Friday, June 30, 2017
Jazz Festival - 3 days left
Everything was new at the Toronto Jazz Festival this year. Lots of new faces in the staff and, of course, a brand new venue - Yorkville - with lots of outdoor stages for free shows and ticketed concerts at Koerner Hall, the Concert Hall and others. The residents seem to be digging it - it sure is an upscale crowd.
Saw Mavis at Koerner and it was quite uplifting. Both the Mavis and Hudson shows were completely sold out which meant I watched most of the show on the big screen in the green room (and I have to admit the sound was pretty good) but I did poke into the hall long enough to graph a little Instagram clip. I think I preferred Scofield when he came with his "Uberjam" with Avi Bortnick on second guitar and electronics. He was doing some cool things with Ableton Live. This time, Sco did not have a pedal on the floor. He might have had one behind him on that VOX amp. I noticed that Vox amps were a little more prominent than Fenders in the backline this year.
Rick Holmstrom from Mavis' band tod me he had requested a Vox AC-30 and had bought one for home. We talked about the great Tremolo they have. I read somewhere that VOX tremolo uses a very different approach than Fender - and you can hear it.
Wednesday, June 28, 2017
Sunday, June 25, 2017
Saturday, June 24, 2017
Monday, June 19, 2017
Saturday, June 17, 2017
Thursday, June 15, 2017
Saturday, June 10, 2017
Blainletter #91 - June 2017
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Friday, June 9, 2017
Sunday, June 4, 2017
Saturday, June 3, 2017
Where did I come from anyway?
I was told very early in life that I was adopted and never gave it much thought. I think at some point when I was still very young I said to my mother that I would like to search for my "real" mother and I saw from the expression on her face that I had crossed some kind of line and I never brought it up again - and put that thought out of my head. A couple of years before she died she pulled me to her beside and told me the story of how the adoption happened and that she thought my name had been Robert. I wrote that story into my song, Enfant Choisi, but still never gave it a lot of thought. Here's a link:
Then along came AncestryDNA and when they had a sale on St Patrick's Day I sent in my spit and $109. and the results are in...
Some of you Blainreaders might have noticed last month I tried to have an "office pool" of sorts to guess what is my ancestry but I guess I didn't offer an attractive enough prize because nobody took me up on it. Anyway, I made my guess just before I opened the results: "Irish," I said, and wouldn't you know I'm 61% Irish and 14% Iberian Peninsula...and for John Robshaw and anyone else who wanted to know the rest, its 11% Great Britain, 8% Europe West and 4% Italy/Greece. Not very exotic, eh? I'm about as WASP as you can get. But now the real fun begins. I've had three relatives come out of the woodwork and we think I'm a McGoldrick. More to come on all this...
Then along came AncestryDNA and when they had a sale on St Patrick's Day I sent in my spit and $109. and the results are in...
Some of you Blainreaders might have noticed last month I tried to have an "office pool" of sorts to guess what is my ancestry but I guess I didn't offer an attractive enough prize because nobody took me up on it. Anyway, I made my guess just before I opened the results: "Irish," I said, and wouldn't you know I'm 61% Irish and 14% Iberian Peninsula...and for John Robshaw and anyone else who wanted to know the rest, its 11% Great Britain, 8% Europe West and 4% Italy/Greece. Not very exotic, eh? I'm about as WASP as you can get. But now the real fun begins. I've had three relatives come out of the woodwork and we think I'm a McGoldrick. More to come on all this...
I'm not complaining, but...
I've been enjoying some Facebook Live moments from the Orangeville Blues & Jazz festival - that's a festival I've played for the last few years but not this time - and it would be wrong to start thinking one was "entitled" to play a festival just because you've played it the last few years.
I remember last year - I must have had 4 plays and if it hadn't been for Joel coming with me to drive and shlepp the gear, it would have near killed me. I remember I was pretty wiped when I got back home.
