Juno award winning roots/ blues singer songwriter Ray Bonneville returns to Lethbridge, Oct. 9 to make his debut with the Lethbridge Folk Club.

 I missed his performance at the Geomatic Attic a couple years ago, but I remember seeing him do one of the coolest mid song string changes I had ever seen in another life. Bonneville, who performs solo, accompanying himself  on harmonica and guitar while rapping out a rhythm by tapping on a microphoned board with his feet, broke a string mid-song, and didn’t miss a beat or a verse, and played a harmonica solo while changing the string, then picked up where he left off in the song.

“I haven’t had to do that in while, but then I haven’t broken a string in a while,” said the Montreal/Austin/Arkansas based Bonneville from his motel in Athabaska.

“I just play the melody on the harmonica and guitar. I learned how to do that after playing many, many  bars over the past 20 years because when you break  a string and stop to change it, the stage goes dead,” Bonneville said adding he  likes to keep the momentum going in a show, though lately momentum has been a bit slow as he has been hobbling around on crutches while a repetitive strain injury on his right leg (from stamping out the rhythm) heals.

He’ll be fighting fit for Lethbridge with his new cast.

 But for Bonneville, the songs are what matter the most.

His last Cd “Goin’ By Feel” came out in 2008, however he is starting work on a  new  CD to be released next spring.

“I don’t know what it will sound like yet,” he said adding it is likely Gurf Morlix will be back to work on the new record as he has been involved with the past couple as co-producer.

“I think it will be a little darker, though there are some pretty dark songs on “Goin’ By Feel,” and I only say that beacuse  dark has come up a couple times (with regards to the new music). I can’t see Gurf not beoing part of the new album in some way at least playing on it. But the real man behind the sound of all my albums is Rob Heaney. I work with him in Montreal, then I‘ve been taking the songs down to Austin to work with Gurf. But Rob is a master soundscaper,” Bonneville said.

As per usual, It was a busy Saturday.

 Rob Ursel kicked off  a hopping roots party at the Slice with Treeline and  the Skilletlikkers, Sept. 25. He was backed by Paul Holden on bass, drummer Brad Brouwer and Taylor Ackerman on lead guitar, who all helped Ursel’s  own brand of old school outlaw country shine.   

He started his set slowly and then took off into country territory with just a touch  of old rock and roll.

— By Richard Amery, L.A. Beat Editor

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I didn’t want to miss a rare live appearence  by Darryl Düus and Papa King, who were playing at Jimmy’s Pub and Brasserie

 Sept. 25. I caught their second set which began with a laid back version of ”Call Me the Breeze” then a couple other uptempo blues rockers. Düus’ bluesy gravelly growl and searing leads were an excellent counterpoint to Papa King’s own Tom Waits meets Dr. John’s  growl as well as his steady acoustic playing. Düus had pretty girls dancing at his feet, which was a pleasure to see.

Not only did he do a  wicked job howling the blues at Jimmy’s Pub’s Friday jam, but he also tore the roof off Jimmy’s again with Papa King, laying down some gravelly rhythm acoustic guitar.

Papa King live performances are few and far between, so I always look forward to his gripping  Dr. John-style  gravelly baritone,affable delivery and Delta style acoustic playing. Düus adds the electricity and did so, Sept. 25, which makes them work about perfect with each other.

— By Richard Amery, L.A. Beat Editor

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Murray Nelson and some of his friends showed their ability to play a variety of styles at the Owl Acoustic Lounge, Sept. 24.

It is always a pleasure to hear Jolene Draper sing as she gets better every time.

She has a distinctive  and immediately appealing Macy Gray styled jazzy voice and is starting to project her voice more. She shone on several Fleetwood Mac songs, especially  on a spine tingling version of “Dreams.” 

Nelson and Bruce Roome traded bass and guitar throughout their set.

— By Richard Amery, L.A. Beat Editor

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