Friday, May 30, 2008

NEIL CHAPMAN & DENIS KELDIE WITH NIAGARA RHYTHM SECTION


The Niagara Rhythm Section, featuring really great guests you've probably never heard of...

Every Saturday night 9:45ish - no cover

This week: SAT. MAY 31st - Neil Chapman & Denis Keldie

The Anchorage
186 Ricardo St.
Niagara-on-the-Lake, ON
905-468-2141

This week we welcome back two truly amazing musicians - Denis Keldie & Neil Chapman.

Neil's an amazing guitarist and personality. He's known for his work with Buffy St. Marie, Pukka Orchestra, Ian Thomas, Leonard Cohen, The Sattalites, Dan Hill, Rough Trade, Alannah Miles, Bill King and Robert Priest, to name a few...

As a studio musician, Denis Keldie has over a hundred albums to his credit, as well as numerous film and TV projects. Recent CDs include Rita Coolidge with Ry Cooder, Natalie MacMaster, Jeff Healey, Prairie Oyster, The Boomers, Eddie Shwartz, Jesse Cook, Stompin' Tom Connors, The Lincolns, The Extras, King Biscuit Boy, The Stampeders, Gordie Sampson, Etta James and TV and live appearances with The Rankins, The Lincolns, Colin James, Jann Arden, Amy Sky, Ashley MacIsaac, Bruce Guthro, Crowbar and many others.

It's gonna be a riot when we pair up these two, so don't miss it!

May 31 - Neil Chapman & Denis Keldie

www.neilchapman.ca
www.keldie.com

Other NRS dates coming up:

July 31 - Blues in the Park, Firemen's Park, Niagara Falls, ON
Aug 3 - Canal Days, Pt. Colborne, ON
Sept 6 - Southside Shuffle, Pt. Credit, ON

...and more musical improv coming up @ The Anchorage, NOTL

The Niagara Rhythm Section with special guests:

June 7 - John Dickie & Steve Grisbrook
http://www.mississippihippies.com/johndickie.htm
June 14 - Alex Tintinalli & Steve Grisbrook
http://www.alextintinalli.com/
June 21- Rob Quail & Steve Grisbrook
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DnpCXhGA8hc
June 28 - Al Lerman & Ed Kopala
http://www.fathead.biz
July 5th - Tim Hicks & Ed Kopala
http://www.timhicksmusic.com
July 12 - Blair Packham
http://blairpackham.com/
July 19th - Steve Strongman
http://www.stevestrongman.com
July 26th - Fringe Locals Reunion with special guest Eric Mahar
http://www.stevegoldberger.com/fringelocals.html
Aug 2nd - Maria Aurigema & Steve Grisbrook ("Beauty & the Beast")http://www.mariaaurigema.com
Aug 9th - Martin Alex Aucoin & Paul Martin
http://web7.ehost-services.com/LDDOnline1/maa/index.htm
Aug 16th - Espanola Slim & Steve Grisbrook
Sept 13th - Lance Anderson on the B3 & Steve Grisbrook
http://www.makeitrealrecords.com/Pages/Footwork2.html
Sept 20th - Gayle Ackroyd & Ed Kopala
http://www.gayleackroyd.com/


Steve Goldberger
www.stevegoldberger.com

Load up your ipod with our music or purchase our CDs at:

www.stevegoldberger.com/shedrecords.html

or at CDbaby: www.cdbaby.com/all/stevegoldberger


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MARTY MURRAY'S "DESERT WINDS" FEATURED ON "NIAGARA THIS WEEK"


"Niagara This Week" used one of my songs to accompany their slide show......

http://websrvr91va.audiovideoweb.com/va91web25089/NTW_WEEKIN_0521-27_08/index.html


Marty

www.myspace.com/martymurraysingersongwriter


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ANDERS OSBORNE ON "WOODSONGS" - JUNE 2 - AND "MOUNTAIN STAGE"


Anders Osborne Performing On "Woodsongs" - June 2
and on "Mountain Stage" This Week

Contact: Mark Carpentieri
Ph: 631-754-8725
e-mail:
mc@mc-recrds.com
web: www.mc-records.com


Anders Osborne is on tap to perform on the "Woodsongs" Radio Hour on June 2. It will be a rare solo acoustic performance. You can catch the show live via the miracle of the internet at
http://www.woodsongs.com/webcast.htm Show time is 7 p.m. Eastern Standard Time.

Look for the performance to broadcast in the early summer via hundreds of radio stations around the world, as well as XM and PBS TV.

Anders Osborne recorded a live performance for the syndicated radio/TV program, "Mountain Stage", earlier this year. That show is being broadcast this week with Tab Benoit and many more. For broadcast times and a radio station near you, go to www.mountainstage.org.


If you're heading out to Bonnaroo, please make sure you check out Anders on June 13 for a sweaty performance you will soon not forget.

M.C. Records released New Orleans sensation Anders Osborne's first CD in five years on September 25, 2007. Coming Down is a beautiful testament to his adoptive home, New Orleans, and his wife. Recorded in Nashville and New Orleans, the record was co-produced by Anders and Troy Verges (BMI country songwriter of the year).

The 41-year-old Swedish native has played a leading in role in trying to convince other musicians who left New Orleans to come back. Anders and his family came back six weeks after Hurricane Katrina.

“He’s created one of the best albums of the year.” Andy Whitman, Paste Magazineman

Coming Down is the best singer-songwriter disc I've heard this year, and the best collection of songs Osborne has assembled. His laid-back passion only adds to the overall excellence.” Norwalk Advocate

Anders Gigs:

Jun 2 - Woodsongs Radio Hour - Lexington, Kentucky
Jun 7 - Rock ’N’ Bowl - New Orleans, Louisiana
Jun 13 - Bonnaroo - Manchester, Tennessee
Jul 12 & 13 - Ottawa Blues Festival - Ottawa, Ontario
Aug 24 - Fillmore w/ Voice of the Wetlands - Denver, Colorado
Sep 1 - Voice of the Wetlands - Minneapolis, Minnesota
Oct 18 - Crescent City Blues Festival - New Orleans, Louisiana

* Anders Osborne is Booked by Madison House and managed by 525 Worldwide.

www.andersosborne.com
www.mc-records.com


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DOG LEG PREACHER - UPCOMING GIGS


Hello, everyone.

Once again I cannot say enough about how good Marcelo Portaro is, and how blessed we are to have him working with us.

Dog Leg Preacher will be performing live at The Royal Bear (35731 West Valley Highway, Algoma, WA) this Saturday, May 31.

The opening band for the Royal Bear show will be Seduction - a really good classic rock band. We are also proud to announce a show at the Vortex, coming up this July 11th. This will be a televised show, with a worldwide internet simulcast. So, for all of you in far-off lands, stay tuned and we will let you know soon the station or url where you can check out the show.

We also have a couple of photos from the last show up on our blog now and are expecting a few more.


Screaming Skunk
www.doglegpreacher.com
www.screaming/skunk.com


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BOB ACTON'S NEWEST PHOTOS FROM STELLAR CAST BLUES SHOWCASE


Greetings, everyone.

