Manitoba Blues Society CD Reviews

These reviews of Come the Ruination & Narrow House were printed in the Manitoba Blues Society newsletter Blues News Fall 2006 edition.

The final days

Well the tour is finally over and the last two shows were fantastic. We played in Regina, SK at the Exchange Hall which has to be my favorite gig in Regina and then on Saturday we finished the tour at the Ananda Arthouse in Forget, SK (pronouced for-jay). The folks there hosted us in grand style in their wonderful Inn of the Seven Sisters (a converted rectory). I'll be posting some pics in the next couple days.

We are both quite tired but pleased to have been a part of this tour. It has been a major achievement for both of us. Thanks for joining us on the journey!

Doc and I on the Radio

Al Kirkcaldy (Trent Radio) has listed Doc and I in his top 25 new releases this month for Living Blues magazine. His show is called Blue in the Face and airs on Tuesdays from 8pm to 10pm on 92.7FM (Peterborough ON area). You can still get your own copy of our albums by clicking on the paypal icon on the right of the blog screen.
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Top 25 aired new releases sent to Living Blues magazine for October, 2006

ARTIST/Title/Label * Denotes Canadian content
1.. MIGHTY BLUE KINGS/Alive In The City/RJ
2.. MICHAEL POWERS/Prodigal Son/Baryon
3.. JACKIE PAYNE-STEVE EDMONSON BAND/Master Of The Game/Delta Groove
4.. ALVIN JETT & THE PHAT NOIZ BLUES BAND/Milk & Cookies/Ind
5.. FLOYD DIXON/Time Brings About Change-A Floyd Dixon Celebration/Hijohn
6.. JUNIOR WELLS/Live At Theresa's 1975/Delmark
7.. MARK HUMMEL/Ain't Easy No More/Electro-Fi
8.. FRANKIE LEE/Standing At The Crossroads/Blues Express Inc
9.. PAUL MARK & THE VAN DORENS/Trick Fiction/Radiation
10.. DOC MACLEAN*/Narrow House/Ind
11.. DIANA BRAITHWAITE* & CHRIS WHITELEY*/Morning Sun/Electro-Fi
12.. BARBARA BLUE/Love Money Can't Buy/Big Blue
13.. THE TWISTERS*/After The Storm/NorthernBlues Music
14.. STEVE ROWE*/Live a Montreal/Disc Bros
15.. JEFF TURMES/The Distance You Can Travel/Fat Head
16.. OTIS RUSH/Live & In Concert From San Francisco/Blues Express Inc
17.. VARIOUS/Church House To Drink House/Music Maker
18.. MANITOBA HAL*/Come The Ruination/Ind
19.. DC BELLAMY/Give Some Body To Somebody/Stackhouse
20.. PHANTOM BLUES BAND/Out Of The Shadows/Delta Groove
21.. JIMMY CAVALLO/You Better Believe It/Blue Wave
22.. CHERYL LESCOM*/High Heeled Blues/Flaming Cheese
23.. JONY JAMES/What About Tomorrow/Blue Wave
24.. AYNSLEY LISTER-ERJA LYYTINEN-IAN PARKER/Pilgrimage/Ruf
25.. SOMEDAY BABY/Backbone Move/Flaming Cheese

CANADA - part of a complete childhood

I have been thinking that more folks should see this country back to back in a short span of time. From the majestic Rocky Mountains to the shores of Lake Superior to the Atlantic Ocean, it is an amazing country. The embarassment of riches we have (in the form of culture and scenery) is the envy of countries all over the world and yet I know many folks who haven't seen it.

So here is my one and only political platform. Every young person SHOULD (upon completion of high school) be sent from community to community in this great land. No set itinerary just a wander from place to place in a one month period of time. The only requirements are;
1) They must visit every province and spend time in large and small centres in that province.
2) The travel must be by ground (either bus or car)
3) They must report on the country as they see it. These essays should include photographs, audio samples and commentary. They will then be archived in the National Library as a record of the way the citizens see the country.

