The Byram Brothers

 

 The Byram Brothers are Garrett Punch & Eric Nagle. Garrett has been writing, performing, recording since 1975 and has been in many bands and has records out on various labels, mainly as a drummer. Eric Nagle and Garrett were competitive bodybuilders in the NPC and NABBA org. and met while doing a bodybuilding show. They decided to team up and were first labeled as The Singing Bodybuilders but later changed that simply The Byram Brothers as they both lived in Byram, Mississippi. They have sung in Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Mississippi, Louisiana and now reside in South Texas.

 https://www.facebook.com/garrett.punch

No Serial Killer

 

 

No Serial Killer is a music concept designed to eliminate murder from society. The band has just completed a 41-track, quadruple-album.

From Nottingham, England. the artist writes all of the songs, played piano in many of them and most of the musicians are from North America. He is a self-taught songwriter/pianist.

 

 https://twitter.com/NoSerialK

 https://noserialkiller.bandcamp.com/album/no-serial-killer

Randie O'Neil

 

Randie O'Neil's storytelling comes from a sincere place. Her work as an adolescent intervention specialist brings a real-world perspective to her lyrics. Drawing on her own life story of having to survive an abusive alcoholic environment as a child, she helps students navigate a complicated world. Through her songs, she conveys a message of understanding and courage to face problems that almost all of us experience at some point in our lives.

Full Moon Rising really explores finding your way through tough times and explores relationships during those tough times.  During the dark times of  Covid 19, Randie found a way to stay connected to her friends and community.  She found a way to explore and expand and even inspire.  Full Moon Rising deals with being cooped up and isolated but determined to stay connected to those who matter most. She felt like every day was full moon and Randie was restless to go out and be able to explore.  She used that energy to write.  “Queen (of the Barstool Two-Step)” examined the nightlife that had changed during covid.  Going to bars was not an option for people and what do you do with the loneliness.  People go out to be with people and not feel so alone.  Some people were brought together during this time and others found a distance between them. “Whispers takes a look at people who were together yet not able to quiet connect.”  “Treat me Right is an infectious  song with a lot of sass that just lays it out what a girl wants from a relationship.”  “Sidewalks” is a catchy singalong.  What Randie missed most was her ability to go out and meet people, to follow the sidewalks to where she wanted to go.  “Daddy’s Pride” is a powerful song that explores her relationship with her abusive alcoholic stepfather.  A parent should nurture and instill pride in a child, Randie was able to find it on her own.

https://www.randieoneil.com

Caroline Parke

 

 " I wrote my first song in 2008, and have been jotting down lines in spurts and starts ever since. Most of the time I use real life experiences, using songwriting to revive all sorts of emotions. There are also songs where I completely make up the entire story line, allowing myself to just let go and dream for an afternoon! (Its a Great Escape!)  

​I am quite isolated on a farm in the middle of cattle country in western Canada. My daily interactions are with my husband and four young children, and my husband`s parents. Thank goodness for the internet, to allow for more visiting! I am always busy with cooking and cleaning and laundry and have a big garden each summer, preserving much of our food, and cooking (almost) every meal from scratch (if you need a recipe, just ask!).

It`s difficult to find any stretch of time to concentrate, but as my friend Tammy says, you can`t get diamonds without pressure. While I am sometimes overwhelmed with simple daily tasks, I find that my mind can often find a glimmer of a small crack, and squeezes out something refreshing, creative, and beautiful, through words and melody."

https://www.carolineparkemusic.com/

Northeast Music Festival

 

 

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

  

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

  

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

  

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

  

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

  

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

  

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

  

A partial list of artists invited to perform include: 

  

