues.” Meanwhile, Blues Rock Review gave the album a 9/10 review and raved about “countless exceptional guitar solos” and Morningstar’s boundary-pushing blues.” Rock and Blues Muse said Mornignstar “pushes the boundaries of blues/rock by folding soul, future-funk, psychedelia, late-1980’s-Clapton/Robbie Robertson/Daniel Lanois influences, and other experimental touches into its mix quite successfully…he’s a fully developed artist working on something big. We should all be listening.”

“In 2017, I had started a new life after a divorce,” recalls Antonik on the catalyst of Morningstar. “I made the mistake of getting into another relationship too soon. Driven by a fear of being alone and to soothe my grief from the divorce, I dove in. The relationship didn’t last long. The pain and anguish that I experienced when it ended was compounded by the fact that I was still grieving divorce. ‘Waves of Stone’ is a snapshot of how heartbroken and frustrated I felt in the last few weeks of the relationship and right after the breakup. The song gets the anger stage of grief out of my system so I can move onto the other 13 songs on Morningstar which are about hope, re-building, community, new beginnings, and love.”

Morningstar — co-produced by Antonik and JUNO Award-winning producer Derek Downham — tells a cohesive story of his experiences as he enters mid-life. The last few years’ worth of life, love, loss, and growth are synthesized into an epic collection of songs about new beginnings, building community, mindfulness, self-compassion, Antonik’s sobriety, and the power of home. Through it all, Antonik plays his guitar with unbridled ferocity and passion, mining his soul deeper than he ever has before.  

“I wanted to do two things with this record,” says Antonik, “one: push the boundaries of modern blues and blues-rock, and two: tell a sincere story about the human experience that others could relate to. I believe we achieved both. While each song can be heard as a stand-alone piece, together the tracks comprise an even greater connected saga.”

Track listing for Morningstar:

“Waves of Stone” (feat. Jarekus Singleton)
“Pilgrim”
“Back To The Good”
“Trust In Me”
“In Our Home” (feat. Alison Young)
“The Greatest Of The Americans (Part I)”
“The Greatest Of The Americans (Part II)”
“Learning To Love You”
“How To Be Alone”
“We're Not Alone” (feat. Paul Deslauriers)
“The Promise Of Airfields”
“Little Man”
“Be Here Now” (feat. Mike Mattison)
“Grace”

Following a two-year hiatus on account of the pandemic, Toronto’s legendary Grossman’s Tavern has announced the lineup for the annual Amy Louie / Grossman's Music Scholarship happening on September 27, 2022 starting at 7:00pm.

Created in memory of the late Amy Louie — a member of the family that has owned Grossman’s Tavern since 1975 — the ALGMS is an artist development bursary that provides two musicians or bands from the Greater Toronto Area $2,000 and $1,000, respectively, to help with career development.

ALGMS applications are officially open and can be received until September 16th, 2022 at 11:59pm EST. Successful candidates will be chosen by a panel of judges that include members of the Louie family, music industry professionals, and individuals with long-standing connections to Grossman’s Tavern.

Previous recipients of the Scholarship include The Big Butter and Egg Men, Mike Nagoda, The Swingin’ Blackjacks, Dan McKinnon, Bad Luck Woman & Her Misfortunes, Chloe Watkinson & Park Eddy, Jerome Godboo, and The Responsables.

As one of the longest-running live music venues and a stalwart within Toronto’s vibrant and dynamic music scene, Grossman’s has long been considered an incubator for an impressive roster of local artists who got their start inside the Tavern, including the late Jeff Healey, the Downchild Blues Band, Rough Trade, and more.

JUNO Award-winning powerhouse singer-songwriter Crystal Shawanda is back with a new studio album, Midnight Blues, released this September 30th on True North Records. The latest fiery bluesy Americana collection features the first single  “How Bad Do You Want It” — showcasing her full-throttle raspy voice, unmatched in today’s musical landscape, and an authenticity for the genre dating back to her youth.

“Growing up, all of my favorite music had these breadcrumbs that led me to the blues,” Crystal says. “I often quote Willie Dixon: ‘Blues is the roots and everything else is the fruits.’ Even today's pop music, there's all this influence that derives from the blues. I was just always really attracted to the rawness and the realness of the blues.”

Produced and engineered in Nashville by her husband and long-time collaborator Dewayne Strobel, Midnight Blues — her eighth studio album, and fifth since switching from a chart-topping career as a country artist —  is a collection of original songs, such as the seductive-sounding rocker “Midnight Blues,” swampy dance-floor groove “Rumpshaker,” and gentler “Take A Little Walk With The Moon,” as well as covers of the Howlin’ Wolf classic “Evil” and her take on Celine Dion’s hit “That’s Just The Woman In Me.”

“This is absolutely my favorite album I've ever recorded because I feel like my husband put me in a picture frame,” says Crystal. “He really captured who I am as an artist. He let my vocal shine. He brought out the best in me and all the songs that we wrote really capture my live show and who I am.”

Crystal was introduced to the blues by her eldest brother and to old-time country by her parents. “I was also into other styles of music that led me to the blues,” she says, citing everything from Elvis Presley’s “Hound Dog,” written by Big Mama Thornton, to R&B-pop star Monica’s “Misty Blue,” by Dorothy Moore.

“I was one of those kids who read the liner notes,” Crystal says.  “I wanted to know everything, who are the songwriters, the musicians, the producers, the engineers. I'm always wanting to know who are the originators, who are the mothers of invention, who inspired all of us?  I’m a purist at heart, so I was always diving back to learn from the masters, like Etta James, as far as vocalists; Muddy Waters, as far as feeling; and Buddy Guy, as far as stylists who have a lot of swagger.”

And yet Crystal’s first foray as a professional singer was in country music, not blues.  She was in her early 20s and had immediate success after signing a U.S. record deal with RCA Nashville. 2008’s Dawn of a New Day, featuring the single “You Can Let Go,” reached No. 1 on the Canadian Country Album chart and No. 16 on the Billboard Top Country Albums, the highest charting album by a full-blooded Canadian First Nations country artist (in the SoundScan-era). Her first single, You Can Let Go,”

The following year she left the label and created her own, New Sun Records. Her first release was the holiday album I’ll Be Home For Christmas. Her next country album was 2010’s Just Like You, which won a 2013 Juno Award for Best Aboriginal Album, before she made the change to the blues with 2014’s The Whole World’s Got The Blues.

“I love all styles of music, but there was just always something drawing me to the blues,” she explains.  “I had a country hit on the radio, and I would show up at country music festivals and I'd do a BB King cover or Buddy Guy or Etta James. Within country music, as much as I loved it, I had to restrain my voice a lot. It's very hard to hold back, and sometimes it was exhausting, whereas with the blues, I could just let it fly.”

While other artists have been embraced when they’ve made the switch to a different genre — Taylor Swift from country to pop; Dallas Smith from hard rock to country; and Darius Rucker from pop/rock to country — Crystal doesn’t mind talking about the difficulties she’s encountered.

“Country music is so excited when anybody from any genre comes to their world, hoping it'll make their world more popular. It'll up the cool factor but switching from country to blues is a lot more difficult because the blues scene is very protective because it's such an original genre. They want it to be respected and preserved.”

