Blues

JUNO Award winning and 2x Canadian Blues award winning artist Angelique Francis, is a versatile and exceptionally gifted musician. This multi-talented, multi-instrumentalist, multi-genre singer song writer and composer has wowed audiences across the globe with her electrifying performances, instrumental abilities and powerful textured vocals. She is known for her eclectic mix of various musical genres including Blues, Soul, Folk, Americana, Jazz, Gospel and Rock. Angelique has shared the stage/opened for a large roster of well-known musicians such as Buddy Guy, Gary Clark Jr, Joe Bonamassa, Eric Gales, Keb’ Mo’, Beth Hart, Tom Cochran, Burton Cummings, Sugar Ray and the list goes on.

Angelique’s soulful Smoky vocals and instrumental techniques are reminiscent of a bygone era, but with a unique and modern sensibility.  Within her vocal style, you will hear influences of legends like Big Mama Thornton, Koko Taylor, Aretha Franklin, Bessie Smith and many more. Her instrumental abilities call to mind Willie Dixon on the bass, Sister Rosetta Thorpe on guitar, Big Mama Thornton on the Harmonica and Aretha on the piano.

Based out of London, Ontario, The Joel Dupuis Band (Awarded London blues band of the year 2024 and guitar player of the year 2024) is an electrifying three piece band that gives an energetic performance, and a straight shot of pure, no filler, rocking blues in the form of soulful originals as well as an original take on old favourites.

At just 22 years of age, Joel Dupuis has played all over the Southern Ontario music scene as well as Festivals in Thorold, Toronto, Kincardine, and London to name a few. In January 2025 he represented the Canada South Blues Society (Windsor) in Memphis, TN playing at the IBC. He has shared the stage with the likes of Scott Holt (current frontman of Foghat), The Cashbox Kings (top 10 blues album of the year 2017), JW-Jones (JUNO Nominee) and Pat Harrington (Victor Wainwright and The Train, Grammy nominee) as well, he has also toured with Ghost Town Blues Band out of Memphis Tennessee (#1 Billboard Blues Album 2019, B.B. King International entertainer of the year).

The Joel Dupuis Band is an experience, delivering an unforgettable live show that you won’t want to miss.

With a guitar slung over his shoulder and the amps turned up full tilt, Anthony Gomes electrifies blues and rock at a 21st century crossroads of his own. The Canadian vocalist, guitarist, songwriter and producer wails with all the force of a hurricane in the Mississippi Delta and enough fret-burning fireworks to leave his strings in flames. Over the years, he's toppled the Billboard Blues Chart at #1, earned endorsement of legends such as B.B. King, tallied tens of millions of streams, and packed shows on multiple continents. In April 2025, Anthony Gomes is back with his much-anticipated 14th studio album, Praise the Loud, set for release on Rat Pak Records.

Born and raised in Toronto, Ontario, he fell in love with music as a kid, listening to everyone from Muddy Waters and Jimi Hendrix to Jeff Beck and Eddie Van Halen. At 14 years old, Anthony gravitated to the guitar and his relationship with the instrument was born. After grinding it out, his chops caught the attention of B.B. King's bus driver at a jam night. Blown away, the driver introduced him to B.B., who invited him to open up a string of tour dates in 2005. Gaining invaluable knowledge from "The King," he went on to share the stage with the likes of Buddy Guy, Robert Plant, Joe Bonamassa, Heart, Sammy Hagar, Kenny Wayne, Shepherd, and more.

2022's High Voltage Blues vaulted to #1 on the iTunes Top Blues Albums Chart, #1 on Amazon Music's New Release Blues Chart and debuted at #1 on the Billboard Blues Chart. It remained on the Billboard Blues Chart for 58 consecutive weeks, landing on Billboard's Top 15 Blues Albums of the Year for both 2023 and 2024.

Meanwhile, Total Guitar listed Gomes as 'One of the 100 Greatest Blues Guitarists of All Time' in 2024. Guitar World readers voted him one of "The 30 Best Blues Guitarists in the World Today" in 2019, and the publication noted "Gomes is another power player who is at his best when his gear is in the scorched earth between blues and rock.

Anthony's latest release, 2025's Praise the Loud, delivers 12 fresh studio tracks that showcase Anthony's musical evolution while staying true to the no-holds-barred sound that has earned him a global fan base.