I think if more folks saw all the sights of Canada then fewer would be for separation and more would find reasons to tolerate all the cultures represented in this country. Anyway that's what I think.

Gillies Community Centre - South Gillies, ON

We played last night at the Gillies Community Centre in South Gillies, ON. Folks there put on this fantastic chicken dinner and had this amazing coffee cake during the break. Of course we played and sang the blues for them. LOL. Here is the Toyota "Tour"cel that has been our home for the past 6 weeks.

Blues Tour Full House in Wallaceburg!

Here's an article in the Chatham-Kent Times.

Songs from the Big Nickel - Sudbury ON

Here we are at the big Nickel at the edge of Sudbury, ON. From this viewpoint the earth all around is barren rock with trees that are only about 3 feet tall! The slag seemed like it stretched out for miles creating this new black hill range onto the top of this rugged rock landscape. This is a hard town full of miners and railroad men.


This is the famed big smokestack. This one smelter belches it's fumes 24 hours a day. I'm sure that they've cleaned it up now but this beast is responsible for poisoning the lakes and rivers and killing the vegitation all around this area. We didn't want to breathe too much of this in so we left soon after.


All this in the name of the all mighty dollar!?!

Canada South Blues Society - Kincardine, ON

We played a wonderful event hosted by the Canada South Blues Society at the Kincardine Golf Club. Originally this was supposed to be at the Sutton Park Inn but things do change in this business occasionally. The folks hosted us at the Lakeview Motel and Mary Lynne took good care of us. If you're ever in Kincardine we recommend the Lakeview Motel on Queen Street.

This is Chef 'Delta' Dil. He made us a cajun feast complete with Crawdad's, BBQ Beef, Gumbo, Biscuits and Gravy and Cajun Kitchen. He is holding up the ONE-OF-A-KIND chef jacket that has our logo on it and is autographed.

Shots from The Evergreen Theater in Margaretsville, NS

Here is a webgallery of our performance at the Evergreen Theatre in Magaretsville, Nova Scotia. Folks there were great and we played in this old church building. The show was acoustic and they served pie. What more can you ask for?

You can view it here: http://www.shadowsandlight.ca/webgallery/transcanadablues/gallery.html

If you like these shots, you can contact Elle Kennard at Innovation Imaging studio to order your own copy.
Innovative Imaging Studio, http://www.iiStudio.com
9545 Hwy 221, Canning, Nova Scotia, B0P 1H0
Phone: 902-582-3795; Toll Free: 866-582-3795

More 2D adventures

Here are some folks with our lifesize cutout. On the right is Ms Leah Morise, She's a wonderful singer/songwriter from London, and Paul Brushey on the left is a good guy to hang with at a conference.

Tonight we're in Peterborough playing at the famed Montreal House. Whooo hooo!

Cya there!

The Road West

Well Doc and I have left the east. We are now in Montreal for a gig at Bourbon Street in Point Claire. This gig isn't on the tour schedule because it came up only 2 weeks ago while we were already on tour. We're happy to do it because otherwise we'd be sitting around waiting for our gig tommorow in Peterborough.

We stopped for breakfast at the Main on Rue Saint Laurent and plan to head to Schwartz's for lunch. Doc is going to try and track down some old friends of his and get them to join us for there.



One thing that has struck me on this tour is the different vibes the various cities have. We have been in many different places on this tour and none are quite like the other. This is really apparent here in Montreal. The place has an energy about it. People rushing here and there yet it is nothing like the nervous energy of Toronto. Also just 50kms outside the city are towns that feel different and yet they are the bedroom communities.

I am looking forward to my return to southern Ontario. The Montreal House in Peterborough and the London Music Club in London. Plus there is new ground for me in Kincardine and Wallaceburg. I'm not sure what our Halloween show will hold in Wawa but I can tell you that many people will die in the songs we sing that night.