3409- Toronto, ON

Ana Lía- Toronto, ON

Anna Smyrk- Melbourne, Australia

Atay & JAX- Halifax, NS

B.Knox- Toronto, ON

Balto- Los Angeles

Bealby Point- Vancouver, BC

Big Smoke Brass Band- Toronto, ON

Black Pontiac- Vancouver, BC

Broken Fires- London, UK

Brooklyn Doran- Peterborough, ON

Buffalo Bill- Toronto, ON

Cam Maclean- Montreal, ON

Chad Price- Toronto, ON

December Rose- Montreal, QC

DESIIRE- Toronto, ON

Diane Coffee- Indiana, Usa

Dover Lynn Fox- Toronto, ON

dwi- Vancouver, BC

Emma Campbell- Toronto, ON

Erez Zobary- Toronto, ON

Faeya- Canada

Fjord Mustang- Toronto, ON

Foolproof- St Catharines, ON

FRANKIE FLOWERS- Waterloo, ON

GETCHNAH- Toronto, ON

GROWERS- Toronto, ON

I, the Mountain- Kitchener, ON

INNR CIRCLE- Toronto, ON

Jeff Beadle- Niagara, ON

Jeremy Voltz- Toronto, ON

Jhyve- Toronto, ON

Joan Smith & the Jane Does- Toronto, ON

Jordan Astra- Toronto, ON

Just Costa- Montreal, On

Kingdom Of Birds- Toronto, ON

Kyara Tetreault- Toronto, ON

Kydd Jones- Austin

Late Night Thoughts- Brooklyn/NYC

Late Night Trouble- Montreal, QC

Lexxicon- Toronto, ON

Lindsey & The Lonelies- London, ON

LOR- Toronto, ON

Luxe- Toronto, ON

Maddisun- Vancouver, BC

Majo- Toronto, ON

Mattie Leon- Hamilton, ON

Mear- Toronto, ON

Mélissa Vales- Ottawa, ON

Michaela Slinger- Vancouver, BC

Mighloe- Toronto, ON

MY ØWN MØNEY- Toronto, ON

Newby- Toronto, ON

No Tourists- Toronto, ON

Olivia Khoury- Montreal, ON

Omega Mighty- Toronto, ON

Osé- Toronto, ON

Paige Warner- Owen Sound, ON

Peter Peres- Toronto, ON

prettyboys- Montreal, QC

Pyramid Theorem- Richmond Hill, ON

Raeshaun- Mississauga, ON

Rise Carmine- Toronto, ON

Sabby Sousa- Toronto, ON

Sleepy Gonzales- Vancouver, BC

Spitty- Brampton, ON

TAKAAYLA- Toronto, ON

Talking Violet- Windsor, ON

The Broken Islands- Vancouver, BC

The Crease Rule- Toronto, ON

The Free Label- Toronto, ON

The Holy Gamblers- Toronto, ON

The Midnight Echo- Vancouver, BC

The Redhill Valleys- Hamilton, ON

The Sarandons- Toronto, ON

Toebow- Brooklyn/NYC

Tripper and the Wild Things- Hamilton, ON

Twice Bleached- Cambridge, ON

Victory- Toronto, ON

Vintage Boring- Toronto, ON

  

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

 

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

www.ThatEricAlper.com

Katar Kustom Kuitars from Finland presents a signature guitar for the legendary Duke Robillard

Katar Kustom Kuitars from Finland presents a signature guitar for the legendary Duke Robillard

Duke Robillard, four times voted the US best blues guitarist, will have his own guitar model, the Katar Bluesmaster, made by Katar Kustom Kuitars in Finland. Katar Kustom Kuitars founder Jukka Kattelus from Seinäjoki, Finland has been a luthier for 30 years.

Duke Robillard, who has performed and recorded with Fabulous Thunderbirds, Bob Dylan, Tom Waits and others, recently toured Finland with Finnish group Wentus Blues Band. In his free time, the team visited the musical instrument fair at Veturitallit in Jyväskylä, where various guitar builders presented their instruments. Robillard fell in love with a Katar Popmaster guitar made by Jukka Kattelus.

“I was touring with my friends the Wentus Blues Band in Finland and they told me on the way to a show we would stop at a guitar show with several different guitar builders. I tried a few interesting guitars but when I came upon the Katar Booth I was blown away by how cool Jukka's guitars were and how beautiful and well built they were”, says Duke Robillard, and continues:

“Of course the look got my attention first. I think as a player you have to be drawn visually to a guitar first. The Katar guitars are visually pleasing and the beautiful orange color and wood grain made my guitar look very special. When I play it people always comment on how beautiful it is and how great it sounds!”

“Over the last 50 years, I have owned over a thousand guitars and my Katar is certainly one of the best I've owned”, Robillard praises Kattelus and his craftsmanship.

The Katar Popmaster guitar is also featured in the Duke Robillard Band's new "Outta here" music video.

Robillard: Katar is of an amazingly high quality

Duke Robillard describes the Katar Popmaster guitar he owns as an instrument of amazingly high quality. According to the musician, of all the instruments he owns, "no other guitar sounds the same". This inspired Robillard to negotiate with Jukka Kattelus for his own Katar model.

