Music seems to steer the souls of many in our beautiful community.
Some try to make a full time living with music. Others hold down more conventional
jobs with the prospect of someday working in music full time, and yet others again
work jobs outside of music, but spend most of there spare time thinking and
performing music. Some of us constantly listen to music. You may run into a person
who has a passion for kayaking, gardening, sports, or numerous hobbies but very
seldom do you run into somebody who says "music, I am not really into music."
Even while participating in one's favorite activities, quite often music will be in
the background.

Music is all I have ever participated in, be it running record stores,
putting on concerts, listening to music or playing it, it is what I do. Why? Soothes
the soul, makes the wheels of my mind turn. Enlightenment and experiencing the
intimacy of far away cultures without leaving my living room. Thus my monthly
input to A Newspin will be music, mostly from the point of view of current
projects on the go.

Moreland and Arbuckle "Blues Legends in the Making", on route to the
Ottawa Blues Festival for a couple of days played the Wilno Tavern on
Friday July 17th. These 3 young boys from middle America are keeping alive
the roots of Blues music, Mississippi Blues, while still brave enough to add in there
own souls to come up with there own sound. The sold-out performance brought in
people from as far away as 3 hours to dance and listen to some of the deepest
Blues being performed today. At 27, Dustin Arbuckles voice sounds like that of
a seasoned Blues wailer and his harmonica work brings back visions of
Junior Wells, Walter Horton, and many Muddy Waters sides. Aaron Moreland
has several guitar set-ups including his handmade cigar box guitar, which has 4 strings,
all in open tuning, with 2 of the strings from a bass and 2 from a standard guitar.
He has managed to come up with his own sound in Blues. Brad Horner on drums
keeps the beat simple and tasty with interesting fills that again brings some of
his own personality to the stage. Put the 3 together, and you have a recipe for
Deep Blues, trance groves and a mixing of young soul to keep it youthful and driving.
Besides being great Bluesmen, they are great guys. We did a recording of there
performance in Cobourg, and if all goes well, it will be released through Zapp!
Productions. Telarc records, a major label is looking into signing Moreland and
Arbuckle and one of the biggest managers in the business has taken them on.
Playing smaller venues like the Wilno Tavern may become a thing of the past for
these guys, but friendship is something they hold closer to their hearts than music
so while they are out performing on some of the biggest stages on the scene, I am
sure a special arrangement will be made for some intimate shows in the area
as they climb up the ladder.


The next show in the works is a Chicago Blues Revue Tour. This will feature
guitarists Melvin Taylor, "The Blues Most Exhilarating Guitarist"...Rolling Stone Mag., Studebaker John, guitarist for the Yardbirds, "A Powerhouse"...Chicago Tribune,
and a rhythm section featuring former members of Miles Davis and Koko Taylor.
This is one of the heaviest lineups in the biz. The tour will see them performing at 2
beautiful halls in southern Ontario, the Picton Regent Theatre on Friday Ocober 2nd,
Victoria Hall Cobourg (part of an all day Blues Revue also featuring Rick Fines)
October 3rd, and the Killaloe Lions Hall on Thursday October 1st. Why Killaloe?
The bands love the hospitallity offered at Annie's Inn and requested to stay there,
and it will also be a fundraiser for Emilie Stanley. We will save the details for this
show for next months edition of A New Spin.