She would’ve had an easier time if she had created a blues-influenced sound, like the Black Crowes, Sass Jordan, or Alannah Myles, but Crystal can hold her own in any conversation about the blues pioneers. Still, she still likes to cover an iconic Canadian artist in her inimitable way. Last album, it was The Tragically Hip’s “New Orleans Is Sinking” and this time, Celine Dion.

“Because I had so much friction coming to the blues where people were like, ‘You don't know nothing about the blues,’ I'm trying to show them not to be so close-minded because a lot of people are more inspired by the blues than they may realize. Again, I'm trying to reiterate that quote by Willie Dixon that the blues is roots and everything else is the fruit.”

ON TOUR NOW! Click HERE for Dates & Tickets

Vancouver-based band Tom Lavin & the Legendary Powder Blues, formed in 1978, are finally history, in the most literal sense. The National Canadian Museum of History has just completed an acquisition of Powder Blues artifacts that will become a part of the CMH permanent collection.

“We are incredibly honored that the National Canadian Museum of History has chosen to preserve our legacy. It is our hope the display will convey some of the joy, passion and energy that we have shared with and received from our great audiences over the past 44 years,” says Lavin. “It’s satisfying to know that these items will be protected and shared for years to come. I could not have asked for a more perfect home than this great and respected museum in Gatineau.”

Items include a rare, transparent blue vinyl, LP of the band’s first release in 1979, Powder Blues ‘UNCUT’, the ‘million-mile guitar case’, Lavin’s custom blue D’Angelico New Yorker archtop guitar, the original manuscript for Tom Lavin’s travelogue of their 1990 tour of the Soviet Union and Eastern Europe, numerous historical photos, and a Canadian Recording Industry Association Double-Platinum award.  Much of the collection has never or rarely been seen by the public.

The Canadian Museum of History is a national museum of anthropology, Canadian history, cultural studies, and ethnology in Gatineau, Quebec, Canada. The purpose of the museum is to promote the heritage of Canada, as well as support related research.

For over four decades Powder Blues has been Canada’s leading blues band. The mix of swing, blues, jazz, rock & roll and R&B has an appeal so wide that people from seven to seventy swing side by side at Powder Blues shows. Over the years the band has toured non-stop through Canada, the United States and overseas, spreading feel-good music that makes folks dance and shout.

Powder Blues debut album, ‘Uncut’, was ignored by major labels who said there was ‘no market for the blues’. Undiscouraged, the band sold it off stage and sent it to radio stations whose switchboards lit up with calls asking, ‘who’s that?’ After selling 30,000 copies in a few weeks, the same record labels competed to distribute this ‘non-commercial’ product. To date Powder Blues have sold over a million records worldwide.

Band highlights include winning Canada’s Juno, headlining the world-famous Montreux Jazz Festival in Switzerland, winning the Blues Foundation Award in Memphis, Tennessee and touring the US and Europe with legends like Willie Dixon, John Lee Hooker, B.B. King, James Brown, Albert Collins, and Stevie Ray Vaughn.

Leader, Tom Lavin wrote many of the band’s best-known songs including ‘Doin’ It Right’ (‘On the Wrong Side of Town’) and ‘Boppin With the Blues’. Born in Chicago where he worked with local bands and blues legends, Tom moved to Vancouver gigging the nightclub scene. This led to work as studio musician, song writer, band leader, record producer and film composer.

Tom has won BCMIA awards for ‘Guitarist, Singer, Songwriter and Producer of the Year’, a JUNO award for ‘Best New Band’ and the American W.C. Handy award. He has over a dozen gold, and platinum records for Powder Blues, Prism, April Wine, Long John Baldry, Amos Garrett, and many others.

2023 is the band’s 45th Anniversary. Their more than dozen CD titles and DVD continue to sell world-wide making Tom Lavin & the Legendary Powder Blues one of Canada’s longest-standing musical ambassadors.

Tom Lavin & the Legendary Powder Blues are winding up their 44th Anniversary Tour Saturday, December 3, 2022, with a show at the HUB International Theater in Chilliwack, BC.

Confirmed dates for their 45th Anniversary tour in 2023 include February 11, 2023 at the Sagebrush Theatre in Kamloops, BC, February 12, 2023 in Kelowna, BC, July 29  Festival d'la Baie, Petit Roche, NB, August 26  Edmonton International Blues Festival, August 27, Rocky Point Music Bowl, Port Moody, BC. More dates TBA in the near future.

The coveted Roots Blues duo of Vancouver-based and Alberta-born Blue Moon Marquee, are again seeing their name up in lights - this time on the face of the Toronto Blues Society’s Maple Blues Awards where they’ve scored four nominations -  Entertainer of the Year, Acoustic Act of the Year, Songwriter of the Year and Recording/Producer of the Year - ahead of the ceremony on January 30, 2023. Fans have until 11:59pmET on December 1 to vote here.

The excitement surrounding the nominations is palpable for the globetrotting touring artists who refute genre boxes and create songs that swing, jump, groove and move inside their souls. A.W. Cardinal (vocals/guitar) and Jasmine Colette a.k.a. Badlands Jass (vocals/bass/drums) have played for a vast gamut of crowds at jazz clubs, Lindy Hop dance halls, folk venues, blues haunts, hospitals, prisons, markets, motorcycle joints, dive bars, and prestigious festival stages. The pair have crisscrossed Europe 5 times.

“To say A.W. and Jasmine are old souls is an understatement to say the least,” says co-producer and legendary guitarist Duke Robillard on the Scream, Holler & Howl liner notes. “They are poised for worldwide recognition in an amazing genre-bending ride through American blues and folk, gypsy jazz, Native American themes, jump blues, swing and more.”

The duo has garnered big time praise and adoration from their legions of fans and are now being recognized for their efforts and contributions to the blues community.

It’s undeniable the energy, and commitment Blue Moon Marquee have to their infectious sound and on-stage presence. The band released their fifth studio album Scream, Holler & Howl this past fall on their Blue Moon Marquee record label and hit #1 – twice - on the Roots Music Report’s Canadian Chart and has now spent over 20 weeks on the tally. The release also hit Top 10 on the Earshot Canadian Campus Radio Chart, hitting #1 on their Roots/Folk/Blues Chart this year. The totality of the record was another accomplishment in the tenure of Blue Moon Marquee, earning praise and positive reviews from fans and critics.

The band refuses to shy away from an equally enchanting visual component to their sensational music. From their stage show to their music videos and artwork, Blue Moon Marquee are storytellers at their core, and the pair seek to elevate the yarn they spin through a variety of mediums. Jasmine Colette not only commands the upright bass, but also brings the rhythm with her feet on a custom foot drum kit, all while singing in her signature honey-dipped tones. A.W. Cardinal’s distinctive and soulful vocals barrel out like a raging bull, while his guitar crackles with the swinging energy of jazz-tinged blues.

The Toronto Blues Society presents the Maple Blues Awards LIVE Monday, January 30, 2023 at Koerner Hall in Toronto.

Eclectic rock and rollers, Mud Bay, land back on the scene with a new laid-back number called “Love and Forgiveness,” the second single from their latest album Best Laid Plans. Their take on a good time brings a wide range of influences to the party—blues, country, Cajun, rock, and soul, they’re all there. Reaching musical parts that other bands cannot reach.