I guess I'm just getting old...Last week for the first time in my career I went to a venue, took down the posters and told the bartender I wouldn't be back. It wasn't because I was greeted by complaints that our jam would interfere with the Raptors game on TV, or that they shortchanged me on my fee. It was just way too exhausting to bring in a PA, two amps and three guitars and play all night long (we don't take many breaks at the Campfire Jam). I was totally wiped out the next day. If we're going to be doing any more touring, it'll have to be a "Blues Elders" package with roadies to carry the gear and pass out the Metamucil. And if there's any groupies coming around they better bring the Viagra :-)
I still think there's room for me in the Blues Diaspora. How often do you get to hear slow-cooked grooves of a guitar player who's been perfecting the same riffs (on the same guitar) for fifty years without ever having the benefit of a lesson or the burden of a rehearsal.
If this is a new chapter in my music career, I figured I needed a new bio so this is what I scratched out the other night:
Brian Blain jokes that he had his "15 minutes of fame" back in the 70s and it wouldn't be fair to take up too much limelight with so many hopefuls trying to get their music heard. Instead he's been more focused on encouraging and introducing new and not-so-new talent through his behind-the-scenes efforts as an editor, publisher, blogger and hosting his popular Blues Campfires.
(I guess I'm going to have to flesh that out a little)
I remember last year - I must have had 4 plays and if it hadn't been for Joel coming with me to drive and shlepp the gear, it would have near killed me. I remember I was pretty wiped when I got back home.
I guess I'm just getting old...Last week for the first time in my career I went to a venue, took down the posters and told the bartender I wouldn't be back. It wasn't because I was greeted by complaints that our jam would interfere with the Raptors game on TV, or that they shortchanged me on my fee. It was just way too exhausting to bring in a PA, two amps and three guitars and play all night long (we don't take many breaks at the Campfire Jam). I was totally wiped out the next day. If we're going to be doing any more touring, it'll have to be a "Blues Elders" package with roadies to carry the gear and pass out the Metamucil. And if there's any groupies coming around they better bring the Viagra :-)
I still think there's room for me in the Blues Diaspora. How often do you get to hear slow-cooked grooves of a guitar player who's been perfecting the same riffs (on the same guitar) for fifty years without ever having the benefit of a lesson or the burden of a rehearsal.
If this is a new chapter in my music career, I figured I needed a new bio so this is what I scratched out the other night:
Brian Blain jokes that he had his "15 minutes of fame" back in the 70s and it wouldn't be fair to take up too much limelight with so many hopefuls trying to get their music heard. Instead he's been more focused on encouraging and introducing new and not-so-new talent through his behind-the-scenes efforts as an editor, publisher, blogger and hosting his popular Blues Campfires.
(I guess I'm going to have to flesh that out a little)
Sunday, May 28, 2017
Sunday, May 21, 2017
First Time playing the Dakota
As it turns out, Terry was playing across the street and finishing at the same time I was starting. So he quit a few minutes early and was at the Dakota in plenty of time. He had gone over the chart/setlist and listened to some short audio clips I sent and he was solid - even a couple of spots where I didn't know what I was doing, he did. I hadn't played with Terry in a long, long time and it was a delight. I used to tell people there wasn't a gig (or rehearsal) that I ever did with Terry Wilkins where I didn't take away a valuable lesson. Not sure what the lesson was this time, but I'm sure there will be one that I'll realize down the line.
Great hearing Terry Gillespie going full-tilt with a big band that included a Montreal guitar legend, Andrew Cowan, and a genuine RastaBassMan, Owen, who was a delight to meet. Drummer Wayne Stoute had dropped by my place the night before and we had Indian food. Top notch band and Terry's been getting good crowds at all these Toronto dates - quite ambitious to expect a good crowd at different places in the same week in the same town but so far so good. It was mostly reggae at the Dakota and people were loving it. Michael Fonfara walked in halfway and jumped up on the old upright piano. Sounded great! Reminds me I must lasso that guy into a gig again.
As Terry G were commiserating about becoming septuagenarians this year, I was thinking just when I've been telling people my touring days are over, there's Terry embarking on as many tours as he can gather. We were reminiscing about how we met (at one of my Campfire Jams) I was also remembering when Terry W. and his Australian band, The Flying Circus, had just arrived in Toronto and were taken under the wing of my producer Frazier Mohawk who provided this huge rehearsal space on Richmond St. I was his "assistant" of sorts and helped out with some pre-production chores. I don't think we got much past the pre-production and I think some of those guys went back to Australia, and I went back to Quebec. But Terry stayed and it was a great gain for the Toronto Music Scene.
