Reminiscing about Toronto

Just watched "Yonge Street," the Bravo documentary on the Toronto music scene in the 60's <http://watch.bravo.ca/yonge-street/yonge-street-toronto-rock--roll-stories/yonge-street---toronto-rock--roll-stories-part-1/ > and right now we're in the middle of 40th Anniversary celebrations of JUNO Awards. I was in Ontario between '67 and '70 and visited many of those venerable music venues - even played at a couple of them. Heard lots of great music but my most vivid recollection was those go-go girls shaking their bootie while Ronnie Hawkins played. Some of the folks being interviewed in that doc looked familiar including guitar player Stan Endersby who has dropped by the Blues Campfire a couple of times and George Semkiw is someone I met at a Recording Workshop at the Eastman School of Music in the summer of '69 (the rest of the Canadian contingent was Andre Perry, Jack Richardson and my buddy Doug Elphick who was an assistant engineer at Hallmark Studios who used to sneak us in to do some moonlighting at night. I had no idea that Stan and George had played with some of those pioneering Toronto bands. My new friend Johnny Brower also figured prominently, talking about how he convinced John and Yoko to come and play at his Rock & Roll Revival in 69.

Wow, I just got "retweeted" - that's a first. Mind you I'm pretty new to Twitter and it's not much fun unless you have a smartphone. I just got a text that Jim Byrnes just won the Blues Juno.  Despite my long-standing loyalty for Harry Manx, I have huge admiration for Jim.  Looking forward to meeting him later tonight when I will be M.C. at the Blues JUNO fest celebrations at the Monarchs Pub at the Delta Chelsea, a room that is fast becoming THE blues venue in town. And I'm happy to say while I was there last night that Mike Smith booked me for Aug 18. Looking forward to it! Tomorrow night I get to watch the JUNOs from the hall, not on a TV screen in some cramped backtage media lounge.

Ooops, it's earth hour.  Now shutting down.

On Ghosts

Last Thursday (St Patrick's Day) I did a guest spot at Clinton's Tavern performing, you guessed it, "The Ghost of Clinton's Tavern," and in the course of the tune I even tried to invoke the ghost himself, who all the staff claim is quite real with manifestations such as ashtrays flying across the bar and feet appearing (and disappearing) under the mixing console. I was trying to be tuned in to any psychic energy but alas I felt nothing all night except a rocking groove provided by my impromptu back-up band, Lady and Gentlemen, a very promising young band who I'm sure you'll be hearing more of.  

Click to play The Ghost of Clinton's Tavern: http://www.reverbnation.com/tunepak/3262876 The Ghost of Clinton's Tavern-live - Brian Blain

The next night I was at Hugh's Room for the launch of Digging Roots' new CD.  They were also a very promising young band when Lily Sazz and I encountered them on the stairwell of the Holiday Inn in Barrie, Ontario during the Ontario Council of Folk Festivals Conference a long time ago. They were a couple of first-nations musicians who had heard there was some music event going on in the hotel and I don't think they even knew what a music conference was but we invited them to come jam in the hotel room and were immediately captivated by Raven's guitar prowess and Shoshona's intense vocals. 

Well since then, they've showcased at many a music conference resulting in festival appearances across the country. Now here they were playing Hugh's Room, Toronto's premiere roots music venue, and I'm sitting at a table quite close to the stage when I feel somebody right behind me. I take a quick look over my left shoulder and have fleeting image of an elderly native woman looking straight ahead and more than the visual or the energy I pick up on an overwhelming feeling of approval and satisfaction. I was a little stunned and related this to my friend Jacquie between songs but was soon drawn back into the music until halfway through the set when, once again, I felt my "personal space" being occupied but this time I saw nothing. 

I'm pretty sensitive to energy, I think that's what makes me a good reiki channel, but this was the first time I ever had a "visual". Some might write it off to my overactive imagination, but I found out later from Shoshona and other family members that it was the birthday of Raven's grandmother who had passed away and I guess they had all been thinking of her and the kicker was that she was a leader and a person of authority in her community and that was the overwhelming vibe that I was feeling at that moment - that this was a person of great authority standing there giving her approval. 

I think this stuff happens to me because I'm able to just sit back and be "the observer" in these sort of situations and I don't try to analyze or explain anything, and I certainly have no desire to make any "contact." Nowadays I'm not shy about relating it to others, and in this case I was glad to be a sort of a messenger to these young artists who are quite adventurous and not bound by tradition that what they're doing is OK with at least one "ancestor".  

Upcoming gigs, Quebec tour, Memphis, Mississippi and more music back in T.O.

I'm at the Gladstone Hotel Melody Bar for another "Blues Campfire" on Tuesday night (8-11pm, March 15). You never know who will show up. There's always some great players but we could use a few more listeners. Dropped in to the Gladstone last night and was amazed to see the room absolutely packed for….karaoke! Please come on Tuesday and support live music. The Gladstone Hotel is a beautifully restored historic building at the corner of Queen West and Gladstone (1 block east of Dufferin)

The Ghost of Clinton's Tavern comes home: On St. Patrick's Day (Thurs) I'll be making a guests apperance with a young band comprised of a brother and sister who I've know for many years (and they're not that old). They've got a band called Lady and Gentlemen and since they're playing at Clinton's Tavern they had the idea that I should come over and play my tune "The Ghost of Clinton's Tavern" (or maybe it was their father's idea). I think I'm on at 10:15 and we're going to find out once and for all if that ghost is still hanging around. Clinton's is at Bloor West and Clinton.

Québec, je reviens! I'm releasing the new CD in Quebec with a tour that kicks off with a concert at Knowlton's Radio Village Hall on Saturday April 9 (8pm). The hall is located at the studios of CIDI-FM at 305B Knowlton Road in downtown Knowlton. Their number is 450-242-9873. Apparently they will be recording the show for future broadcast. If you're in the townships I hope you will try to come out. I hope some people still remember me down there. My pal Harry Manx played a concert in Sutton last week and when he asked if anybody knew Brian Blain exactly one person responded (maybe there were some who wouldn't admit…). There are certainly lots of folks who remember the Terrace Inn (The song I wrote about the club of the same name where I played with Oliver Klaus back in the 70s). We had a reunion concert in Waterloo a few months back and that song certainly got a great response (including one young man who proclaimed he had been consummated there). The tour continues with a few more dates and a big thank-you to Barb McCullough who helped arrange that (see below)

The last gig in Quebec will be quite special – historic, I would say. I'm doing a double bill with my oldest musical buddy, Allan Fraser, at the legendary Yellow Door coffee House, 3625 Aylmer St. in Montreal. Allan reminds me that we played together on that stage 40 years ago…it's all a blur to me. Congratulations to Allan who just had his tune "Dance Hall Girls" recorded by John Oates on his forthcoming album "Misissippi Mile" to be released in America on April 12th. Allan, of course, was half of the iconoclastic acid-folk duo Fraser & DeBolt back in the late 60s/early 70s and John Oates was half of the original "blue-eyed soul" group, Hall & Oates, the best-selling duo of all time, with 10 number one records and over 20 top 40 hits. Let's hope this one is another million seller!

The Quebec Tour Itinerary – Je Reviens!

Saturday, April 9 8pm – Knowlton, Qc (Radio Village Hall, 305B Knowlton Road – CIDI-FM Broadcast)
Wednesday, April 13 – Vancleek Hill, On (TBC)
Thursday, April 14, 5-8pm – Brownsberg, Qc (Taverne Gagnon, 263 Rue Principale)
Friday April 15th, 8-11pm - Wentworth, Qc (Wentworth Community Centre)
Saturday, April 16 – Montreal, Qc (Yellow Door Coffee House, 3625 Aylmer St. w/Allan Fraser)
Sunday, April 17 10am-noon – Picton, On. (Crystal Palace, 375 Main St – Blues Breakfast Fundraiser)

Visit www.canadianblues.ca and the first thing you'll see is my mug. I believe I'm the cover boy! Well, you can be sure you'll never see my mug on the cover of MapleBlues – not while I'm the editor, anyway. Accusations of nepotism, cronyism and conflict of interest will ensure that. We even had a great profile already written by the wonderful Ruth Schweitzer but that will have to run somewhere else. And you're not going to see this old blues guy in a showcase or a competition (more likely I would be called to be a judge!). My regular drummer at the Campfire is a CBC producer but do you think he could get us on the radio? No way, that would be a conflict of interest! I give up. OK, end of monthly whine.

New Folk Blues now available on iTunes as well as other online distribution. Or if you want a real CD, just go to brianblain.ca and click "buy"

Down in Mississippi: Driving from Memphis it seemed like every exit had a place name that resonated from some blues lyric I had sung or heard. Jackson is the capital of Mississippi but has been criminally ignored by the state officials (some thought there was a plot amongst the power elite to move the capital – so believes my host Sherman Lee who ran for Governor and may again). A few years back they did throw in a little money to make a tourist destination out of Farish Street, so they could have something like Beale St. in Memphis or Bourbon St. in New Orleans. Sherman Lee's son opened an after-hours juke joint on the street and called it Frank Jones' Corner after a slave who had lived there. They are allowed to serve liquor until 4am, because of the special tourist designation, so you can imagine the joint was jumping on a Saturday night when it was the only place in Jackson where you could get a drink after 1am. Security was tight, as you can see from this picture – yes, that's me sitting in on the Flying-V with the super-slinky strings.