Born in 1978, Mud Bay has been entertaining audiences with their spectacular shows—made up of their version of blues and roots music mixed with just about anything. Hailing as "Saturday night entertainment, any day of the week". The talented five-piece features three main vocalists along with four songwriters which open the scope up for a plethora of musical range, diversity, and creativity. The band consists of Mud Bay Slim (Harold Arnold) on harmonica and vocals, Mark Branscombe on guitar and vocals, Randall T Carpenter playing guitar, steel, and vocals, Dennis Ingvaldson pumping the Bass, and Murphy Farrell taking on the rhythm section with Drums and Percussion.

"Love and Forgiveness" has a blues swing and rhythm that wouldn't be far removed from that Van Morrison sound. With Randall T Carpenter taking lead on this track, "Love and Forgiveness" delivers on storytelling with a rhythmic beat offering the listener a heads up on love and lies in life. Randall T Carpenter delivers a plea to past mistakes in love with the hope of getting absolution as he reflects on chaotic relationships.

“People tell me talk is cheap and I found out that it's true

For every promise that we keep, we break more than just a few”

Thanks to musical guests Jerry Cook and Norm Quinn, Mud Bay brings horns into their original version of blues and bop, adding a classic Blues Brothers sound. With the additional dulcet tones of Pete Sweetzir's Hammond underlining the foundation of Mud Bay’s new single.

The stand-out chorus of "Love and Forgiveness" delivers on that prominent Dennis Ingvaldson walking bass line with Randall T Carpenter following on vocals every step of the way.

“Love and forgiveness, true ties that bind

Are so very hard to find, seem to be in short supply

So we see time after time how the heart deceives the mind”

"Love and Forgiveness" is just one of fourteen original tracks off their new album Best Laid Plans recorded at Afterlife Studios, Vancouver, Canada, produced by the band themselves and Erik Nielsen.

Stony Plain Records announces a March 24, 2023, release date for Ridin’, the new album from two-time Grammy nominee and Blues/Roots music legend Eric Bibb. The label released the album’s first single, “Family,” on December 8.  Eric Bibb has already scheduled lengthy tours of Europe and Australia in the first quarter of 2023 to support the new album’s release.

The follow-up to his multiple award-winning, critically-acclaimed 2021 album, Dear America, Ridin’ is a continuation of the vision that informs Bibb’s artistry as a modern-day Blues troubadour. Grounded in the folk and blues tradition with contemporary sensibilities, Bibb’s music continues to reflect his thoughts on current world events and his own lived experiences, whilst remaining entertaining, uplifting, inspirational and relevant.

“As a songwriter, studying African American history has always been a deep well of inspiration. The true stories of my ancestors and their communities are at the heart of many of the songs on my new album - Ridin’. Together with co-writer/producer Glen Scott, we’ve created a concept album focusing on the ongoing task of understanding systemic racism and purging it from our world. For all its seriousness, Ridin’ is a funky, groovy, hopeful collection of songs that feature stellar guest appearances by Taj Mahal, Jontavious Willis, Russell Malone and Habib Koité. At a time when popular political movements are attempting to delete truth from the historical record, I feel called upon to sing songs that contribute to greater understanding and much-needed unity. The making of Ridin’ has been a labor of love. We hope you’ll enjoy the journey.” – Eric Bibb

The ethos for Ridin’ was hugely inspired by the oil painting by Eastman Johnson, “A Ride for Liberty (1862),” that depicts an African American family fleeing enslavement in the southern USA during the American Civil War. In Eric’s own words: “Johnson’s painting embodies all the hope, determination and courage that is at the core of the African American experience and needed now throughout the world.”

Ridin' was produced by Glen Scott and features Habib Koité, Taj Mahal, Steve Jordan, Tommy Sims, Harrison Kennedy, Russell Malone and Jontavious Willis, as well as a host of brilliant session musicians and singers from around the globe.

A two-time Grammy Award nominee with multiple Blues Foundation awards, Eric Bibb is known and revered globally for having carved his own musical destiny with honesty and power. Eric’s father, the late Leon Bibb, was an activist, actor, and folk singer who marched at Selma with Dr. Martin Luther King. Eric’s youth was spent immersed in the Greenwich Village folk scene. Names like Dylan, Baez, and Seeger were visitors to his home. He was deeply influenced by Odetta, Richie Havens, and Taj Mahal – who guests on Ridin’ - and he has synthesized all of that into his very own style.

ERIC BIBB RIDIN’ TRACK LIST

01 Family

02 Ridin’

03 Blues Funky Like Dat (featuring Taj Mahal & Jontavious Willis)

04 The Ballad of John Howard Griffin (featuring Russell Malone)

05 500 Miles

06 Tulsa Town

07 Onwards (Interlude)

08 Hold the Line (featuring Russell Malone)

09 I Got My Own (featuring Amar Sundy)

10 Call Me By My Name (featuring Harrison Kennedy)

11 Joybells

12 Sinner Man with Eric Bibb String Band (Live at Wheatland Festival)

13 Free (featuring Habib Koité)

14 People You Love

15 Church Bells (Interlude)

On his newest single, “Learning to Love You,” Canadian blues-rock guitarist, singer, songwriter, and 3x-Maple Blues Award-nominee Chris Antonik. Known as the Canadian Gary Clark Jr., Antonik wrote the song as a love letter to his partner, Juno award-nominated jazz musician Alison Young, with a nod to Derek and the Dominos’ classic album, Layla. “Learning to Love You” is a ballad about healing your heart and learning to accept love again after some challenging years rooted in the heartbreak of divorce. “Learning to Love You” fits well among the other songs of hope, rebuilding, community, and new beginnings on his fourth studio album.

Over this past Summer, Antonik released Morningstar, an expansive collection of musical experiences reminiscent of the legendary albums of the 1970s that feature guest appearances by award-winning guitarists Jarekus Singleton and Paul Deslauriers. His most personal album to date, Morning Star tells a cohesive story of his experiences as he enters mid-life. The last few years’ worth of life, love, loss, and growth are synthesized into an epic collection of songs about new beginnings, building community, mindfulness, self-compassion, and the power of home.

Co-produced by JUNO Award-winning producer Derek Downham, the album’s 14 songs take you on a sonic journey rooted in blues rock, soul, future-funk, and psychedelia and take experimental turns into modern rock and hip-hop territories. After the blistering lead single, “Waves of Stone,” Clapton influenced blues-rock of “Pilgrim,” and “Back to Good” featuring Tedeschi-Trucks Band vocalist Mike Mattison, “Learning to Love” is a worthy addition to the heavy hitting singles from the new album. Morning Star is an album built on nuanced songwriting, an amazing assemblage of guest musicians, and Chris’s mesmerizing guitar work complimented by stellar vocals.

True North Records today announced the signing of Meredith Moon and the forthcoming release of her new album, Constellations, a blisteringly honest but astonishing body of work that easily puts her neatly in the footsteps of her father, Gordon Lightfoot. Constellations is set to be released March 31st, 2023.

For the past decade, Meredith Moon introduced herself simply as “a multi-instrumentalist and songwriter,” wowing audiences around the world with her clawhammer banjo and original songs. She didn’t mention that her father is Gordon Lightfoot; she first wanted to prove herself, on her own terms. Which she did: one gig at a time, hitchhiking around North America, riding the rails, making her own connections in DIY spaces and online forums. Now her second album, Constellations, has landed her a global record deal—and she’s ready for her closeup.

