- - Review
Loyal Blues Fellowship Inc.
is a volunteer not-for profit community Blues Society serving Quinte West, Belleville, Prince Edward and Northumberland Counties. Bay of Quinte Country
and Great Waterway regions.
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BITs
We are proud
affiliates of the International Blues Foundation with
an active local
Blues in The Schools Program

Polarbear
 We would like to  thank our friends   from the Montreal  and Ottawa Blues
Societies for giving
all of the Canadian artists at the International Blues Challenge
an opportunity to participate in
this new Showcase in Memphis.

Charter members of the
Canadian Blues Alliance Inc.
enjoying the after party at the 2012 Maple Blues Awards.


 We would like to  thank our friends   from the Montreal  and Ottawa Blues
Societies for giving
all of the Canadian artists at the International Blues Challenge
an opportunity to participate in
this new Showcase in Memphis.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


Each year we hold regional competitions to select a
BAND and SOLO DUO act to represent us in Memphis'

International Blues Challenge
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Road to Memphis Challenge
JesseRoper
2012 Kim Pollard Band
      Jesse Roper, Solo

2011 Bad Poetry Band
      Mark Taylor, Solo

2010 Matt Smith

2007 Elyssa Mahoney
     Robert Farrell Band

2006 Tim Campbell

IBC Logo


Lifetime Members
Julian Fauth Rick Fines
Danny Brooks Gary Kendall
Morgan Davis Mako Funasaka
Kris "K.K." & "Sameday" Ray Walsh

The Fellowship has
an active Blues In
The Schools (BITS) program. Contact us if you are interested.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


 

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Low Country Blues: Gregg Allman
I love all the old blues musicians and I am a big fan of the Allman Brothers, but mostly of the Duane Allman era albums. Not that I dislike the current incarnation, its just that I tend to lean towards the early albums when listening. I must also say that I was never a huge fan of Greggs solo albums. But Low Country Blues is hands down a great album. There is not one song that I would consider to be filler. The production on the entire album is outstanding. Each instrument adds as much to the song as Greggs voice. The entire album is laid back with a steady infectious groove. The songs are fairly short and concise, none overstaying their welcome in a too long jam session. Gregs voice fits these songs like he was born to sing them (which, with his voice, he certainly was born to sing the blues). I've seen another review of someone complaining that this was a T bone album with Gregg simply singing on it. The fact of the matter is I don't care who did what or why. This is probably my favorite blues album to be released in the past ten years and these traditional songs have only been elevated by the work of everyone involved on this project.

 
 

Blues: Jimi Hendrix
Never been one for screaming guitars and Jimi want to be’s. But over the 40 past years, I have grown appreciative of the talents of the late Jimi.  What he brought to the stage was by no means new, yet his approach to music was, and his use of the tech of the day was inspiring.  Can we dare compare him to Robert Johnson in his ability to combine the new with the old and advance the genre, into the ....? This CD & DVD really lets light shine on Jimi's personality and at points makes you grin. At other points it haunts you with his memory, and at others it just puts you in awe. The beginning song is incredibly genuine Hendrix with a 12 string acoustic and the Voodoo Chile blues is a freaky blues song that is not a lyrical take off on Voodoo Chile Blues slight return. The most of the songs show a quirky fun loving Hendrix that is just getting into the music the way it should be, and Born Under a Bad Sign shows up and shows off Jimi's talent for melody and never ending notes that ride halfway across songs. This is an album full of brilliant and vivid long blues progressions and ends with the best I've ever heard Hendrix play, doing Electric and live version of Hear My Train a'comin and it is utterly awesome. And as an added bonus, the booklet that comes inside the cd cover is literally a booklet as in a mini-book. It's a Hendrix bio that is worth the price of the cd itself, and you'll probably read it a few times.

 
  BOOK: Children of the blues    AUTHOR: Art Tipaldi
At last, a book on the blues that features contemporary artists, let's them tell their story and doesn't simply repeat the same old biographical details, and bridges the gap to the blues artists of the past. There's something here for all blues fans, whether they prefer the bluesmen and women of previous generations (like Muddy Waters and Walter Horton) or those of today.
   If you want to learn every single detail about the life of the featured artists (the 49 contemporary artists chosen or those that they talk about) then this probably isn't the book for you. If however you want to find out more about their personalities then this is a must buy. Blues is about feeling and is based on experience and this book gives a great insight into the events that have shaped the music of some of today's foremost artists.
   This book offers first-person recollections from a new generation of artists who applied the musical and life lessons of the fathers of the blues, stoking the 1960s blues revival that continues today. It focuses on 49 current musicians who preserve traditional blues forms while infusing them with fresh voices and lessons. Artists covered include: Rory Block * Taj Mahal * Robert Cray * Junior Watson * Charlie Musselwhite * Stevie Ray Vaughan * Marcia Ball * Duke Robillard * Bob Margolin * Tommy Shannon * Keb' Mo' * and many more.

