Emma Rush Illuminates 19th-Century Guitar Pioneer With “The Life and Times of Catharina Pratten” Album

Acclaimed classical guitarist Emma Rush, hailed as “one of Canada’s premier classical guitarists” (Vivascene Magazine), brings a forgotten icon to vibrant life with her latest album The Life and Times of Catharina Pratten, available everywhere now. With a rare blend of historical depth, expressive mastery, and curatorial brilliance, Rush presents the first-ever album dedicated to 19th-century virtuosa Catharina Josepha Pratten, a woman whose legacy she is determined to restore.
 
“Pratten was so prolific as a performer, composer, educator, and publisher,” says Rush. “She taught Queen Victoria’s daughter, invented new music notation, and even tuned her guitar down to D—a hundred years before Black Sabbath did!” But despite her influence, Pratten has been “largely excluded from guitar history,” Rush notes. “I intend to set the record straight.”
 
The album features seven previously unrecorded works by Pratten alongside first recordings of music by her father Ferdinand Pelzer, her husband Robert Sidney Pratten, colleague Leonard Schulz, and student Frank Mott Harrison, and works by her contemporaries Francisco Tárrega, Giulio Regondi, and Ernest Shand. “I wanted an album that showed Pratten’s work in context—to give a picture of the guitar scene in London in the 1800s,” says Rush.
 
Rush recorded the album using two historically significant guitars associated with Pratten: one bearing Pratten’s personal signature, and the other a Boosey and Sons “Pratten model” from the 1850s, effectively making them the first-ever signature series guitars. “To hold and play instruments that she herself endorsed—it’s like reaching through time,” Rush reflects.
 
Highlights include “Absence,” which Rush calls her personal favourite: “It is a technically rich piece, but has such emotional depth and I find it really moving.” The single “Evening Song” showcases Pratten’s lyrical sensitivity and harmonic flair, demonstrating her gift for writing compact yet profoundly expressive works.
 
Rush is no stranger to uncovering hidden voices. Her 2020 release Wake the Sigh featured rare music by 19th-century women composers, while her 2023 album A Dream of Colour commissioned new works inspired by Canadian painter William Blair Bruce. With The Life and Times of Catharina Pratten, she extends her mission even further - connecting the dots between performance, research, and advocacy.
 
Rush’s international reputation continues to grow, with past performances at the Altamira Shanghai International Guitar Festival, Future Echoes in Sweden, and a cross-country tour aboard The Canadian. Her 2025–26 touring schedule will take her across Canada and into Europe, including the prestigious Iserlohn International Guitar Symposium in Germany and a U.K. tour.
 
A sought-after lecturer and festival director, Rush is Co-Director of GuitarFest West (Calgary), Director of Pigeon Lake Guitar Retreat and Hamilton Guitar Day (Ontario), and a collaborator with Wakefield Guitar Festival (Québec). Her work has been supported by the Canada Council for the Arts, Ontario Arts Council, and FACTOR.
 
The Life and Times of Catharina Pratten is not just a tribute—it’s a reclamation. “She really defined the guitar in Britain for most of the 19th century,” says Rush. “And now, finally, she can take her rightful place in our musical memory.”

Will Ludford is back!

 

We are pleased to announce the release of the new album by Will Ludford. 

Guitarist Will Ludford has worked with and performed with some of the top name bands in the UK and toured the USA with rock band Diamond LIL in the late 60s…. Some of the people he worked with include…. George Harrison, Tiny Tim, Sly and Robbie..Anton Ellis…The Barron Knights, members of the Hit band Liquid Gold.. He also did session work in the legendary Chalk Farm studios. Will also wrote the hit single”Indian Dancer”. for UK Band “Abacus” . Will has found respect as a Guitarist from a new wave of young musicians who have discovered his original songs and inspirational guitar playing. Will says one of the best moments in his life was meeting and working with George Harrison at the Beatles headquarters in Saville Row, he describes George as being the nicest person he met in music. Will Ludfords Album “All I Wanted Is You” .is released by Big Buzzard Records.. up to now Will has several No.1 credits in the Reverb Nation Chart and many Radio charts,, He was voted worlds best Guitar Player for 2014 by listeners of XLR-RADIO EUROPE .You can find Albums released by Will Ludford on Amazon and ALL major download and streaming platforms.

New album “My Blues~ Everyone`s Story” is released 29th July on Big Buzzard Records.