Constellations comprises 10 songs that showcase Meredith’s unique voice and captivating lyrics, wrapped in a raw neo-traditional folk sound, with traditional Appalachian step-rhythms and banjo.

But Meredith Moon isn’t someone living in the past. She’s a young woman. She taught herself to play banjo when she was 21 by watching YouTube videos. Then she hit the road playing solo alongside a folk-punk band, tapping into a DIY network that enabled her to book her own tours: across North America, Central America and western Europe, including Croatia and the Czech Republic — many places that don’t often see a young female singer-songwriter playing Appalachian-style banjo. Bars, art spaces, house shows — it didn’t matter to Moon: “I booked everything through the traveling punks and the old-time scene—which are honestly quite similar.”

She only performed publicly with her father for the first time in 2022, opening some Canadian dates for the songwriting legend. “He didn’t introduce me as his daughter. He completely understands and respects why I’d want that. He’d just say, ‘Give it up for Meredith Moon.’ That was really nice.”

So, take the man’s advice and put your hands together and give it up: follow Constellations until you find Meredith Moon. On her own merits.

Meredith Moon will be performing an album release concert in Toronto at the Rivoli on March 31, 2023.

Tracklisting

1. Starcrossed (2:10)

2. That Town (3:44)

3. Constellations (4:17)

4. Brokenwing Bird (4:12)

5. Your Cards (3:34)

6. Soldier’s Joy (2:46)

7. Lighthouse County (3:40)

8. Mark Twain (3:19)

9. Needlecase Medley (3:09)

10. Slow Moving Train (4:21)

After two years of an online-only hiatus due to the Covid pandemic, Toronto’s annual Winterfolk Blues and Roots Festival is back IRL, baby, for its 21st Anniversary! The festival, which features a change of neighborhood this year to Kensington Market, will showcase some of the most talented blues and roots acts performing over the course of two nights of live performances, and one night of strictly online streaming.

This year’s Winterfolk lineup includes three-time JUNO Award winners Sultans of String; eight-time Maple Blues Award winner Gary Kendall Band; Jazz Violinist of the Year Anne Lindsay, and many, many more, including Alfie Smith, Anne Lindsay, Black Suit Devil, Brian Blain, Brian Gladstone, Brian Morgan, Camie, Carmen Toth, Chris Birkett, D'Arcy Wickham, Danny Marks, David Celia Band, David Essig, David Laronde, Garnetta Cromwell & DaGroovmasters, Glen Hornblast, Graham Lindsey, Harpin' Norm Lucien, Heather Luckhart, Hilario Duran, Howard Gladstone &the Gladtones, Isabel & The Uncommons, JESSA (aka Jessica Stuart), Joey O'Neil, Kevin Breit, Laura Fernandez, Laura Hubert Band, Mandy Goodhandy, Melanie Peterson, Myke Mazzei, Noah Zacharin, Ori Dagan, Paul Mills, Quarrington and Adams (Q & A), Robert Priest, Shawn Lawrie & Kendall Kiddie, Sultans of String, Tania Joy, Tannis Slimmon & Lewis Melville, Taylor Abrahamse, The Gary Kendall Band, The Swingin' Blackjacks, The Vaudevillian, Tia McGraff, Toney Springer, and Tyler Ellis.  View Full Artist List on the Winterfolk website.

Winterfolk has moved this year to a new neighborhood, Kensington Market. With its multicultural mix of supermarkets, street food, charming boutiques, vintage clothing stores, and hip bars and cafés, Kensington Market feels like a perfect ‘bohemian’ fit for the festival. “Due to this change, Winterfolk’s lineup will be slightly scaled back so as to ease comfortably into our new digs, yet we will hopefully return back to full-strength next year once we’ve settled in,” said festival director Brian Gladstone. Kensington Market also feels like the perfect environment for fostering Winterfolk’s aim of strengthening diversity and inclusivity by adding to its yearly lineups more artists of colour, artists representing the LGBTQ+ community, Indigenous artists, women performers, and new young emerging talent.

Here are the Kensington Market venues hosting this year’s performances:

    Freetimes Café: 320 College St. Toronto, ON M5T 1S3; (416) 967-1078
    Taco Taco (2 stages): 319 Augusta Avenue, Kensington Market. Toronto, ON (416) 277-1856
    Supermarket: 268 Augusta Ave, Toronto  (416) 840-0501
    Church of St. Stephens (2 stages); 103 Bellevue Ave., Toronto, ON, M5T 2N8 (At the corner of Bellevue and College)
    Trinity Common -  303 Augusta Ave, Toronto, ON M5T 2M2

Directions are available on Winterfolk.com. Wristbands will also be made available on Winterfolk’s website (www.winterfolk.com) available now. A Weekend Pass is $30 allowing admittance to more than 80 performances,  (includes Friday stream), while Stream Passes are free, and donations are encouraged. A One Day Pass for either Saturday or Sunday is $20. Wristbands will be sent via post before February 10.Winterfolk will feature ‘cashless doors,’ meaning cash will not be accepted on entry. However, wristbands can be ordered from Winterfolk.com.

British Columbia-based Blue Moon Marquee rocked the Maple Blues Awards in a stunning four-award sweep, winning the coveted categories of Entertainer of the Year, Acoustic Act of the Year, Songwriter of the Year, and Record/Producer of the Year for their fifth album, Scream, Holler & Howl.

It’s the first time in the 26-year history of the awards that one artist has swept in these specific categories. A.W. Cardinal, one half of the duo, is also the first Indigenous artist to win the big four categories.

Blue Moon Marquee have worked diligently over the past decade, touring throughout North America and Europe. They have put out a total of five albums, as well as band member A.W. Cardinal’s second solo project Stainless Steel Heart (2012).

"The best part of these awards is that they came from the people. All those long years on the road crisscrossing the country, sleeping in alleys with our instruments and performing anywhere we could,” Blue Moon Marquee said. “It was predominantly fan voting, and that feels special. It is spark and spur for inspiration and encouragement to keep going."

“A deep thank you and bow of gratitude to everyone who took the time to vote for us, come out to a show, buy a record and support us along the way,” the band said, adding that they will soon announce plenty of new tour dates, including for their very first tour of Australia.

Blue Moon Marquee writes and performs original compositions influenced by anything that swings, jumps or grooves.  A.W. Cardinal (vocals/guitar) and Jasmine Colette a.k.a. Badlands Jass (vocals/bass/drums) have played for a vast gamut of crowds at jazz clubs, Lindy Hop dance halls, folk venues, blues haunts, hospitals, prisons, markets, motorcycle joints, dive bars and prestigious festival stages. 

Colette not only commands the upright bass but also brings the rhythm with her feet on a custom foot drum kit, all while singing in her signature honey-dipped tone. Cardinal’s distinctive and soulful vocals barrel out like a raging bull while his guitar crackles with the swinging energy of jazz-tinged blues.

