Hornby Blues

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The Hornby Island Blues Workshop takes place every spring. They invite a dozen or so of the finest Canadian blues and roots musicians around to share their knowledge and inspiration with some lucky students. We thought - why not catch some of these great players, singers and all-round entertainers, and get them to do a show for us on the way to Hornby? One of Vancouver's own teams up with a master from Victoria and two of the best from Ontario. It's a simple but foolproof formula!

Steeped in roots music, Rick Fines crafts a unique blend of warm-hearted blues, juke joint folk, and dockside soul that both embraces and defies the genres that influence him. As a veteran of the North American blues and folk circuits, he engages audiences with captivating songs, diverse guitar styling and his signature vocal growl. First gaining attention as part of the legendary Jackson Delta, he’s since released four solo albums, another with his own Rick Fines Trio, and a critically acclaimed disc with fellow troubadour Suzie Vinnick.  Along the way he has racked up both awards and accolades.  His 15-year stint with Jackson Delta received both Juno and Handy award nominations.  His partnership with Suzie garnered a Maple Blues Songwriter of the Year Award.  On his own, he’s pulled in two more Maple Blues Awards (for Solo Act of the Year), as well as an astonishing eight other nominations.  While his songwriting chops won him a 2003 International Songwriting Competition, he’s equally proficient on guitar – having played for legendary blues piano player Pinetop Perkins, songstress Colleen Peterson, folk icon Penny Lang, and many others. “The classic blues guitar picking and authentic-sounding vocals of Rick Fines were the sweetener ... an early opportunity to hear more would be welcome.” – The Herald, (Glasgow).

Bubbling up from the cauldron of roots Americana music, Samantha Martin is an artist of extraordinary power, gravitas and deep-seated emotion. On first listen, one is immediately struck by the awesome presence and sheer magnitude of her other worldly voice. Martin’s pipes are capable of conveying an infinite range of emotions, bringing one to tears in one instance and in the next uplifting one’s soul with an empowered declaration of hope, faith and desire. As a vocalist her roots lie squarely within the wellspring of powerful, strong woman’s voices embodied by such forbears as Marion Williams, Mavis Staples, Etta James, Tina Turner, Bettye LaVette, Lucinda Williams and, perhaps most closely, Bonnie Bramlett. As a songwriter, she draws on black gospel and southern soul with a hint of roots country and sixties pop while her lyrics suggest an old soul with wisdom beyond her years.

What kind of music do you want Paul Pigat to play? Blues? Jazz? Gospel? Bluegrass? Punk? Classical? Metal? Rockabilly? Western Swing? Something unique, say Mel Torme meets AC/DC? He could do it, and he could it well, he's that kind of guy. Paul Pigat can play just about every style and technique imaginable, with a modern twist that is both fluid and precise, and is without fail exhilarating in its intensity. Diversity in a musician is always a bonus, but of course at a blues concert Paul will narrow the scope for sure, to focus on his brand of country meets bebop blues and traditional delta finger style. With his rockabilly heart and his hobo soul this self admitted guitaraholic is like a pitbull on a bone when it comes to practicing his craft. “Hot enough to raise sweat on a chunk of granite!” - Monday Magazine. "His lead guitar is stunning and the generous breaks bristle with invention and at times are lightning fast.” - Now Dig This (UK).

Although he’s a MapleBlues Award winner (Keyboard Player of the Year for 2011, 2014, 2015, 2016 and 2017) who now lives in Canada, David Vest is an authentic, Southern-bred boogie-woogie piano player, blues shouter and world-class entertainer. Born in Huntsville, Alabama in 1943, David grew up in Birmingham near Tuxedo Junction. He played his first paying gig in 1957, and by the time he opened for Roy Orbison on New Year’s Day 1962, he was a seasoned veteran of Gulf Coast roadhouses and honky-tonks. About the time he turned 21 he found himself onstage with Big Joe Turner, who said that David Vest’s playing made him feel like he was back in Kansas City. David himself wrote the first songs recorded by Tammy Wynette, as detailed in her recent bio. He also dated a sister of the Louvin Brothers, toured with Faron Young (who threatened to kill him), backed Red Foley in a show where all the stars got robbed, worked in theatre with Fannie Flagg and became the first American artist to record in Romania. From 2002 through 2006, he was co-leader of Portland’s Paul deLay Band. His Canadian recording, East Meets Vest, was named one of the best blues albums of 2012 by Holger Petersen of CBC’s Saturday Night Blues and earned a MapleBlues nomination for Recording of the Year. Time has done little to diminish David's energy, skill and creative drive. Working solo or with his band, he continues to bring audiences to their feet and to demonstrate why he has been called “one of the greatest living boogie-woogie piano players.”

The Rogue Folk Club is pleased to provide great Sponsorship Opportunities for all our shows. For a nominal cost, individuals or businesses can sponsor any of our shows and reap a number of benefits - free tickets, reserved table, recognition on literature, our web site and at the concerts. For more information, simply contact our Sponsorship Director Morris Biddle at mobiddley@me.com