for Blues CD of the
Year!
– 3 Maple Blues
Awards
& Songwriter of the
Year!
A NATURAL
FACT WINS
RECORD OF THE
YEAR!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WpZcD75ThcA
Fact”.
wins Guitarist Of The
Year 2nd year in a row at the Maple
Blues
Awards !
2012!
highly anticipated Acoustic CD “A Natural Fact” due
for release, May 5 at the Molson Canadian Studio at Hamilton
Place. Produced by Rob
Szabo, the CD features solo pieces, as well as acoustic band tracks
featuring Maple Blues Award winner Alec Fraser on bass, Dave King on
drums, and Jesse O’Brien on piano.
award winner and Juno nominee Suzie Vinnick makes an appearance on a
duet with Strongman also.
incredible year for Strongman. He has won a Maple Blues
Award for Guitarist of the Year, a highly prestigious National
honor, and most recently –
highly successful summer tours of France and Switzerland – Strongman
has just signed a European record deal with German based label
Peppercake Records.
Strongman’s astounding guitar playing and expressive songwriting
combined with his entertaining showmanship, have firmly established
him as one of Canada’s
best new Blues artists. The 2009 recipient of the prestigious Mel
Brown Blues award, 2008 Maple Blues awards nominee for “Guitarist of
the year”, 2007 Maple Blues Awards “Best New Artist” nominee,
received standing ovations opening for the legendary Buddy Guy on
his Canadian tour dates.
harp playing added in for good measure. “Blues in Colour” was
recorded in a century old barn, out
Steve Strongman
Blues In Colour
Self
Even after a well-received debut CD,
Honey, the
hard work continues. With a particularly effective showcase at the
Blues Summit behind him, Steve Strongman keeps the ball
rolling with a sparkling new CD. With release parties in home base
Hamilton and here next month, the momentum should keep growing. He
certainly has the songs and the performances here to make that
happen. It’s basically a trio session, with multiple-award winning
Alec Fraser on
bass and producer Dave
King on drums. Strongman overdubs some fine harp,
especially on the rocking opener, “Mean To Me’. The only cover is up
next, a solid take on Freddie King’s “Woman
Across The River”, with the trio handling the changes superbly.
“That’s What She Does” would have hit single written all over it if
hit radio played these things. With a catchy melody delivered
in his distinctive, plaintive voice, it’ll be in your head for days.
The jaunty “Can’t Back Down” switches gears to acoustic with
Strongman on slide and King on brushes. Another winner. “Take My
Arms” is a long, slow blues and it doesn’t disappoint, with perfect
guitar accompaniments to the vocal and a stunning solo. Electric
slide dominates “Can’t Stop But I’m Tryin’”, a song about vices
(with Paul
Intson on bass). “Heart” is a lovely acoustic ballad.
“Lie To You” is another rocker with electric slide with a catchy
chorus. “Plain Hard Truth”, with its unison vocal and guitar lines,
is another slow blues that except for the chorus is so downhome it
would not sound out of place on an R.L. Burnside album. A
very good lyric too. The disc concludes with Strongman on his
National saying, passionately, “Just
Sorry”.
shows: Steve Strongman (solo acoustic), The Steve Strongman Band,
Guitar Explosion with Paul Deslauriers and as a special guest with
house band.
concerts, workshops & interviews
Slack
avenue Belton, Pointe-Claire (Québec) H9S 3Z9 CANADA
T:
514 830-4932 zeb@vl.videotron.ca
Tremblant International Blues
Festival
en Blues,
Victoriaville
en Blues, L’October Blues in
Joliette.