With their highly anticipated fifth album Scream, Holler & Howl, Blue Moon Marquee have captured their most sophisticated collection of songs yet. Co-produced by Duke Robillard (Fabulous Thunderbirds, Roomful of Blues) and Erik Nielsen (City & Colour) and recorded live to tape, SHH blazes forward with a full band featuring some of Canada’s finest veteran players. While they have primarily performed as a duo since 2013, over the last couple of years Blue Moon Marquee have been performing often as a trio or quartet featuring Darcy Phillips (Jann Arden) on piano and Jerry Cook (Colin James) on tenor and baritone saxophone.  

In addition to sweeping the Maple Blues Awards, the album was also honoured this year with the Blues Foundation’s Blues Music Award nomination for Emerging Artist of the Year. The album has topped the charts in the United States and Canada, achieving No. 1 on the !Earshot National Folk/Roots/Blues chart and No. 3 on their National Top 10 Chart for all genres, No. 1 on Canada’s Top 50 Chart by Roots Music Report, No. 6 on the International NACC Radio Chart and No. 8 on the coveted Living Blues Radio Chart. In a rare feat, it also reached No. 9 on the !Earshot National Jazz Chart.

Award-winning roots singer/guitarist JW-Jones new solo album, Everything Now, is out now on Solid Blues Records, distributed by Stony Plain. Joining him on the new disc are special guests Jimmie Vaughan, The Texas Horns, Rob McNelley, Stanton Moore and Gordie Johnson of Canadian roots monsters, Big Sugar, among others. JW penned the entire album with fellow Canadian legends Dick Cooper and Johnson (who also produced).

“I am incredibly proud of these songs, and this music,” says Jones. “It is 100% original roots and blues with a variety of grooves, feels, and personal lyrics. This is a snapshot of who I am as a person, and where I am as an artist today.”

Everything Now features some heavyweight instrumental support: the legendary Jimmie Vaughan, The Texas Horns, Rob McNelley, Stanton Moore, Aaron Sterling, and includes unchartered sonic territory for Jones with real strings on the exceptional ‘To Tell You the Truth (I Lied).”

The recordings were produced in Austin, Texas, with multi-platinum-selling artist Gordie Johnson, as well as in Ottawa, Canada, with long-time collaborator Eric Eggleston.

“Gordie and I met the old fashioned way, on Instagram during the pandemic,” relates Jones. “After meeting for lunch many months later in Austin and visiting his studio, I was enamored by his passion and process of creating new music, which led to working together. He’s a total freak talent as a producer, guitarist, singer, bassist, drummer, keyboards – you name it – everyone knows that… but more than that, he’s an incredible guy. He’s got such a chill and wise vibe, and I learned more about how to be a more emotionally- balanced human than I have from just about anyone else. I look up to him in so many ways.”

For JW-Jones, the Everything Now recording sessions highlights are many, starting with Jimmie Vaughan. “Recording with Jimmie Vaughan, my biggest living influence, is a childhood dream come true, and his king-of-cool vibe leaps out of the speakers on the track, ‘Take Your Time.’ “Since I was 15 years old, I’ve dreamed about trading riffs with Jimmie Vaughan, and some 25 years later, that dream came true when Jimmie came over to Gordie’s studio. Talk about a ‘bucket list’? Unbelievable! I am so grateful for his support and generosity.

“Songs – It’s all about the songs!” adds Jones, whose searing axemanship has been praised in recent years by legendary blues artists Buddy Guy and Chuck Leavell (The Rolling Stones). “While there are plenty of burning lead guitar solos on the new album, I wanted to open up and get more personal than ever with the lyrics. From the true story, ‘Papa’s in the Pen,’ to ‘When You Left,’ that I sang with tears rolling down my cheeks about my mother’s passing, these are stories that I feel like I can finally share through my music.”

The Texas Horns are long-time friends and frequent touring buddies. “Texas Horns leader Kaz Kazanoff has been a friend for a couple of decades, since we first played together at the Ottawa Blues Festival in 2002. When we’re in Austin, he opens his home to my entire band, and I’ve always wanted to get The Texas Horns on a record. Since I was already in Austin working with Gordie Johnson, it was easy for Kaz, Al Gomez, and John Mills to visit the studio to record. They brought the perfect feel to the most heartfelt song on the record, ‘When you Left.’ It means so much to me to have The Texas Horns be part of such a special song.

“And what can I say about Rob McNelley? He’s a multi-ACM winner of the guitarist of the year, toured with Bob Seger, first-call studio guitarist for Miranda Lambert, Carrie Underwood, Buddy Guy, Kingfish, Joe Bonamassa, and many more, and he appeared on my JUNO-nominated Belmont Boulevard record in 2014. During the pandemic, we had a wonderful Zoom video-call to discuss how to create unique rhythm guitar parts for various styles of roots music, and it led to Rob cutting a track for ‘My Luck,’ which I was working on at the time. His tone and feel throughout gave the song a bounce that took it to a totally new level!

“Three of the best drummers in the world are also on this album; Aaron Sterling – session drummer to the stars (John Mayer, Taylor Swift, Harry Styles. Lady A, and many more), Stanton Moore (New Orleans drumming master, and the best drummer I’ve ever seen live, period.), and shuffle king Jason Corbiere (tours with Jimmie Vaughan). I even played drums on a track (‘Keeping Me Up’)!”

JW-Jones has racked up an impressive number of awards and accolades in recent years, both as a solo performer and as a member of Canadian roots group, HOROJO Trio, including the 2020 International Blues Challenge winner as “Best Guitarist,” a JUNO Award nomination, and Billboard Top 10 Blues Artist, during a career that has thus far taken him to 23 countries on four continents. The HOROJO Trio also won the 2020 International Blues Challenge as “Best Band.”

The frequent resident of Billboard magazine’s Top 10 Blues charts and roots radio favorite continues to accelerate his career momentum to new heights, whether as a personally-requested sit-in with the likes of 8-time Grammy winner Buddy Guy, opening for blues-rock icon George Thorogood, or entertaining thrilled audiences in 23 countries and four continents.

JW-JONES – EVERYTHING NOW

1.      Everything Now [4:05] *feat. Stanton Moore [Jones, Cooper] (Jones: Solid Blues Music, SOCAN; Cooper: Dog Tired Music, SOCAN)

2.     Keeping Me Up [2:45] (Jones, Johnson] (Jones: Solid Blues Music, SOCAN; Johnson: 500 LBS of Publishing, SOCAN)

3.     Papa’s in the Pen [3:40] *feat Aaron Sterling [Jones, Cooper] (Jones: Solid Blues Music, SOCAN; Cooper: Dog Tired Music, SOCAN)

4.     Take Your Time [4:01] *feat. Jimmie Vaughan [Jones, Johnson] (Jones: Solid Blues Music, SOCAN; Johnson: 500 LBS of Publishing, SOCAN)

5.      To Tell You the Truth (I Lied) [3:46] [Jones, Cooper] (Jones: Solid Blues Music, SOCAN; Cooper: Dog Tired Music, SOCAN)

6.     My Luck [3:50] *feat. Rob McNelley [Jones, Cooper] (Jones: Solid Blues Music, SOCAN; Cooper: Dog Tired Music, SOCAN)

7.      It’s Not Raining in L.A. [3:17] [Jones, Cooper, Johnson] (Jones: Solid Blues Music, SOCAN; Cooper: Dog Tired Music, SOCAN; Johnson: 500 LBS of Publishing, SOCAN)