“We talked with Duke about the guitar I had made and he suggested a collaboration, changing the Popmaster name to Bluesmaster. At the same time, I could have used his name for marketing. But I didn't want to change the already established name.”

“After further discussion, we decided to create a signature model for him, based on the guitar he bought from me, with his additions. Limited Edition of 12 guitars will be available”, says Jukka Kattelus, explaining how the collaboration came about.

The legendary musician looks forward to the new model.

“I am very excited about the new Duke Robillard Bluesmaster model! The wood will be the same as my Popmaster. The neck and fretboard will be made of the same wood as my guitar now and shaped to my specifications. It will be a very special guitar built with the same incredible workmanship that makes these guitars so special! I am proud to have my name associated with such a fine instrument.”

Katar's sound comes from wood and handmade microphones

Duke Robillard says the woods of Katar guitars contribute to their unique sound. The Bluesmaster uses the same wood as the Katar Popmaster he already owns.

“The fretboard is an African wood that feels great and is unique to Katar. It's a special wood that feels harder than rosewood and softer than ebony - which is just right in my opinion. The woods used in this guitar make a special sound.”

Finnish birch and alder have also been used in the guitars.

“The top is Finnish birch and the rest of the guitar is made of beautiful Finnish alder. It is a beautiful wood. Birchwood was used in guitar making in the US in the 1920s and 1930s. Alder has always been a great solid-body guitar wood and I believe the birch top must add something special to its tone”, Robillard says.

The sound of the Katar Bluesmaster comes also from Veijo Rautia's hand-wound microphones, which Rautia made to Robillard's specifications. The microphone maker, who was recommended by Kattelus, is an old fan of the guitar legend.

“I had a couple of Robillard records in the 80s and he was one of my guitar heroes along with Jimmie Vaughan. It's great to be involved in this project”, says Veijo Rautia enthusiastically. 

30 years of building musical instruments

Jukka Kattelus of Katar Kustom Kuitars has been working as a luthier and repairer since 1992. Kattelus has also been teaching musical instrument building and maintenance since 2007 at a community college. Jukka has made many different guitar models, researched their characteristics and combined the best of them into the Katar Popmaster guitar, which was introduced in 1995.


https://www.kustomkuitars.com/bluesmaster/
https://www.dukerobillard.com/
https://www.facebook.com/duke.robillard.1
https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100050618703593

Hillsome South

 

Marieke started singing at the age of 11 and simply never stopped anymore. At the age of 20 she signed a record contract with Phonogram and released several singles as ‘Felicity’. She worked with Rob van Leeuwen (Shocking Blue) on a solo album but ultimately chose to sing in the allround band ‘Real Company’. For about 10 years she performed with this band in the Netherlands and abroad. Later she made  a transition to ‘Valentino’s Entertainment’ with whom she performed for 15 years, singing not only the common top 40 songs but also a wide repertoire of Spanish and Italian songs. With Hillsome South Marieke returns to the music where her heart lies.

 Keep on reading...  http://www.hillsomesouth.com

Ghost Town Blues Band

 

Horns, harmonies and homegrown instruments combined with an energetic and roots rich festival set makes Ghost Town Blues Band one of the “must see live bands on the festival scene today.” Both Andrew McNeill behind the drums and Matt Karner on the bass guitar are a punishing rhythm section behind multi-instrumentalist/frontman Matt Isbell with raunchy cigar box guitar licks and raspy "Dr. John-like, whiskey and gravel-soaked vocals." With the addition of Trombonist Suavo Jones, Cedric Taylor on B3 and Taylor Orr on lead guitar, the grooves go from fresh to funky as the band gains more notoriety in the blues festival and jam circuit. Ghost Town Blues Band has performed all across US and Canada at over 100+ festivals and will perform more than a half-dozen international tours in Canada and Europe in 2019.

 http://www.ghosttownbluesband.com/

The Juke Joint Pimps

T-Man and Mighty Mike live in the Cologne area in Germany. They had been playing blues for years in various bands before joining forces in the Silvertones in 2003, playing Chicago blues with an attitude. They recorded an album in Belgium and played two tours in Russia. It seems impossible to clearly define just exactly when the Juke Joint Pimps came into being. Maybe some time in '04. Mike and T-Man had been teaming up with an upright bass player to rock some private students parties, got hired for a couple of shows in local bars, picked up hitting the drums while losing the bassist along the way and suddenly they were there, two blues guys wearing white pin stripe suits, red shoes and jewellery, blasting rough juke joint music for everybody who cared to dance or listen. A two-man band with drums, harmonica, guitar and a voice that can shatter glass – pretty much all you really need to play music sounding like Elmore James, Howlin' Wolf, North Mississippi Hill Country Blues and Reverend Charlie Jackson. Within very little time the Juke Joint Pimps have evolved into a unique act. "Black" enough sounding to cater to a traditional blues audience while being so wild, loud and raw that the punk rockers and garage freaks dig them just as much. And they're really truckloads of fun to watch!