I did a couple of tunes and I'm kicking myself that I didn't pull out my Sonny Boy Williamson tune since that club was on the site of Trumpet Records studio where Sonny Boy and Elmore James cut their big hits. The other thing I'm kicking myself about is that I didn't accept Air Canada's offer of $800 to give up my seat on the (oversold) flight home

The place was so packed you couldn't get from the back of the club to the stage without going outside and around. And did I mention it was plenty warm – shorts and sandals and sexy halter-top weather. The dance floor was packed with men clutching their beers while dancing with women who were clutching their purses (and their beers)

Before getting to Frank Jones' Corner (named after a slave), Sherman Lee's band played a 7-11 show at a riugh-and-ready roadside joint misnamed the "Top Notch." As the band was setting up the waitress came over and I asked for a cranberry juice but got nothing but a blank look back. SL said "bring him a PBR" (yes that's a beer, Pabst Blue Ribbon). One cool thing was they put out food for the patrons – deviled eggs and meatballs. The star attraction was a real blues mama called Jackie Bell ("The Sweetheart of Mississippi") and she was outrageous, cruising the room with her hit-or-miss wireless microphone, pulling gentlemen up onto the dance floor for a little bump and grind. Then she was climbing on chairs, tables and finally strolling down the bar singing "Let's Give Them Something to Talk About" (in high heels - with precious little sense of balance). Yes, there I was, deep in Mississippi listening to a Canadian tune while talking about our mutual friend Rita Chiarelli (Hey Rita, Jackie said to say hi). Here she is with myself and Sherman Lee Dillon

There was an MC and a special guest, "The Rock". a one-armed, septuagenarian who sang (and danced) "The Twist." On the cash register was a small "Thank You For Not…" smoking sign but everybody was smoking - even the barmaid. And they like their cigarillos in Jackson. In fact, they make their reefers out of cigarello shells.
The entrance to the men's room was directly opposite the main entrance and the stall door was directly in front of the washroom door, which was kept ajar. Now this in itself is no big deal except there was no latch on the stall door (and it was not within reach when you were sitting). So a lot was left to good faith, especially considering that free food seems to have triggered some rushed trips to the stall. Along the opposite wall was a long ceramic urinal, then at the back was a really big ceramic urinal…wait a minute, it's a bathtub converted into a urinal (at least I think so).

The reason I got to Mississippi was that I was already in Memphis attending the Folk Alliance music conference. I was supposed to be there wearing my media-person hat but I did bring my guitar and got to play a little. This conference runs like clockwork (as opposed to music week where you could not really count on showcases starting at the announced time). At Folk Alliance the production was first class – they understand the concept that if you're going to have acoustic instruments, you need a sound system with a lot of headroom…and a sound person with a senses of restraint. For the most part it worked out fine. I was in sacred steel heaven for about three hours as I listened to the greatest proponents of that precious art form. There was a procession of great players including pioneer Ted Beard (who seemed a little lost in a showcase scene – he was barely warmed up when it was time to stop), established stars like the Campbell Brothers, some up and comers and even a couple of token white guys. The group I would traveled all that way to see, even if there was no one else, was The Steeldrivers and they did not disappoint. I was right up front and I leaned over to guitarist Mike Hendeson (who has some serious blues cred) and asked did anyone ever call what they're doing 'bluesgrass' - he just smiled. I also got to hear a bit of another slide legend, Pura Fe, and I sure would like to hear more. I think she might have a Canadian connection.

Canucks fared very well at Folk Alliance – John Showman's New Coubtry Rehab was the buzz act. Ron Sexsmith played to a crowd that didn't seem to know that he was a pretty big deal in Canada. In the private room showcases it was all-business. Not a lot of spontaneous jamming like I remember from my last time in Memphis. I saw one very well-known award-winning Canadian artist in a room showcase and I was the entire audience for a couple of tunes. If you hadn't lready arranged for people to come and see you, then chances are no one would come. I had my "15 minutes" (literally) and it was interesting to note that except for the people who were already there, the only audience who came to see me were the last people I invited (hmmm, they may have been the only people I invited). I invited the fellow that was going on after me to play along if he felt inclined (I'm always in campfire mode) and it turned out he was Jackson Browne's guitarist for the last 15 years. His name was Mark Goldenberg. I heard an amazing fiddle player with an unpronounceable name who I have yet to track down.

Out and About in Toronto: I came away from the Folk Alliance conference thinking the road to success (or at least, to getting noticed) is to be strumming that guitar as hard as you can and singing at the top of your range…and when I got home that was further reinforced when I went to see Paul James at the Gladstone and had a fabulous (watching and learning as I told him) but he broke a total of seven strings (2 in one song). Still it was great show and you just know that it would be the same show whether there was ten people or ten thousand. He said it was Bo Diddley who told him you had to do more than just sing and play – you had to entertain! On Saturday afternoon we went to The Rex where the inimitable Danny Marks threatened to break a string but never did despite playing continuous for three hours. And in those three hours, not a single blues tune…. Then there was an exquisite show from Harry Manx in Hamilton. No need to slam the guitar or raise his voice here. He just keeps getting better. That's what it takes to keep the momentum (once you've been noticed). Your music has to be outstanding and your performance has to be flawless. I remember a few years back when Harry's agent said to me "we don't start making money until you guys are getting ten-thousand a night." Well I told Harry this was "the ten-thousand dollar show" and what took it to the next level was the phenomenal organist who he brought back from Australia. His name is Clayton Doley and he plays like no organist I've ever heard (and I've heard them all – close up). He wasn't playing a B3 (though he indicated that was his preference) but he had one of those Nord keyboards and he was coaxing sounds out of it that made me ask if he had custome patches in there but no, it was just a stock unit. It's all in the way he played it and I bet if it was a B3 he would have been getting the same effect. He says he'd like to move to Toronto and I hope he does!

Day One of Canadian Music Week and I decide to leave my car at home and take the TTC. Usually when I try this I have interminable waits but this time it was quite fast. but as if hanging at CMW for a day didn't make me feel old enough, a woman offered me a seat on the streetcar back. The good news is I just realized I can ride the TTC at the senior rate – two bucks instead of three. Nobody's asked me for ID yet.

Long time Blainletter readers will remember how I used to rate CD launches and press conferences by the quality of the munchies (I had a rating system of one to four shrimp). I had been looking forward to the Nova Scotia Music reception at CMW because I remembered fabulous fish chowder and oysters on the half-shell and other maritime treats, but when I got there this year they wouldn't let me in because I had not RSVP'd. Never mind. But as I was leaving I got invited to join a group for dinner, a group that included maritime star Kim Stockwood and her manager Sheri Jones along with an up-and-comer called Molly Thomason and later another important manager. By the time I finished dinner they had arranged my entry into the inner sanctum and I could see the big cauldron of chowder but I was so full of Pad Thai that there was no way! So that's close but "no shrimp" for Music Nova Scotia. The Australian contingent had a BBQ at the (Legendary) Horseshoe Tavern but when I asked for mustard they said "No mustard, we were told to keep it traditional." So I'll have to deduct one shrimp for that. At the French Embassy's cocktail reception, I got to the buffet a little late and there was exactly one shrimp left on the platter. So they get a "one shrimp" rating for that (and yes, I ate the last shrimp!).

It's not like the old days where people walked around with trays of exotic munchies and they would have to explain what it was you were about to put in your mouth. Actually, the Luminato launch had some waiter walking around with little bite-sized bacon-and-egg breakfast sandwiches – that was pretty good, especially if you're going to do your launch at 10:30 in the morning. They had the group Delhi to Dublin (or vice versa) playing a few tunes and that was great. It was all happening in the lobby of Roy Thomson Hall. Reminded me a bit of the old (golden) days cigarette sponsorship. They knew how to spend money.

Some "tweets" from Canadian Music Week:
French radio guy says a song that mixed French and English lyrics would never be accepted in France. Au contraire au Quebec!
Social media Tip of the Day: Take a pic of your audience, post it on your facebook and ask the fans to tag themselves.
The Indie Musician's Toast: May your fan become your patron and may your patron become your promoter.

After seeing a couple of very generic bands in high-profile clubs I did hear some amazingly original music (Barr Brothers from Montreal on the roots side and Brandt Brauer Frick from Berlin on the electronica side). Tiken Jah Fakoly from Cape Verdi played at Revival as a "surprise guest" and after an interminable sound check they stepped to the back room for moment, then hit the stage – as a waft of that sweet smell wafted halfway into the room. They provided the ultimate afro-reggae experience. What a drummer! On the Friday night I stayed home and did some jamming with one of my son's DJ buddies and we had a blast. I intend to explore this blues-tinged electronica further. It appeals to my lazy nature. I don't have to sing or remember words. I don't have to speak between songs, because there are no songs. We just start making music and don't stop until it's over.

Thanks again: I had planned to publicly thank the donors that made this CD possible but none of them came, so I'll do it here. This CD would not have come about if it were not for the generous financial contributions of Peter Sidgwick and the Goal Getters, Derek Stephen McPhail, "anonymous", Gerry Ride, Sharon Evans, Ric Levenston and Linda Singer. The project still needs funding so if you would like to be a "paytron" of my art, please do not hesitate to contact me and I will describe the various plans. And if you just want to support in a small way, go to www.brianblain.ca and buy a CD

For a limited time I have set permissions for a Free Download of "The Old Whaler's Confession," "Another Song About Alice" and "Ghost of Clinton's Tavern" at www.brianblain.ca (select the track in the player and then click on "download"). This is a bit of a marketing experiment to see how many of you are using downloads and to see if we can't give it away...

