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Friday August 21 Saturday August 22
Sunday August 23
“1861”, their third recording, was released to rave reviews last year on the Northern Blues record label. It charted #3 on the Roots and Blues charts in Roots Music Report and was a “pick hit to click” on XM radio’s Bluesville. With raw edged blues, drawing from such inspirations as Hound Dog Taylor and R.L. Burnside, the disc also charts its’ own course through the blues, taking in influences as diverse as Little Walter, Hank Sr., Led Zeppelin and the Sex Pistols. Guitar Edge Magazine said that Aaron Moreland “Plays Hill Country stomps like his life depends on it” and called the band one of “10 Blues Legends in the Making”. Working as a trio with drummer Brad Horner, the group electrified audiences last fall at the Arkansas Blues and Heritage Festival, both on stage and then later when they took over a corner on Helena’s historic Cherry Street to play for passersby. They have never worked in Alberta and the audience at Edmonton’s Labatt Blues Festival will be in for a rare treat when Moreland and Arbuckle hit the stage to kick things off Friday August 21 Friday 5:30
With 23 albums under his belt as a leader Slim’s latest was released last fall. The Pittsburgh Post Gazette said “Midnight Blues is another round of what Slim does best: Some of the toughest straight-ahead blues you can find, that are still delivered by the guy who created them.” Blues Revue has raved “Whoever the house band in Blues Heaven may be, even money says they’re wearing out Magic Slim albums trying to get that Teardrops sound down cold.” In fact, over the years Slim and his band mates have been nominated for no less than 39 Blues Music Awards and in 2009 are up for “Band of the Year”, “Entertainer of the Year” and Slim has been nominated as “Traditional Blues Male Artist of the Year”. However you want to slice it, Magic Slim and the Teardrops are a true treasure of the blues and we are pleased and proud to host them once again. Friday 6:55
Formed in 1967, they have consistently achieved excellence in their pursuit of good time, get on the dance floor, jump and swing blues. None other than Count Basie called them “The hottest blues band I’ve ever heard”. Down Beat Magazine Critics Poll twice voted them as “Blues Band of the Year”; they have 5 Grammy Award nominations to their credit and 7 Blues Music Awards including being voted “Band of the Year” in 2005. Roomfuls’ latest recording on Alligator Records is “Raisin a Ruckus”, which debuted last year to critical acclaim and widespread radio play. The foot stomping CD highlighted the intense vocal and instrumental power of the world’s smallest big band. Roomful first “Raised a Ruckus” at Edmonton’s Labatt Blues Festival in 2004. We welcome back their winning combination of jump, swing, blues, R&B and soul which remains their calling card, as does their ability to fill the dance floor. Friday 8:30
In February, 2005 the Russian Blues Community sent Arsen to the 21st International Blues Challenge in Memphis. He also performed at the Odessa Jazz Carnival (2004, Ukraine), Dark Season Blues Festival (2005, Norway). Arsen is a regular at major Russian blues festivals and his songs are included in the airplay lists of numerous blues radio and internet stations all over the world. He’s toured Russia, Australia, France, and is now making inroads in North America. In October 2007, at the 22nd Arkansas Blues & Heritage Festival, he was the winner in the "Emerging Artists" program and secured a spot on Main Stage at the prestigious event for 2008. And that’s where we come in. After seeing this incredible guitarist in Helena at the Blues and Heritage Festival, we had to know more. Working in a trio format, he played with incredible ease, moving from jump to swing, to hard rocking blues with virtuosity, originality and style. It’s funny how things work sometimes. After seeing this Russian guitarist at a blues festival in Helena Arkansas, who has immigrated to Canada and is living in Vancouver, we had to get him to Edmonton’s Labatt Blues Festival in 2009. It’s a small blues world after all. Saturday 2:30
Born in New Haven, Connecticut and raised in Los Angeles, California, Mark absorbed the music of such Chicago based harp blowers as Little Walter, James Cotton, and Sonny Boy Williamson, before settling in Berkeley, California in 1972. There he played with local bluesmen such as Cool Papa, Boogie Jake, Mississippi Johnny Waters and Sonny Lane. In 1980, he took the helm to lead the popular Blues Survivors Band. Since 1991 Mark has been both producing and performing at his annual Blues Harmonica Blowout series and twice the Harmonica Blowout has made it to the stage at Edmonton’s Labatt Blues Festival. While it was great to see Snooky Pryor, Lee Oskar, Johnny Dyer, James Harman and Billy Boy Arnold appear as part of the blowouts, we felt that having Mark at the festival fronting his band was a treat we were all missing out on. Mark then suggested we get guitarist Rusty Zinn in on the action. Rusty played guitar in Hummel's band in the early 90s before being discovered by Fabulous T-Bird Kim Wilson on a Hummel gig. Since then, Zinn has become not only a first rate guitar talent but an incredible singer, with soul to spare. Rusty's four discs as a bandleader garnered rave reviews worldwide. Saturday 4:00