 http://www.juke-joint-pimps.com/

 

Savoy Brown

 

Savoy Brown was formed in 1965 by guitarist Kim Simmonds in London, England. Simmonds has been the group’s guiding hand from the first singles released in 1966 through the band’s newest effort, their forty-first album “Ain’t Done Yet” to be released August 28, 2020.

 

Energetic blues has been the calling card of the band from the beginning. Blues Rock became the catch-all phrase in the late 1960s to describe the band’s music along with that of contemporaries including Cream, Fleetwood Mac, and Jimi Hendrix.

 

In fact, in the 2013 movie, “Jimi Hendrix: All Is By My Side,” a Savoy Brown song co-written by Simmonds was included in the soundtrack.

 

Many of the band’s singles and albums have appeared on the Billboard charts. Through the 1960s, 1970s and 1980’s songs such as “I’m Tired”, “Train to Nowhere”, “Tell Mama” and “Lay Back In The Arms Of Someone” became Hot 100 entries.

 

Two of the band’s albums in the 1970s, “Looking In” and “Hellbound Train”, appeared on the Billboard Top Forty charts. This pattern continues today, culminating with “Witchy Feelin’,” the band’s 2017 album, reaching #1 on the Billboard Blues Chart.

 

Along the way, Savoy Brown has toured continuously, making it one of the longest running blues rock bands in existence. Through the years, the band has headlined concerts at many prestigious venues including Carnegie Hall, the Fillmore East, the Fillmore West, and London’s prestigious Royal Albert Hall.

 

Savoy Brown, having established national status in the 1970s, provided other groups opportunity. Kiss opened the bill on a Savoy Brown national tour as did ZZ Top, The Doobie Brothers and many, many more acts.

 

Former members, having cut their teeth under Simmonds’ leadership, have gone on to complete their careers with other bands. Among others, these include singer Dave Walker with Fleetwood Mac and Black Sabbath, Bill Bruford with King Crimson, Andy Pyle with the Kinks and Paul Raymond with UFO.

 

Many familiar names have recorded and toured with the band including Hughie Flint (original Blues Breaker with John Mayall) Miller Anderson, Stan Webb, and Dave Olson (Robert Cray Band).

Three other band alumni – Lonesome Dave Peverett, Roger Earl, and Tony Stevens, went on to become the founding members of the multi-platinum act Foghat.

 

A resident of the USA since 1980, bandleader Simmonds has received many accolades himself. These include placement on the front cover of Guitar Player magazine, enshrinement on the Hollywood Rock Walk of Fame and acceptance in many regional “Halls of Fame” in the USA and Canada.

“I have always opted for a non-mainstream, yet complimentary, music route,” says Kim – “one that would allow me personal and artistic freedom. In the end, it seems I’ve had the best of both worlds.”

Savoy Brown helped spawn the 1968 UK Blues Rock boom and later opened the eyes of many 1970s American teenagers to their own home territory blues artists.

 

More than 50 years later, Savoy Brown remains a formidable, progressive Blues Rock force. The three- piece line-up includes Kim Simmonds on guitar and vocals, Pat DeSalvo on bass and Garnet Grimm on drums. This trio has established itself as the longest-running consistent line-up in the band’s history, now going strong for more than 10 years. Their legacy continues with the coming 2020 release of “Aint Done Yet” released by the Californian-based record label, Quarto Valley Records.

Savoy Brown and Kim Simmonds have a body of work that is matched by only a small portion of musical artists. As they continue to tour the world, young and old find inspiration in their timeless music, classic style, and performances.