New CD In Store Now

Maybe it's in more than one store, but I know for sure it's in the blues section at HMV on Yonge Street, Toronto. I also found it at Amazon.ca. Not on iTunes yet but that's supposed to happen any day. I've been hearing it on the radio, CBC has it in their "system" now so it may make its way onto some CBC radio shows. Speaking of CBC, I found myself walking alongside Jian Gomeshi on Frnt Street as we left the JUNO Award Nominee announcement thang and handedr him a copy of the new CD. He graciously took it and asked the same thing everybody asks when I hand them a CD, "Is that you in the picture?" Yes, it's me forty years ago, sitting in the rocker at Fraser & DeBolt's farm aka Swallow Hollow.  Then he said,  "Brian Blain. That's a good name. I wish I had that name." Today I was on the phone trying to fill some dates for my Quebec tour in April. Left a couple of messages and I'm exhausted. I'm no good at this. I'd rather be playing guitar.

Quote of the Day

From Hubert Sumnlin (pushing 80 yrs young) playing San Diego tonight: "I'm enjoying it better than ever, man," Sumlin said. "I'm so glad that people recognize and believe in me. I'm doing God's work, man. I'm doing the peoples' work. I'm doing the world's work. I've got everything I need, and I ain't got a quarter. And I mean that."  Source: Hubert Sumlin's Still Howlin' | NBC San Diego 

BLUESMAN BRIAN BLAIN RELEASES A WHALE OF A SINGLE TO LAUNCH NEW CD - THREE-MONTH CD CELEBRATION BEGINS @ GLADSTONE HOTEL JAN 18

TORONTO -– WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 12TH, 2011 -– Singer, songwriter, storyteller and bluesman Brian Blain kicks of his three-month “CD Celebration and Tour” with the release of the free online single "THE OLD WHALER'S CONFESSION" on Tuesday, January 18th, 8 pm, at the Gladstone Hotel Melody Bar. Guitar-picker Blain and renowned jazz bassist George Koller will perform selections from the upcoming album NEW FOLK BLUES, followed by a campfire jam with many musical friends.
"The Old Whaler's Confession"”is inspired by a whale-watching expedition Blain took at the tip of Cape Cod. "There's a huge feeding ground, Stellwagen Bank, just off of Provincetown,"” he says. "The boat barely got out of the port and we were surrounded by whales."” Blain had once heard bassist George Koller making some amazing sound effects with the bow, that imitated whale calls, and so originally had him in mind for the whaling song (though he ended up playing on the complete album). Whale cries, as reproduced by Koller, introduce the song, which is about "how (in the 1600s) you could walk across their backs right to Boston" before the whaling trade took its toll on these magnificent creatures.
But the whaling song is only the beginning. Over the next three months Blain will issue three more free downloads (including one in French); put out a nine-song album, New Folk Blues, both in CD format and an extended live version streaming online at www.myspace.com/brianblain; tour throughout Ontario and Quebec and collaborate with his professional DJ son Joel on a mash-up” of one of the songs, complete with beats and loops.
New Folk Blues was recorded live at Reba’s Café in Toronto’s west-end Junction district, with only Blain and Koller performing. While the CD is slim and trim, sans long introductions, Blain decided to offer an online version that includes his intros plus the full length "seascape" by Koller, full of whale, seagull and surf sounds. Blain plans to add overdubs to some of the tunes as well, so what started out as a "live" CD has become, in a way, a "living" CD.
The album also features “"Another Song About Alice",” which references the 1960s cult folk music legend Alice Brock of “"Alice’s Restaurant"” (Brock, a great supporter of Blain’s work, lives in Provincetown, where Blain frequently visits); “"Ghost of Clinton's Tavern",” about the well- known Toronto “haunt”; a tribute to guitar hero Lenny Breau and “"The Day Coke Saved The Blues",” describing how a TV commercial song placement saved the Northern Blues record label that Blain had been affiliated with.
The Toronto-based Blain, originally a native son of Sherbrooke, QC, has been on the Canadian music scene for nearly 50 years. In 1963, he first recorded with a folk group whose payment for the session was "a trip to Montreal and a steak dinner." These days he’s best known as the host of the monthly campfire”jam sessions held at the Gladstone Hotel, where he encourages both novice and veteran musicians to join together in the joyful communion of music. For Blain, playing music is almost like breathing. "Some people study the masters and practice diligently," he says, "and some, like me, who never had a guitar lesson in their life, just have music rolling in their heads 24/7."

UPCOMING DATES:
Jan 18 @ 8pm – Toronto, ON (Gladstone Hotel w/ special guest George Koller)
Jan 22 @ 8pm – Toronto, ON (Highway 61 BBQ, Brian Blain & Friends)
Jan 28 @ 6-9pm – London, ON (Black Shire Pub)
April 9 @ 8pm – Knowlton, Quebec (Radio Village Hall,)
April 17 @10am – Prince Edward County, ON (Blues Breakfast Fund-Raiser and wrap-up of CD Celebration Tour)
****************************************************************************

For more information, photos, mp3s, interviews, please contact:
Beverly Kreller
SPEAK Music www.speak-music.com
bev@speak-music.com 416.922.3620

How True It Is

From Bob Lefsetz today: talking about LA venues when they had tables
"...before it was necessary to stand to hear rock and roll"

Robert Randolph at Mod Club

Robert Randolph always struck me as a guy they had things pretty well planned, coming from the church and all. But his show at Toronto’s Mod Club could not have been less planned. Word on the street was that some band members didn’t make it across the border, but all Randolph said from the stage was that they had a drummer who wasn’t really a drummer and that they had just called him at six o’clock to come help them out. After a couple more numbers, he was relieved by Robert’s long time bassist who signaled one of the guitar players to take over the bass while he played drums. It was a little shaky for the first tune but at least he knew the arrangements. When they started exchanging instruments I thought at first that they were playing musical chairs and everybody would swap instruments for a song. It was til the encore when the drummer took the stage to rip off a steel solo. It was Derrak Campbell. Then another Campbell brother took Robert’s steel for another great solo. This pushed Robert to greater heights and he soared – he could have used that push at the beginning of the show, it seemed a little ...lazy. And you can’t be lazy when you’re playing slide because the intonation becomes less than perfect and then you lose that “suspension of disbelief” when you’re hearing licks that sound like a guitar but could not possibly be played on a guitar. Now I realize he was quite distracted with all the stuff going on around him. I think there was an entourage from the all-star “Experience Hendrix show that Randolph is part of tomorrow night”.  Living Color was there and bassist Doug Wimbish did a couple of amazing solo’s they did in the finale. I just realized it was a very transformed Hendrix song...maybe what they would be playing in the big extravaganza. I’ll find out from my spies tomorrow. And I saw on very familiar smiling black face just behind the curtains...kinda looked like Eddie Murphy...naw. Lest we forget, which we usually do, the pening band was doing some very interesting shit. They were playing in a different mode than we’re used to hearing, then they gave us something familiar, the Beatles’ She’s So Heavy, just show that they cam play more conventional tones and it mostly worked. They’re from New York and this was their first time in Canada. They’re called Tauk.

Blainletter #33 – September 28, 2010

In This Issue:

• Blues Campfire moves to Gladstone Hotel, Tues Oct 19

• Tuesday, October 5  7pm  Brian Blain with George Koller, bass (Live Recording) at Rebas Café & Gallery 3289 Dundas St. W.

• December 11 – Oliver Klaus reunion concert, Waterloo, Quebec

• Out and About

• Last Night I had the Strangest Dream


What have we here, two Blainletters in the same month? Well I thought I should get the word out that the Tuesday Campfire at Highway 61 is over in case anyone was planning to head out tonight. It's been a great run, 62 Campfires over the last 15 months…and I only missed one!

Last Tuesday was the "finale" and maybe the timing was right because I don't think I can eat another rib for a long time…no matter how "melt-in-the-mouth they are.  For my "last supper" on Tuesday I had the Macaroni & Cheese…and it was delicious (with crunchy caramelized onions on top).

I want to extend a sincere thank-you to Kerry, Ken and Matt who have a real musician-friendly attitude  and have been a great addition to the live blues scene in Toronto. They're running a business and they were very patient at times when there were more musicians than audience…and towards the end half the restaurant was taken up by our Campfire circle with all these  musicians enjoying their complimentary beers.

I also wanted to thank all my Campfire Buddies, though I can't remember you all. I was collecting names and email addresses at the beginning and had all these notes stashed in an envelope and now damned if I can find it.

Anyway many thanks to the "early adopters" Son Roberts & John, Joanne Crabtree and Jeff, Kevin Kenalty, Casey Van Gorkom, Jay the Mystery Man and Tony Burns. And to the "regulars" Malcolm Gould and Robert Davis, the new guys Bela Ray, Ed Roth, Stan Endersly, Ken Boynham (we were starting to sound like a band!)…and the youngsters Dean Arnold (& Dad Jon Arnold), River and Charlie "Sir Charles" and a few others whose names I forget.