Chubby Carrier started out as twinkle in Roy Carrier's eye (Roy looks more Chubby's older brother than his dad). The Carriers are one of the great musical families in Louisiana. There's Poppa Roy, Chubby, Chubby's brother Troy (AKA Dikki Du and The Zydeco Krewe), Roy's nephew Dwight Carrier and The Zydeco Ro Dogs. There's also Chubby's Aunt Laura Maria Doolittle (AKA Zydeco-T) who plays with Mojo and the Bayou Gypsies. There's traditional roots in Chubby's zydeco, but expands the sound for all ages. Live and in studio he's taken songs like B.B. King's "Rock Me Baby," Billy Preston's "Will It Go Round in Circles," The Who's "Squeeze Box", War's "Cisco Kid" and the Grateful Dead's "Fire On The Mountain" and dragged them through the swamp with beautiful results. It's adding Louisiana spice to popular tunes that helps Carrier build the bridge between zydeco and the rest of the world. Mardi Gras can happen 365 days a year and you don't have to flash anything to enjoy the band (Unless you REALLY want to). Chubby Carrier and The Bayou Swamp Band is one of the most energetic groups around. The music of Louisiana is one big stew pot of many flavours and it's really damn tasty. Chubby is the musical part in the stew pot where the gumbo meets the rice and you want to sop it up with some French bread. It’s been 5 years since Chubby was here, so prepare to be funkified, zydecofied and the pleasant victim of a Chubby party. Saturday 5:30
Cedric Burnside, grandson of the legendary R.L. Burnside, is widely regarded as one of the best drummers in the world. In fact he has been nominated as “Drummer of the Year” at this year’s Blues Music Awards. Growing up at his grandfather's side, he began touring at age 13, playing drums for "Big Daddy" on stages around the globe. Cedric was born in 1978 and raised around Holly Springs, Mississippi, and has been playing music all his life, developing a relentless, highly rhythmic charged style. Just 27 years old, he recalls growing up without a radio or a TV. "My granddad used to play out on the porch, and we'd have house parties every weekend. Johnny Woods would come over and blow harmonica, and he'd drink two or three gallons of corn liquor. We just stomped up dirt." Cedric has also played with, among countless others, Junior Kimbrough, Kenny Brown, North Mississippi Allstars, Burnside Exploration, Bobby Rush and Widespread Panic. In 2006 he was featured in the critically acclaimed film Black Snake Moan, playing drums alongside Samuel L Jackson. Bluesman Lightnin' Malcolm was born in rural Missouri. "I remember I was 7 or 8, and the grown folks was parked out on the road listening to music and carryin' on," recalls Malcolm. "They put on a tape called 'Muddy Waters' Greatest Hits,' and when I heard that voice shootin' out of that speaker, I was shocked. I fell in love with it, and I promised myself then and there that if I grew up to be a man, I was gonna try to do that!" Malcolm has lived and breathed music his whole life, developing a slashing, rhythmic style of guitar playing. His first album, “Juke Joint Dance Party” became the No.1 requested blues album on XM Satellite Radio. Now that he has joined forces with powerhouse drummer and vocalist Cedric Burnside, Lightnin' Malcolm feels like his calling is now. The Boston Phoenix said of the duo “Live and loud they’re like a gritty elixir of moonshine and thunder.” Hypnotic and irresistible, The Juke Joint Duo will transport you to that juke in Mississippi...get ready. Saturday 7:00
At the core of The Legendary Rhythm & Blues Revue is renowned guitar slinger and vocalist Tommy Castro and his band. Castro was named B.B. King Blues Entertainer of the Year in the 2008 Blues Music Awards, and his album Painkiller won Contemporary Blues Album of the Year. A native of San Jose, CA, he has become a Bay Area legend over the last two decades, garnering countless awards for his infectiously rocking brand of blues, and earning a national spotlight leading the house band on NBC-TV’s “Comedy Showcase” for three seasons. Castro has released a series of widely acclaimed CDs over the last decade, and he was personally chosen as the opening act for two tours by B.B. King. He is currently in the studio and a new CD will be released in 2009 on Alligator Records.