Below is a link to photo galleries that I've taken at Mike and Corky's Stellar Cast Blues Showcase at Irene's Pub in Ottawa, ON, including the latest from May 8, 2008, featuring Dr. Dave, as co-host, and from May 15, 2008, featuring guest co-host Guy Short. It is recommended that the photos be viewed in SLIDESHOW mode so that they appear in full screen view. If you want, you can adjust the slide speed to be faster than the default speed.

http://bacton.smugmug.com/share/cFoCZfrollzaE

Comments and criticism are welcome. Please let me know if you have any difficulties viewing the photographs. Contact me if you would like to be added to the distribution list. Enjoy!


Bob Acton
Pathwords Audio Publications

Check out the audio tours at www.Pathwords.com.


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GUELPH CIVIC LEAGUE - SPRING FLING DANCE PARTY - MAY 30




Don't miss this great opportunity to support this great city and have a real good time doing it!

A Fundraiser for the Guelph [ON] Civic League

Featuring James Gordon and His All-Star Band, including: Jude Vadala, Heather MacRae, Sandy Horne, Jesse Turton, Jessy Bell-Smith, Tannis Slimmon, Nabi Loney, Harri Palm, Molly Kurvink. Dennis Gaumond, Sam Turton Jane Lewis, Ashley Condon, Richard Langedyke, Keith Thompson, and Vish Khanna.

Friday, May 30th, at 8 pm

Mitchell Hall (behind St. George's Church, Woolwich St.)

Guelph, ON

Tickets $20 at the Bookshelf, at the door, or by phoning the Guelph Civic League, 519.780.5030

This is a licensed event. Fine finger foods will be available.

Find out more about the Guelph Civic League at: guelphcivicleague.ca


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MARTY MURRAY - CURRENT GIGS (MAY 30 AND ONWARDS)


Howdy, All.

This Friday, May 30, I will be playing at Christina's Pizza on Lakeshore Rd. in St. Catharines, from 9 p.m. to 1 a.m.

On most Saturdays I'm at the Holiday Inn By The Falls at their lounge and outdoor patio, Coco's. That gig starts at 7 p.m. and can go as late as 1 a.m., depending on the weather and the crowd.

Starting this weekend, I will be playing Sunday afternoons at the Maid of the Mist Marketplace from 4:30 pm til 10 pm, ending just before the fireworks display begins, weather permitting.

Thanks & Cheers,



Marty

www.myspace.com/martymurraysingersongwriter


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CLEAR @ JAZZ'OO - OTTAWA, ON - SAT., MAY 30 (7-10 PM)


Hi, folks.

We've been rescheduled at Jazz'oo for this Friday, May 30, from 7-10 p.m. Hope you can come...

We'll make it up to you - it'll be extra special.

SueCity

PS - Tanya - it must be fate... the show was meant for you all along! ha


CLEAR at Jazz'oo
Friday, May 30
7pm to 10pm
Jazz'oo European Bar and Lounge
132 Sparks St.
613-232-6161
www.jazzoobarandlounge.com

-----------------

If you're out and about this Friday, take a detour to downtown Ottawa for dinner and an early evening performance by CLEAR.
We've added a collection of nostalgic jazz and pop standards to complement the intimate atmosphere.
The music and food are divine... come and enjoy.

www.myspace.com/myclear
clearmusic@rogers.com


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Monday, May 26, 2008

TEAM FLAMINGO RED HATTERS PRESENT....TUNES FOR A CURE

AN AMERICAN CANCER SOCIETY RELAY FOR LIFE
CANCER BENEFIT... FESTIVAL

FEATURING 15 TOP NORTHWEST BANDS ON TWO STAGES, SATURDAY, MAY 31st, AT THE MINERAL LAKE EVENT CENTER IN MINERAL, WA.

FROM NOON TO MIDNIGHT. RAIN OR SHINE WITH AN INDOOR/OUTDOOR OPTION, DEPENDING ON THE WEATHER.

Dance and party (while raising funds for the cure) to the music of......The Cee Cee James Band...Stacey Jones and the Wolf Tones....Laurie Miller - solo acoustic....The Tone Kings...Randy Oxford's NW all-stars featuring Brian McGehee, Laurie Miller, Bruce Ransom, Dakota Bob, Jeffrey Beales, Tom Touse, Kevin Schmidt, Mike Anderson and more......The Greg Marshall Band....The Quick Fixx Band....Mariano Silver....Kincaid Avenue....Caravan......Background Noise....Malcolm Clark.....Jerry LaChapelle.....John Sparrow.....Alex Weed....Sydney the Festival Clown, plus many more surprise guests and the legendary late-night jams around the bonfire and in the cafe (all musicians welcome).

Camping, RV, hot showers, food and beverage vendors and fire pit are all on-site. Plenty of other nearby lodging available, too. Come Friday, May 30th, and stay through Sunday, June 1st, if you'd like.

Fishing, boating, swimming and hiking right across the street at Mineral Lake. The Mineral Lake Event Center in Mineral, WA, is located near Mt. Rainier, on the way to Paradise. Only 90 to 120 minutes or less from most major metropolitan areas in Western, WA, as well as Yakima and Portland, OR.

Only $20.00 for a full day of music, dancing and general carrying-on. Kids under 12 get in free when accompanied by a paid adult. Camping is only $10.00 !! Volunteers still needed and will get in free for a 2 to 3 hour shift.

Donated raffle and auction items and services still needed to help raise money for the cure.

Tickets and additional event related information available at:

www.brownpapertickets.com/event/34107
www.randyoxford.com
www.minerallakeeventcenter.com
www.visitrainier.com

..... or by calling C. Blacket (Team Flamingo Red Hatters) at 360-832-3201 or G. Johnson (Mineral Lake Event Center) at 360-492-5039 or Randy Oxford (Oxford Entertainment) at 253-973-9024.

HELP US RAISE MONEY FOR THE CURE WHILE TAKING IN A GREAT MUSIC AND DANCE FESTIVAL !!

Sponsored by Oxford Entertainment LLC, Koutney/Johnson LLC and The Mineral Lake Event Center.


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NEW ARTWORK FROM DIA @ ARAQINTA, THE ILLUMINATION GALLERY



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Sunday, May 25, 2008

MARIE-JOSÉE HOULE AND GINGER ST. JAMES ON "IRON MAIDENS" - MAY 28



Marie-Josée Houle


Ginger St. James


Tune into "Iron Maidens" on CKCU 93.1 FM on Wednesday, May 28, from 3:30-4:30 p.m. EST, for an in-person interview with Ottawa-based artist/musician/craftsperson/activist Marie-Josée Houle. Actress/musician Ginger St. James will also be participating via telephone in Hamilton, ON.


The ladies will be talking about their upcoming double-bill concert at Avant Garde in Ottawa, ON, on Saturday, May 31, Marie-Josée's "Ugly Socks", her 2007 CD, Our Lady of Broken Souls, and an upcoming CD; as well as Ginger St. James' starring role in a film-in-development, "Lucky 7", produced by McMaster University's CFMU 93.3 FM "Soundtrack" host Steven Hayes, her début CD-in-progress; Steeltown Sirens, Hammer City Roller Girls and other socio-political-musical items.









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CLEAR SHOW AT JAZZOO POSTPONED (TO BE RESCHEDULED)
Alert, Folks!

It seems the owner of Jazzoo's double-booked the club on Saturday, May 24, so the CLEAR gig has been postponed and will be rescheduled at a later date (within the next two weeks). I'm so sorry for the short notice.