Two time Juno and seven time Maple Blues winner, Blue Star recording artist Jack de Keyzer returns to London's Aeolian Hall  with his band for the 2025 Blues Powered tour.

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JACK DE KEYZER

For 46 years or a couple of million miles , bluesman, rock and roller, guitarist, singer, song writer, Jack de Keyzer has been hitting the road and air to bring his brand of guitar driven blues across Canada and around the globe. With 13 albums, 2 Junos and 7 Maple Blues Awards De Keyzer’s music is steeped in Chicago blues, with a broad range of influences ranging from Detroit’s Motown, Muscle Shoals' deep soul , Memphis’ rock and roll, Philadelphia’s funky soul jazz and London, England’s blues rock. De Keyzer knows first hand as he has played with many first generation pioneers of these sounds and styles. Bo Diddley, Otis Rush, Etta James, King Biscuit Boy and Ronnie Hawkins to name a few. His latest recording TRIBUTE features twelve new original blues, rock and soul songs and is a tribute to all the great influences de Keyzer has been inspired by through the years. See and hear Jack de Keyzer with his incredible blues, rock and soul band on the BLUES POWERED tour this Winter/Spring 2024/25

“If Jack de Keyzer was from Chicago, New York or LA, he’d be famous” Bob Dylan

“The finest blues guitarist in Canada” Jeff Healey

"One of the premiere guitarists in Canada" Hamilton Spectator

“Electric Love…a rock blues album with nods to guitar influences Clapton, Hendrix and Page… a disc of excellent new songs by a bluesman who should be considered their equal" Maple Blues Magazine, Toronto

"Smoking ...wicked...de Keyzer's track record of being one of Canada's best guitarists is NOT hype!" John Emms Timmins Daily Press

“Mysticssippi” blues man Harry Manx has been called an “essential link” between the music of East and West, creating musical short stories that wed the tradition of the Blues with the depth of classical Indian ragas. He has created a unique sound that is hard to forget and deliciously addictive to listen to.

Harry forged his distinctive style by studying at the feet of the masters, first as a sound man in the blues clubs of Toronto during his formative years and then under a rigorous tutelage with Vishwa Mohan Bhatt in India. Bhatt is the inventor of the 20-stringed Mohan Veena, which has become Harry’s signature instrument.

Harry played slide guitar for many years before meeting Bhatt in Rajasthan,in fact he had been living in another part of India for many years already, but he started at the beginning under Bhatt’s tutelage, unlearning most of what he knew about playing a slide instrument. He learned Eastern scales and eventually ragas, deceptively complex and regimented musical patterns that form the basis of Indian composition. Learning the voicings of Indian music is a subtle art that comes with time. Harry spent most of twelve years in India learning that. It was later on that Harry decided to explore the connection between Indian ragas and blues scales which eventually led to the Indo-blues hybrid that has become his style.

Born on the Isle of Man, Manx immigrated to Ontario with his parents when he was a child. He started working with bands as a ‘roadie’ at age 15 and gradually worked his way up to becoming the regular sound man at the well-known El Mocambo (blues) club in Toronto. There he worked with a slew of blues legends. Harry admits that blues is still at the heart of much of his work. “I’ve always had one foot in the blues from those days … what I got from those artists is a groove. That’s what I’m particularly interested in is the groove, and that’s the way I play blues”. “I went to Europe when I was 20 and started making money as a busker,” recalls Manx. “I’ve worked mostly as a musician since then, though I did some theatre work for a while. I was a one-man band with a drums and a cymbals for a time too. It was really a lot of fun”

Manx’s time in India has imbued his music with an intangible spiritual quality. “the song reveals who you are, it’s the vehicle for your message, your inspirational ideas or your story,” explained Manx. “Like many people I’m interested in my own development as a person and that’s represented in my songs, I’m searching for truth through art and spirituality. My songs are a synthesis of everything I’ve absorbed, all my experiences and I share that. I’m glad that it means something to people.”

“Indian music moves a person inward,” he explains. “It’s traditionally used in religious ceremonies and during meditations because it puts you into this whole other place (now, here). But Western music has the ability to move you outward, into celebration and dance. There are some ragas that sound bluesy, and there are ways to bend strings while playing blues that sound Indian. I may be forcing the relationship between the two musical cultures, but I keep thinking they were made for each other. That leads me to more and more experimentation. The journey has been great so far.” Manx is a prolific artist, releasing 12 albums in a 12 year span with no signs of stopping. He has received seven Maple Blues Awards, six Juno nominations, the Canadian Folk Music Award in 2005 for Best Solo Artist and won CBC Radio’s “Great Canadian Blues Award” in 2007.