I especially appreciate the folks who came in from out of town, Charlie A'Court from Nova Scotia, Russ Kelley from Ottawa, Douglas Watson and Jazz Williams from Kitchener, Lucia Jenkins from Florida, Rick Taylor from London, Sherman Lee Dillon from Mississippi, Max Cann from the UK, Garry Strand from Tennessee. And to the pros who took some time out to sit in: Gary Kendall, Drew Austin, Big Dave Maclean, Doc McLean, Dan Maclean, Michelle Josef, Mojo Willie, Jake Chisholm, Mark Sepik, Martin Aucoin, Scott Cushnie – The Prof…and all those lovely ladies who provided some much needed female energy in a BBQ joint, Roberta Hunt, Robin Banks, Julie Hill, Rita di Ghent, Ruth Jenkins, Paula Shear, Mary Simpson, Negrezia and Tree  and everybody else who came out to join in our shenanigans Ric Levenston, Garth Dynes, Hurricane Mike Thompson, John Shortill, Johnny White Dog, Max Brand, Norm Robinson, Olav Svela, Steve Raiken, Anthony Martel, Brian Gladstone, Cole Slatt, Ed Pavey, Wyatt, Chris, Phil, Paul, Ken and Alice the banjo gal.

I'm sure I've left out many, but we all have some great memories. The best for me was seeing the face of some of those youngsters jamming with the "big boys". I remember leaning over to River and saying "you realize that bass player plays with Downchild." I should not forget all the wonderful, supportive audience members who came out. Thanks and we'll see you again down the old Blues highway.

I hope we can continue to build up our Campfire Community as we take it "downtown."  The Gladstone is a very different scene and I'm prepared to let things develop and adapt to the new environment but I hope we can hold onto the Blues Campfire principles, where there's no such thing as too many guitar players and where it's fine to indulge in a long solo (as long as it's going somewhere).

Unfortunately, we can't resume a weekly jam so to start it will be the third Tuesday of the month. We'll see what happens in the new year  It starts Tuesday, October 19th so come on down and help us get off to a great start.

 

Live Recording at Reba's Café Tues October 5

The great benefit for me from the regular gig was making sure I got my guitar out of the case at lleast once a week, even in the quiet spells, and more importantly, running over my new tunes with a different group of players every time. I think they've settled quite nicely and it's time to lay them down. After my gig at Reba's Café a couple of weeks ago, I came away thinking that was a great sounding little room – and it is little, maybe room for 25-30 folks in the performance space. But then they have a close circuit TV to the front room so people who want to chat can sit in front. My friend Steve wanted to capture some video and we had a try at Southside Shuffle but that didn't work so I thought this is where we can make a nice video. Then I thought, what the hell, let's try to record some tunes. I've been putting this off long enough. Haven't firmed up all the arrangements but it will be me and bass player George Koller, who I have been trying to corral into my musical universe for many years. After that, we may do some overdubs….or maybe not. Wish me luck, or better yet come to the session and be part of the recording. And if you can't come but would really like to support my recording, I remind you that we have a recording fund and I welcome any contributions (thanks to those who have kicked it off). If you prefer to remain anonymous, you can deposit directly into account 00646842698006400101 at Alterna Savings and Credit Union, Danforth Avenue, Toronto. Gold Sponsors ($250+) are entitled to a free house concert for you and your friends.

 

Out and About:

This year at the Polaris Prize soiree at least I knew a couple of the short-listed bands. Broken Social Scene, Tegan & Sara. And I had educated myself on a couple of artists who were there last year but whom I'd never heard of, Cariboo, Owen Pallett. But once again the winner was right out of left field. Karkwa, from Quebec. You could tell they were totally shocked…they acted like it was their first time out of Quebec…maybe it was their first time in Toronto. Last week. Jim Corcoran dedicated his whole radio show to their album and I could see why the judges went for it. In terms of the performances on stage, for most of those bands, I still don't get it. But it was the albums that were acknowledged by the Polaris jury, not live performances. All ten nominees performed – quite a feat to gather ten very busy bands in one place. I understood better when the fell;ow next to me explained that he was with the "Radio Starmaker" fund and that everybody was being paid very well to be there. In fact, most of the bands had augmented their lineup with extra musicians, a string quartet here, six female horn players there (shades of the Blainettes!).  Anyway, it made a lot more musical sense to me this year than last – when the winner was that crazy Fucked Up group with the fat lead singer who took off most of his clothes . What does he do for an encore?

My favourite show of the month was Terry Gillespie at Hugh's Room. His partner Kathy reminded me that it was one of my campfires that introduced Terry to the local blues scene, where he met many players and ended up collaborating with some of them. His show was riveting and he's got a sound and an approach like no-one you've ever heard. It's unfortunate that some of the music industry honchos left right after the first half of this double bill, a very talented young lady called Lynn Hanson with a crack band, missed out on a truly original artist. I guess a fresh young songstress will always get more buzz than a grizzled old blues guy.

 

Last night I had the strangest dream

Let's see if I can remember. The setting was an outdoor music festival. April Wine had not showed up and one of the organizers was asking me to go onstage and pretend to be April Wine. I was at some concession table saying to someone that I didn't think that was right. Then a group of giant musclemen made their way to the table and two of them were conjoined twins – joined at the neck with some pretzel-like muscles. Then I noticed the woman at the table was Maureen Brown and she was trying to give me some advice suggesting that my performance earlier was not really suited for a young audience. Something like that. Then I woke up. I'm amazed I remember this much, I never remember my dreams. I welcome any dream analysis.

 

 

 

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If you want to read a big long bio of Brian Blain go to http://www.northernblues.com/bio_blain.html

 

I've been keeping a blog (though it wasn't always called that) since I arrived in Toronto in 1990. That’s at http://www.brianblain.ca.

 

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If you want to buy my music, got to www.itunes.com, www.amazon.com or just about any online music store

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If you....hey, this is getting ridiculous, isn't it?

Thanks for your support, 

BrianB, aka Colorblind Brian, the Stringbuster

Where's the Next Mayor of Toronto?

So I decide to check out the Mayoral Debate because the theme this time is the Arts (and who will support it) but they sure don’t make it easy. First they advance the time by one hour at the last minute and then they do it in a space way too small to accommodate the “stakeholders”, a room at the Art Gallery of Ontario. I get there in time, line up with everybody outside and make my way in. They won’t let me in with my bottle of premium juice  - my first taste of Arthur’s juice, apparently the only one that has any fiber left in it. So I chug that down and follow the crowd right across to the back of the gallery only to be told that I need a ticket. I make my way back to the front of the building to the ticket distribution table only to be told there are no more tickets. Then a friend who’s working there says they’re running a live feed at the Ontario College of Art & Design right around the corner. Well, in for a dime, in for a dollar – four dollars, actually, because I’ve already paid for parking.

I make my way into the OCAD and there in the lobby is a whole group of (mostly) students sitting in front of a large flat-screen TV and the debate has apparently begun but it’s hard to tell because it’s stopping and starting like watching YouTube on a slow connection. People are starting to bale, but I hang in there and they finally get it stabilized. John Tory was supposed to be the moderator but I guess he couldn’t make it because he was replaced by an elderly gentleman with a great radio voice but quite laughable as a moderator. It was like listening to a radio DJ who keeps apologizing for their incompetence. I stay till the bitter end but I don’t feel any more enlightened about who would make the best mayor. The man most agree would make the worst mayor for the arts community, Rob Ford, is the most forthright of the bunch saying “No...if you want money for the arts get it from the private sector”. The only thing everybody agrees on is to re-institute the Mayor’s Arts Ball – a big-ticket event for wealthy patrons of the arts that was probably eliminated as part of the previous administration’s cutbacks.

I make my way out to the street to watch a mime who looked a bit like the statue of Liberty and some break dancers over to one side and then there was a ballet dancer doing her thang. A demented street person shouting at the top of of his lungs followed Rob Ford as he made his way to his car (to get to another debate in North York). Could we just ask Miller to hang in a little longer until a real leader surfaces?

Music on at the moment – The new Ronnie Earl album – dreamy.

Food on at the moment – Ontario strawberries and yogurt (even though I’ve got some fabulous Baskin & Robbins ice cream in the freezer – I’m a little congested and big recording session coming up so I don’t want to add any mucus to my lungs). Almost broke a nail opening the strawberry container. Nobody makes it easy.

On Public Transit

Today I thought I’d take the streetcar downtown and I figured on a busy Friday afternoon I would not have to wait too long. It seems every time I decide to take public transit I end up spending an inordinate amount of time waiting. Maybe it’s just me. Am I too impatient? Maybe this is the flip side of what my friends jokingly call my “car-Karma”. I have never wanted for wheels even though I’m hardly in the income bracket to rationalize having a car in downtown Toronto. Most of my cars have been hand-me-downs or outright gifts. When I’ve had to shell out $$$, it’s never been more than a thousand bucks (except for my first car, an MGB which cost me $1800 in 1966). I believe in car-karma and that’s why I’m always happy to give someone a lift, even if it’s not on my way. What goes around comes around in this case.

Anyway, this time I decide not to take the car downtown because I’m going to a press screening of a new movie about folksinger Ron Hynes then I want to see my buddy Victor Bateman who will be playing just up the street at the Rex. So I walk down to the corner where I will have two options to head downtown, whichever comes first. But neither comes for about 20 minutes. Finally there’s a bus that gets me down to Queen Street where I wait another 20 minutes and now I look at the time and I’ve got ten minutes to get to the movie! Never mind. I’m still close enough to home that I can walk back, which I decide to do, but first I stop in to a coffee shop and have a nice latte. As I’m sitting there I watch 3 streetcars in a row go buy. Now I’m back home bloging.