Take care,

Sue
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MY RECORD LABEL LOOKING FOR MUSIC VIDEOS



My Record Label is looking for Music Videos to feature on My RecordLabel TV. The videos will stream on our new live, 24/7 server at http://www.myrecordlabel.net/.

Sign up today and submit! It's free! And in case you don't know what My Record Label is about…My Record Label is Your Record Label! Our motto is "Empowering the Independent Recording Artist" and that's exactly what we plan to do on My Record Label TV!

My Record Label is 100% free to selected artists, prescreened throughour online A&R Department…Don't be fooled by other sites claiming to offer 100% "free"...At My Record Label there is absolutely no cost whatsoever to be on the site! Artists get to upload songs for free, promote for free, and, yes, My Record Label Artists earn 100% of whatever they want to charge for their digital downloads because "My Record Label" does not participate in the cash flow between artists and their fans!

Artists can win a non-exclusive record deal! Yep, winners of our promotions get to record with us for free and we still take nothing on your downloads because there's no advance to pay back because it's a prize! For examples, just check out the new records by Holly Gleason, Lily Wilson, Kim DiVine, Shane McAnally, Billy Kent and many others who've recorded at My Record Label Recording!

My Record Label artists and bands receive free promotional tools in their profiles and can earn tangible prizes from our affiliates. Each Artist Profile includes free email campaign technology so artists can promote to their fan base FREE, no matter how big their fan base is, all in one shot!

Artists who perform at MyRecordLabel.net events receive free video footage with studio mixed audio of their performance along with an embed code so they can use the video on any of their promotional websites.

Artists can enter our promotions such as opening up for Kenny Loggins, John Waite, Blake Shelton and Ambrosia at the Temecula Valley Balloon & Wine festival!

Artists are reviewed by industry pros such as talent buyers, promoters, or even companies such as Capitol Mastering!

[Message forwarded by www.gogirlsmusic.com]


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GARY17 (W/ ROB MINDERMAN) - BIRTHDAY AND SONGS


The countdown is on – 4 days till my 21,000th birthday party on May 29!

I’m getting excited about next Thursday, May 29! That’s the day I turn 21,000 days old and after a long and very difficult winter I’m in the mood to party! I’m feeling much better these days and my energy levels are pretty much 100% at this point, so this should be a fun night.

Where, you ask? Why at Southside Johnny’s, one of my favourite clubs, located at 3653 Lakeshore Rd. W. in Etobicoke [ON] a block east of Brown’s Line. (It’s easy to get to by transit or car – see below for details.) If you’re confused because you thought the event was going to be at Renaissance Café, don’t be: the club double-booked the night, so I opted to move the show rather than change to another night. As it turns out, this is going to be even better!

The party starts at 8 p.m. with an acoustic open mic on the beautifully appointed stage (with pro lighting and sound). After 10:00 the Skip Tracer band will be on hand to serve as house band for an open stage jam. We’ll have at least three mics, two amps, a bass amp, keyboards and of course a drum kit available. I’ve already received confirmation from a number of performers who’ve committed to come out and play and I have no doubt there will be several surprise acts drop by. And at some point I’ll do some of my originals, almost certainly accompanied by my buddy, Robert Minderman, in our The Forecasters duo formation.

No need to bring a card or gift – just seeing my friends and fans on this special day is all I’m looking for (though of course I never say no to donations for the cause or my meds!). There’s no cover and the food here is excellent and sumptuous and the beer prices are among the most affordable you’ll find anywhere (less than $5 including tax for a draught pint, for example).

Here’s how to get there:

By car: QEW from either east or west, or Hwy 427 south, to Brown’s Line exit. South on Brown’s Line all the way to Lakeshore and turn left (east) and go a couple of blocks and you’ll see the club on the right hand (south) side! Free parking out front, out back and in the lot across the way on 36th Street .

By transit: The Lakeshore GO train goes to Long Branch Station, which is at Brown’s Line just a few blocks west of the club. From LB Go station you can either walk east (if it’s a nice night –about 7 minutes) or go over to the TTC Long Branch terminus and take the Queen St. car to the first stop east of Brown’s Line and you’ll see the club ½ a block east. You can also get to Long Branch TTC terminus via two buses (the #123 from Kipling Station or the #110A from Islington Station) that each run approximately every 15 minutes till after 10, then every 20 minutes or so till around 1 a.m. Last buses to connect with the late subway at the stations go north (you can walk to the Brown’s Line northbound TTC shelter from the club in about 3 minutes) around 12:45 – if you need specific information about that, just ask me, because I’ll have the exact schedule with me at the club (or send me an email and I’ll respond with specifics).

Hope to see you there!



Gary 17
Publisher & Editor, to-nite magazine

Join my to-nite Yahoo Groups website at:

http://to-nite.bigsmokemusic.com

to read all the stories in the current and recent issues.

NOTE: My new phone number: 416-424-1743

To hear two Gary 17 songs open my ReverbNation player window:

http://www.reverbnation.com/tunepak/403385


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Thursday, May 22, 2008

RASPUTINA




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HUNTER VALENTINE GEARING UP FOR CROSS-CANADA TOUR




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Wednesday, May 21, 2008

SIDNEY YORK @ WILDWOOD GRILL & BREW (CALGARY) - MAY 28




Sidney York (a.k.a. Brandi Sidoryk)
Upcoming Gig:
28 May 2008
20:00
Wildwood Grill and Brew Pub
Calgary, Alberta
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MAGGIE MAYALL & THE CADILLACS - PHOTO BY ZAK MAYALL





(Maggie Mayall & The Cadillacs - Keepin' It in the Family - Photo by Zak Mayall)

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DOUG SKOOG AND BLUES ALLIANCE ON MYSPACE




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BECKI SUE & HER BIG ROCKIN' DADDIES! - UPCOMING GIGS (MAY 23-24)


Hey, Blues Fans. You can catch us three... count 'em... three times this weekend!

On Friday, May 23, Becki Sue & her Big Rockin Daddies! will be at the Olympia Eagles in Olympia, WA, for a Cancer Benefit from 8-11 p.m. A $10 donation is suggested.

On Saturday night, May 24, we will beat The Rockfish Grill in Anacortes, WA, from 9-midnight. Great food and beer and nice people, too!

Earlier in the day on Saturday, May 24, is the Tacoma Jazz & Blues Festival. We play at The Harmon Brew Pub from 2-3 p.m.

Check the complete festival schedule below....

SEE YA AT THE SHOWS!

Our award-winning CD, Big City Blues, is now available at CD Mojo as well as CD Baby!

Check it out at http://www.cdmojo.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=central.ShowItem&SKU=2000333&MODE=item

Festival Schedule

Introducing the stars of the 2008 Tacoma Jazz and Blues Festival

www.tacomajazzfestival.com

and it's all FREE!!! All Ages Welcome

Harmon Brewery Blues Stage

Presented by the South Sound Blues Association

www.SouthSoundBlues.com

12:30 -1:30 PM The Randy Oxford Band

2:00 – 3:00 PM Becki Sue & Her Big Rockin’ Daddies!