 

 https://savoybrown.com

Tami Lynn

 

Tami Lynn was a singer known throughout New Orleans and the world, recently passed away on June 26, 2020. She attended R.T. Danneel #2 Elementary School, where she studied music and learned to sing with the likes of former classmates and greats, Allen Toussaint, and Ellis Marsalis, Jr. As a youngster, she sang spirituals with groups like the Clara Ward Singers, and appeared on WMRY Radio,” Dr. Daddy-O’s Sunday Gospel Show,” where she was heard by legendary gospel singer Mahalia Jackson, who predicted Lynn would grow up to be a “fine singer” one day.  While in High School, she landed a part in the Broadway musical “Showboat” but actually wanted to grow up to be a speech therapist for children with special needs. 

Lynn’s career in R&B started quite by coincidence. She began her professional career singing at the Joy Tavern when a regular singing artist didn’t show up for a few gigs. Red Tyler, the manager of the performing band at the Joy Tavern requested Lynn to audition.  After some encouragement by her mother, Tami auditioned, got the gig, and began singing nightly with Red Tyler’s band.  After successfully packing the house night after night with her soulful singing, Lynn signed a contract with the A.F.O. (All For One) record company and recorded Baby, a song written for her by Red Tyler. Tyler, Harold Battiste, and Melvin Lastie, A.F.O.’s Founders became her mentors. Taking her under their wings, Tami began touring with the band, A.F.O.  Lynn then went on to New York to perform at the famous Birdland (a New York jazz club) in the 60’s where she opened on several occasions for John Coltrane, Miles Davis, and Ella Fitzgerald. During the 70’s she sang a few gigs at the Roxy Theatre in West Hollywood.

Soon after Lynn met Jerry Wexler of Atlantic Records, when she sang at a DJ convention, who immediately upon hearing her sing signed her on Atlantic’s recording label. Lynn occasionally worked with A.F.O. executives on projects, including King Floyd’s first album, as a backup singer for Sam Cooke, and several of Dr. John’s albums. She also did some background session work for television shows like” Starsky and Hutch” and a few commercials such as for the Plymouth car company’s Road Runner advertisements.  She had a breakthrough in the early 1970s when John Abby at Mojo Records in England discovered “I’m Gonna Run Away” and re-released the song, which went to the top of the charts in Britain, where she once opened for Al Green. “In 1971, “I’m Gonna Run Away” was released as a single, with “The Boy Next Door” as the B-side, on Mojo and Atlantic, where it became a hit in the UK among devotees of Northern soul. The tune hit number 4 in the UK Singles Chart in 1971. A full-length album, Love Is Here and Now You’re Gone, followed in 1972, produced by John Abbey.

Lynn’s I’m Gonna Run Away” remains a hit and is still played throughout the UK. She went on the road with Mac Rebennack (Dr. John) and his then bass guitarist, Randy Jackson of “American Idol.” She sung at several New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festivals, and was the featured backup singer on the Rolling Stones album, “Exile on Main St., which was later voted “Best Album of All Time.”   

During her career, Tami Lynn shared the stage, sung, or recorded with Wilson Pickett, Sonny and Cher, Billy Joel, Clarence “Gatemouth” Brown, Lionel Hampton, Irma Thomas, Ernie K-Doe, Eric Clapton, George Benson, Ringo Starr, Joe Cocker, Willie Bobo, Mark Isham, and many, many others. 

Tami Lynn died on June 26, 2020. A longtime collaborator and co-vocalist on Dr. John albums and signee to AFO Records, Lynn worked with the likes of the Rolling Stones, Sonny & Cher and Wilson Pickett, and shared stages with Miles Davis and John Coltrane.

Jim Dan Dee

 

 

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

  

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

  

I need a break cuz it’s never enough

Knock ‘em down and they jump back up

What happens next, I don’t know

Caught between a spoonful and diggin’ a hole 

  

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

  

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

  

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

  

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

  

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

  

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

  

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

  

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

  

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

  

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

  

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

  

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

  

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

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

  

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

  

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

  

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

 

 http://jimdandee.com/

 

The Yohawks

 "The Yohawks stand forever a band caught in a freeze-frame of unrelenting sonic assault. Convened by Jeremy Gluck out of various Swansea bands including his beloved Superczar they enabled precious moments in which to single-mindedly detonate explosions out of his unique readings of classic

garage punk and New York noise. Further it allowed him to revisit one more time glories from ‘I Knew Buffalo Bill’ and ‘Burning Skulls Rise’. I recall The Yohawks one time raising the cacophony in an upstairs room in Leytonstone; it burns in the memory. Did it last? Did it fuck! But as we see traces remain, and here gathered you can happily access the echoes." 