8.     When You Left [3:24] *feat. The Texas Horns (Jones, Cooper] (Jones: Solid Blues Music, SOCAN; Cooper: Dog Tired Music, SOCAN)

9.     Works Every Time [3:38] [Jones, Cooper, Johnson] (Jones: Solid Blues Music, SOCAN; Cooper: Dog Tired Music, SOCAN; Johnson: 500 LBS of Publishing, SOCAN)

10. I Choose You [2:55] [Jones, Cooper] (Jones: Solid Blues Music, SOCAN; Cooper: Dog Tired Music, SOCAN)

11.   Good to be True [3:42] *feat. Gordie Johnson (Big Sugar) [Jones, Cooper, Johnson] (Jones: Solid Blues Music, SOCAN; Cooper: Dog Tired Music, SOCAN; Johnson: 500 LBS of Publishing, SOCAN)

Kenny “Blues Boss” Wayne has received many accolades over the course of his six-decade musical career, and this year brings a particularly honourable distinction. In recognition of Wayne’s outstanding contributions to the blues genre, the Jus’ Blues Foundation has selected him for the Jus’ Blues Bobby “Blue” Bland Lifetime Achievement Award.

For more than 25 years, the Atlanta-based Jus' Blues Foundation has worked tirelessly to nurture the cultural heritage of the Blues through arts education programs, philanthropic efforts, and special events designed to protect the legacy and originators of the Blues.

Wayne will be presented with the award, named for the legendary American blues singer Bobby “Blue” Bland, at both a VIP Honoree Reception on August 2nd and at the Jus' Blues Music Awards "Night of the Living Legends" on August 3rd held at the Bluesville Music Hall in Tunica, Mississippi.

“Life is a mystery and full of surprises and this Lifetime Achievement Award is surely a surprise,” said Wayne. “I am very honoured to be receiving it.”

A monster piano player, imaginative songwriter, and soulful singer in the style of Fats Domino, Johnnie Johnson and Ray Charles backed by a very tight band, Kenny “Blues Boss” Wayne is a member of the Boogie-Woogie Piano Hall of Fame and has received two consecutive Living Blues Magazine Awards and a JUNO Award and is a multiple Maple Blues Award winner – and the best dressed Bluesman in Canada.

Now 78, Wayne’s six-decade musical career began with him soaking up the sounds of gospel music from his father, a preacher. From there, his genre journey traversed through jazz, Latin, R&B, and soul, with explorations in swing, bebop, dance, and the standards for good measure. His Blues From Chicago to Paris: A Tribute to Memphis Slim and Willie Dixon remained on the Roots Music Report’s Canadian Chart for 37 consecutive weeks, hitting #1 on several occasions.

Kenny “Blues Boss” Wayne Tour Dates:

2023-08-02 – Just Blues Foundation, Tunica, Mississippi

2023-08-03 – Just Blues Foundation, Tunica, Mississippi

2023-08-13 – Nanaimo Blues Festival, Nanaimo, BC

2023-09-19 – Soulful Cafe w/James Anthony. Brantford, ON

2023-09-09 – Southside Shuffle, Port Credit 4:30 – 5:30pm

2024-01-24 – Mustique Island Blues Festival, St. Vincent

2024-01-25 – Mustique Island Blues Festival, St. Vincent

2024-01-26 – Mustique Island Blues Festival, St. Vincent

2024-01-27 – Mustique Island Blues Festival, St. Vincent

2024-01-28 – Mustique Island Blues Festival, St. Vincent

2024-01-29 – Mustique Island Blues Festival, St. Vincent

2024-01-30 – Mustique Island Blues Festival, St. Vincent

2024-01-31 – Mustique Island Blues Festival, St. Vincent

2024-02-01 – Mustique Island Blues Festival, St. Vincent

2024-02-02 – Mustique Island Blues Festival, St. Vincent

2024-02-03 – Mustique Island Blues Festival, St. Vincent

2024-02-04 – Mustique Island Blues Festival, St. Vincent

2024-02-05 – Mustique Island Blues Festival, St. Vincent

2024-02-06 – Mustique Island Blues Festival, St. Vincent

2024-02-07 – Mustique Island Blues Festival, St. Vincent

2024-02-08 – Mustique Island Blues Festival, St. Vincent

2024-02-26 – Infinity Bay West Event, Roatán, Caribbean

2024-02-27 – Infinity Bay West Event, Roatán, Caribbean

2024-02-28 – Infinity Bay West Event, Roatán, Caribbean

2024-02-29 – Infinity Bay West Event, Roatán, Caribbean

2024-03-01 – Infinity Bay West Event, Roatán, Caribbean

2024-03-02 – Infinity Bay West Event, Roatán, Caribbean

2024-03-03 – Infinity Bay West Event, Roatán, Caribbean

2024-03-04 – Infinity Bay West Event, Roatán, Caribbean

Over 20 years in and acclaimed Canadian blues singer-songwriter, André Bisson, is still taking us on meaningful journeys with his songs, and his latest “Dusty Albums” is a walk-through of all the memories we've accumulated so far in life.

This reminiscence, however, is tainted with the sadness of missed opportunities and the thought of a life that could have been. Memories are one of the things we have of the life we lived, and in “Dusty Albums,” Bisson sings of “A past impossible to please yet now full of honesty.” Every line of the song somehow feels like listening to a thousand stories at once – “Spent my youth in a naive waste, little time to contemplate.”

The mid-tempo song derives strong influences from folk and country, as it talks about the way our perspective may come to change later in life, so much so that we may even start to regret certain decisions we once gloried in.

“Dusty Albums” is the follow-up to “Shake,” – a saxophone-driven song that reminds us to give care to those who need it and to accept it from others when we need it. Both singles are from Bisson's upcoming 10th studio album *Latchford, which saw him write, arrange and produce eleven tracks for the project . If you ask him what Latchford's main theme is, he'd tell you that it is “perspective.” He'll also quote an introspective verse from Shakespeare that says, “I cried when I had no shoes, but I stopped crying when I saw a man without legs.”

When he's not picking up awards for his amazing songs, like winning Song of Year Award at  the International Song Competition from Blues & Roots Radio in 2022, he's confidently performing on stage with a band that can range from 6 to 20 people, or writing the next song that will touch our hearts.

For the album, Bisson, in addition to writing and producing, sang all the lead vocals, played all the electric and acoustic guitars, along with some percussion and harmonica. Though it may look like he's a one-man songwriting and producing machine, he does employ the talents of others to help heighten the emotional range in his music. Joining him are Jesse O’Brien on piano and organ, Mike Rowell on bass guitar, Keagan Early on drums, Pat Carey on tenor and bari saxophone, Shawn Moody on trumpet/flugelhorn, Loretta Hale on trumpet and cello, Rob Somerville on trombone, Paul Barna on violin/viola, Quisha Wint and Selena Evangeline on backing vocals and Dan Rodrigues on additional piano. His eclectic use of different instruments is a constant joy to fans.

Bisson is a firm believer that we can improve our situation when we change our outlook on it and wants to pass this message on through Latchford – out September 15, 2023.

“Realizing that when we control our thoughts, we have full control of our lives, our outlook on life, and our reality.”

