Calgary’s Bluesland leave their hearts in New Orleans

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Bluesland and the Cold Sweat Horns may call Calgary home, but their hearts are in New Orleans.
 The eight piece band including by producer, guitarist Terry Medd.

The players are; Pat Belliveau and John Reid – Tenor Sax, Dr Z – Trumpet, Paul Evans – Baritone Sax, Guy Plecash – Keyboards and Lead Vocals, Kenny Chalmers – Drums, Bryan Czar - Bass Guitar, and MartBluesland play the Lethbridge Jazz Festival, June 13. Photo submittedy Cochrane – Lead Vocals, play  the Slice, June 13  for the Lethbridge Jazz Festival.


 Guitarist / producer Terry Medd fell in love with the New Orleans style of music  the first time he played there in the ’70s.
He was amazed by the variety of music happening.


“ The first time I went there I saw a funeral. And at first it would be a funeral procession then the next second, you’d have this group of guys playing everywhere in the street,” he recalled.


“ It became more of a celebration,” he said, adding he was impressed with how entwined music  was in the people’s lives.
He was just as impressed with the instruments themselves and managed to incorporate vintage instruments like a 1920's drum kit into Bluesland’s second album “ Down In New Orleans.”


 He noted Bluesland mixes a variety of styles rather than just concentrating on straight jazz or blues music.
“ We play some shuffle blues, but we also try to mix a little jazz in there,” he said.


“ We’ve never played there before. It’s our first time in Lethbridge,” he said, adding they are almost done their third album.


“ We just finished recording the third album. But it won’t be out until Fall, he said adding they are getting some familiar faces who worked on their last album to worn on the new one including big names like Ken Burke who will mix it in Vancouver as well as Muscle Shoals engineer Perry Barret to master it for the authentic southern sound.


“We all like how they’d take the music into new, inventive directions . They always take it somewhere,” he said.


 He noted the show will include a variety of music.
“We’re a horn band, so we’ll be playing some jazz music as well as some funk and blues. We don’t pay particular attention to genres,” he said.


 They are continuing a building their fan base with several high profile gigs coming up including a Mardi Gras Festival as t the Symons Vally ranch on the outskirts of Calgary and a July 4 show at the Banff Springs Hotel.

“ We’re creating a fan base and that’s important,” he said
Their show is at 9:30 p.m. at the Slice  June 13. Tickets cost $20.

— By Richard Amery, L.A. Beat Editor

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Last Updated ( Tuesday, 09 June 2015 10:25 )