His most recent original release, “Om Suite Ohm” was voted by the Montreal daily La Presse as one of only 4 CDs to watch for in 2013. Guitar Player Magazine called it “his most fully realized work to date”. Blend Indian folk melodies with slide guitar blues, add a sprinkle of gospel and throw in some compelling grooves. It’s a recipe that goes down easy and leaves you hungry for more.

"There would be no Blues Brothers if it weren't for Downchild" - Dan Aykroyd

After 19 albums, countless awards and 55 years of spreading the blues around the world on tour, the time has come for THE LEGENDARY DOWNCHILD BLUES BAND to say farewell to the road and their beloved fans.

It's hard to believe THE LEGENDARY DOWNCHILD BLUES BAND are celebrating their 55th Anniversary this year. As they say, time flies when you're having fun!

Downchild came to international prominence as the inspiration for Hollywood stars Dan Aykroyd and the late John Belushi's hit film, The Blues Brothers. In fact, two Downchild songs, "Shotgun Blues" and "I Got Everything I Need (Almost)" were even covered on The Blues Brothers' 1979 multi-platinum album Briefcase Full of Blues.

Donnie "Mr. Downchild" Walsh has seen it all through his fifty-five years as leader and co-founder of the band (with his since-passed brother, Richard "Hock" Walsh). From the early days of recording their debut album Bootleg in the parking garage at Rochdale College in Toronto, to sharing the stage with American blues legends, B.B. King, Buddy Guy, James Cotton and many more in some of the finest venues around the world. In 2019, Donnie was inducted into the Canadian Songwriters Hall of Fame, alongside some of the greatest songwriters of our time, including Leonard Cohen, Neil Young and Joni Mitchell.

Downchild continues to be led by Donnie Walsh on guitar and harmonica, singer Chuck Jackson, who also plays harmonica, tenor sax man Pat Carey, Gary Kendall on bass, drummer Jim Casson and Tyler Yarema on keyboards.

With their infectious signature jump-blues style sound, Juno Award winners Downchild deliver a live performance that is second to none. This is your Last Chance to Dance, so come on down, have some fun and celebrate one of the greatest blues bands of our time!

Colin Linden’s tale is the stuff of legend, the kind told in the Coen brothers’ O Brother Where Art Thou or Inside Llewyn Davis, both of which featured his guitar playing on the soundtracks. That film would begin with an 11-year-old meeting his musical idol Howlin’ Wolf at a matinee show in his native Toronto, accompanied by his mom, who took a picture of the two during a nearly two-hour long conversation before the gig, the legendary bluesman idling over coffee and cigarettes. “I’m an old man now, and I won’t be around much longer,” Wolf told him. “It’s up to you to carry it on.” Linden still carries that frayed photograph in his wallet, along with a Sears 5/8” socket wrench in his pocket to play slide guitar. He has taken Wolf’s plea seriously, performing since he was 12 years old, leaving home as a teenager to travel the south at the invitation of Mississippi Sheiks delta blues guitarist Sam Chatmon which took him to Detroit, Chicago, Indianapolis, St. Louis, Memphis and Hollandale, Mississippi, meeting and visiting the sites of his heroes – Brownie McGhee, Muddy Waters, Sippie Wallace, Tampa Red, Blind John Davis, the Rev. Robert Wilkins, Sleepy John Estes and Son House, visiting the landmarks and juke joints, many of which he’s played in during the course of a 45-year career producing and playing blues and roots music. As a singer/guitarist, he’s accompanied everyone from Bruce Cockburn (as his producer and touring musician) to Bob Dylan, Greg Allman, Rihannon Giddens, Pistol Annies, John Prine and more. He was the main contributor to the music for the Nashville TV show and subsequent live tours. Along the way, Linden played on over 500 albums and produced 140, including his first-ever actual Grammy in 2020 for producing Keb Mo’s Oklahoma, winner for Best Americana Album. He has also nabbed a staggering 25 Juno Award nominations and nine wins. Linden’s latest solo album, bLOW, the first outside artist on longtime friend Lucinda Williams’ Highway 20 label distributed by Nashville-based Thirty Tigers, is his 14th in 40 years, but first electric blues release. The title song comes from being stuck inside a flimsy motel after a casino gig somewhere in Oklahoma or Texas as a tornado was about to hit, waiting for the walls to cave in, with his wife, the novelist Janice Powers, providing not only the opening verse quoted above, but the gurgling Hammond B3 organ left to him by his former bandmate, the late Richard Bell, played, in her own words, “like a deranged church lady.” Linden willingly took the torch from Wolf, launching a career that has seen him not just as a singer, songwriter and guitarist, but as a producer, sideman, film/TV music supervisor and score composer. Meeting T Bone Burnett through artist Sam Phillips – who was the opening act for Bruce Cockburn, with whom Linden was playing – was another life-altering event, leading him to gigs with the Coen brothers and the Nashville TV series. “I couldn’t ever have had a better mentor as a record producer and music maker,” says Linden about his longtime friend. Although following in the footsteps of his heroes was the beginning of Linden’s story, with bLOW he continues a journey that began even before he met Wolf. That magic moment and so many others continue to live on in the music.