 

Nick West, Bucketful of Brains Formed in 2006 by Jeremy Williams, co-founder of ace Swansea combo

Superczar, The Yohawks provided Jeremy Gluck, Barracudas’ frontman and established cult solo artist, with a band to perform reinventions of songs spanning his time. Named after a Sixties from gang from Gluck’s hometown of Ottawa, along with Williams, the band featured players from The Death of Chapman Baxter – guitarist Matt Ellis, bassist Liam S. wolf, and drummer Ray Boothby – making The

Yohawks live performances, as described by one devotee, “a cross between The Patti Smith Group and Ornette Coleman”, were never adequately captured in the studio. 

 

 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UcmfvLu89bk

 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Or-2oLGoWO4

 

Alpha Pegasi

 

Some musicians start out as shy, self-conscious, social misfits who only later bloom into passionate, creative, and confident people. Mitch Melodia is one of them.

 

After playing hundreds of shows, performing at festivals, and recording with numerous bands in New England, he moved West and started his own “band” Alpha Pegasi. For his project’s upcoming releases, hundreds of original songs were distilled into a select few for a four-part series of EPs. The first one, titled Love Sex Money Part I is due for release on 8/26/22. The first single from LSM I, "Give Some, Get Some," was released on 4/20/22.

 

“Making Music, Making Love, Making Money is probs gonna be the title of my future autobiography," Mitch says. "Personally, those are three of the most important things I feel like I can do to have a very happy, healthy, wealthy, and fulfilling lifestyle. The more money I earn, the more money I can give. And for the first two, well, they're pretty really great to be able to do."

 

A cohesive blend of danceable, sexy, and upbeat grooves come together for a tasty rock/pop/alternative stew. Influences run from Jam-band giants like Phish, the Grateful Dead, and the Allman Brothers Band, classic rock, and more pop approaches like Tame Impala, Beck, Arcade Fire, Talking Heads, and the funkier side of Khruangbin. 

 

“Alpha Pegasi has a Tame Impala-ish approach in the studio and a Phish-ish mentality for live shows,” he says. “Improvisation is a staple of every show but when recording, I keep it concise. It’s fun for me to play and arrange every instrument on record, but I’m also stoked for future collaborations with other musicians on AP studio songs.”

 

Beyond creating incredible and fun-fused music, Mitch also aims to work with non-profits and health-based organizations. A main financial focus for Alpha Pegasi is to donate 5% of all profits to groups like San Diego EarthWorks. Mitch aspires to use his music and art as a vehicle to support environmental and health-improving causes, including mental-health practices.

 

“I’ve had a few therapists over the years to get help with personal issues,” he recalls. “Every counselor has been very helpful, but sessions can be expensive. Down the road, I want to create Alpha Health to make holistic based mental-health programs more accessible and affordable.”

 

In these twisted and trying times, Love Sex Money Part I offers glimmers of light, enjoyment, and good vibes. “Through the music I make, I want to bring people together and create an ever-growing community through great shows and great music. Through such a community, we can raise a lot of money and support for non-profits who do a lot of good work for people and the planet.”

 

 https://alphapegasimusic.com/

Mr Bewlay

 

 

Bold and charismatic, an intoxicating charm blazes from the flamboyant powerhouse and emerging talent, that is Mr Bewlay.” Becky and the Bands “There is no man more committed to the pursuit of staying relevant. A true pop star in the making!” Adam Walton The UK Art Pop extraordinaire Mr Bewlay has established himself as the paramount voice for the unorthodox. Currently based in Cardiff, Bewlay’s scope is far reaching with his tendency to bend gender, genres, and styles.

 

Playing by nobody’s rules but his own, his live shows have become well noted for their

unpredictability. Like the royal courts of old,Bewlay’s command of the crowd is absolute,

and they bend to his whim in both quiet awe and reckless abandon. 

 

 https://linktr.ee/mrbewlay

Blaze Project

 

Sometimes having a passion can be both a blessing and a curse. Canadian rockers Blaze Project capture this very conundrum with their blues-infused single, “Sweet Little Misery,” from their brand new album, Enjoy This Moment – both available now. 

 

“Sweet Little Misery” is a thumping, bluesy, head-bopping rock ‘n’ roll song with a wailing guitar solo that brings to mind the energy of an arena. Its message is somewhat meta: “It’s about an artist and his great passion for music, as well as his vision of a performance on stage,” the Baie-Comeau, Québec-based band shares. “A musician who was born with this talent and passion, and despite all the paths taken, he will always end up finding the stage and music on his way.”