The Blues Campfires at Highway 61 BBQ have been providing some real musical highs lately. Considering we’re doing this on what is traditionally the quietest day of the week, during the quietest month of the year, it’s been gangbusters – I’m even getting complaints from some of my regulars that there’s no place to sit. And regretfully, there’s been a few times when some guys didn’t get to play, although anyone’s welcome to pull up a chair and join the circle. Last week as I ended the night with my ballad about Lenny Breau, one woman commented how she had been Lenny’s roommate many moons ago, and now she was here listening to her 13 year-old guitar-playing son playing along on the tune. Several other folks in the house had Lenny connections and stories were shared as we packed up. It’s been a bit of an old boys’ club lately and you’ll find a couple of guitar players reminiscing about playing with David Clayton Thomas back in the 60s. I don’t pay much attention to who’s in the house but I think I’ve been checked out by some players with serious credentials. They mostly sit at the bar and don’t join in – but probably wish they had. Some come back. The thing about this gig is that someone might be really knocked out by the quality of music that’s going down one night and next time I’m playing bass backing up an 11 year-old budding blues guitarist who’s just getting his feet wet. So it’s not a great showcase for Brian Blain, but I’m lovin’ it. Come on up and check it out. Every Tuesday, 7-10pm, 1620 Bayview (at Manor Rd)

  

Hello new facebook friends

Greetings. I've confirmed our facebook friendship but I’ve placed you on my "Friends to Meet" list. Please disregard if we've already met, but if we haven't, I look forward to meeting you in person, maybe at one of my gigs. Please come up and say hello.

If you're here because you like my music, then please go to my facebook band page <and click "like"

If you're here because you want me to hear your music, please become a MySpace pal at www.myspace.com/brianblain

If you would like to receive my (mostly)monthly Blainletter, go to http://brianblain.fanbridge.com and sign up.

I've been keeping a blog (though it wasn't always called that) since I arrived in Toronto in 1990. That’s at www.brianblain.ca.

If you want to read a big long bio of Brian Blain go to http://www.northernblues.com/bio_blain.html

If you want to follow me on Twitter, go to www.twitter.com/brianblain

If you want to buy my music, got to www.itunes.com, www.amazon.com or just about any online music store

If you’re *really* interested in what I'm doing musically, visit www.reverbnation.com/brianblain where I post some works in process and demos

If you want to book me for a show, see my EPK which describes the different configurations available http://sites.google.com/site/brianblain/epk

If you....hey, this is getting ridiculous, isn't it, friend?  

Will you shudup about facebook

Regular readers of my blog have probably heard enough about my trepidation about confirming any new “friend” unless I’ve met them. Or is it “know” them? And whether I “like” them...but that’s whole other story. There have been a couple of occasions when I didn’t confirm a friend request even though I’ve met the person...but they had to be pretty crazy to have me avoiding them because I’m actually drawn to the eccentric types.  Anyway, I just had a breakthough and confirmed a friendship with someone who I have admired and met once but who has ignored me every other time I’ve run into him. I was feeling a little dissed, but he’s probably forgotten me and that’s fine. He must know me because he requested to be my friend. I was curious to see how many friends he had and the only way was to “confirm” him. Oh boy! I know, I know, I should just friend anybody who asks – it’s all part of marketing my brand and getting “profile”...but I’m holding off as long as I can, and I may yet be proven right. Meanwhile, I’m going to give a little and confirm the requests if I know who they are...even if I haven’t met them. It all started with Daniela Nardi. She is a highly respected artist, I know her husband, but I never had the pleasure of meeting her so when I got a friend request I just put it on hold. Then I was really challenged when I got a request from Romi Mayes. I have been knocked out by her music on the radio, but I haven’t actually met her. So I’m a big fan. But am I a friend? Oh, to hell with it! From now on, if I know who you are, we can be friends...and I hope we meet sometime.

Festival over - almost

It’s the last day of the Toronto Jazz Festival  and I am still left with making some a hard decisions. Guitar maniac Fred Frith is playing tonight at a non-festival event and a wild and crazy bunch of Yugoslavians called the "No Smoking Orchestra". Frith played a solo set in the festival a couple of nights ago but I opted for John Scofield’s Piety Street band and I’m glad I did. Scofield and vocalist/pianist Jon Cleary provided a blues/gospel show with all the soul you could ask for but at a level of musicianship and improvisation that is a few notches higher than most any blues band. When they tore into Ray Charles’ “Don’t Need No Doctor” (a tune I’ve been playing for years) it was fascinating to hear their take on it. Cleary even picked up a guitar for this one and went head to head with Sco in a burning guitar duel. Sco was playing a Fender Strat at the sound check but it was nowhere to be seen at the show – maybe it’s the same Strat that Cleary was playing but I don’t think it was the same colour. I came upon Sco chatting with Donna Grantis, guitarist for Shakura S’Aida who opened the show. I was flattered that he remembered me from previous years (I’ve lost count of how many appearances he’s made at the festival – in so many different incarnations). This time it was unapologetic blues and it would appear some of his fans have not exactly embraced the Piety Street project, live or on record. And meanwhile blues fans haven’t even heard it and would probably have the usual resistance to jazz guys playing blues. I only wish I could have rounded up a bunch of my blues musicians friends to hear that show. I even found myself walking around the site with an extra comp in my wallet looking for some deserving young blues player who would benefit from hearing Scofield close up but there was not one familiar blues face was on the square that night.

Anyway, Shakura and her band were pretty happy to be there. Guitarist Donna Grantis had dropped in to the after hours jam at the Hard Rock Café the previous evening and did a tune with the guest host, Montreal’s Vanessa Rodrigues on Hammond B3 and I noticed she brought only one effect pedal so I asked her what pedal she would bring if she could only have one and she said Ibanez Tube Screamer...hmm, maybe I’ll try one. I did get a chance to join the jam, though I avoid jazz jams like the plague but this time I had my guitar in the car and after much internal dialogue I convinced myself to take it into the club. Once in, I listened to the end of Tony Monaco’s set and he was on fire – he is a true B3 master, ending the set by having someone in the audience giving him a match book and he used the matches to jam between the keys and make a droning chord that was fatter than you could ever do with human hands, then he crawled down under the organ and began playing the pedals with his hands. Vanessa was not so theatric but she owns that instrument and she can groove. I was hoping to pull out one of my original tunes and see how she worked with it but that was not to be. They did, however, dumb things down for this old blues guy and called a couple of blues tunes...Chicken Shack and Georgia...tunes that most but not all blues players would be familiar with. I’m afraid I fit into the latter category, so I struggled a little bit trying to play the riff for Chicken Shack and trying to figure out the mystery chord in Georgia. It was not a stellar display but I got to play with Vanessa and I will again.

My only other “play” in the festival was with “my son the DJ” at a dance club on Queen Street. When we dropped off the gear in the afternoon the place looked like a construction site. They were actually pouring cement! Joel was promoting the night and spent more renting extra sub-woofers than he paid for talent. Then we set up our 3 laptops directly in front of the sub-woofers. It was brutal...and that’s just the way they like it in the dubstep world. I got some compliments on my guitar playing, but I was convinced once and for all that I am not cut out for playing guitar parts over a wall of sound. I think I need to establish the song first and then let it build up into a wall of mashed up sound.

Other highlights of the past ten days were hearing Allen Toussaint and meeting his guitarist Renard Poche. Toussaint played before Mavis Staples, but I wasn’t able to stay for the whole show because I had to head out to my BlainBLAIN gig. I hear Colin James made it down in time to sit it for the last tune (glad that worked out, albaby!) I did get a nice friendly greeting from Mavis as I stepped out of the Media trailer – I think maybe she thought I was the guy who signs the cheques... Boy she’s not very tall, but glowing with energy, and, contrary to some rumours I had heard, she was in great voice. As I sat with Raoul Bhaneja watching Toussaint Raoul spotted Mavis’ guitarist Rick Holmstrom, and invited him to join us. I had a nice chat with Rick, a very inventive blues guitarist who I have enjoyed for years.

Next day, Mike Stern was holding court in an intimate club setting, the Hard Rock Café.  I told Mike about arriving at his gig at last year’s festival just as he was striking the last chord of his encore. I told him I had felt the energy he had infused into the room without hearing the music. This time I heard a whole set and fully intended to get back for the second set after catching a bit of Stanley Clarke on the main stage. Well, as it turned out, you can’t just “catch a bit” of Stanley Clarke. I was riveted by the intense chemistry between Clarke and Japanese piano star Hiromi. They traded riffs rising higher and higher in intensity with Hiromi standing at the piano slamming down huge chords as Clarke moved closer and closer ripping at his electric bass. Even though the show was delayed and was running late, the audience would absolutely not leave until they heard more. The bass had been removed, roadies were already dismantling the stage and the house lights were up, when this amazing quartet returned to the stage for a rousing encore. Nobody wanted it to end.

I also got to meet Maceo Parker’s guitarist, Bruno Geist, who gave me some tips for getting that funky, choppy guitar sound (“it’s all in the upstroke”). One of the tough calls I had to make midweek was between Angelique Kidjo and Coco Montoya. I opted for Coco, even though I’ve seen him many times, going back to when he was playing with John Mayall. He was in great form. I don’t think I’ve ever seen a packed Silver Dollar Room made quiet enough to hear the proverbial pin drop by Coco did it. Meanwhile I hear that Angelique gave an amazing show – it was the only festival show that mattered to some fans, including radio host Jian Ghomeshi who sent glowing tweets.  