“This is music of the highest order, playing and paying proper tribute to these Texas Blues/Rock Legends. Not to be missed”…Q 107 Radio, Toronto

Thousands of hours has been put into this project by band leader Dave Ryan and band. Concentrating on delivering the music and tone identical to the original artists, this is a show for musicians and fans alike. His abiliity to lock into the video track identically with his vocals and guitar, it will blow your mind leaving you saying “how the heck did he do that!”

'Ruzz Guitar's Blues Revue' are one of the UK’s premier, Big Band Blues sounds...

Hailing from Bristol UK and lead by Gretsch endorsed guitarist Ruzz Guitar... Ruzz Guitar's Blues Revue brings together the multiple influences in Ruzz's musical journey and combines them into one project to create the sound that he's always heard in his head and wanted to capture live.

Bring together the Big Band Swing of The Brian Setzer Orchestra, blend it with the Texas Blues of Jimmie Vaughan and throw in a few other influences from artists such as B.B.King, Ray Charles, Gordon Goodwin's Big Phat Band and you'll get an idea of the sound that Ruzz Guitar's Blues Revue put out!

Since the band started in 2014 they have been going from strength to strength.

- They have opened for, and shared the stage with, many well-known artists such as Andy Fairweather Low, Dr Feelgood, Innes Sibun (Robert Plant/The Innes Sibun Blues Explosion), Jon Amor (The Hoax), Pete Gage (Dr Feelgood), Kirk Fletcher (The Fabulous Thunderbirds/Joe Bonamassa/Solo), The BlockHeads (Ian Dury & The Blockheads), Bill Kirchen, Darrel Higham (Imelda May/Jeff Beck/Solo), Kid Ramos (James Harman/The Fabulous Thunderbirds) and Junior Watson.

- They have self-released four albums and released one with Rhythm Bomb Records, all of which have amassed multiple plays on multiple independent and internet radio stations around the globe including “Hank’s Americana Radio” and 90.1 FM KPFT “Howlin’ The Blues” broadcasting out of Houston Texas, BBC Radio Wales during Adam Walton’s “BBC Introducing” Show, BBC Radio Wiltshire during Sue Davies’ show broadcasting from the UK and Banks Radio Australia to name a few.

- The 2018 album release (“The Heist” – November 2018) features special guests Pete Gage (The Jet Harris Band/Dr Feelgood/Solo) & Tommy Harkenrider (from USA), received rave reviews and reached number 25 in the IBBA 2018 Top 50 album chart. 2020 saw the release of their “Live at the Louisiana” (February 2020) and “The Instrumental Sounds Of…” (December 2020) albums.

- They have played all over the UK and had very successful tours of Europe and the USA.

- Ruzz has also been honoured by being officially endorsed by Gretsch Guitars (September 2016). In March 2017, he was made the “Featured Guitarist” on the official website for Gretsch Guitars (www.gretsch.com)

- September 2017 saw Ruzz used as the front cover image for UK Rock’n’Roll Magazine with a three page feature on the band and 2020 saw the band receive a two page feature in the 'Blues In Britain' magazine.

- Ruzz won the 'Guitarist Of The Year' award and was nominated 'Artist Of The Year' (came runner up to Jimmie Vaughan) in The Blues Lounge Radio Show 2021 Awards.

