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 Text and Photos by TIM HOLEK |
Great Lakes Blues Society |
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Music Hall
London, Ontario Canada April 14, 2007 This gig was originally billed as the Canada South Blues Society London Chapter’s Third Anniversary Party. However it took on a whole new meaning and name just several weeks before it was scheduled to occur. For the last three years, a group operating under the name of the Canada South Blues Society London Chapter (an offshoot of the Windsor, Ontario based Canada South Blues Society) presented more than 20 shows featuring a diverse list of blues performers such as Bobby Rush, Anthony Gomes, Tinsley Ellis, and Stacy Mitchhart. Recent developments led to the necessity of breaking away from their former Windsor partners. |
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At the end of March 2007, the founding meeting of the Great Lakes Blues Society (GLBS) was held and the Society was launched. The GLBS have set themselves the following mandate. “We have formed the GLBS to unite the blues community in the London area and give it a central voice. We will expand the overall awareness of the blues, its history, its present and its future in the general population. As a not-for-profit organization, we will work to expose our youth, and those who educate our youth, to the blues art form through “Blues In Schools” programs and similar educational opportunities in our schools. The GLBS will create an exciting social setting for blues lovers to meet and in doing so raise money for deserving local charities of all causes and other charities which actively assist deserving blues artists who are in need. Blues artists, in Canada and internationally, will be supported by producing blues events. We will support other groups, organizations, and Blues Societies who do similarly and to assist deserving blues musicians in Canada and internationally.” As they say in the entertainment business, the show must go on. With only a few weeks to go before show time, the name of this already scheduled event was changed to the GLBS Founding Members Bash. With two of Canada’s best blues performers locked in place to perform and a whole new reason to celebrate, the blues ball began. Upon arriving at the downtown club, all prior baggage was checked at the door. The positive vibe did not evolve around stewing about the past, but rather the bright potential of the future. New and existing members signed a founding members poster, which will eventually be displayed at a museum the society is hoping to open. |
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 Earlier this year, at The Firehall Reunion, Canadian blues legend Dutch Mason was honoured posthumously with the Jimmy Lewis Memorial Award. It was accepted on behalf of Dutch by his longtime keyboardist John Lee. After a delectable set, Dutchie’s son Garrett accepted the award on behalf of the surviving members of the Mason clan. I don’t have his Juno Award winning debut CD I’m Just A Man nor have I seen Garrett perform before so I didn’t know what to expect. Regarding his music, Mason says, "I don't know what you would call it......I call it Funk-a-Billy-Blues Soul music myself." I was highly impressed with his stylishly finger-picked guitar, competent vocals, and kicking songs. Although his entire band only included three members, they avoided performing like a power rock trio. The 20-something artist came across as being more musically mature than his age. With so many blues legends passing on, it’s scintillating when someone like Garrett comes along to keep the blues alive. In 1974, while still a teenager, Jack de Keyzer was playing professionally with Canadian harp legend King Biscuit Boy. de Keyzer then went on to play for Ronnie Hawkins. Throughout the first-half of the 80s, Jack played with numerous rockabilly bands. In 1985, he formed his own group, and since then has played a variety of musical styles. Though de Keyzer gets classified as blues, his music includes a multitude of styles. |
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