Saturday, May 13, 2017
Friday, May 5, 2017
Sunday, April 30, 2017
Thursday, April 20, 2017
Friday, April 14, 2017
Thursday, April 13, 2017
Wednesday, April 5, 2017
Blainletter #90 | Campfire Jam at the Old Mill Sat | Sitting in at the Goose on Sun | *NEW* Campfire Jam at Originals on first Mon | JUNO scuttlebutt
Happy April to my beloved Blainreaders and a big welcome hug to a new batch who signed up at some recent shows. The Campfire Jam got off to a roaring start with Sugar Brown, Ken Whiteley and Paul Reddick, who, if you hadn't heard already, took home the JUNO Award for Blues Album of the Year on the week-end. Paul has carved out a nice niche for himself in the beautiful blues landscape and is working his way to legend status. I'm doing my part in building the legend because he figures prominently in one of my tunes, "The Day Coke Saved The Blues" which I got to play for/with him for the first time.
The next Campfire Jam is this Saturday at the Old Mill Home Smith Bar (7:30-10:30) and will feature an equally illustrious and eclectic All-Star line-up: Raoul Bhaneja, Manitoba Hal and Bill King. I can hardly wait. And for some of my muso friends who were asking about sitting in, we're kicking off a new "open" Campfire Jam on the "First Mondays" starting May 1 at Originals on Bayview just a few doors up from the old Hwy 61. Great venue with a long history of live music – I remember playing there with Blue Willow in the 90s. And everybody's welcome to get up and play (as long as it's blues)
And I've just booked the May 13 Campfire at the Old Mill – all women jammers for my annual Motherless Day Campfire/Concert and for this occasion I've brought in barrelhouse piano mama Roberta Hunt and two of the most soulful sax players in the city, Alison Young and Carrie Chesnutt (I was going to say "hottest" but after Russell Peters got spanked for his comments on the JUNOs, I wouldn't want to be misinterpreted :-) Some will remember that I always try to do a special show on the day before Mother's Day and since I was an orphan (and because we're playing the blues anyway), I call it my Motherless Day show. Seventy years after being left on the steps of a nunnery, this orphan is about to find out a little bit about myself – I sent away for the AncestryDNA. This will be interesting!
And speaking of soulful women, The Queen of Soul herself is coming back to town. If you were in the crowd down on King Street when Aretha played the Jazz Festival a few years ago you will agree it was one of the most powerful performances you've seen in your life. And even though she's really backed off on personal appearances, she must have had a good time too because she agreed to come back for a show at the Sony Centre on July 1. www.torontojazz.com Here's a clip I came across lately - I think she was on the Steve Allen show, circa 1964.
And I've just booked the May 13 Campfire at the Old Mill – all women jammers for my annual Motherless Day Campfire/Concert and for this occasion I've brought in barrelhouse piano mama Roberta Hunt and two of the most soulful sax players in the city, Alison Young and Carrie Chesnutt (I was going to say "hottest" but after Russell Peters got spanked for his comments on the JUNOs, I wouldn't want to be misinterpreted :-) Some will remember that I always try to do a special show on the day before Mother's Day and since I was an orphan (and because we're playing the blues anyway), I call it my Motherless Day show. Seventy years after being left on the steps of a nunnery, this orphan is about to find out a little bit about myself – I sent away for the AncestryDNA. This will be interesting!
And speaking of soulful women, The Queen of Soul herself is coming back to town. If you were in the crowd down on King Street when Aretha played the Jazz Festival a few years ago you will agree it was one of the most powerful performances you've seen in your life. And even though she's really backed off on personal appearances, she must have had a good time too because she agreed to come back for a show at the Sony Centre on July 1. www.torontojazz.com Here's a clip I came across lately - I think she was on the Steve Allen show, circa 1964.