3:30 – 4:30 PM Maia Santell and House Blend

5:00 – 6:00 PM Nick Vigarino and “Slop Jar Delta Funk”


Big Band Stage

Located at the Freighthouse Square - Main Floor

1:00 – 2:00 PM Johnny Lewis Big Band

2:30 – 3:30 PM Roadside Attraction

4:00 – 5:00 PM Jazz Police

5:30 – 7:30 PM Rich Wetzel’s Groovin’ Higher Jazz Orchestra

Small Jazz Combo Stage

Located at the Freighthouse Square – Downstairs

1:00 – 1:45 PM Cayuce

2:00 – 2:45 PM Rick White

3:00 – 3:45 PM Hook Me Up

4:00 - 4:45 PM David Keys

5:00 – 5:45 PM Ed Taylor


www.bigrockindaddies.com
www.myspace/bigrockindaddies
www.myspace/tboyneal


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GEORGE OLLIVER & GANGBUSTER @ ROC'N DOCS (PORT CREDIT) - MAY 23


GEORGE OLLIVER AND GANGBUSTER return to Roc'n Docs Fri. May 23 in west Mississauga (Port Credit), ON.

George has been off for a while catching his 2nd wind and tending to his new gospel/soul album, which won "Album of the Year" in Durham Region. He's well rested and ready to ""kick @#%&^&"" so don't miss this one

There'll be an all-star cast of Gangbuster, including flying fingers Peter Mueller from "Canadian Idol" on guitar. George will also have CD copies of Greatest Hits of The Mandala and recently re-released NATURAL GAS with George Olliver.

See you at Roc'n Docs on Fri., May 23.

Bless,

Hunter-Hughes Prods
Whitby, ON
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BLUES ELEMENT - LAST WEDNESDAY GIG @ GROSSMAN'S - MAY 28





As in... we'll be taking a bit of a break from playing there on the last Wednesday of every month. Please join Blues Element next Wednesday, May 28, at Grossman's Tavern (Cecil & Spadina, Toronto, ON) any time after 9:30 pm.
No cover, cold beer, an element of blues plus jazz and funk, dancing, and weird & wonderful people.
Cheers,
Jamie & Iain
Blues Element
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Tuesday, May 20, 2008

OTTAWA'S CLEAR @ JAZZ'OO - MAY 24/08




CLEAR at Jazz'oo



Saturday, May 24



5 pm to 9 pm



Jazz'oo European Bar and Lounge



132 Sparks St.



Ottawa, ON

613-232-6161



www.jazzoobarandlounge.com




If you're out and about this Saturday afternoon, take a detour to downtown Ottawa for dinner and an early evening performance by CLEAR.


We've added a collection of nostalgic jazz and pop standards to complement the intimate atmosphere and invited Ken Kanwisher to join us on the double bass.


The music and food are divine... come and enjoy.






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Monday, May 19, 2008

MICHAEL PICKETT - MAY 18 UPDATE


UPCOMING PERFORMANCES

MAY 2008

24..... Axis Gallery and Grill / Toronto, ON
29..... Orleans Restaurant & Jazz Lounge / Newmarket, ON
30..... Trane Studio / Toronto, ON***
31..... Moonshine Cafe / Oakville, ON

JUNE 2008

10..... Dobro Restaurant & Bar / Peterborough, ON
11..... Organic Underground / Belleville, ON
12..... Acoustic Grill / Picton, ON***
13..... Le Zaricot / St-Hyacinthe, QC

***plus some New England dates.***

It's vitally important that you call to reserve at these venues. The Trane Studio and Acoustic Grill are both offering a Dinner and Concert event. Excellent and thoughtful cuisine, my friends. Le Zaricot definitely takes reservations because Michael does extremely well there.

See the Gig page at www.michaelpickett.com for details.

There's a DVD in the works, which is expected to be released before the end of the summer. David Battistella (F8 FILMS) captured a wonderful concert performance as well as fascinating interview footage of Michael getting personal about his music with noted CBC interviewer/ author Laurie Brown.

Stay tuned.

That's it for now.

Hope to see you real soon.

Cheers,


Louise Pickett, Mgr.
Mother Earth Management
PO Box 346
Crystal Beach, ON CanadaL0S 1B0
289 876 9202
mail@michaelpickett.com

www.michaelpickett.com

www.sonicbids.com/michaelpickett
www.youtube.com/michaelpickettsolo
www.myspace.com/michaelpickettsolo
www.cdbaby.com/all/mpickett

-------------------------------------

Would you like to host a House Concert with Michael Pickett?

www.michaelpickett.com/houseconcert.html

LEE OSKAR HARMONICAS 25TH ANNIVERSARY TOUR - MAJOR SUCCESS!

UPCOMING: CROSS-CANADA 'NATIONAL STEEL BLUES TOUR' w. DOC MACLEAN

www.michaelpickett.com/news.shtml


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NEW DATES ADDED TO PLASTIC HEROES & DAVE RAVE EUROPEAN TOUR


Hey, everybody.

It's me again with another late-breaking date to add to this tour. I'll also be playing with the Plastic Heroes tomorrow night (21st) in Cambridge East, UK., at 9:00 pm. The Club is called "Man On The Moon". So our current dates for this tour are as follows:

May 21 - Cambridge UK Man On The Moon at 9pm with Plastic Heroes
May 22 - Liverpool UK Cavern Club at midnight
May 23 - Liverpool UK Lennon's at 5:45 pm
May 24 - Liverpool UK BBC Merseyside - interview & performance live
May 25 - London UK The Rock Gardon 2pm -7pm with Plastic Heroes
May 28 - Paris FR La Rue - Mandres Les Roses, Ile-de-France - 9:00 pm with Plastic Heroes

Having a real cool time so far.

Raver

www.dave-rave.com


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Sunday, May 18, 2008

MISSY BURGESS - LIVE ON "IRON MAIDENS" (CKCU 93.1 FM) - MAY 21/08



Ottawa music and music historian Missy Burgess will be appearing live on "Iron Maidens" @ CKCU 93.1 FM (www.ckcufm.com) on Wed., May 21. The show runs from 3:30 - 4:30 p.m.
"Iron Maidens" show host D.D. Rocker will be showcasing tunes from Missy's latest CD, Lemon Pie (and possibly her debut CD, Pour Me a Song, as well). Additionally, Missy will be talking about her musical literary project entitled Chrysalis.
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SEAN COTTON BAND @ ROC'N DOCS (PORT CREDIT, ON) - MAY 30


The Sean Cotton Band (Sean, Steve Klodt, Steve Skingley and Mike Churchill) returns to Roc'n Docs (Lakeshore Road, one block west of Hurontario, Port Credit, Ontario) on Friday, May 30, 2008 - 10:00 PM. The Road had gotten in the way...this is the band's return to their old stomping grounds. A night of the band's original brand of '70s Arena Rock!!

www.myspace.com/theseancottonband

www.upickedcotton.com

www.soundclick.com/neilcotton

www.myspace.com/neilcotton


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DAVE RAVE,PLASTIC HEROES, ETC., @ CAVERN CLUB (LIVERPOOL) - MAY 22


Hey, everybody.

I’m off to Europe again for another tour. I’ll be playing with Plastic Heroes, and a bill that’s too good to miss. I’m excited that the album that I did with Mark McCarron (In The Blue Of My Dreams) is being released on Bongo Beat in the UK. Plastic Heroes has also just released its new album, so these are sure to be great shows.