 
 

BETWEEN A ROCK AND THE BLUES - Joe Louis Walker
Veteran blues guitarist and singer Joe Louis Walker's latest album finds him in excellent form, leading a band straw-bossed by producer and fellow guitarist Duke Robillard, along with Bruce Katz on keyboards, Jesse Williams on bass, Mark Teixeira on drums, Doug James on saxophones, Carl Querfurth on trombone and Sugar Ray Norcia on harmonica and a guest appearance by guitarist Robin Eubanks. Walker melds deep blues with soulful R&B like few others and this album is a fine addition to his catalog. Highlights include the torrid uptempo "Eyes Like a Cat" and the very exciting "If There's a Heaven" where Walker makes good use of his background as a gospel singer in the vocal, but never lets people forget that he's a stone bluesman as well with a righteous guitar solo. He explores some topical blues on the recession themed "Way Too Expensive" that even includes a nice swipe at a former American president and his propensity to waste blood and treasure for no discernible gain. There are a few nice down in the alley slow blues as well, "Blackjack" originally written by Ray Charles is a gambling blues about love and loss that is sung with heart rendering poignancy by Walker. Same for the broken hearted blues "Hallways" which lets the band stretch out into a deep soulful slow groove. Continuing a trend from his last few albums, Walker finishes on acoustic guitar and harmonica on "Send You Back," a nice traditional sounding back porch blues. This is another fine album from Joe Louis Walker, who is one of the most consistently brilliant bluesmen performing right now. With a deep soulful voice and strong supple guitar work, Walker is the complete package, and this album should make blues fans very happy.

 
 

The “Ultimate Blues Band From the Heartland”.1861

I have had the privilege of watching these boy’s play, at a house party in Cobourg, ON, and I can tell you this is the real stuff. Close your eyes and you are there. If you are into that raw Bluey feeling crossing Junior Kimbrough, and R. L. with Hound Dog Taylor you will luv this. Not as hard rock/punk as the Black Keys, definite party music.

Hailing from Kansas, Moreland & Arbuckle have seen more success in the past two years than most musicians dream about. Since being a Finalist at the 2005 International Blues Competition (IBC), they have seen their fan base grow exponentially. During the past two years they have performed at several major blues festivals and the band has performed over 700 gigs in the past five years.

Moreland & Arbuckle’s blistering live shows have become nothing short of legendary. Moreland & Arbuckle are clearly a must see for any music enthusiast. Not only are they keeping a strong blues tradition alive, but they are pushing it into new boundaries for generations to come.

 
  JUST BETWEEN US - Clarence Spady

Welcome back Clarence! Anyone familiar with Clarence Spady understands. Rarely does an artist emerge that is the REAL DEAL. Clarence touches the soul in ways that can't be explained with words.

In the mid-1990s, guitarist Clarence Spady was widely-considered to be the next big thing in blues music. A virtuoso on the fretboard and a soulful vocalist, Spady had plenty of upside, and expectations among blues fans and the biz were high.

Just Between Us isn't your typical blues album, instead more of a mixture of supercharged-soul, raucous R&B, and slick urban blues (with muted rock & roll influences). Spady possesses a rough-edged voice, definitely reaching at times, while nailing other performances with a distinctive vocal flair.
  It is Clarence Spady's skills as a songwriter and talent as a guitarist that rise above everything else on Just Between Us, the artist creating an intelligent and unique personal style. Spady's typically understated, and sometimes spectacular fretwork imbues each song with color, and his tales of love gone wrong, or the struggle to keep romance alive, are both well-written and universal in appeal. This is blues music for the 21st century: lively, sophisticated, and proud of its roots.