The Taj Mahal/James Hunter show went on without a hitch despite the second round of G-20 protesters. This time they marched across the Square but did not make any trouble. The worst thing that happened was that Taj’s guitars (and luggage) never made it to Toronto but I don’t think we can blame the G-20 for that. He played a pretty straightforward blues set on his rented Gibson ES-335 with a simple back-up of bass and drums, and they played very sparse.  James Hunter is my man – I love what he’s doing and I think I have seen him pretty well every time he's played Toronto (3 plays for the Jazz Festival). Every show he delivers (even once when he was deathly ill) is impeccable. And a very sharp looking band, too. I complimented James on his suit and he opened the jacket to reveal the label "The Traveller" and I took that to mean it's one of those suits you can crumple up into a suitcase and it still looks good when you get on stage. When I had a chance to talk to Damien, his tenor guy, I couldn't resist asking who did the horn arrangements and he told me it was mostly James himself who designed the horn charts. I love that tenor/bari combo!

It felt a bit like a war zone just driving down to Nathan Phillips Square. I gassed up at at a gas station there were several nondescript Suburban SUVs and a large contingent of police donning their flak vests and riot gear. Driving downtown, it seemed like every second car on the road was police or mysterious looking SUV.

And now I’ve spent so much time writing this blog that It’s too late for Fred Frirth. I checked him out on You Tube and feel that I have experienced his “prepared” guitar thang sufficiently. Now I’ll head down to the Sound Academy to hear the No Smoking Orchestra...wait a minute let’s check them out on YouTube.  Hmmm, what a wild and crazy bunch of Yugoslavians. Two guys hold up a 20-ft makeshift bow while the violinist slides his fiddle on it. Then the guitarist gets into the action. Maybe I don’t need to see this in person. Makes you wonder about the promotional benefits of YouTube. Please take a few minutes to watch the set I just loaded up...then you wan’t have to come see me live. Ah, but those tunes are all from previous albums...it’s my Eastern Townships medley!

Jazz Festival - Day One

As I made my way to Nathan Phillips Square at 9 am, it was like driving into a ghost town (not that I ever find myself driving downtown at 9 am but I know that it’s usually much more congested than this). But thanks to the dire warnings of G20 protests (peaceful and otherwise) most people stayed home.  The square was very quiet as I scrambled from one trailer to another installing phones, modems and wireless routers. Every year Bell sends two guys – one to lay the cables and another to configure the high speed modems. This year, however, they deemed to send only one guy and he had his hands full because the locations of the trailers were all changed because they’re remodeling Nathan Phillips Square, so new lines had to be laid down under the massive concrete tiles that  can only be moved by a fork-lift. When I asked if one could be left open in case our guy needed to go back to the junction box, I was told that they were worried that some G20 terrorist would crawl under there with a bomb.

Anyway, that whole G20 kerfuffle made for a smaller crowd for Alex Pangman, who played a 5 o’clock show  with some great players including a couple of friends, Terry Wilkins and Jesse Barksdale. I don’t think I ever saw Jesse playing a “flat-top” guitar (as opposed to the vintage style archtops he usually plays)  and even the headliner, Maceo Parker, whose fans would have fought their way through a police barricade to hear him, had a smaller audience for sure. And what a demographic he has – his appeal stretches from the young funk fanatics, who probably listen to rap and reggae the rest of the time, and old folks like me who grew up with James Brown.

And I have to say this was just about as exciting as seeing a James Brown show in the 60s. I remember watching the James Brown Band (minus James and Maceo) rehearsing for a Blues Brothers movie shoot in Toronto a few years back. James wasn’t there but each song was performed, with all James’ signature moves, by a different member of the band, or roadie, or someone who was part of the entourage. They went through the entire show without James but it ran like a finely tuned machine. I never saw James when Maceo was in the band. Maceo has been well brought up. His show builds and builds then drops down with a whack on the snare drum (Michelle refers to this as an “Apollo”).

You got the feeling he would play all night if they let him. A couple of times he just started singing  some silly Streisand song (unaccompanied) for a few bars then  boom, then the whole band would kick into another funk number. Take me to the bridge!  Maceo was so generous with his band members – everybody got a feature spot (or two) and they all shone spectacularly – I guess that’s why he gives them the air time.  And he repeatledly acknowledged his band and all the sound crew and stage hands as well as his English-accent lady manager who was omnipresent off (and sometimes on) the stage.

I got to chat a bit with his long-time guitarist, Bruno Speight, who gave me some tips on playing that choppy funk guitar (it’s all in the upstroke). He also recommended I check out a gospel singer called Kim Burrell who he thought I would enjoy. He is based in Atlanta and I guess she is too.

Two other shows going on at the same time were young Nikki Yanovsky and still pretty young Martha Wainright. Both had sold out shows. Lori Nuic, who opened for Maceo is also a talented up and comer. She was playing some wicked slide guitar during the sound check but what I heard of her set was sans slide...in fact she never picked up the guitar for the part I heard. Several people commented what a strong show she had – I look forward to seeing her play a whole evening sometime. One of my Campfire regulars has been working with her and said he would bring her down to Highway 61 one of these Tuesdays.

What did I do to deserve all this

This week kicked off with the Summer solstice and me stepping out into a new room at the back of my house and stepping into a new Volvo (new to me, anyway). The car is a replacement for the Buick you saw trashed in my last Blainletter. Man, it's nice to be behind the wheel of a tight-handling european car. This all happened so fast that I never even bothered to look under the hood. I told my Volvo guy that it was not the car I was buying but rather a continued good relationship with him! For years he's been keeping this old blues musician on the road and yesterday I joked that he was doing his part spreading the music

Blainletter # 29 June 6, 2010

In This Issue:

• Upcoming Gigs
• Accidents, Thefts, Allergies, what next
• Campfire adventures
• Recording update
• Festival fun
• BLAINBLAIN rides again
• Out and about


I am posting this dispatch from the wilds of Orangeville, looking out into a cedar forest and breathing that fine country air. I’m here for the Orangeville Blues and Jazz Festival, played last night in a fabulous Italian restaurant, and again…

TONIGHT (Sat) 6 to 9pm Il Corso - 20 Dawson Rd, Orangeville

Sunday at 2 pm I’m in Shelburne at the Grace Tipling Hall, 203 Main St. E. ( also part of Orangeville Blues & Jazz fest – more below)

Sat June 26 6pm (mainstage) – The City Roots Festival, Distillery District, Toronto

Wed June 30 10pm The Social – BLAINblain rides again! Blues infused beats and electronica. …yes, something completely different. (part of the Toronto Jazz Festival)

And still going strong…

EVERY TUESDAY 7-10pm Colorblind Blain’s Blues Campfire at Highway 61, 1620 Bayview (all musicians welcome and the best ribs in town)

The event in Shelburne is called One County, One Book where everyone in the county of Dufferin was invited to read the same book and now there will be a reading by the author. I’ve been invited to play a few songs about the Eastern Townships because the author is Louise Penny, who lives in Sutton, Quebec – my old stompin’ grounds. I just realized last night that I have a great song with a little bit of Eastern Townships lore, the Outlaw of Megantic. I haven’t performed it in years because I could never remember the words – there’s a lot of them. But I realized this is the perfect song for this event so I must remember it. I hoped I might have the lyrics on my laptop but no luck. Then I was starting to think who in Orangeville might have my first album. Not the folks I’m staying with. Anyway, the human brain, even a under-used one like mine, is a wonderful thing and most of the lyrics have come back to me over the last twenty-four hours. I was even dreaming about this song! I’ve been reading Louise Penny’s book though I doubt I’ll be done in time for the show. Hope no-one reveals the ending (it is a mystery- set in the Townships, of course) Call 519-925-2600 for reservations.

Accidents, Thefts, Allergies, what next?



Here’s a picture of the Buick “sandwich” on the Gardiner expressway on Monday afternoon. I was returning from a judging session at the Niagara Music Awards (man, there’s a lot of talent out that way) when I got rear ended by one of those trucks that picks up containers at construction sites. Sure am glad I didn’t have the guitar in the trunk. Then again, I’d rather be playing one of those award galas than being a damn judge.




As previously reported on my blog, my portrait at the Silver Dollar Room was stolen (right off the damn wall). Gary Kendall tells me I have now joined the select group including Donnie Walsh whose portraits were deemed worthy of being stolen. The bummer for me is that we were never able to find the negative for that shot – one of my favourites (and obviously someone else’s…) and I don’t even have a decent print that I can scan for a hi-res shot that can be used for print. It’s still fine for web, and you’ll see an interesting animated version on myspace/brianblain. But we all know the importance of having a hi-res! Keep an eye out for that picture – there will be a reward…how about a Brian Blain CD? How about two?

Campfire adventures

We’re still doing it every Tuesday at Highway 61 – it’ll be a year in July and I’ve only missed one Tuesday, though this Tuesday I was playing with a pretty sore neck. I love it when we can re-ignite the spark of music in someone and this time it was a fella that had not played in 37 years but some of the campfire buddies convinced him to get up and play the bass for a tune and he got through it OK. On his way out he said he was going to get his old guitar out of the case – I think he said it was a Larivee - and that he’d be back. I hope so. There was also another guitar prodigy, 11 years old, who ripped off some solid solos but was having trouble following along the chord changes. He told me afterwards he doesn’t play the “B” chord. I told him if he was going to be playing in “E”, he better learn “B”!