BONGO BEAT SHOWCASE TOUR DATES & LINE-UPS

May 22 - Liverpool, UK @ Cavern Club

Dave Rave will be headlining at the infamous Cavern Club in Liverpool as part of the Bongo Beat Showcase on Thursday, May 22.

Line-Up - Front Stage:

4:00 - The Stan Sermons
4:45 - Sparkle*jets UK
5:30 - Susan Hedges & The Other Kind
6:15 - Red Kid
7:00 - Alexis Blue
7:45 - RALPH
8:30 - Adrienne Pierce
9:15 - Kevin Kane
10:00 - Graham Brown
10:45 - Plastic Heroes
11:30 - Ari Shine
12:15 - Dave Rave

May 23 - Liverpool, UK @ Lennon's

Dave Rave will be playing at Lennon's in Liverpool as part of his European tour on Fri., May 23.

Line-Up

1:15 - RALPH
2:00 - Adrienne Pierce
2:45 - Kevin Kane
3:30 - Graham Brown
4:15 - Plastic Heroes
5:00 - Ari Shine
5:45 - Dave Rave
6:30 - Viperlace
7:15 - The Genders
8:00 - The Black Jackals


May 24 - Liverpool, UK @BBC MERSEYSIDE

Dave Rave will be interviewed by Liverpool musicologist and broadcaster Spencer Leigh on BBC MERSEYSIDE during the UK leg of his tour. Watch and listen for it 6:30-8:00 PM GMT.

May 25 - London, UK @ The Rock Garden

Dave Rave is playing along with fellow Bongo Beat Records artists, including Plastic Heroes, among many others. Check it out!

6/7 The Piazza, Covent Garden, London, WC2E 8HA

Time: from 2pm to 7pm - AFTERNOON SHOWCASE


I also want to let you know that on June 6, I’ll be doing a show at the Cadillac Lounge, in Toronto, ON, with Bill Culp and the Memphis Cats.

'hope you can all come down. I’ll be touring all summer, so keep an eye on the website.

Catch you at a show soon.

Raver

www.dave-rave.com


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MARCELO PORTARO SIGNED TO DOG LEG PREACHER



Dog Leg Preacher is proud to announce the signing of Marcelo Portaro. Marcelo is a world-class lead guitar player. At 21 years of age, Marcelo hails from Lima, Peru. Marcelo studied music at the university in Barcelona, Spain. Marcelo brings a new edge to Dog Leg Preacher, with intricate and incredble guitar playing. Reminiscent of past greats like Hendix, Vai, and Satriani, Marcelo moves Dog Legs' sound onto a new playing field. DLP plans to have some new tracks from Marcelo up on their website within the next few months.
---------------------------------------------

Wednesday, May 14, 2008

CONEY HATCH ACCIDENT VICTIM CARL DIXON LOSES AN EYE


Letter from Carl

NEWS UPDATE

May 13, 2008

Dear friends,

First, thank you for being my friends. It's almost a month since my car crash and this has been both the hardest time of my life and the most inspiring. The many injuries which I sustained are a huge challenge to overcome. I'm not allowed to stand on my broken legs or feet for a few more weeks. I'm writing this message with a pen in my left hand because my right hand and forearm were broken. Four days ago I had surgery to remove my very damaged and blinded right eye and to prepare the socket for a prosthetic. These are just some of the difficulties I face each day. The inspiration? That comes in large part from every one of you. Whether you believe it or not, I'm here to tell you that being the recipient of all of this love, positivity, and good wishes has worked for me. Betty reads to me daily the messages that we receive and daily I'm moved to tears. Whether it's a longtime loyal friend or a fan whom I've never met, the messages we're getting are sweet and powerful. Everyone of you is helping my recovery, so I thank each of you with a place in my heart.

Some of you expect and are entitled to a personal reply. Don't be discouraged. When my hands are healed and I have access to a computer, I'll start.

Love and peace to you all,


Carl

www.carldixon.com

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CROSSROADS - UPCOMING GIGS (U.S.) - MAY 16-18


This weekend is a very busy one for The Crossroads Band. Check it out:

Friday evening, May 16th, the band plays a private party in Anacortes, WA. We will stop at Cruisin' Coffee (24 hour) for the ride home, no doubt!

Saturday, May 17th, Crossroads will be performing at Seattle's U District Street Fair on the 47th Street Stage, located at NE 47th Street and Brooklyn Ave NE, Seattle. WA. The band plays from 3pm to 3:45pm. My crystal ball calls for 80 degrees and sunny weather! We hope you can join us. It will be a good time. The U District Street Fair is the granddaddy of street fairs and is celebrating their 39th year!

www.udistrictstreetfair.org

Sunday, May 18th, The Crossroads Band will tear it up at Sunbanks R&B Festival. The fest is located just 3.5 miles south of the Grand Coulee Dam at The Sunbanks Resort. The band plays at 1pm. If you're heading that way this weekend, come by and say Hi.

Go to www.sunbanksfestival.com for directions.

Have a wonderful weekend. We hope to see ya. Check out www.crossroadsblues.net for performance updates!

John Lee
Crossroads


------------------------------------------
PUNK POET PRINCESS AURAL HEATHER (HALEY) RELEASES PRINCESS NUT


FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

P u N k P o E t P r I n C e S s • AURAL Heather’s Princess Nut CD launch celebration @ the Media Club - Vancouver, BC, May 7, 2008

Old School and proud of it, Heather Haley and RPW Records are gearing up for this month’s release of her groundbreaking AURAL Heather CD of spoken-word songs, Princess Nut.

Come celebrate at the official AURAL Heather Princess Nut CD launch, on Thursday, May 29, at 8 PM, at the Media Club in Vancouver, BC. Join us for an evening of stellar music and spoken word with Susan Cormier, Beth Southwell and her band, Tony Bardach of the Pointed Sticks, Kedrick James, emcee Kyle Hawke and AURAL Heather.

AURAL Heather is Heather Haley, Roderick Shoolbraid and “a unique, sublime fusion of song and spoken word.” Shoolbraid is a dazzling guitarist, composer, sound designer and DJ. Haley is a maverick poet, singer, author and media artist often found pushing boundaries and always on the vanguard. “A Canadian national treasure”, Haley started writing verse in high school, influenced by poets like bp Nichol, ee cummings and Susan Musgrave. Her life as a bona fide artist began on the stage of the infamous Smilin’ Buddha, fronting the all-girl punk band, The Zellots. She was a member of The 45s with Randy Rampage and Brad Kent of DOA and The Avengers. Later she formed HHZ—Heather Haley & The Zellots—praised by LA Weekly music critic Craig Lee as one of “Ten Great Bands”.

“Supple and unusual”, her work asks all the questions a nice girl’s not supposed to ask. Haley is a gutsy and compelling performer who enjoyed a stint as an official BC Transit busker and has appeared at the Burning Word Festival, the Vancouver International Writers Festival, Crush Champagne Lounge, the Lamplighter Pub, Rime, Thundering Word Heard, the Art Bar in Toronto, Words & Music in Montreal, the Bowery Poetry Club in New York City, Red Sky Poetry Theatre in Seattle, Shakespeare & Sons in Prague, the Roar Lit Crawl with Edmonton’s Raving Poets band and on CBC and Book Television.