I will try to upload some new photos soon. I have many but have been unable to find a place where I can upload them from. Be good to yourselves!

Blues Tour a Blast

Nova News Now.com has posted this wonderful review of our tour. You can find the article here.

http://www.novanewsnow.com/article-45675-Blues-tour-a-blast.html

Beyond the Wild Atlantic Roar

New Glasgow, Nova Scotia. My great grandfather left this town on an early morning train, back in the 1890's. I don't know if anybody's been back since then, but folks were friendly and welcomed Hal and I into their community. We played a fabulous house concert at Dr. John's place. That house is a work of art, and it was a thrill to play there. Hal and I became members of the Men's Club, so we'll be going back to visit, and hopefully bomb around the bay in Dr. John's converted lobster boat!

The next day we drove down to Springvale, to the pioneer cemetery at Elgin, and I visited my g.g.g. grandfather's grave. Hector came to Pictou in 1801. What kind of dreams did he dream? Never a drifter like me paying my respects. I leave towards Liverpool with a new sense of connection to this place. I'm from away, and while I'm sorry, I'm also glad. These are hard hills, although probably not much harder than this blues highway I ride.

In Liverpool we are housed in a building built in 1797. I bet there have been a lot of songs sung around here since the privateers rolled in with their pockets full of Spanish money. The Mersey House is a cool old building, and was fun to play- full of goasts and rich with vibe.

Yesterday we saw the Bluenose as we drove up the coast to our gig. It's the boat on the back of the Canadian ten cent piece. Little villages dot the rough coastline here. Houses well crafted like boats. These are people who appreciate wood and water. It's more about the forest than the fish in this region. People are warm and soft in the face of all this hard living. A good bunch came out to hear the blues at Hubbards, so I know we'll have plenty of friends when we pass this way again.

Report from Margaretsville, NS

Hi folks. First I appologize for being out of contact for the past few days and not posting. We've been having a wonderful time in Nova Scotia beginning with a magical night in New Glasgow. Thanks Maurice for your hospitality and for setting up such a wonderful show for us. We played a concert in a wonderful house built on the side of the ocean. Three floors with a cathedral ceiling. There was a 55 foot tree running from basement to loft. Amazing.

Then we made our way to Liverpool where we played in the Mersey house pub. Micheal Loveridge has a wonderful venue and I got to play some ukulele for the South Shore Ukulele club. They have asked me to send in a press kit for the 2007 Ukulele Ceilidh next October. I am tickled at the prospect of returning to this beautiful part of the country. Next was Hubbards and the Tellis Cafe.

The food here is amazing and we had accomodations down in Northwest Cove which is across the bay from Peggy's Cove. We watched a storm blow in and rage against the shore from our seaside condo and then breathed in the fresh Atlantic air the next morning. Ever wake up in a postcard?


Today we drove across the province to Margaretsville and stopped in Port George to watch the tide in the Bay of Fundy roll in. The wind was so intense that it nearly blew Doc and I off our feet. I do have some pictures and they'll be put up soon I promise. The show tonight promises to be another amazing experience. The theatre is a mid size soft seat theatre and the acoustics are sooooooo good we don't even need a PA. I can't wait.

Breakfast at Joe's - Fredericton NB

We stopped at Joe's Diner for breakfast before heading out to New Glasgow. This is a great example of why I love breakfast joints. We were total strangers there and ended up in a debate about the merits of certain cars. You know which is better and so on. The whole diner got involved and by the end of it we were practically regulars.

Fredericton Rising

Driving into New Brunswick I remembered the place along the highway where some crazy guy had once tried to run over me. I was about 14 or 15 and was hitch hiking east because everyone else was going west. Today I was safe in a warm car, and there were no hitch hikers to rescue. I wonder when I will revisit this bit of road again, and what memories it may toss my way. We're really looking forward to the eastern leg of this tour, beginning tonight with a show at Molly's Coffee House in Fredericton.