We had a campfire at the Gladstone Hotel last Friday as part of the Toronto Blues Society’s 25th Anniversary Celebration. There was lots going on and the campfire room was tucked away so we didn’t get a lot of traffic but had a great time with Bird Stafford, Robin Banks, Son Roberts, Norm Robinson and Mr. Rick. There was also a mystery female vocalist (best kept a mystery) who joined us at the end. At that point, she actually turned off all the lights in the room and we really had a campfire vibe going – playing in the glow of my ersatz campfire (note to self: get replacement lightbulb).

One of the highlights of the Gladstone was an Iranian (excuse me, Persian) guy who I engaged in conversation because he had a hat that said “Piedmont Blues.” We talked a bit but before I could tell him I played blues myself, he said “I know who you are and I’ve got your CD and I love that song “Blues is Hurting”… Well, make my day! Well speaking of anniversaries, it must be damn near 50 years since I got my first guitar. I think it was the summer of grade 8 – I worked as a soda jerk and saved up $35. To buy a guitar from a friend. Next day I was in a band but what they needed was a bass player, so I just took 2 strings off the guitar and played it like a bass – with Band-aids on my finger tips to keep them from bleeding. It occurs to me that over those fifty years I probably still haven’t accumulated 10,000 hours (as they say) because I’ve always done other stuff besides playing but there’s a certain “naturalness” that develops when you learn an instrument slowly and I’m thinking about what Terry was saying last night – how what he noticed playing with lots of the older blues artists (and he’s played with some greats) that the one thing they had in common was they never played anything more than what was necessary for the moment. Sometimes it might be flashy and sometimes very simple but it was always what the song needed.

Oh, about that recording…

I think I announced we were going into the studio in my last blast, but I pulled the plug at the last moment because I was not feeling ready. And I don’t think the songs were ready, since they’re still coming out different every time I play them. I won’t wait much longer. Missed the deadlines for the recording grants, but they usually go to folks whose career is mostly ahead of them, not old guys like me. Still, it's going to be 5 years and I've been feeling the pressure. A recording fund is in place, thanks to a couple of generous benefactors... you can deposit directly into account 00646842698006400101 at Alterna Savings and Credit Union, Danforth Avenue. (or talk to me).

I've got a new batch of songs - well not so new anymore - and the good news is that I've been out there playing them for different audiences and with different accompaniment. I had pretty well decided to make an acoustic album and I had talked about it with some of the top bluegrass players in town, but then I did an abrupt turn and decided to make it a band album and now I'm right back where I started, except in the process I've come out with new (bluesy) arrangements for some of the more folky tunes. I'm now back to recording alone at home and fine-tuning some of those songs. I guess it can't hurt. Stay tuned.

Festival Fun

As ever I will be putting on my “I.T.” hat to manage the on-site communications needs of the Toronto Jazz Festival and as if having the G20 and all its attendant security in our face, the west side of Nathan Phillips Square is going to be torn up and that is where we usually plug in all the phone & power…oh boy! Sorry to say I won’t be playing Toronto Jazz…not true actually, my son the DJ has asked me to do an opening set at his night at The Social on June 30th – guess I’m going to miss Mavis Staples. Damn! Once again I will strap on the MIDI gear to my Stratocaster and bring out the laptop, which will be synced with one or more other laptops and we will bring you a set of…whatever happens. BLAINblain rides AGAIN (indeed)

That first week-end of the festival (with all the G20 activity going on) I have to extricate myself on the 26th to do a set at the City Roots Festival at the Distillery District. It’s at 6 pm on the Mainstage.

Out and About

We’re halfway through the Orangeville Blues & Jazz Festival and saw a couple of bands on the street and got to hear Brenda Lewis and Margaret Stowe. I picked up their new CD – hot off the press, she wrote that I was the first purchaser. I’ll have to start a shelf of “first purchases” on my CD wall – this one will join the wonderful Brenna McCrimmon. Then I took a quick stroll to view a collection of almost 300 classic cars and hot-rods lined up along the street. Here’s one that caught my eye:

I couldn’t hang around very long because I had to go play at the Italian restaurant – it’s run by a colorful character who’s an ex boxer and a fabulous cook. Great food and hospitality at this gig, at the home where I’m billeted and throughout the whole town. One lady from a venue I played a few years back recognized me and said hello. A few other folks remembered me from gigs in this area.

After my gig I went downtown and I got to see Larry Kurtz playing with the great W.C. Clark on their outdoor stage. It had been raining earlier so they lost a lot of their crowd but it’s a great setting and I hope they will be able to have that second stage again next year. I also saw a bit of Sam Turton who has sat around the Campfire with me a couple of times and was really digging in with the slide then I saw Raoul and the Big Time and they were rocking the house. Raoul brings a little something extra to the table, maybe it’s because of his acting side but there’s no “shtick” – he just loves this music and you can tell. Terry Wilkins is one of those bass players that play so organically that they couldn’t hit a wrong note if they tried and watching Tom Bona close up in a more intimate setting really gave me a new appreciation of his special touch. Darren on guitar is as official as it gets. I was asking him if he was the guitarist I helped out many years ago backstage at a festival when he had slammed his hand with a car door just before he was to play. I did a little emergency Reiki on him and apparently it worked. Indeed it was Darren, and when Terry heard this, he wanted a little reiki on his plucking finger (which hardly gets a day off) and I gave him a little session. I’m just out there doing the good work – trying to help people feel better any way I can…

I thought I was finally going to get to sit back and hear the elusive Bharath and the Rhythm Four from Montreal but everything conspired against it. Costa, the bass player had a dislocated should, the venue was packed to capacity with young people who just came to party and showed very little appreciation for this first-class outfit. Bhrath gave his bass player a break, picked up the guitar and invited a couple of local harp players, Doctor Nick and Shrimpdaddy, to play out the set. I don’t blame him but I just wish I’d heard him play more – and what a great voice. I liked his guitar playing, too, And then I end up leaving behind the CD that Costa gave me. I saw him the next day but I didn’t have the nerve to ask for another one. I’m going to buy the damn thang. I want to hear it!
I also got to hesr Heather Katz for the first time – and that was totally not what I expected. She laid down some official blues, with the amazing Kevin Breit guesting and even playing a little guitar “a la Memphis Minnie”.


After three nights at the Italian Restaurant, it was a real change of pace to be playing the Grace Tiplig Hall in Shelburne - an old-world concert hall with great acoustics and a completely attentive and enthusiastic audience who were there to hear Canadian mystery writer Louise Penny whose novels are situated in the Eastern Townships and who lives in Sutton. It seemed like a good fit so I was booked to perform a warm-up set and I did an entire set of tunes about my life in the Townships. It went over great. I’m going to try to post a video but meanwhile, here’s me and Louise Penny. And I wish I could remember exactly what she said about me but she did use the word “brilliant.” I have to say she used it again several times in her speech but that did not diminish the compliment. She was pretty funny and natural, but I guess that’s what you get after 20 years on the CBC. She’s retired now and at work on her seventh novel. Here we are together:


Last week I went to a “Sistering”event at the Jane Mallett Theatre – mostly because I had a few band-mates playing. Regretfully, Colleen Allen couldn’t make the gig due to illness but it was still a phenomenal show. MC was the bubbly Elvira Curt who I listen to all the time on CBC Radio. She’s pretty funny and get get a little lewd, but nothing compared to the next female stand-up comic who was positively outrageous. But the audience of well(high)heeled overachiever women executives was loving it. Evelyn Datl asked me to shoot some video – some of it may end up on you tube. I really wanted to get a shot of Donna Grantis stiletto-heeled foot pumping a CryBaby wah-wah pedal…and her radical new haircut.

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Thanks for your support, BrianB, aka Colorblind Brian, the Stringbuster

www.brianblain.ca

When's that guy gonna make another record?

I get asked that once in a while - less often than "we still play your album" (or some variation thereof) but it's going to be 5 years and I've been feeling the pressure. A recording fund is in place, thanks to a couple of generous benefactors, and I've downloaded some grant applications...we'll see what happens with that! I've got a new batch of songs - well not that new anymore - and the good news is that I've been out there playing them for different audiences and with different accompaniment. I had pretty well decided to make an acoustic album and I had talked about it with some of the top bluegrass players in town, but then I did an abrupt turn and decided to make it a band album with Michelle on drums and feature the wonderful horn players Carrie Chesnutt and Colleen Allen. I had a vision of going in and recording live with the horns but then there were a lot of practical considerations, mostly that we haven't been practicing the songs with horns, there's no arrangements or charts. So then we were going to overdub the horns, and then we even talked about doing the bass after and that's when I realized that this is no way to make a blues record so I pulled the plug (at some great inconvenience to myself and others). So now I'm right back where I started, except in the process I've come out with new (bluesy) arrangements for some of the more folky tunes. I'm now back to recording alone at home and fine-tuning some of those songs. I guess it can't hurt. Stay tuned.

Brian Blain Missing

Everytime I walk into the Silver Dollar Room, the first thing I see is this picture of myself hanging in its long-standing place of honour at the end of the bar. Until last night, that is. I dropped by the Silver Dollar to hear the bluegrass guys and noticed that my portrait was missing from its spot. It wasn't replaced with anything else - there's just a big blank space where it used to be...Wot happened? They're looking into it at the Silver Dollar. Gary Kendall thinks it might have been stolen right off the wall, as were portraits of him and Donnie Walsh a while back. This feels a bit like the time I discovered a web site that was "sharing" my music for free. Part of me was kinda happy that someone out there thought it was worth stealing. Nowadays there's a lot of music you can't GIVE away...