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Sunday, March 19, 2017
Wednesday, March 8, 2017
Blainletter #89
** An old tradition gets a new lease on life at the Old Mill Toronto ------------------------------------------------------------ We're kicking off the "Second Saturday" Campfire Jams at the Old Mill this Saturday (7:30 start) with 3 generations of blues masters. Ken Whiteley was already blues royalty in Toronto when I arrived in 1990. Then shortly after I arrived I was hearing about a young blues band called the Sidemen who were making a big buzz. Paul Reddick has since established himself as the unofficial "poet laureate" of the blues - and still plays a helluva harp. Then there's Sugar Brown, who crashed onto the local blues scene a few years back with an intense sound which was a little "raw" for me in the beginning but which really grows on you with repeated listening - and downright addictive as I've had the opportunity to play with him on a few occasions. I've also played with Paul and Ken at different times so this will be a great get-together. Unlike the previous campfire jams in clubs, this "all-star" jam brings together the top blues players on the scene today in a great venue with a beautiful grand piano. With musicians of this caliber, it will be a jam to remember. The Blues Campfire took a bit of a hiatus for the last couple of years but I've been lured back to present an "invitational" jam, with people getting paid! Wow, is that radical these days. I went from paying my guest $50 bucks when I did my Thursdays at the Tranzac, then it was complimentary beverage for the jammers at Hwy 61, until we took it to the Gladstone where jammers got nothing. You can see why I ran out of steam. A lot of people, even some musicians, don't like the jamming thang. It does not really fit into a career-development strategy (It's never done much for my career development but I just love to jam - especially when I get to play bass), I remember asking a busy guitar player to jam when I first got to Toronto and he hummed and hawwed a bit and I realized that when musicians got together in this town, it was usually a "project." But we're going to raise the ante with this series at the Old Mill - I hope we get an audience and I hope they get us.
Thanks to Winterfolk for bringing me in to do a Blues Campfire at their festival (I also got to do a solo concert which was packed and appreciative). The Winterfolk Campffire jam featured Mr. Rick, Kim Doolittle, Julian Taylor, Danny Marks and I got to meet larger-than-life bassman Jerome Tucker plus I got to jam for the first time with a bona fide Canadian Blues treasure, David Essig. David, Rick and I also did a blues fingerpicking workshop (pictured) and passed along a few tips and tricks to the many guitarists in attendance.
This was all happening the same week-end as The Folk Alliance Conference in Kansas City. I've been to Folk Alliance a few times and I caught myself wishing I was there until I realized all those folks were showcasing so they could get to play at festivals - and here I was playing a festival. Now of course there are festivals and there are FESTIVALS but for me it's always about discovery and even at a modest local festival like Winterfolk I discovered plenty of great music and I dare say I got discovered by a few new fans myself. Of course, most people still don't know me, which was demonstrated by the review in Cashbox which praised the Campfire Jam I hosted and said nice things about a couple of songs I sang but thought I was Mr. Rick.(one of those "good news/bad news" reviews :-) Below is a little video montage I made of some of the acts I was able to catch. The absolute highlight for me was the hilarious Wendell Ferguson. He was cracking us up and started to single me out with his one liners but I got him at his own game when he was declining to do a special request because he thought he'd mess up some of the chords and I shouted out "that's alright, you messed up the chords in the last tune and it was fine!." I got a big laugh from his crowd! Of course, he couldn't mess up any chords even if he tried (tho he does have one tune where he plays some god-awful chords - on purpose!) https://youtu.be/mZegK-m0B_Y I keep hearing about all the great acts I missed at Winterfolk but here 's 4 minutes of the ones I caught starting with me kicking off the Blues Campfire ** Upcoming Shows ------------------------------------------------------------ Saturday March 11, 7:30-10:30pm Brian's All-Star Blues Campfire Jam with Ken Whiteley, Paul Reddick and Sugar Brown The Home Smith Bar at the Old Mill Toronto, 21 Old Mill Road. No Cover ($20 min food & beverage) Friday March 24, 7:30 Brian Blain & Larry Kurtz The Edge Wine Bar 205467 Dufferin County Road 109, Orangeville 519-940-1111. No Cover Saturday April 8, 7:30-10:30pm Brian's All-Star Blues Campfire Jam with Manitoba Hall, Bill King and more The Home Smith Bar at the Old Mill Toronto, 21 Old Mill Road. No Cover ($20 min food & beverage) Sunday April 9 4pm Brian Blain guesting with Julian Fauth and the Big Groove rhythm section (Gary Kendall and Mike Fitzpatrick) at the Blue Goose Tavern, 1 Blue Goose St, Etobicoke 416-255-2442