  

It fits nicely with the overarching theme of Enjoy This Moment, which is to grasp a positive mood with an open heart and open arms. Composed in the band’s home studio and practice space during the pandemic, the album was fueled by Blaze Project’s need to create even amid the unfortunate medical diagnoses, family deaths, and even a car accident that various band members experienced throughout the writing and recording process. 

  

“The songs deal with the beauties of the world and nature, interpersonal relationships, passion, determination, the happiness of living and enjoying the good things in life,” the band says of the 10 songs, adding that though the members come from different musical tastes and disciplines they were able to achieve a cohesive sound, albeit one that spans traditional rock, blues, funk, and even indie rock at times. 

  

“Each musician brings his color,” they say. “This is what gives it the Blaze Project touch.”

  

Though each song deals with a different message and narrative, the thread that runs throughout Enjoy This Moment is the desire to create positive, emotional, and catchy music. 

  

“Sweet Little Misery” and Enjoy This Moment are available now.

 

 https://blazeproject.ca/

Tasha Hillman

 

Tasha Hillman is a young Indie singer and songwriter born and raised in kelowna b.c. She has always been involved in performing arts with dance her whole life. Though music has always been on her mind. The ability to capture a story in art is so beautiful. She discovered her passion for writing music when she was 16. Since then she has been cultivating songs daily about her experiences on this planet. One of her deepest moments of pain she turned into a song and knew in that moment she had to pursue this journey. Life throws us a lot of pain we don't always know how to handle. Songwriting and music has been this healing process that has helped me navigate the hardest parts of life. In every moment of pain and sadness I think we can still find beauty and hope. The songs I am writing hopefully will give that hope to people when they need it most. I want to remind everyone we are all connected and never alone. I want people to find pockets of sunshine when it feels like the rain will never stop. This world can feel too big but sometimes it feels too small and a single moment can change our reality. 

  www.facebook.com/TashaDreams2020

The Hogtown Allstars

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

https://soundcloud.com/idla/sets/hog-town-all-stars-hog-wild/s-vMdqUsMABRL?si=83595b1263654240b2ced7c2023a345a&utm_source=clipboard&utm_medium=text&utm_campaign=social_sharing

ElectroBluesSociety

 

 

 

ElectroBluesSociety is an experimental electro blues duo. Two guys and a bunch of junk with a broad taste and an open mind mixing the old with the new. Modern technologies combined with 30+ years of live stage experience in the European blues / roots music scene. 

During the period 2016 - 2002 the guys invited several other artists to record new music with. On this album you will find a selection of our favorite ElectroBluesSociety tracks.

JASPER MORTIER – drums, bass
mainly known as bass player but lately he found a new passion: playing drums !!   Over the years Jasper worked with numerous great artists like Preston Shannon, ‘Sax’ Gordon Beadle, Monti Amundson, Philip Walker, Candye Kane, Melvin Taylor, Sherman Robertson, Terry Evans, Long John Hunter, Eddy Clearwater, Guy Forsyth, David Gogo, Toni Lynn Washington, Paul Oscher, Doug Jay, Boo Boo Davis, Byther Smith, Boyd Small, and many others. 

JAN MITTENDORP - guitar
Touring Europe since 1993 with USA blues artists ike: Percy Strother, Smokey Wilson , Byther Smith, Burton Gaar, Roy Roberts, Larry Garner, Boo Boo Davis, Erskine Oglesby, Jody Williams, Roscoe Chenier, Clara McDaniel, Boyd Small, Billy Jones, Hosea Leavy, Harrison Kennedy and many others.  With Boo Boo Davis among others at Montreux Jazz Festival, North Sea Jazz, Jazz a Juan, Amal BluesFestival and Blues Peer.

 

 https://open.spotify.com/album/2QhI35fsU1XUn8uitfo33p?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=submission_electrobluessociety_2016_2022&utm_term=2022-04-24

Ellinor Springstrike

 

The extraordinarily talented, and hard working, Ellinor Springstrike is widely acknowledged as one of the most exciting Country Music stars in the world today.

Her music is highly-listenable, accessible and has a wide appeal.  So it comes as little surprise that her latest two singles, ‘What’s Your Name?’ and ’It’s Never Too Late’ have between them racked up well over two million streams along with airplay all over the world.