 
  ALABAMA BLUES: Rare and Intimate Recordings from the Tragically Short Career of the Great Chicago Bluesman
J.B. Lenoir's final two albums before his death in 1967 may well have been his crowning achievements. Alabama Blues (1965) and Down in Mississippi (1966), both produced by Willie Dixon, were recorded for the German label L & R, and both featured stripped down acoustic arrangements that recast Lenoir as a Southern folk-blues troubadour. Lenoir's lyrics on these two albums (which have been packaged on one CD as Vietnam Blues by Evidence) approached pure poetry as he skewered racism and other cultural ailments with a fiercely focused passion. Some of the tracks featured the veteran Chess drummer Fred Below, as well as an occasional backing vocal turn by Dixon. Alabama Blues, recorded in Chicago in 1965, appears to be made up of outtakes from those sessions, or possibly rough home demos done to get a feel for the direction Lenoir wanted to go. These tracks aren't as rare as the subtitle suggests (JSP released the same tracks -- with a different running order -- as One of These Mornings in 2003), but they make a perfect addendum to the single disc Vietnam Blues release on Evidence. Lenoir sounds somehow both relaxed and intense on these short pieces, and his agenda of both personalizing and politicizing the blues is well in evidence on songs like "Alabama Blues" and the harrowing "Remove This Rope." Fred Below plays drums on "God's Word," while Dixon adds some background vocals here and there, and gently interviews Lenoir at a couple of points. Had Lenoir survived into the early '70s, his sharp writing, his emerging experiments with African rhythms (which he called "African Hunch"), and his fierce determination to speak the truth may well have made him an international star on the order of Bob Marley. Fate took over, though, and Lenoir was all but forgotten at the time of his death, and continues to be too little-known, even in the blues community. His last recordings, including the enticing fragments found on Alabama Blues, are arguably his best, outlining a focused, socially committed direction for the blues.
 
  HOPE RADIO - Ronnie Earl and the Broadcasters

I must warn you that this CD is souly instrumental, and great to sit back an groove on to. The first time listening, I was amazed by the groove laid down. after hours of listening and working I was still refreshed. Dave Limina on the B3 brings back thoughts of early STAX recording artists Booker T. . Long tracks set in the sweet spot only found in a great jams with musicians that love their art.

Two-time W.C. Handy "Guitarist of the Year", Ronnie Earl's influences are the usual, oft-listed legends (Muddy Waters, Big Joe Turner, Otis Rush…) but he sure channels Stevie Ray Vaughn like no one's business. And maybe there are a handful of purists and experts out there who will argue that Earl possesses or does not possess SRV's touch and technique, but I will tell you that he sure has his sound and, most of all, his soul. They may also nit-pick that The Broadcasters—Dave Limina (piano, Hammond B3), Jim Mouradian (bass), Lorne Entress (drums), and guest Michael 'Mudcat' Ward (bass, piano)—may not be as visceral as Double Trouble, but these boys know deep how to hold a groove and swing.

Recorded and filmed earlier this year live at Wellspring Sound in Acton, Massachusetts, 'Hope Radio' blows the doors open with the Santana sounding Eddie's Gospel Groove, slips effortlessly into Bobby's Bop (wherein B3ist Limina conjures Jimmy McGriff), then builds fiercely into the scorching, SRV fueled Blues For The West Side and I Am With You. From there, RE & the B'casters keep their lamps trimmed (Blues for the Homeless) and burning (Wolf Dance and Blues for Otis Rush). A rare solo acoustic turn Katrina Blues bears testimony to the emotional resiliency not only the player, but of the people of the Crescent City. "Hope Radio" unlike 97% of the radio frequencies jamming our airspace, deserves to be—no, strike that—absolutely needs to be heard by everyone, blues aficionado or not.

 
 

ALLIGATOR LOVE CRY - Scrapomatic  

With a fresh take on both urban and country blues, Scrapomatic arrives with a convincing array of raw, outspoken and emotional tracks as they make their Landslide Records debut. ALLIGATOR LOVE CRY, the band's second CD release, demonstrates a solid foundation of potent blues, overlaid with a stunning mixture of jazz, sweet soul, highly charged vocals and a memorable taste of scat. Led by Derek Trucks Band singer Mike Mattison and award winning guitarist/songwriter Paul Olsen, Scrapomatic is accompanied by a savvy group of musicians including newly signed EMI Manhattan artist Kristina Beaty (vocals, fiddle). Alligator

Mattison and Olsen take inspiration from the blues, old-time swing and rough and ready singer songwriters like Frank Morey and Tom Waits. Much like those two gentlemen, Scrapomatic draws character studies and working class tales of love, work and play in its songs. Their music has a rustic feel with acoustic instruments and little brass and other instrumentation on occasion. The up tempo tracks are the one I believe work the best, because they put Mattison's gruff vocals to better use than the ballads like "The Other Side" which drains the scruffy energy out of the music. Stomping fast paced tracks like "Graveside Blues" and "Goddamn Job" make the best use of the duo's minimalistic setup making for a scrappy and endearing sound. This is a fairly good album and shows that the group has a lot of promise. If they can develop some more nuanced songwriting that avoids clinches and develop a sound unique from their influences, this group could make a real statement on the roots music scene.

 

Black Snake Moan Soundtrack - Various Artists

The soundtrack "Black Snake Moan" is like opening Pandora's box for the uninitiated. Those familiar with the hypnotic, drowning, trance-like sounds of the North Mississippi hills a la Fat Possum records will find a lot to enjoy here, including tracks by the actual visible heads of that style, such as the late Jessie Mae Hemphill and SnakeMoanR.L. Burnside.