Blainletter #88
** Hello friends ------------------------------------------------------------ Well it looks like we will be gigging next week! And lo and behold I'm not waiting till the day before to get the word out. Next Thursday, it's a house concert in a great room that Ann Kerr-Linden has built in her house near Spadina & Bloor - perfect for storytelling and music. She has asked for RSVPs so she can prepare - there will be tea and cookies on the break. And when you reply, feel free to make a request - I'm still putting together the set list and could use a little guidance. I have some great memories doing a bunch of house concerts on the Home Routes circuit in Manitoba and Sask with Allan Fraser. I hope they can keep that great initiative going (thinking of you, Mitch). And I'm happy to announce the return of the Blues Campfire (literally). Bev & Howard had borrowed it for the late night jam on Harlan's Porch at FMO and handed it back at an event at a record label office just down the street. It was a private showcase for Ann Vriend who just won the Cobalt Prize for songwriting but even if she never wrote a mumbling word she has a voice that's one-in-a-million. Now I'll be firing up the Campfire for a jam at the Winterfolk festival (Sunday, Feb 19 3pm) and then for a residency at the Home Smith Bar in the Old Mill - better known as a classy jazz venue with a beautiful grand piano (which we will be making good use of). See the sidebar for all the great performers who will be joining me. I'm noticing way less activity on the list serves (maple blue, maple post) and wondering if it's getting a little redundant to post gigs there. It was great when it was the only game in town but now there are so many ways to spread the word. I remember people would end their posts with "MOATM:" (Music On At The Moment). I loved that. ** Congratulations are in Order ------------------------------------------------------------ MOATM is CIUT-FM, listening to John Valenteyn's radio show. He's playing all the JUNO blues nominees who were just announced on Tuesday (this is the spot where I should insert a short whine wondering why I wasn't invited this year - I would have liked to see what that new Rebel nightclub looks like). It's a great slate and congrats to all the nominees - especially Sean Pinchin who I've been following carefully over the last couple of years. I love the way he plays. Glad to see Paul Reddick, who I haven't played with in years but who will be joining me at the Blues Campfire on March 11. Both Colins are nominated this year (Linden & James). Colin James played a killer set at a private showcase at the Horseshoe last month (Steve Marriner was sitting in and will be joining him for the tour). And then there's Whitehorse who stepped out of their usual comfort zone to make a quick-and-dirty blues album and it mostly works. It's called "Vol 1" but I wonder if there will be a Vol 2... Luke says it was a bit of a "fun" side-project for these two but I doubt they'll be trying to get gigs on the blues circuit (where, as they say, there's "hundreds of dollars to be made"). Other (non-blues) friends who were nominated include Brenna MacCrimmon (Turkwaz), Chris McKhool (Sultans of String) and Jesse King, aka Dubmatix. You can see the complete list at www.junoawards.ca (http://www.junoawards.ca/) . The Canadian contingent at the International Blues Challenge in Memphis made us proud this year. Dawn Tyler Watson (backed up by the Ben Racine Band) won first prize and it must be extra sweet for DTW who just came out of a triple-bypass heart operation. Amazing. https://youtu.be/LXEFnsDGEoc Dawn Tyler wasn't sure she'd be doing any singing at the Summit as she was still recovering from triple bypass but she did get up and do a little a cappella number. Obviously she had fully recovered by the time she got to Memphis Congrats also to JW-Jones and Ben Racine for their awards and also to my buddy Ken Kawashima, aka Sugar Brown, who made it into the finals and I bet would've won if harmonica maestro Bharath Rajakumar had been able to join him as planned. Great that he got to hang with his mentor, Taildragger, who taught him the ropes when he was coming up in Chicago. All the info is at www.blues.org (http://www.blues.org/) A lot of my friends and colleagues feel a little uncomfortable about the "competitive" aspect of these awards programmes. It doesn't fit our Canadian ethos. I got to hang out with Harry Manx while he was touring out this way and he talked about how different it was in India where the musicians are really competitive, often trash-talking each other. Now that would never happen here ;-) ** Summit Stuff ------------------------------------------------------------ January was chock full of great blues - imagine the 30 top blues bands in the country all under one roof - that was the Blues Summit. Of the 250 delegates there were probably 50 or so "talent buyers" and for two days they had to sit at tables in the hotel ballroom while artists and managers skipped from one table to the next to make their "elevator pitch." After 5 minutes, Alice would announce that we had to move to the next table. Kind of speed-dating for gigs. I ran into a few people who liked what I do and maybe I'll get a gig or two. From my experience, everybody at these things already knows who they want to book and if there's any spots left after that they will go with the artists who their colleagues are keen about. I had more success as a "buyer" and was able to line up some great guests for the Blues Campfire at the Home Smith Bar. There were a few panel discussions about career development and all that, but I didn't get to much and the ones I attended...well, I've heard it all before. This is usually the spot in my blog where I would pass along some of the "tips" I picked up but alas, I don't have anything. Wait a minute, let me look through my notebook again. OK, here's something: The Ontario Arts Council now has an easy online grant application process. That would be worth checking out: www.arts.on.ca (http://www.arts.on.ca ) I skipped out of the Sunday panels to hear Harpdog Brown and Steve Kozak sitting in with Dr Nick at the Rex and Harpdog remains a big favourite of all the showcasing artists. I saw him play several times while he was in this area and he's got that "larger than life" thing going for him. He plays great harp and his guitar player, Jordy, is my kind of guitar player. Guitar players ruled at the Summit - one night it was just one guitarslinger after another, and even though it was the best players in the country, your eyes started to glaze over after awhile. One standout solo was former child prodigy Ricky Paquette playing with Angel Forrest (and now sporting a mustache!) On another night I heard some grumbling that some of these bands would be more at home in a Holiday Inn lounge. It's ironic that everybody strives to be unique and yet the more generic you sound, the better chance of getting the gigs. One artist I was impressed with, though I still haven't heard her play, was Chuckee Zehr. What a neat lady and when I asked around about her piano playing I heard nothing but high praise. I'm going to hear her play even if I have to go to Stratford! My favourite moment in the whole summit week-end (probably because it's the only chance I got to play) was a late night jam/guitar-pull in Brian Mortimer's hotel room. Great to watch the "new kid on the block," Mark Crissinger swapping licks with one of his heroes, Jack de Keyzer. Then there was Steve Strongman and Paul Deslauriers pulling out unlikely tunes that were definitely not in their "wheelhouse." Lots of laughs. The culmination of the Blues Summit was the Maple Blues Awards gala and it was a great show - fabulous, moving performances and a sweep for Quebec artists. How nice it was to hang with the legendary Stephen Barry who I knew way back when in (lower) Westmount. He received a lifetime achievement award and well-deserved it was. I couldn't get over MC Steve Marriner's impressions of Paul Reddick and Richard Flohil. As if he isn't busy enough with music projects, I wouldn't be surprised if Hollywood doesn't come calling pretty soon. All the winners at http://torontobluessociety.com/about-maple-blues-awards/ ** ------------------------------------------------------------ ** Fraser & DeBolt EP ------------------------------------------------------------ The Minneapolis-based label Roaratorio Records has released a three-song vinyl EP by the legendary Canadian duo of Allan Fraser and Daisy DeBolt. The disk showcases the majestic David Owen tune “Zero ± 22 and Holding (Flight Of The Light Air Force)”. Side two includes two songs recorded live at Hamilton College in Clinton, New York in 1970. Allan Fraser’s signature tune “Dance Hall Girls” is followed by a rollicking version of the Rolling Stones’ “You Can’t Always Get What You Want.” The record is a follow-up to the 2016, 2-LP release “This Song Was Borne.” The