Lance Anderson’s critically acclaimed performance of 

‘The Last Waltz - a Musical Celebration of The BAND - Live’ celebrates the 48th Anniversary of the historic concert Aeolian Hall, London ON 

Saturday Apr. 27th 2024

An all-star Canadian cast of award-winning blues and roots musicians, under the direction of Juno award winning producer and musical director, Lance Anderson, will perform selections from their hit show that recreates the atmosphere of The Band’s final concert, which was captured in Martin Scorcese's award-winning concert film, The Last Waltz.
2024 will mark the 14th year this cast of The Last Waltz has performed Live. The 2 hr concert will feature 4 guests. Chuck Jackson (Lead singer of the legendary Downchild Blues Band) Johnny Max, Matt Weidinger and Soul diva Quisha Wint. This will be a celebration and intimate experience of the music of the Canadian Music Hall of fame members The BAND in an wonderful venue - Aeolian Hall in London.

This crowd pleasing show that has thrilled audiences at the CNE Bandshell (Toronto), Casino Regina, Peterborough Music Fest, Century Casino Edmonton, Mississauga Living Arts Centre, the Shenkman Theatre (Ottawa), Centennial Hall (London ON), Showplace Theatre, Peterborough, Orillia Opera House, Huntsville Festival of the Arts (Algonquin Theatre), Regent Theatre, Oshawa, Victoria Hall Cobourg, Gayety Theatre Collingwood, Peter’s Players in Gravenhurst, and at Hugh’s Room in Toronto, will make any event an extravaganza! They have headlined the Mariposa Folk Festival , Kitchener Blues Fest, Southside Shuffle, Wasaga Beach Blues Festival, Stratford Blues and Ribfest, Norfolk County Fair (Simcoe) and Orillia Spring Blues Fest to name a few.

On the American Thanksgiving of 1976 at San Francisco’s Winterland Ballroom, The BAND invited many of their friends to join in their farewell concert celebration.  These friends included Bob Dylan, Ronnie Hawkins, Van Morrison, Neil Young, Joni Mitchell and others who performed with The Band on this historic night.  

In this homage to The Last Waltz, Anderson’s special guests will perform a few of the songs played and sung by these guest artists at the memorable 1976 concert.

Backed by a 9 piece band that includes Jerome Levon Avis (godson of Levon Helm) on drums and vocals, Terry Blersh on guitar, Wayne DeAdder (Jimmy Bowskill) on bass, Rob Gusevs (Blood, Sweat and Tears) on organ and Anderson (Matchedash Parish) on piano and vocals, this is a group of seasoned veterans who love the music. Anderson’s band also features a stellar four-piece horn section including, Londoners Dave Dunlop (trumpet and Simon Wallis (Lighthouse) Bari sax, and includes Gord Meyers (Blood, Sweat and Tears) on trombone and tuba, and Scott Marshall on Tenor sax. Truly an all-star band!

“What makes this performance special is the connection these musicians have to the music,” says Anderson. “They love the music and perform these tunes from the heart.” 

Anderson’s production of The Last Waltz has experienced rave reviews at the many festivals where it has appeared over the past few years and has consistently been referred to as the “best of the festival.” 

“It wasn’t just the musicianship, which was second to none; it was the energy … these musicians have brought forth a live music gem that is worthy of any stage I know of and probably more that I don’t,” said 

P. Rellinger of the Kawartha News after seeing Anderson’s show in 

Peterborough.

The Band is a Canadian national treasure, with four members of the legendary roots music group originally from southern Ontario. In the 1960s, they were initially brought together as 'The Hawks’ by Ronnie Hawkins and later gained international recognition as Bob Dylan’s band on his groundbreaking electric tours. This two hour inspired performance of The Last Waltz includes a wide selection of fan favourites, such as The Band’s ‘The Weight’, ’The Night They Drove Ol’ Dixie Down’, ‘Up On Cripple Creek’, ‘Life is a Carnival’, ‘The Shape I’m In’, ‘Rag Mama Rag’, 'Ophelia' and more, plus music from their special guests.

Don’t miss this opportunity in 2024 to join in our celebration of the music of this legendary group on the 48th anniversary year  of The Last Waltz.

[Note: guest artists are subject to change due to shifting schedules.]