Samuel L. Jackson as a bona fide blues singer? He might not be the next Muddy Waters, but he delivers convincingly. His outrageous cover of "Stackolee" fronting the R.L. Burnside live unit plus Luther Dickinson from the North Mississippi Allstars is a highlight, but his recitative to eerie bluesy sounds in Blind Lemon Jefferson's "Black Snake Moan" is even better.

The established names showing up in this CD include Bobby Rush, acoustic blues-gospel singer Precious Bryant, Akron-blues-Boys Black Keys, as well as the aforementioned Jessie Mae Hemphill and R.L. Burnside. The soundtrack track, includes a true all-star lineup including the Dickinson brothers and Charlie Musselwhite on harp, and they are uniformly exciting and interesting, keeping a sense of continuity throughout the CD.
In summary, it will definitively attract outside attention to this particular brand of the blues, providing an introductory-level package that will bring on more "true believers". Highly recommended.

Black Snake Moan -Samuel L. Jackson

Earl Klatzel - Painter Artist

Earl was born in Calgary, AB. where he attended the Alberta College of Art, and currently resides today. After years of dedicated focus in his studio Earl has begun to show his reflections & influences of life in the 20th century. His straight forward look at life is characterized in the style and design of his artwork.

007 The figure has always been the dominant drive in his portfolio, but expands into a wider range of themes and topics.

Music and its history is the main theme to his portfolio, covering: Blues Life, Blues & Rock musicians, Classical composers.

His technique & mediums give each series a unique quality. Earl's wide use of mediums allows him the versatility to achieve a desired atmosphere in his paintings. His use of mix-media enhances a unique feeling within the works as well as to individualize a certain series.

Earl's art is collected by corporate and private collectors in: British Columbia, Alberta, Ontario, Quebec & Prince Edward Island.

www.earlklatzel.com

 

Diane Braithwaite & Chris Whiteley - Morning Sunmorninsun

Morning Sun is a really sweet acoustic blues record. It's original and cliché free - which is more than I can say for a lot of blues discs out there.

Morning Sun is a concept album that works very well. It's a tribute to the blues sounds of the '30s and '40s, but here's the thing; Chris and Diana didn't go through their record collections looking for songs from that period that meant something to them, and then cover them.

All 13 songs on Morning Sun are originals but each of them has the vibe of a song cut in the '40s. Check out these tracks....

Birds that Whistle (Diane Braithwaite)

Box Car Blues (Chris Whiteley)

For more info on the artists please visit: www.dianabraithwaite.com and www.chriswhiteley.com

 

Junior Wells - Live at Theresa's 1975

wellsOne of my favorite records of all time is Delmark's 1965 release of Junior Wells' Hoodoo Man Blues (Delmark DLM 612). It has long been said that although a studio album, Hoodoo Man Blues is great representation of a night with Wells at the now lost Theresa's on the South Side. Now with Live at Theresa's 1975 we have the real deal. A true time capsule of the reign of Junior Wells, Junior Wells Live at Theresa's 1975 (Delmark DE 787) was recorded on two different nights, January, 1975. The sound on this recording is very clear and drops you right into the South Side lounge in 1975. Although somewhat thin in spots, as a small room bar often is, it's hardly the result of someone's pocket cassette recorder. Recording engineer Ken Rasek captures the feel of being in Theresa's with a balance and poise not heard in live recording of that era (Rasek recorded the show for a radio broadcast) not to mention the room held only maybe 40 people. The intimacy and closeness of Wells' big personality in such a small native venue is exciting and adds to the classic tracks. You can actually feel Wells command the room. Theresa's was his home.

Come on in this House

Messin'with the Kid

Book: Moanin' at Midnight:
The Life and Times of Howlin' Wolf

howlin"Moanin' at Midnight"-incredibly, the first full-length bio published on this long-acknowledged legendary master of the blues - brings to light the lifelong, Dickensian horrors that transformed Chester "Howlin' Wolf" Burnett's singing into a primal, animalistic wail to forever linger in the soul of all who experience it...
Accounts of murdered fans falling dead at the feet of musicians onstage, of the alcoholic guitar wizard Johnson slashing at the Wolf with his switchblade from slights both real and imagined, of buttocks filled with buckshot fired by spurned lovers, permeate this tale like Wolf's lupine moans imbued his music...
Reading this page-turning, morbidly fascinating biography makes one feel that pain even more comprehensively, while illuminating what made Howlin' Wolf the towering giant, in every sense of the word, he'll remain. "Moanin' at Midnight" earns my highest recommendation not only for blues fans, but for anyone who can appreciate a harrowing and unforgettable yarn.

 

 
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