In 2004, she teamed up with Roderick Shoolbraid to produce a series of live shows and their first CD, Surfing Season. As Haley returns to her roots, their sound has evolved into the spoken word songs of AURAL Heather. This is “brawny, uncompromising language from a voice that demands to be reckoned with” and there is nothing precious or flowery about the poetry on Princess Nut. It rocks, in more ways than one!

RPW Records is an independent label in British Columbia, Canada, that showcases, promotes and sells independent music. They produce the compilation albums, Violet Femmes and Music for Coffee Beings.

Further information on AURAL Heather and Heather Haley is available through her website, http://www.heatherhaley.com as well as four tracks from Princess Nut.

# # #

Pam Southwell
RPW Records
http://www.reverbnation.com/tunepak/378858
http://www.myspace.com/rpwrecords
http://www.myspace.com/musicforcoffeebeings
http://www.myspace.com/violetfemmes

Sign up for Pam's Blog at http://violetfemmesmusic.blogspot.com

You will find write-ups, news and video of female artists who come to Pam's attention.

Watch Pam's RPWMusic YouTube channel for video from amazing artists Pam loves.

http://ca.youtube.com/rpwmusic

CONTACT:

Pam Southwell-RPW Records
rpwrecords@hotmail.com

http://www.rpwrecords.com

http://www.heatherhaley.com


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FREE MONKEYGRINDER CD DOWNLOAD BY ROB TOGNONI


Hi, All!

I hope all is going well for you! Just a short one to let you know I am giving you a free download of my 2001 Monkeygrinder CD (in a zip file in 160K MP3 format). It's also free to share with whomever you wish. Just go to the front page and you will see the link.

http://www.robtognoni.com


Upcoming gigs for May & June are:

May

15 Thu - Poland PIEKARY SLASKIE - CK Andaluzja
16 Fri - Poland POZNAN - Dom Kultury
17 Sat - Poland NOWA SÓL - Spring Rock Festival
18 Sun - Poland LEGNICA - Centrum Kultury
21 Wed - England NORTHHAMPTON - The Maltshovel Tavern
23 Fri - England BATTLE SUSSEX - Black Horse Festival
24 Sat - England WITNEY / OXFORD - Fat Lil's
25 Sun - England LEICESTER - The Musician
30 Fri - Germany MUNICH - Hide-Out
31 Sat - Germany MILTENBERG - Big Mama Live

June

01 Sun - Holland EINDHOVEN - Wilhelmina
06 Fri - Belgium MOL - Meulenberg
07 Sat - Germany MÜLHAUSEN - Kulturfabrik
08 Sun - Germany ARNSTADT - Jungfernsprung
14 Sat - Holland SITTARD - Take A Walk Festival
27 Fri - Czech SALAS - Blues Festival

That's it! Take care!

Kind Regards.


Rob


http://www.robtognoni.com
http://www.myspace.com/robtognoni


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WATERMELON SLIM AND THE WORKERS & BLUES FOUNDATION AWARDS


Watermelon Slim and the Workers Win Top Industry Honors for "Band Of The Year" and "Album Of The Year"

The NorthernBlues Music release, The Wheel Man, wins "Album of the Year" over peers Koko Taylor, Bettye LaVette and Jimmie Vaughan.

Watermelon Slim and the Workers won a pair of awards at the Memphis-based Blues Foundation’s 2008 Blues Music Awards (formerly W.C. Handy Awards) on Thursday, May 8, 2008, at the Grand Casino Event Center in Tunica, Mississippi.

Watermelon Slim is a relatively new luminary of the blues, rapidly building a career behind four albums and constant touring. In 2008 Slim was nominated for six awards, a feat matched only by the likes of B.B. King, Buddy Guy, and Robert Cray. Slim has had 12 nominations in the last two years, a feat unmatched in the event’s 29 years.

Slim, his band, and the album have been steadily building praise preceding these two Blues Music Awards. The legendary Jerry Wexler penned the liner notes of the award-winning album, which also won the Independent Music Award for ‘Blues Album of the Year.’

Watermelon Slim and the Workers have long been leading earners for their exclusive booking agency, Intrepid Artists. Among other accolades, the band also won the 2008 Maple Blues Award for "International Artist of the Year".

The Toronto-based world/roots/blues label NorthernBlues Music has released the last two Watermelon Slim & The Workers CDs. A self-titled album was released in February 2006. The Wheel Man was released in April 2007 and debuted in the top ten on Billboard’s Blues Charts. It was produced by Chris Wick and features keyboardist David Maxwell and Chicago blues legend Magic Slim on the title track. As mentioned earlier, Jerry Wexler wrote the liner notes, yet had to decline a producer role due to health issues.

Owner of NorthernBluesMusic, Inc., Fred Litwin beams, "I can't tell you how proud I am of Watermelon Slim - these awards show that the fans recognize he is the most authentic and honest bluesman out there". These are not lighthearted words, considering Litwin’s label launched the likes of Otis Taylor and Janiva Magness into worldwide recognition and their own bevy of awards.

Born in North Carolina, raised in Boston, Bill ‘Watermelon Slim’ Homans was schooled at Middleberry College until he enlisted in Vietnam. While laid up in an Army hospital, he taught himself upside-down, left-handed guitar with his military-issued Zippo [lighter] as a slide and a plastic pick cut from the top of a coffee can. He has been a truck driver, watermelon farmer, sawmiller, funeral officiator and small-time criminal. He’s earned two Masters' degrees in history and journalism and hauled industrial waste.

In the early 2000s, a near-fatal heart attack clarified his focus on mortality and he hit the road on a new career as a singing/songwriting/guitar-playing/harmonica-blowing/performing bluesman. The highly anticipated follow up to The Wheel Man is entitled No Paid Holidays and features Lee Roy Parnell on slide guitar. No Paid Holidays hits the street June 24, 2008, on NorthernBlues Music, via Redeye Distribution.

For almost three decades, the Blues Music Awards (and previously the W.C. Handy Awards) have celebrated excellence in performance and recording of the blues. For more information about the Blues Foundation and the Blues Music Awards, visit www.blues.org.

www.watermelonslim.com

www.northernblues.com

Label/Radio:

Pamela at NorthernBlues - info@northernblues.com

Publicity & Media:

Michael McClune - michael@michaelmcclune.net

Bookings:

Intrepid Artists
704.358.4777 or staff@intrepidartists.com

Management:

Chris Hardwick at Southern Artists - chris@southernartist.net

Message forwarded by Dave King - dking@modempool.com


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CRAZY AUNT MARY IN NORTH HOLLYWOOD FOR HEP C AWARENESS


Doug, Steve, and Michelle are putting on a show to benefit Hep C and Organ Donation Awareness at Hallenbeck's in North Hollywood, with special guests Annette Conlon, Lauren Adams, and Lisa Johnson! The cover is $5, and it will go to support this important cause.

Hep C testing will also be available.

Hallenbeck's has great food, and Crazy Aunt Mary will perform new material with a little help from their friends!


Friday, May 16, 2008 - 8 p.m.

Hep C Awareness

Hallenbeck's
5510 Cahuenga Blvd.
North Hollywood, CA
818-985-5916

Cover $5

For more info about Hep C Awareness, go to:

http://www.hepcaware.org

See you Friday!!