Doc's Return to Quebec City

So we've got ONE night off on a travel day and we're driving along the 20 and it's raining and we're trying to make it over to Riviere du Loup in order to have an easy go of it the next day and it's getting dark already and Hal's saying he's never been to Quebec City, so I took a little detour. I says, "Hal, we'll whip in for a bite to eat," and there- over the bridge we go. Pretty soon we're parked next to that big Hotel they've got there, you know, the one that looks like an old castle? Actually, I think it IS an old castle. We wandered into a bistro of some kind to get something to eat, but once we were inside Hal decided it was not good enough- and told the manager we had been looking for a REAL restaurant... Well, that manager guy, he says "follow me," and I thought he had misunderstood and was leading us to the rest rooms. But down this long hall we go, and pretty soon- to my surprise- we are standing in the lobby of the Chateau Posh Something or Other and we are being ushered into a dining room of epic proportions. I said, "Jeez, Hal, they're not gonna let us in here!" But they thought we were famous musical personalities so they escorted us to a table in the middle of it all. There, we proceeded to have the meal of our lives. As our table was tended to we gave thanks for the previous night's cd sales, and marvelled that a couple of blues guys really could- at least for a couple of hours- live like kings. On the way back to the car I showed Hal the underground garage I used to sleep in when I had busked the streets of that city so many years ago. I stood on the boardwalk for a few minutes, looking at the twinkle of the lights from across the river, memories washing over me like the little ripples down below. Then we drove away, back up Laurier, and back to the present.

Dinner in Old Quebec City

We had enough time to stop for a tourist walk in old Quebec and stopped for a wonderful gourmet meal at a restaurant there. Here is the boardwalk in front of the Chateau Frontinac.

Of course the Tour jackets drew the same attention they have been getting all tour. We asked a passing tourist to snap our pic looking at the buildings. Thanks Levy's for such fine jackets.







Finally night falls on the grand old hotel and we head off down the road on further adventures. (Okay that was a little cheezy)

Tour Dates Again

Here are the remaining dates in our Trans Canada Blues Odyssey. Please mark down the dates we're in your area.

Oct 17 - Molly’s Coffeehouse, Fredricton, NB
Oct 18 - House Concert, New Glasgow, NS
Oct 19 - Cricket’s Harp, Liverpool, NS
Oct 21 - Evergreen Theatre - Margaretsville, NS
Oct 22 - Sessions Cafe - Rothesay, NB
Oct 24 - Bourbon Street, Montreal, PQ
Oct 25 - MoHo (Montreal House), Peterborough, ON
Oct 26 - London Music Club, London, ON
Oct 27 – Sutton Park Inn, Kincardine, ON
Oct 28 - The Glass Onion, Wallaceburg, ON
Oct 29 - House Concert, Kincardine, ON
Oct 31 - The Lodge House, Wawa, ON
Nov 1 - South Gillies Hall, South Gillies, ON
Nov 3 - The Exchange, Regina, SK
Nov 4 - Ananda Arthouse, Forget, SK

Le Zaricot - Ste Hyacinthe, QC

Ste Hyacinthe is lucky to be the home of the BEST blues club in the land. Le Zaricot is an amazing venue that caters to blues and roots music exclusively. William Gugnie has created a very cool venue that has been our favorite show this tour.

Le Zaricot was amazing! Ste Hyacinthe hosts the best blues club in Canada! We'll be back for their big blues festival in May

You can contact me at 2048024673
Vous pouvez me joindre au 2048024673

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Adventures of our 2D selves

You may recall that we produced a lifesize (almost) cutout of ourselves for the Ontario Council of Folk Festivals conference. Well it was a big hit and many folks were seen getting their photo's taken with our two dimensional representations.

Here is Cat Jahnke and Mark Reeves with our cutout.


Here is the mysterious Aengus Finnan. AD of the Shelter Valley Folk Festival.

And last but never least is the amazing Wendell Ferguson.