Since getting his first taste of what it feels like to perform live at the tender age of 15, Bisson has made it his priority to put on thrilling shows that will make fans lose themselves in the act.

Upcoming tour dates

August 26, 2023 - Periscope Playhouse - Port Burwell, ON

November 3, 2023 – Westdale Theatre – Hamilton, ON

November 10, 2023 – Aeolian Hall – London, ON

November 25, 2023 – River Run Centre – Guelph, ON

April 27, 2024 – Market Hall – Peterborough, ON

Grammy-winning Hawaiian "slack key" guitarist, producer, and composer Jim "Kimo" West unveiled his latest album, "Of Wood and Spirit: American Guitar Stores," on August 14, 2023. This release marks the beginning of a tour that will enchant audiences across the United States and Europe. It will also include a special benefit concert, "The Hana Sound Returns," dedicated to supporting the people of Maui, featuring Leokane Pryor and CJ Helekahi.

Jim "Kimo" West's journey into the enchanting world of "ki ho'alu" or Hawaiian "slack key" guitar began in Hana, Maui, in 1985. Here, he was introduced to the captivating sounds of Gabby Pahinui, Sons Of Hawaii, Sonny Chillingworth, and Atta Isaacs. These influences left an indelible mark on his musical soul, leading him to explore the rich tradition of alternate tunings and the soul-stirring melodies of slack key guitar.

Kimo's reputation as one of the world's preeminent slack key guitarists is evident in his music, which has garnered over seventy-five million spins on leading streaming platforms. He received a Grammy Award in 2021 for his album "More Guitar Stories" and a Grammy nomination in 2019 for "Moku Maluhia-Peaceful Island." Additionally, Kimo is a four-time Na Hoku Hanohano (the Hawaiian 'Grammy') nominee and a two-time recipient of the LA Treasures Award for his unwavering commitment to preserving the acoustic guitar tradition.

"Of Wood and Spirit" takes listeners on a musical journey. Kimo's innovative compositions and intricate fingerpicking style are showcased while staying true to the essence of slack key guitar. The album seamlessly weaves in influences from genres such as West African guitar, New Age, Classical, and Americana music. It serves as a testament to Kimo's deep reverence for the American landscape and the spiritual energy unique to each location. The universal language of music connects them all.

Kimo’s "Of Wood and Spirit" tour celebrates music, culture, and the rich history of slack key guitar. Audiences can expect an immersive experience as Kimo shares the stage with some of the world's finest slack key players and musicians.

As a sneak peek of the album, Kimo has released the single "Ghost Town Waltz." Featuring a new video with  “crowdsourced” photos and video clips, woven together in a compelling montage by acclaimed video artist Doug Henry.

This hauntingly beautiful track invites listeners into an evocative soundscape where lingering melodies dance through the remnants of a deserted town.

Jim “Kimo” West Concerts:

September 6, 7:30 PM

The Hana Sound Returns-a benefit for Maui

with Leokane Pryor and CJ Helekahi

SOhO , Santa Barbara CA

Tickets https://www.sohosb.com/events/hana-sound-returns-jim-kimo-west-soho-san…

September 17, 2023 3 PM  

Beatrice Wood Center for the Arts, Ojai CA

https://www.beatricewood.com/jim_kimo_west_2023.html

October 18 - November 20 2023

Nacht Der Gitarren (International Guitar Night Europe)

Info: https://internationalguitarnight.com/nacht-der-gitarren/

Dec 2 2023  7 PM

With Richard Smith

Lord of The Strings Holiday Show

Mission Viejo Civic Center, Mission Viejo CA

https://lordofthestringsconcerts.com/tickets

As the universal accolades and extensive airplay continue to pour in for the 78-year-old Bruce Cockburn’s 38th album, O Sun O Moon, True North Records has announced the release of a new single, “Us All,”   on September 26, along with a string of additional world tour dates.

Bruce Cockburn has enjoyed an illustrious career shaped by politics, spirituality, and musical diversity. His remarkable journey has seen him embrace folk, jazz, rock, and worldbeat styles while earning high praise as a prolific, inspired songwriter and accomplished guitarist. He remains deeply respected for his activism and humanist song lyrics that thread throughout his career. On all his albums Cockburn has deftly captured the joy, pain, fear, and faith of human experience in song.

Bruce Cockburn has won 13 JUNO Awards, an induction into the Canadian Songwriters Hall of Fame, a Governor General’s Performing Arts Award, and has been made an Officer of the Order of Canada, among many other accolades. He has 22 gold and platinum records including a six-time platinum record for his Christmas album. Cockburn continues to tour internationally.

BRUCE COCKBURN 2023/2024 TOUR

OCT          11                                          HAMILTON ON                                   FIRST ONTARIO HALL
OCT          12                                          MONTREAL QC                                  GESU-ELISE
OCT          14                                          QUEBEC CITY QC                               IMPERIAL BELL
OCT          16                                          FREDERICTON NB                             THE PLAYHOUSE
OCT          17                                          CHARLOTTETOWN PE                     CONFEDERATION CENTRE
OCT          19                                          MONCTON NB                                   CAPITOL THEATRE
OCT          20                                          NEW GLASGOW NS                         WELLNESS CENTRE
OCT          21                                          HALIFAX NS                                         REBECCA COHN
OCT          23                                          PORTLAND ME                                  STATE THEATRE
OCT          24                                          OLD SAYBROOK CT                           KATHARINE HEPBURN ARTS
OCT          25                                          NORTHAMPTON MA                       ACADEMY OF MUSIC
OCT          27                                          RUTLAND VT                                      PARAMOUT THEATRE
OCT          28                                          ITHACA NY                                           HANGAR THEATRE
OCT          30                                          NELSONVILLE OH                              STUART’S OPERA HOUSE
NOV            1                                          CARMEL IN                                          TARKINGTON CENTRE
NOV            2                                          MILWAUKEE WI                                 SOUTH MILWAUKEE PAC
NOV            3                                          CHICAGO IL                                         OLD TOWN SCHOOL
NOV            4                                          CHICAGO IL                                         OLD TOWN SCHOOL
NOV          16                                         LOS ANGELES CA                              McCABE’S
NOV          17                                         LOS ANGELES CA                              McCABE’S
NOV          18                                         SANTA BARBARA CA                        LOBERO THEATRE
NOV          19                                         SANTA CRUZ CA                                RIO THEATRE
NOV          30                                         SACRAMENTO CA                             CREST THEATRE
DEC            1                                           BERKELEY CA                                      FREIGHT & SALVAGE
DEC            2                                           BERKELEY CA                                      FREIGHT & SALVAGE
MAR           5                                          CHIARI ITALY                                       AUDITORIUM SCHOLE
MAR           6                                          BOLOGNA ITALY                                TEATRO DEHON
MAR           8                                          VICENZA ITALY                                   TEATRO ASTRA
MAR           9                                          TORINO ITALY                                     FOLK CLUB
MAR          11                                         ROME ITALY                                        PARCO DELLA MUSICA
APR           24                                         FRESNO CA                                         TOWER THEATRE
APR           25                                         LAS VEGAS NV                                   SMITH CENTRE FOR ARTS
APR           27                                         PRESCOTT AZ                                     YAVAPAN ARTS CENTER
APR           28                                         TUCSON AZ                                         RIALTO THEATRE
APR           30                                         ALBUQUERQUE NM                        KIMO THEATRE
MAY            2                                          AUSTIN TX                                           04 CENTER
MAY            3                                          HOUSTON TX                                      HEIGHTS THEATRE
MAY            4                                          DALLAS TX                                           KESSLER THEATRE
MAY            7                                          ST. LOUIS MO                                     DELMAR HALL
MAY            8                                          OKLAHOMA CITY OK                       TOWER THEATRE
MAY          10                                         BOULDER CO                                      BOULDER THEATRE
MAY          11                                         BASALT CO                                           ARTS CAMPUS
MAY          12                                         SALT LAKE CITY UT                           STATE ROOM

The OSHEAGA Music and Arts Festival presented by Bell in collaboration with Coors Light is shaping up to be an unforgettable weekend of musical delights! At last, here are the headliners who will be joining Green Day for this year's festival:  Noah Kahan and SZA, both recent GRAMMY nominees.