Mich, Steve, and Doug
Crazy Aunt Mary

http://www.crazyauntmary.com


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Monday, May 12, 2008

JORDAN REIMER - UPCOMING PERFORMANCES



Thursday, May 15, 2008

Lestats West • www.lestats.com

San Diego, CA
9:00 PM
i

with Shawn Pander

Saturday, May 17, 2008

Temecula Music Fest 2008

Temecular, CA
All Day
i

Visit http://www.temeculamusicfest.com/ for the most up-to-date info.

$10 or $25 for three day pass


Sunday, June 15, 2008

2008 San Diego County Fair / Flower Show Stage

Del Mar, CA
6:00 PM
i

See me perform on Flower Show Stage at 6:00....thanks for the support

Friday, June 20, 2008

2008 San Diego County Fair / Paddock Stage

Del Mar, CA
2:00 PM
i

See me perform on Paddock Stage at 2:00....thanks for the support


Lollicup with Scarlett Rhys

Escondido, CA
7:00 PM
i

THE LOLLICUP CAFE

Coffee & Tea

119 East Grand Avenue

Escondido, CA

www.jordanreimer.com

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STONY PLAIN'S E-MAIL NEWS #47 (EXCERPTED)


Spring is here. New releases abound by Duke Robillard and Amos Garrett, and plans are in the works for powerful new music from New Guitar Summit, Rory Block, Big Dave McLean, Joe Louis Walker, and a wonderful made-in-Alberta alt.country newcomer, Tim Hus.

The late Jeff Healey's Mess of Blues CD

The response to Jeff Healey’s Mess of Blues CD has been remarkable — including a #1 spot on Billboard’s blues chart. I was privileged to participate with a parade of stars from the rock, blues and jazz worlds at two wonderful celebrations in Toronto last weekend. Meeting the likes of Jack Bruce and Ian Gillan, not to mention all the great Canadian artists who paid tribute to Jeff’s life and music, was a joyful experience. Jeff must have been smiling.

HOLGER PETERSEN

In the planning stages

TWO NEW SIGNINGS AND A RAFT OF UPCOMING RELEASES

• Joe Louis Walker has become a Stony Plain artist. Duke Robillard will produce the veteran bluesman’s Stony Plain debut, and the first sessions have already taken place. With 18 CDs in his back catalog (many for the now-defunct HighTone label, and later for Polygram/Gitanes), Walker is an international artist who frequently performs in Europe, Japan and Australia, and who constantly performs in the United States and Canada.

With university degrees in music and English, he has a wide knowledge of a variety of blues styles — thus making an instant connection with Robillard, who equally relishes the ability to draw from different colours on the blues palette. Stony Plain plans to release the Joe Louis Walker CD in the fall.

• The second New Guitar Summit CD for Stony Plain is a tour de force for guitarists (and guitar fans) everywhere. The Summit consists of Gerry Beaudoin, Jay Geils and Duke Robillard, and the new release is titled Shivers (SPCD-1328).

Canadian rocker Randy Bachman — still touring with The Guess Who and fondly remembered for "Taking Care of Business" with Bachman Turner Overdrive — is the special guest, and contributes some sparkling guitar work, and an especially laid-back vocal on two Mose Allison’s classics, "Your Mind is On Vacation" and "Everybody’s Crying Mercy". Shivers will be released in Canada on June 10, and in the United States and internationally on July 8.

• A new signing to Stony Plain, Tim Hus offers roughneck alternative country music, Alberta style, with down-home songs and real affection and understanding of western Canada. His first CD, Bush Pilot Buckaroo (SPCD 1336), will be released in Canada June 3. Both Ian Tyson and Corb Lund are fans; Corb is telling folk: "Tim’s awesome. He’s one of my favorite Canadian songwriters. Nobody captures the rough-and-ready frontier imagery better than him."

• Rory Block has just about finished recording her debut for Stony Plain. Titled Blues Walkin' A Man: A Tribute to Son House. This is going to be a very special CD, with cool contributions from John Sebastian on harmonica. The label is hoping for a release in late summer or the early fall.

• Big Dave McLean’s third CD for Stony Plain is called Acoustic Blues: Got ’Em from the Bottom. Expect a release in summer. Look for more on this special release by a legendary Canadian artist in the next Newsletter.

News From Stony Plain's Information Desk

Well, if the Virgin Festival’s going to happen in Calgary (and it’s set for June 21-22), you’ve got to have a taste of country. Which is why Corb Lund & The Hurtin’ Albertans will be playing the event — along with The Tragically Hip, the reformed Stone Temple Pilots, Flaming Lips, and The New Pornographers. Corb’s also playing the Ottawa Blues Festival.

The Indie Acoustic Project has announced the winners of their "Best CDs of 2007" Awards, celebrating the best in innovative independent acoustic music. Only one Canadian artist made the winners’ circle — Corb Lund earned the nod for "best lyrics" and his Horse Soldier! Horse Soldier! album.

Ronnie Earl has a new Website and MySpace page: Check out http://www.ronnieearl.com/ and www.myspace.com/ronnieearlandthebroadcasters. Note, too, that the page lists four upcoming dates in the North East, including a May 17 show at the famed Iron Horse Music Hall in Northampton, MA.

Duke Robillard has a raft of festivals coming up this summer:

May 10 — Blind Willie McTell Festival, Thomson, Georgia
June 5 — Chicago Blues Festival, Chicago, Illinois
June 7 — Waterfront Blues Festival, Toronto, Ontario
June 18 — Puistoblues, Järvenpää, Finland
July 24 — Party in the Park, Rochester, NY
Sept. 21 — Great Atlantic Blues and Beyond Festival, Halifax , Nova Scotia

Duke Robillard Swingin Session Hits The Ball Out Of The Park

Duke Robillard has long been a keynote artist for Stony Plain, and his new record for the label, A Swingin’ Session with Duke Robillard (SPCD-1331), finds him in yet another groove. With a raft of cool guests and sidemen, this collection of medium-paced swing tunes is a perfect reminder of days when jazz and R&B met head on, and provided perfect music for dancing and late-night jamming. As always, Robillard chooses solid tunes for the players to groove on — some standards like "Deed I Do", "The Lonesome Road", "When Your Lover Has Gone" and "The Song is Ended", and a couple of originals ("Swinging With Lucy Mae" and "Red Dog"). Other highlights include Hot Lips Page’s rocking "They Raided the Joint" and Ray Charles’ "Them That Got".
Writer and critic Bob Porter says, in his sleeve note, that this is "an album for everyone, be they blues lover or jazz fan. It is joyful, timeless music."

Certainly the players here, including Bruce Katz on piano and organ, sax players Scott Hamilton, Doug James and Gordon "Sax" Beadle, and brass players Carl Querforth, Al Basile and Dave Ballou, all sound like they’re having the session of their lives. Music like this, though, depends on a gently rocking rhythm section, and Mark Texiera (drums), Marty Ballou, John Packer and John Williams (who alternate in the bass chair) are joined on seven tracks by Paul Kolesnikow on acoustic guitar.

Needless to say, Duke’s electric guitar and his laid-back vocals set the tone; this is a late night record that swings. Once again, Robillard has switched pace — and once again made a distinctive CD that is a worthy addition to his impressive catalog.

