Sometimes – it is not about the money.
Such is this case with a bunch of blues musicians who have come together from different areas of the globe.
According to bassist Oisin Little of London, England; no matter how much he loves the blues – it would not be the same if he did not also love his bandmates.
“They are truly great people …!” Says the transplanted Brit. ” We can all count on evolving our music because we are all on the same page.”
Little was originally into punk rock back in England when a concert- going experience changed his views.
Blues was my first love and I started to lean towards punk. I was at a show and some guy – out of nowhere, just wound up and sucker punched some guy in the head. I thought this was not they type of thing I wanted in my music or personal life.”
Although drummer Dan Legault never dealt with the same experience, a different background is something he can relate to. The forty – one year old Pointe Claire,Qc.resident grew up a fan of heavy metal. Zeppelin, Ronnie James Dio, Black Sabbath and Iron Maiden were more his speed. This eventually led to a gig in a band named Ecclestone. A job which had Legault’s former band open for Nazareth.
Since those days, Legault plays in two other cover bands which make money and that is the reason for it. In Carolyn Fe – Blues Collective, it is about the love of the blues and a little more;
” One of the reasons we ( Carolyn ) and I hooked up nine years ago was because we both wanted the same thing; blues with an edge.”
Following an initial hook- up through music message boards, Carolyn and Dan together wrote and produced the bands first EP titled; 100 Percent. A six song disc which included the songs; Curse, Indigo Heat and Trumpet Man Blues. A trio which placed Carolyn Fe on the blues map with long runs on Chom – fm and Planete Jazz.
Original Sin, the band’s first full length c.d. was a smashing success upon it’s release in 2011. Not only was it nominated in the following categories; Best Female Artist (Canada), 2012 Nominee for Quebec’s Lys Bleus Best Blues Album (Canada), 2011 Nominee for Best International Release by Blues(USA)- the album displays the versatility in the band.
Legault’s Levon Helm influence, Little’s absolute worship of Peter Green ( founding member of Fleetwood Mac ), Carolyn’s love of Big Mama Thornton, keyboardist Tim Alleyne’s Booker T influence and the newest member; guitarist extraordinaire – Rami Cassab’s love of Jazz fusionist Scott Henderson.
All of these mixes combine to make Original Sin a blues album with a definate edge.
Cassab, originally of Egypt – loves playing jazz and funk. Something which is remarkable considering he did not have the opportunity to listen to any of these styles growing up. Once he arrived in Canada – Elvis, Deep Purple and Gentle Giant became his musical education.
A schooling which blends nicely with keyboardist Tim Alleyne. A Montrealer who started playing acoustic guitar and saxophone but stopped because it interfered with his keyboard playing. Alleyne’s education began at the age of eight with a Montreal teacher who had gained notoriety in the late sixties. A man by the name of Trevor Payne.
Collectively, these guys and a woman – bring a lot of experience from a lot of different backgrounds.
Carolyn is a multi – talented artist. Originally from the Phillipines – as a professional actor, Carolyn has been gracing the stage and camera in various theatre productions, TV and movie spots. Altera Vitae Productions is her own theatre production company, a non-profit organization where each theatrical presentation is partnered with a community organization whose mandate is similar to the theme of the play. Altera Vitae Productions aims to assist the community organization with its public awareness program.
As a singer, Carolyn co-founded the band DD Swank where – under the pseudonym of Mama B, she sang in French, English and Spanish.
If the new CD is an Original Sin, it is a good thing that seven more deadly ones will follow …
Carolyn Fe Blues Collective is playing June 8 at the House of Jazz. ( please see upcoming shows on the main menu for details ).
Visit Carolyn – Fe.com for more information on this fabulous lady and her talented band.
Stay tuned for a review of the cd and show
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This Day in Music History …
1959, Bob Zimmerman graduated from high school in Hibbing, Minnesota. Zimmerman was known as a greaser to classmates in the remote rural community, because of his long sideburns and leather jacket.
1964, The Rolling Stones played their first-ever live date in the U.S. when they appeared at the Swing Auditorium, San Bernardino, California.
1968, The Jimi Hendrix Experience appeared on the Dusty Springfield TV show filmed on ATV, in London, England.
1971, Grand Funk Railroad smashed the record held by The Beatles when they sold out New York’s Shea Stadium in 72 hours.
1976, The Who, The Sensational Alex Harvey Band, Little Feat, Outlaws and Streetwalkers appeared at Celtic Football Club, Glasgow, Scotland. Tickets cost £4 ($7).
1977, Alice Cooper’s boa constrictor, a co-star of his live act suffered a fatal bite from a rat it was being fed for breakfast. Cooper held auditions for a replacement and a snake named “Angel” got the gig.
1979, blues legend Muddy Waters (aged 64), married Marva Jean Brooks on her 25th birthday.
1983, during a 48-date North American tour U2 played at Red Rocks Amphitheater near Denver. The show was recorded and released as U2 Live At Red Rocks: Under A Blood Red Sky.
1990, American punk rock singer Stiv Bators of the Dead Boys and The Lords of the New Church died after being hit by a taxi in Paris, France. For more on this, see This Day in Music Spotlight.
1993, Country singer Conway Twitty died from an abdominal aortic aneurysm. He had the 1958 U.S. & U.K. #1 single “It’s Only Make Believe.” Until 2000, he held the record for the most #1 singles of any country act, with 45. He lived in Hendersonville, Tennessee, just north of Nashville, where he built a country music entertainment complex called Twitty City.
1993, Mariah Carey married the President of Sony Music, Tommy Mottola in Manhattan, guest’s included Billy Joel, Bruce Springsteen, Barbra Streisand and Ozzy Osbourne. (The couple separated in 1997).
2007, Sir Paul McCartney released his 21st solo album, Memory Almost Full on the new Hear Music Starbucks label. It was later announced that all copies sold through U.K. Starbucks would not be eligible for the U.K. charts as the 533 stores were not registered with the Official Chart Company. The album was being played non-stop in more than 10,000 Starbucks outlets across 29 countries.
Born on this day:
1946, Freddie Stone, guitar, Sly and The Family Stone
1947, Tom Evans, bass, vocals, Badfinger
1956, Richard Butler, vocals, Psychedelic Furs
1971, Mark Wahlberg, Marky Mark, New Kids On The Block
Rick Keene Music Scene 