Blainletter #28 May 10, 2010

Tomorrow’s Campfire at Highway 61 (maybe today’s by the time you read this) is my “Motherless Day” Special with the inimitable Carrie Chesnut as special guest and who knows who else will show up.  That 7-10 pm at 1620 Bayview. Every year on Mother’s Day week-end, or close to it, I like to have a special show for folks who no longer have their mother, like myself or orphans who never knew their biological mother (also like myself). Some of you may be acquainted with my tune “Enfant Choisi” which is about my adoption by the dear lady you see pictured with me in a 70s promo shot.



It’s also the only show of the year where you’ll hear me sing my “cult classic,” “Don’t Forget Your Mother”. You can hear it here: mother.mp3. We recorded three sides at those sessions in 1973 and the two othere were released on Good Noise Records, but “Don’t Forget Your Mother” was never released (for a variety of reasons).  But it was a bit of an underground favourite in Montreal in the early 70s. Everybody remembered that tune and just a few years back I ran into one of the guys who played on the session, Tom “Bones” Malone, who was in Toronto filming a Blues Brothers. I was just starting to ask him if he remembered that session and he began singing the chorus. Wow! After all those years. The drummer for the session was Jim Gordon, a first-call studio drummer in Los Angeles who had just finished touring and recording with Derek and The Dominoes. He wrote (and played) the piano part in “Layla”. He was later institutionalized for killing his mother in a schitzophrenic episode  but that’s another (hopefully unrelated) story.


The Campfire was amazing last week.  I love it when I get people to perform who have hardly ever (or never) done it. I remember when Tony Burns got up and did a couple of Delta Blues and when I commented later that I bet he didn’t do that too often he said he’s never done it (and probably never would again,  but we’re working on that). This night, Willy “A”, long standing Blues radio host on CKWR in Kitchener was in the house and when I asked innocently if he or his buddy played they had a good laugh but after the night was underway Willy said maybe he would get up and sing “Stormy Monday”. Well he nailed it, putting on a real show for the folks – at one point he was even down on one knee – and later when he was leaving the club one rowdy table would not let him leave until he performed another tune – which he did!

There will also be a special Campfire at the Toronto Blues Society’s 25th Anniversary bash at the Gladstone Hotel on Friday, May 28. I’ll be lighting up the campfire in the Art Bar starting around 7pm. Harrison Kennedy is performing in the front Room and Shakura S’Aida and Fathead are featured in the Ballroom. It will be a grand celebration. There’s also an art display, blues poetry and blues Karaoke – I’m anxious to see that! Look out if Willy “A” is in the house.


For the benefit of some folks who may not have made it out to Highway 61, I put together a few guidelines…Colorblind Blain's Campfire Credo

- Welcome to the Blues Campfire where long, self-indulgent solos are not only tolerated but welcome.

- We stick to straightforward blues so everybody can play along (unless told otherwise).

- We're not big on introductions, just pull up a chair and plug in.

- We go round-robin, taking turns playing a song or two.

- If you're playing the house guitar, please wash the BBQ sauce off your fingers first.

- Please leave us your email/website and have a drink on the house.

- We’re a very generous and accepting group, but if you play slide you better be good!

 
don't forget...

EVERY TUESDAY

Colorblind Brian's Blues Campfire

7-10 PM

Highway 61 Southern BBQ

1620 Bayview

416-489-7427

(all musicians welcome)

 

MORE UPCOMING SHOWS

As part of the Orangeville Blues and Jazz Festival I will be performing at the Grace Tipling Hall,  203 Main St. E. Shelburne  on Sunday June 6th at 2:00 PM I will be sharing the afternoon with another Townshipper, nternationally renowned mystery writer Louise Penny who will be reading from her latest best-seller, The Brutal Telling, and I will be playing some of my Townships blues (in both official languages) Call 519-925-2600 for reservations

 

OUT AND ABOUT

Had a great time playing with Jerome Godboo and Burke Carroll at the Kentucky Derby. Naaaa, we weren't in Louisville - we were playing at the Woodbine Racetrack out by Toronto airport. They take their Kentucky Derby quite seriously at Woodbine, even though people have to watch it on the big screen, but they can place their bet and feel like they're at "the track." I got a nice lapel pin with "136th Kentucky Derby." I placed my first bet ever, even though I've played numerous times at racetracks. Anyway, Linda, there was no horse with a flower in his name so I bet on the horse that had "music" in his name and he came fourth - even though he was a real long shot. We started at 11am (even though the actual Kentucky Derby main race was much later) and this was the first of 3 gigs for Burke on that day – he raced off to play at the Cameron House (this may have been some kind of "farewell concert" for the Cameron House. And later that night he had a show for Riverdale Share, a community event in my community. I played it once - I hope I get another chance! What a treat playing again with Jerome! He is an amazing harp player and a very respect-worthy person. He is also a new daddy! The next day I was playing a gig in at the  “Old Home Show” in Oakville with Larry Kurtz and boy, Larry was wailing! He can hold his own with any of them.

After the gig in Oakville, I tried to drop by the Sky Lounge to give Jerome back his tuner and thought I was taking the back way but I couldn't find it and even when I tried to backtrack to the route I used to take, I still couldn't find the damn place. And the whole time I was talking to my self and planning what to say to that club owner, who OWES ME A GIG! He was kind enough to call me personally to apologize for a double booking and that George Oliver would be doing the date...but I was supposed to get another date. Note to self: get that gig.

After resting up from the “Kentucky Derby gig”  I dropped in to the Silver Dollar for Raoul Bhaneja’s Tribute to Little Walter. I was kinda late but I liked what I heard and what a crowd they got out for that. The front and back rooms were packed. Apparently, if you didn’t have a reservation you had to sit in the back room – that’s a first! When I mentioned to one of the participants that it was a big crowd his response was that everyone had really worked this show, ie, called all their friends.  That’s the secret to filling a blues club, I guess. Have five special guests and get them all to bring their crowd. I hope it works for the Sockman on May 31 – he’s got all of Downchild (except for Donnie Walsh), David Rotundo and two very sexy, talented singers, Cheryl Lescom and his new protégée, Viviana, and oh yes, yours truly has been invited to do a number with the band. That’s at the Dollar.

At one point in the evening I heard a crash behind me and turned around to see that someone had passed out. A minute later he was back on his feet and saying he was OK and just as he was saying that, he went down again, this time knocking his head on the giant fan they have at the back of the room. Everybody, including me, was telling the staff to call 911 (even though most everybody had a cel phone in their pocket). Curious. But Canadianblues.ca’s Andie Maranda did not hesitate a moment and sprung to his aid like a trained EMS person and watched over him for the next little while. Now I know the Canadian blues scene will survive with a formidable woman like that looking out for us.

 

THE EVER-ELUSIVE NEXT CD

Yesterday we had the first meeting of the Colorblind Blain Support Committee and we are looking at the song selection for the new CD. I have arranged a studio and engaged some of my favourite musicians so we’re committed and not looking back. I remember 5 years ago when a similar group gathered in my kitchen and as I recall were not exactly blown away with the material but it’s reassuring to see a song like “Saab Story” achieve a lot airplay and comments when it got nothing but quizzical looks as a brand new tune.  And speaking of “Saab Story,” I’m still miffed at myself for cutting out a verse because some producer thought it was too long – I always sing all the verses and if I could I would re-record it. Note to self: follow your heart.

I mentioned last time that we had a  “recording fund” , and I’ll mention it again because some of you didn’t get the last Blainletter - you can deposit directly into account 00646842698006400101 at Alterna Savings and Credit Union, Danforth Avenue. (or talk to me). And thank you for your support, even if it’s only reading these ramblings of mine.

 

FRASER & DEBOLT CBC DOCUMENTARY

The much anticipated Fraser and DeBolt radio documentary has a broadcast It's going to be on the program Inside The Music on CBC Radio 2 at 3 pm on Sunday May 23rd (and I think it airs again that night on Radio One at 9 pm.) Some information about the episode should appear on their blog at http://www.cbc.ca/radio2/programs/insidethemusic/ at some point earlier that week. And episodes of the show are posted online at http://www.cbc.ca/radio2/programs/insidethemusic/audio.html once they've aired, so people will be able to hear it even if they miss the radio broadcast. I had a rather lengthy interview with the young lady who undertook this and I’ll be anxious to see how much she used. Not too much, I hope. Hopefully this will help bring some attention to a 60s folk music phenomenon that was born in Canada – and partially took shape in my living room in Hamilton -  and, after 40 years, still has fans searching for replacement albums for their worn-out vinyl (none of it was ever reissued on CD). If Fraser & DeBolt had been as popular in Canada as they were in the states, they would be regarded as Canadian folk pioneers. Instead, they are mostly ignored or forgotten in Canada, even though I remember well that they fought tough and nail to stay on their farm in the Eastern Townships when their US manager and record label were pressuring them to move to a little town none of us had ever heard of…called Woodstock.  

MOATM (Music on at the Moment): Allison Krauss and Robert Plant.  When I made the last album, I asked everyone to listen to the John Hammond album “Wicked Grin” and this time I’ll be asking them to listen to “Raising Sand.” Now last time, the only person who listened to Wicked Grin was drummer Michelle Josef, and that was probably enough to capture a bit of the vibe I was looking for.