Hailing from Strafford, Vermont (just south of Montreal), Noah Kahan has made a name for himself as a truth-telling troubadour with a knack for writing catchy songs with unfathomable depths. The “Stick Season” singer has had a meteoric rise since he put out his first single, “Hurt Somebody”, to critical and commercial acclaim! Kahan, whose online buzz has been a veritable phenomenon, has over 22 million monthly listeners, and his music has been the soundtrack to millions of TikToks. With a high energy and twangy sound, Kahan has enjoyed being at the top of the Billboard rock and alternative album charts and has collaborated with some of the best and brightest in the business these days, including Kacey Musgraves, Zach Bryan, and a massive hit with Post Malone. On December 2, Kahan will take the Saturday Night Live stage as musical guest, a gig he said in a 2015 tweet that he would "do anything" for. Fans can look forward to chill-inducing singalong moments when Noah Kahan hits the stage on Friday, August 2 at this summer’s OSHEAGA!

Leading the pack this year with 9 new GRAMMY noms, SZA is one of the world’s biggest superstars at the moment, and despite being somewhat shy about fame, her exceptional live shows have been making headlines around the globe. Born Solána Rowe in St Louis, Mi, SZA grew up in Maplewood, New Jersey, where she honed her skills as a performer while studying to be a marine biologist - but her career took a musical turn when she became the first female artist to sign with Top Dawg Entertainment (Kendrick Lamar’s label). Fans will note that this isn't SZA's first OSHEAGA: the singer was part of the stellar lineup back in 2015 as well! Since then, her star has been on the rise in a huge way - her debut album, Ctrl,  has remained on the Billboard 200 chart since July 2017. Her follow-up, SOS, became the longest-running No. 1 album by a female artist of the decade, and she’s just getting started. With a fresh take on a classic sound, the singer, who cites legendary vocalists like Ella Fitzgerald and Lauryn Hill as primary influences, will be taking the OSHEAGA stage on Sunday, August 4 as a new queen of soul.

Announced earlier this month, Green Day will be playing their first-ever show in the festival’s history this summer, as they take the stage on Saturday, August 3, for what is sure to be an unforgettable night of pure punk rock bliss on! It has been over 6 years since Green Day last “came around” to play a show in Montreal, leaving the sold-out Bell Centre crowd in awe! Just this past week, the band took over the Grey Cup halftime show in Hamilton, ON for an electrifying performance some of their hits, including "Basket Case" and “Boulevard of Broken Dreams". Many speactators claimed Green Day delivered the greatest halftime show in years! Now, with a new album on the horizon called Saviours, the iconic group is preparing a world tour for 2024 that will showcase their searing new material along with anthems from classic albums like Dookie (celebrating 30 years since its release) and American Idiot (that turns 20 next year).

...and it doesn't stop here! The full OSHEAGA 2024 lineup will be unveiled in the New Year, and single-day tickets will be available before you know it.

Over the years, OSHEAGA has become a global reference for great music and top-notch festival experiences. Fans now come to the festival to live something they cannot find anywhere else. It’s an indescribable feeling when arriving on-site: the city skyline in the background, a wide variety of top-tier artists, the new talent on multiple stages, all over a perfect island setting.

OSHEAGA 2024 TICKET PRICES
(Taxes and service fees included. Prices are subject to change without notice.)

GENERAL ADMISSION 3-DAY TICKETS : starting at $395 CAD
CASINO DE MONTRÉAL GOLD TICKET / 3 DAYS : starting at $745 CAD

osheaga.com
The official source for your tickets

Klarna offers to secure your tickets now and pay in 4 interest-free payments.
Info: osheaga.com

One of the more curious aspects of the artistic temperament is that the more you accomplish, the more you strive for. Case in point: Canadian folk legend James Gordon, who after a whopping 42 albums and successes in multiple other avenues of creative and civic life is still looking for “Leonard’s Secret Chord”—which is not only a metaphor for the elusiveness of the proverbial muse, but the title of his new single to boot.

And yes, that title is indeed a Leonard Cohen reference. Gordon wrote his song after watching a documentary on the omnipresent “Hallelujah,” which Cohen recorded in 1984 and which later became a staple of films, TV and the repertoires of other artists.

“Looking at his great body of work, I believe Cohen was always searching for meaning, for truth,” Gordon says. “Looking for a key solve the mystery of the universe. I think all creatives share that quest.”

A more uptempo cousin to the Cohen track, “Leonard’s Secret Chord” finds Gordon remarking on the intellectual and spiritual wanderlust of the driven—a group he feels we all fall into at one time or another:

Painters and poets, philosophers and kings

Looking to the cosmos for the same things

Rebels and angels, singers and dancers

Everybody’s out there looking for answers

We’re all looking for, we’re all looking for

Leonard’s secret chord

The ridiculously prolific Gordon absolutely fits that description. As a founding member of folk trio Tamarack, with whom he performed from 1978 to 2000, and subsequently as a solo artist, he’s made enough albums to fill a decent-sized independent record shop while touring extensively across the globe. He’s composed for symphony orchestras, the musical theatre and dance troupes, written film scores, and served as a songwriter-in-residence on CBC radio for over a decade. As a record producer, he’s credited on CDs by numerous Canadian folk artists, and his mentorship programs have spurred the careers of countless youth and adult songwriters alike. That’s not to mention his accomplishments as a published author, playwright, theatrical director, podcast host and even a two-term city councillor in his native Guelph.

Yep—textbook underachiever.

The latest jewel in his crown is Wrinkles and Scars, a forthcoming live album of which “Leonard’s Secret Chord” is but one facet. Recorded at Guelph’s River Run Centre in January 2024, the performance finds Gordon backed by his “Exceptional Ensemble” of Ian Bell, Randall Coryell, Anne Lindsay, Katherine Wheatley and David Woodhead. The 14 songs run the gamut from personal musings on aging and loneliness to some of the more politically charged material for which Gordon is known—including musical protestations against climate change, religious fundamentalism and the Rwandan genocide.

“I try to stay optimistic despite our current challenges,” he says. “As an activist, I want to hold onto hope, otherwise there’s no point investing energy into ‘the cause.’ That often feels pretty unrealistic in my moments of despair.”

Ah, but therein hangs the eternal quest for that secret chord of harmony and fulfillment. Thanks for still fighting the good fight, James. And hallelujah.