More info on his sites:

https://streamondistro.lnk.to/AllIWantedIsYou

https://www.facebook.com/bigbuzzardrecords

https://www.facebook.com/willludford/

https://willludford2.bandcamp.com/track/slow-down-2

https://open.spotify.com/artist/38Cggr0Z1Nq1vzeUunVC31

JP LeBlanc Taps Grammy-Winning Producer Colin Linden for Bilingual Roots-Blues Album ‘All In My Blood,’ Out This Summer

 

JP LeBlanc’s new album “All In My Blood” on the Acadian Connection label was produced by Grammy-winning Colin Linden, will be released nationally this summer.

 

The nine-song album, recorded in two sessions at a fairly fast clip in 2024 with A-list players at Linden’s 1,000 square-foot, standalone home studio Recorders Studios in Nashville, is the result of two years of intense woodshedding, and long-distance songwriting with Toronto-based music industry journalist Larry LeBlanc.

 

 “Louisiana Checkbook,” the album’s lead-off English track, and “NOLA,” the lead-off French track, are set to be serviced to international streaming services on April 25, 2025.

 

For the first session in April, backup was provided by multi-instrumentalist George Recile, one of New Orleans’ premier drummers, and Canadian bassist John Dymond. Colin himself played on all the tracks.

 

While the original musicians weren’t available for the second Nashville session the following December, Linden matched the quality of the earlier session by bringing in some equally heavy hitters, drummer Bryan Owings and bass player/educator/producer David Santos. Again, Linden played guitar on all tracks.

 

It was Larry who recruited his friend, Cajun music legend Steve Riley from the Mamou Playboys, to play accordion on four tracks, and doubling fiddle on one of the tracks.

"Working with Colin, and these incredible musicians felt like the culmination of everything I’ve worked for," JP says. “I just let Colin do his job. He most certainly raised the bar for me. I came to realize what my musical vision really is.”

 

“All In My Blood” is shaped by years of push-and-pull between JP’s life on the road touring Canada, Louisiana, and Europe, and his role as a family man and father growing up in a tight-knit bilingual community in Atlantic Canada.

 

JP was born and raised in Bathurst, New Brunswick, a francophone speck of a place in New Brunswick, a region rich in Acadian culture. At 17, he recorded his first album, “Take Me Back,” which earned him an East Coast Music Award nomination.

A pivotal moment in his career came in early 2024 when he represented Atlantic Canada at the International Blues Challenge in Memphis, standing shoulder-to-shoulder with some of the world's top blues talents.

 

For the album JP picked songs that went together. He wanted the recording to flow from beginning to end but—true to character--with some twists and turns.

 

“The French verses felt natural to me when telling stories from home. I live in a bilingual community in northern New Brunswick, so mixing French and English is just part of how we talk.

“Every song on the album tells a story that connects to both of us in some way—stories about our children, our travels, and our shared Acadian backgrounds.

 

“We pushed each other hard to write the best songs possible. There was certainly no apparent ego evident in our songwriting process or in the recording. Whatever was best for the song was what we went with.”

 

“When I first heard JP’s demos, I thought there was an honesty I was drawn to,” says Linden. “I also heard a very unique take on his influences and culture that was very compelling.

“JP had such a positive attitude,” continues Linden. “It was a pleasure working with him. He had faith in me and in the process and all the other players---none of whom he had previously known—really enjoyed him.”

 

Linden has played on over 500 albums, and produced 170 albums, including winning a Grammy in 2020 for producing Keb’ Mo’s 5th Grammy Best Americana Album for “Oklahoma” at the 62nd Grammy Awards.

 

He has accompanied Bob Dylan, Greg Allman, Lucinda Williams, Reba McEntire, Rihannon Giddens, Pistol Annies, Allen Toussaint, and John Prine, and overseeing production for T-Bone Burnett, Colin James, Ray Bonneville, Sue Foley and so many others.

He also fronts Blackie and the Rodeo Kings.

 

Asked the significance of dual French/English album title, JP says,” ‘All In My Blood’ translates to ‘Je l’ai dans le sang’ in French. I felt it was important to acknowledge where I come from in the album’s title. It’s a way of connecting directly to my roots and showing pride in my heritage.”

 

“All of these songs inform each other,” sums up Linden.” JP’s French singing tells you so much about his English singing. His sense of blues is heavily informed by the French Acadian music of both Canada and Louisiana.  It’s a unique combination.”