Saturday 8:30
Fiona Boyes, International Blues Challenge winner and 2-time nominee at the Blues Music Awards (“Contemporary Female Blues Artist” and “Contemporary Blues Album of the year”) met with mandolin whizz Rich DelGrosso (3 time nominee at the Blues Music Awards as “Instrumentalist – Other”) and Mookie Brill (Blues Music Award nominee as Bassist of the Year” 4 times and winner in 2007 and 2008) during the Blues Music Awards in 2008. They discussed the possibility of recording together and a few months later they found themselves in the XM radio studios laying down an 11 track masterpiece as Boyes, Brill and DelGrosso. The recording has been nominated as “Acoustic Album of the Year” at the 2009 Blues music Awards. Their material reflects a shared fondness for Sonny Boy Williamson, Magic Sam, Lightnin’ Hopkins, Arthur “big Boy” Crudup, and J.B. Lenoir. Boyes and DelGrosso also contribute originals. Boyes weaves her guitar around DelGrosso’s mandolin, while Brill adds acoustic bass and harp. All three take a turn at the vocal duties and the result is no less than magical. Sing Out Magazine said that “the trio crisply create a tantalizing tension between familiar blues patterns and the ongoing reinvention that surfaces with each new generation of performers...infectiously syncopated guitar and mandolin interplay...required listening” According to Blues Revue contributor Bill Wasserzieher “they represent the sort of musical experience that doesn’t happen often enough these days.” All three members of this trio have very busy careers as soloists and band members so it was quite a feat to get all them together for an afternoon of acoustic blues. It’s happening at Edmonton’s Labatt Blues Festival Sunday August 23. Sunday 2:30
Although still relatively young in "blues years", David Gogo has accomplished much in his career. So far he has three Juno nominations, was named Musician of the Year at the Western Canadian Music Awards, was twice named "Guitarist of the Year" at the Maple Blues Awards, and has been bestowed with the CBC Saturday Night Blues, "Great Canadian Blues Award" for a lifetime contribution to the blues in Canada. Nine albums have been released under his name and he has been a guest on a number of other artist’s recordings. He’s composed music for television and major motion pictures and his songs have been performed and recorded by various musicians worldwide. His electric shows showcase his blistering guitar licks and soulful vocals...but he can also draw the crowd in with his humour and down-to-earth personality during his acoustic shows. Audiences throughout North America, Europe, and Scandinavia can attest to his outstanding talent. In fact David spent much of last winter and spring touring throughout Europe to sold out houses and enthusiastic fan response. Johnny Winter has said "David is a great blues player. I like his style!", while The Winnipeg Free Press opined that "If there was a list of the best guitar players in Canada, David Gogo would be on that list." Welcome The David Gogo Band back to the stage at Edmonton’s Labatt Blues Festival Sunday August 23. Sunday 4:00
Today, singer/harmonica player/songwriter Rick Estrin ranks among the very best harp players in the blues world. His work on the reeds is at once deep in the tradition of harmonica masters Sonny Boy Williamson II and Little Walter Jacobs while at the same time pushing that tradition forward. For more than 30 years and nine albums, Rick fronted the jumping, swinging Little Charlie & The Nightcats, featuring guitarist Little Charlie Baty. But now, with Baty's recent retirement from touring, Estrin -- along with the Nightcats longtime rhythm section of J. Hansen and Lorenzo Ferrell and fiery guitarist Kid Andersen -- is ready to take the lead on his own. Rick Estrin & The Nightcats sound, while still swinging the blues, is a harmonica-driven, rocking, guitar-fueled rave-up. The band performs the well-known, well-loved songs from Estrin’s massive catalog, and will introduce plenty of new material along the way. Besides Estrin's songwriting and musical skills, he is among the greatest live showmen around. "People don't go out to see people who look like them," says Rick. "They want to see something special. I was schooled in this business to be a showman, and that's what you get when you come to see me perform." The Chicago Sun-Times noted, "It's tough to stay in your seat when Estrin and his musical cohorts get cooking. Rick Estrin played our very first Friday night back in 1999 and his return is way overdue. Sunday 5:30