This fairytale, film worthy, story begins when, quite by chance, the Swedish born Ellinor Springstrike was discovered by the multi-award winning Nashville producer and singer/songwriter Jimmy Ritchey after a Christmas gift of a DNA kit led him to investigate the Country Music artists in Sweden when he discovered he is of Swedish heritage himself.

Jimmy Ritchey, who also discovered, and developed the careers, of such artists as Jake Owen, Sam Hunt, Greg Bates and William Michael Morgan spotted Ellinor Springstrike’s exceptional talents, contact was made and one of the most amazing musical partnerships was born.

Ellinor flew to Nashville to work with Jimmy and his team.  She immediately began co-writing with Grammy Award winning, luminary songwriters of the Country Music world.  Jimmy and Ellinor then took the songs into a world class studio to cut the tracks for the new EP including ‘This Fire,’ ‘It’s Never Too Late’ and ‘What’s Your Name’ as well as the new single ‘Good Love’ which is out 23rd April 2021.

The pair have a natural affinity which creates a magic that shows in the music.  Somehow Jimmy and Ellinor were destined to work with each other and luck brought them together over the thousands of miles that separate their home towns.

With bookings for concerts flooding in and a fanbase that is growing exponentially, Ellinor’s stellar rise of the last two years looks set to make her an international name.

 

 www.ellinorspringstrike.com

Rebekka Lundstrøm

 

Rebekka Lundstrøm is a country and folk inspired singer/songwriter from Norway.

Her sound is melancholic with glimmers of hope and her honest and personal stories are delivered by a distinctive and soothing voice.

Since her debut as a songwriter in 2017, Rebekka has released one album, two individual singles and is soon ready to put out two more singles, followed by her second album.

Rebekka's debut album, “Carousel”, (March 2020), earned great reviews in newspapers, music blogs and magazines both in Norway and abroad. It made it onto several lists of “Best albums of 2020”.

Since then, she has put out two more singles, “Breathe” with music video and “This Christmas”, both in 2021.

"Silent Storms”, Rebekka’s second studio album is releasing on April 22nd 2022, but before this her  single “Starting Again” will be ready for streaming on March 25th and “Soul Searching &  Songwriting” on April 8th. 

 

 https://www.facebook.com/misscarousel

Judith Owen

 

Judith Owen, a performer whose stylistic range spans rock, pop, classical, jazz, blues, and musical theatre, Owen is also a comedic actress and master storyteller.

Born into an overtly musical Welsh family, Judith Owen grew up in London surrounded by classical music, ballet, theatre, and the fine arts.  Owen was also exposed to many jazz icons and Broadway musicals that her parents loved (the mixture would become her signature sound).

Owen quickly began performing at a variety of different venues around London. Her unique hybrid of classical/jazz-influenced styled sound soon affirmed a regular slot at Ronnie Scotts.

With Thirteen critically acclaimed album releases, multiple live shows (mini-musicals as she describes them), from Ronnie Scott’s to The Royal Albert Hall and Syndey Opera House and her “cinematic” songs featured in film and TV.

Pre lockdown, Judith wrapped up a tour in Europe and the U.K. to adoring fans, during which time she joined Richard Thompson as a featured guest (along with a cavalcade of British rock and folk royalty) at his 70th birthday celebration at London’s Royal Albert Hall. She then joined another legend… bassist Derek Smalls (“formerly of the band formerly known as Spinal Tap”), for a series of concerts in the U.S. followed by a handful of intimate shows in Australia with percussionist Pedro Segundo.

Judith Owen is co-creator and co-host of the annual “Christmas Without Tears” charity variety show that has featured guests including Steven Merchant, Tim Minchin, Catherine O’Hara, and many others.

 https://judithowen.net

Bé Schmaal

 

 

Bé Schmaal is a singer-songwriter and mainly sings in Groningen. He writes about what he knows and experiences, straight from the heart. No subject, however personal, is shunned, so that you as a listener are taken into the emotional life of the singer. Since the release of the first single “Zwait en Zwoare Sjek” several songs have been released as singles. Together with Krzysztof Groen as a duo "Mitzenbaaident" June 2020 the song "Ik Zing". The first album “Dattien bie sixty” (“13 bie 60”) was released on February 28, 2019 and presented live in Van Beresteyn in Veendam. With 13 songs on it, as the title suggests. It is a mix of own songs and five covers rewritten by Bé in Gronings.

 

 https://www.be-schmaal.nl/