Jeff Healey's "Mess Of Blues" Hits#1 on Billboard Blues Chart

The response to Jeff Healey’s final blues/rock record, Mess of Blues (SPCD-1333), has been remarkable. Uniformly positive reviews, airplay around the world, and major view numbers on several YouTube videos have helped make the CD a major success — and pushed it to the #1 spot on the Billboard blues chart.

A pair of tribute celebrations to honour Jeff’s life and music were held in Toronto. More than 2500 people turned out for a show that featured Jack Bruce (Cream), Ian Gillan (Deep Purple) Randy Bachman, Colin James, David Wilcox, and dozens more. The following day, no less than seven Toronto classic jazz bands, with friends from LA and New York, celebrated the classic music of the ’20s and ’30s, which Jeff loved so much.

Five Questions for Amos Garrett

Q: What attracted you to Percy Mayfield?

A: For one, it was the fact that his vocal range was the same as mine. He was the godfather of all the real low range singers like Barry White and Brook Benton. They all learned from Percy. And his songs are so powerful. Most of it was pretty depressing stuff . . . A lot of his life was a serious struggle because of the accident (a 1952 car crash which left him with a facial disfigurement) and he had a real problem with the bottle, too. But I just felt he was one of the most masterful survivalists.

Q: Did you ever see Mayfield play live?

A: Once, very late in his life, and it was a disastrous night. He did two shows, one in Emeryville, which is between Berkeley and Richmond in (California's) East Bay. And the next night he did a show in Marin County . . . I decided to go to the show in East Bay because I thought it would be more of his kind of audience. It was a very large club called Ruthies and it was sold out. There was a very upscale black audience. Percy was just a wreck. Really f**ked up. It was a shame to see it. I figured the next night in Marin County would be the show to miss. It was this very upscale white neighbourhood. But apparently, he was just phenomenal the next night. Elvin Bishop went to that show and Elvin said he was brilliant. Unbelievable. I picked the wrong night.

Q: Your first big break came playing with Ian and Sylvia Tyson's Great Speckled Bird (1969). This was a pioneering country-rock band. Did you realize at the time what sort of ground the band was breaking?

A: Ian called me up because he wanted to form a full-size country band, but with a heavier hitting rhythm section . . . We knew we had something different going on when the band came together and we started rehearsing. We did the album in Nashville and all these local musicians kept dropping by the studio constantly. There was such a buzz around town about what we were doing.

Q: Your Wikipedia page online says you played with Anne Murray on the "Snowbird" recording sessions. Really? You and Anne Murray?

A: I didn't play on that single. A lot of people think I did. Actually, I think I played on every other song on her first four or five records. The one tune I didn't play on was "Snowbird". Anne was rarely in the studio with us. She'd come in and do her vocals after we got all the basic rhythm tracks done. But I met her on several occasions and she was a very nice person.

Q: You were born in Detroit, raised in Toronto and you spent much of your career living all over the U.S., depending on who you were playing for. What finally drew you to Alberta?

A: I'd been coming to Alberta for many years on hunting and fishing trips with my father and my younger brother. The first time I ever came here and saw this place I said 'I gotta live here someday. This is like paradise for me.' And when I decided to form my own band, be a frontman and sing, I decided to do it in Canada. It had a much healthier nightclub scene at the time, especially on the western circuit. So between the strength of that nightclub circuit and my hunting and fishing jones I said, 'Southern Alberta is the place for me.' That was back in 1989.

Get Interactive with Stony Plain

Check the new Stony Plain website to buy music, go through the back catalog, get bio information on our artists, and read news from past newsletters:

www.stonyplainrecords.com/web

You send snail-mail to P.O. Box 861, Edmonton, Alberta, T5J 2L8, Canada. Our phone number is (780) 468-6423, and we still have a fax machine: (780) 465-8941.

If you want to get on this list, need media information, review or airplay copies, etc., please get in touch with newsletter editor Richard Flohil:

rflohil @ sympatico.ca, or call (416) 351-1323.


--------------------------------------------
VIOLET FEMMES SHOWCASE @ NEW MUSIC WEST


RPW Records presents the "Violet Femmes Showcase", an electric, eclectic collection of wildish women, at the Libra Room (Vancouver, BC) on Sat., May 17, 2008, starting at 7:45.

Zoe Scott is travelling all the way from California with her band. JUNO nominee Fara Palmer (Best Aboriginal Album 2008) will be interrupting her tour to be here to perform at the showcase. They join Vancouver's Beth Southwell and Australia's psychedelic folk rockers The Jilted Brides at THE LIBRA ROOM as part of NEW MUSIC WEST 2008.

Come and join us at 7:45 on Saturday, May 17, at THE LIBRA ROOM for an exciting evening of VIOLET FEMMES/RPW RECORDS MUSIC. Tickets are $10 at the door, or get the NMW wristband for $30.00 and enjoy all the NMW shows. This is a great night in the making, with charismatic women performing in a variety of genres and multi-media entertainment, with The Jilted Brides including video backdrops in their show.

'A very exciting, eclectic collection of wildish women'

Zoe, Fara, Beth and The Jilted Brides are all available for radio, TV and media interviews. For information on the artists performing, you may visit their websites:

http://www.zoescott.com
http://www.sonicbids.com/zoescott

http://www.musicfarapalmer.com
http://www.sonicbids.com/farapalmer

http://www.myspace.com/bethsouthwell
http://www.sonicbids.com/twotallwomen

http://www.myspace.com/thejiltedbrides

Zoe Scott will also be performing with her full band at The Chapel on Thursday, May 15th. This extra venue has been added for Zoe and we are so pumped to have this Violet Femme at the Thursday night showcase, along with the Monica Lee Band and others.

About the Violet Femmes CD compilation project

Violet Femmes is a compilation CD featuring 18 talented women from around the world. There is rock, new age, singer/songwriter, pop and more. The music is as diverse as the soil these women spring from. This CD is a gathering of strong women artists of all ages and from all walks of life.

Pam Southwell and RPW Records, the creators of the project, have been hosting showcases in Vancouver to promote and support the women on the CD. November saw Emma Ninel from Denmark and Beth Southwell perform at the Vancouver East Cultural Centre. In March, Adriana Lorenzi traveled from Venuezuela to perform alongside Toronto’s Laura Aidanblaise at the Firehall Arts Centre.

RPW Records also supports women artists not on the compilation, and Kola Collective were also featured at the March show. Australia’s The Jilted Brides have been added to the May 17th Libra Room Showcase as a special feature.

http://www.myspace.com/violetfemmes
http://www.violetfemmes.ca/Home

About RPW Records

RPW Records is an independent label in British Columbia, Canada, that showcases, promotes and sells independent music. They produce the compilation albums, Violent Femmes and Coffee Music for Coffee Beings.

RPW Records will be releasing Princess Nut, a spoken-word song CD by AURAL Heather on May 29th at the Media Club.

http://www.rpwrecords.com

Pam Southwell
RPW Records

http://www.reverbnation.com/tunepak/378858
http://www.myspace.com/rpwrecords
http://www.myspace.com/musicforcoffeebeings
http://www.myspace.com/violetfemmes

Sign up for Pam's Blog at http://violetfemmesmusic.blogspot.com.

You will find write ups, news and video of female artists who come to Pam's attention.

Watch Pam's RPWMusic YouTube channel for video from amazing artists Pam loves.

http://ca.youtube.com/rpwmusic


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