 

Asked what JP’s strength as a guitarist is, Linden answers without hesitation, “JP knows how to go for the sweet notes.”

Calgary’s Ollee Owens Wins First Place in the Women’s Freedom Song Contest for Lyrics/Poetry with 'Still in Pieces'

The results are in, and Ollee Owens has taken home First Place in the Lyrics/Poetry category at the Women’s Freedom Song Contest for her powerful piece, “Still in Pieces.”

The Women’s Freedom Song Contest is an annual celebration of music and poetry that amplifies female voices and stories. With a mission to find the next great “female anthem,” the contest seeks works that inspire, empower, and speak to the heart of the female experience. Open to songwriters, poets, and video creators worldwide, the competition attracts artists from diverse backgrounds who have something meaningful to say.

Ollee Owens' “Still in Pieces” stood out among the competition for its raw emotion, poignant storytelling, and evocative lyrical depth. Her winning piece resonated with the esteemed panel of judges, which includes industry veterans such as Brent Backhus (engineer for John Lee Hooker, Solomon Burke), Ruth McCartney (media entrepreneur), Karen Bliss (Billboard journalist), David Eaton (Polyphonic Spree producer), and Diana Williamson (Billboard-charting songwriter).

With the album, Nowhere to Hide, spending 13 consecutive weeks in the Roots Music Report’s Canadian Top 10 and her previous video, “Shivers and Butterflies,” racking up nearly 800,000 views in just one month, Owens is proving that blues still has a powerful story to tell.

With this latest recognition, Owens continues to cement her reputation as a formidable artist whose work transcends genres and touches hearts. “Still in Pieces” is a testament to resilience, personal struggle, and the strength that emerges from vulnerability—making it a deserving winner in a competition designed to highlight impactful storytelling.

Canadian Soul/Blues Dynamo Ollee Owens Unveils Powerful New Music Video for “Nowhere to Hide"

Ollee Owens isn’t just singing the blues—she’s living and breathing them with a conviction that cuts deep. The Calgary-based blues and Americana artist unveils a stunning new music video for her latest single, “Nowhere to Hide”, an anthem of resilience that perfectly encapsulates the raw emotion and defiant hope that define her sound. With the album, Nowhere to Hide, spending 13 consecutive weeks in the Roots Music Report’s Canadian Top 10 and her previous video, “Shivers and Butterflies,” racking up nearly 800,000 views in just one month, Owens is proving that blues still has a powerful story to tell.

A fearless performer with a voice that commands attention, Owens brings her signature blend of blues, soul, and folk into sharp cinematic focus with “Nowhere to Hide.” Shot in a cavernous warehouse with a massive projection screen behind her, the video juxtaposes historic and contemporary struggles, reminding us that the battles of the past still echo loudly today. “I wanted to create a visual bridge between history and the challenges we face now,” Owens explains. “The troubles we sense, see, and experience may change shape, but the fight remains.”

 

Draped in bold red to symbolize courage, with white at her core to represent unwavering integrity, Owens stands defiant in the face of fear, delivering a searing performance with the urgency of a woman who has walked through fire and come out stronger. “You can make it through—we will make it through. There is hope—there is always hope because there ‘ain’t no trouble gonna bring us down!’” she proclaims.

 

“Nowhere to Hide” was recorded at Nashville’s Sweetbriar Studio with producer Bobby Blazier bringing together an all-star lineup featuring guitarist Chris Rodriguez, bassist Tommy Sims and keyboardist De Marco Johnson. The album has been turning heads across the blues world, climbing the charts and earning praise from outlets like Blues Matters, Blues Music Magazine, and Americana Highways, which hailed it as "one of the strongest surprises of 2024."

 

Owens’ journey from a small farming community in Manitoba to the world stage is nothing short of extraordinary. Inspired by blues legends and gospel greats, she started writing songs at eight, picked up the guitar at 12, and then put it all on pause to raise her three daughters. But the music never left her soul, and in 2022, she roared back with Cannot Be Unheard, proving that her voice was not just meant to be heard, but felt. Since then, she’s shared festival stages with blues heavyweights like Dawn Tyler Watson and Matt Andersen and made her mark at the iconic B.B. King’s Blues Club in Memphis.

 

With “Nowhere to Hide”, Ollee Owens issued a rallying cry. The blues has always been about finding strength in the struggle, and Owens embodies that spirit in every note she sings. As this powerful new video makes its way into the world, one thing is clear—there’s no stopping her now.