In 1992, after seeing her former neighbour Stanley Burrell (a.k.a. M.C. Hammer), perform on the Arsenio Hall Show, Monica decided to turn her singing talent into more than just performing in her automobile and bathroom. Already accustomed to hard work and discipline, she set up her garage to make a living, performing the music inside her. Almost immediately, she was sharing the Monterey Bay Blues Festival stages with Etta James, The Neville Brothers, Koko Taylor, Bobby "Blue" Bland, and other greats from the world of blues and R&B. Monica is a the winner of the 2007 Santa Cruz County's Artist of the Year Award, the 2002 Monterey Bay Blues Festival – “Artist of the Year” Award; the 2003 Gail Rich Award; the 2004 San Jose Mercury News’ Most Creative Women in Silicon Valley Award; and the 1999 BAMMIES – Bay Area Music Awards. She has been nominated two times as the United Kingdom's Best Blues Female Artist. In 1998, 2007 and 2008, she was nominated as Best Contemporary and Blues/Soul Female Artist at the Blues Music Awards. Monica lit it up with an incendiary performance at the 2004 edition of Edmonton’s Labatt Blues Festival and we welcome her return. Sunday 7:00
From coffeehouses to concert halls, festivals and beyond, John Hammond has spent forty years entertaining blues, folk and rock audiences around the world, performing intense solo-acoustic blues. A Grammy Award winner and four-time nominee, Hammond is also a multiple W.C. Handy award winner who has shared the stage and/or recorded with many of the masters, including Muddy Waters, Willie Dixon, John Lee Hooker and Howlin' Wolf. John has recorded over thirty albums and
his passionate commitment to traditional blues made him the natural choice to
host the BRAVO TV special and Sony Home Video, “The Search for Robert
Johnson.” His latest album,
“Push Comes to
Shove”, was released in January
2007 to glowing reviews from Time Out New York, The Washington Post, American
Songwriter and many more. The disc was produced by long-time Hammond fanatic
G Love (Garret Dutton III) and features Stephen Hodges on drums, Marty Ballou on
bass and Bruce Katz on piano and organ. Hammond wrote an unprecedented five
original songs for the album, along with new renditions of tunes by Little
Walter, Junior Wells, Tom Waits and more. John Hammond has been coming to Edmonton to share his love of the blues for over 30 years and first appeared at the 2003 edition of the festival in a trio format. For his performance this year he will be joined by his all star rhythm section and keyboard ace Bruce Katz. Sunday 8:30 Please Note: the Festival is a cash only event, there is an ATM on-site for your convenience. [Contact Us] [Blues Links] [Past Festivals] [Sponsors] [Home] 
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Aaron Moreland 
Roomful of Blues
Guitar player, singer and songwriter
One word to describe the
swampdelic sounds of 
Ever wonder what the inside of
Mississippi juke joint might be like? We’re bringing it to you this August at
Edmonton’s Labatt Blues Festival with the Juke Joint Duo...
The Legendary Rhythm and Blues Revue
came about as a way of showcasing the incredible talent that was on the 
Magic Dick
Kenny Neal
Blues and boogie-woogie pianist and
vocalist 
Sometimes great blues is the result of
circumstance and opportunity. Such is the case with these three award winning
musicians, who got together one afternoon to perform and then record an album at
XM Radio’s Bluesville studios.
David Gogo
One day back in 1970, a 20-year old Rick
Estrin had the opportunity to play harmonica with Muddy Waters and his band at
the Sutherland Hotel on 47th and Drexel in Chicago's South Side. During the
break, Muddy called Estrin over, shook his finger in his face, and shouted, "You
outta sight boy! You play like a MAN boy! You got that sound boy, I KNOW that
sound when I hear it, that's MY sound!"
What can we say about 