albums together are a retrospective of Allan and Daisy’s musical partnership which dated from 1969 to 1975. Both are available online from www.roaratorio.com and on iTunes. The disks include a bonus download code with purchase. ** On the Road Again ------------------------------------------------------------ Well it wasn't exactly like the last time I toured with Harry Manx, but I hitched a ride with Harry and Clayton Doley for part of their Ontario tour last week and even though I was starting to think my touring days were over, I managed quite well. And I had as much fun as you could have without actually playing (when I toured with Harry back in 05/06 I was his support act). I made a little movie of our adventure and Harry also has been playing around with the iMovie. Check them out on our respective Facebook pages: www.facebook.com/HarryManx and www.facebook.com/brianblain.musician Tomorrow night I'm going to a gallery opening of paintings by troubadour Tom Russell (he's playing at the Dakota on Saturday - 7pm show). I got to hang out with him a few years back in Massachusetts but I don't expect he'll remember me. Saturday I'm looking forward to hearing kora master Diely (pronounced "jelly") Mori Tounkara at the Alliance Francaise. But wait a minute, I'm going to miss the best part of the Grammys, the Saturday webcast of all the "lesser" awards that don't get on the Sunday prime time TV show. I hear Gary Clark Jr with William Bell will perform on the Sunday night show. Nice that the blues gets some mainstream attention, but it always seems to include Gary Clark Jr. He's great. It's all good... Lots on my "to-do" list. I started to make a proper video of "Ramene Moi Demain" with more beautiful (hi-res) pics by lyricist Daniel Racine. We also worked together on an English translation and I'm now learning how to make subtitles. Stringbuster (and the Robot Johnson Project) are inching forward but it's always pushing the capabilities of my little Macbook Pro, especially when you're trying to use state-of-the-art machine learning and artificial intelligence. It's one step forward and two steps back. We'll get there and it will be...HHHHHUGE! That's it for now. There's more commentary and some great video clips from the Summit on my blog (http://torontobluesdiary.blogspot.com/) . Check out my Facebook musician page (http://facebook.com/brianblain.musician) and give me a "like". See you out there, BrianB Thanks for subscribing to the (mostly)monthly Blainletter. If this is one-too-many emails for you, you can unsubscibe at the bottom of the message. Anyway, most of this content is culled from my blog, torontobluesdiary.com so you can always read it there. ** UPCOMING SHOWS ------------------------------------------------------------ Thursday, Feb 16 - House Concert (solo) at Ann Kerr-Linden, 48 Dalton Road (at Lowther) Toronto Doors at 6:30 (turn right and go down the stairs) Music starts at 7:00 pm $20 or PWYC - RSVP brianblain@brianblain.ca (or surprise me) Saturday February 18 7PM The Black Swan Tavern (https://www.reverbnation.com/venue/143472?) (main floor) 154 Danforth Ave Toronto Concert: Brian Blain (solo) Sunday February 19 3PM Terri O's 185 Danforth Ave The Blues Campfire with host Brian Blain Hour 1 – Danny Marks, David Essig, Jerome Tucker Hour 2 – Mr. Rick, Kim Doolittle, Julian Taylor Sunday February 19 7PM The Black Swan Tavern (https://www.reverbnation.com/venue/143472?) (main floor) 154 Danforth Ave Toronto Workshop: Finger Picking the Blues host David Essig with Brian Blain & Mr. Rick The Blues Campfire goes Uptown ** Saturday, March 11 Home Smith Bar at the Old Mill Toronto Brian's Blues Campfire with special guests Paul Reddick and Ken Whiteley Saturday, April 8 Home Smith Bar at the Old Mill Toronto Brian's Blues Campfire with special guests Bill King and Manitoba Hal ------------------------------------------------------------ I call it my "living" album because it started life as a solo "live" recording with bassist George Koller and has now been "sweetened, stacked, mixed and mastered" with new instrumentation on all the songs. It starts with New Orleans marching horns from Alison Young and Colleen Allen on "Forgotten", “Alice“ gets violin and banjo from Drew Jurecka and Tim Posgate. There's a reggae percussion workout with Trinidadian Wayne Stoute and the wonderful Michelle Josef, some sweet slide from Harry Manx on the French tune, barrelhouse piano from Toronto expat Patrick Godfrey and organ grooves galore from Australian B3 sensation Clayton Doley. "The Ghost of Clinton's Tavern" is a full-tilt electronic ambient remix by my son the DJ. You won’t believe that these are the same basic tracks that I released on the original "New Folk Blues"