Toronto Blues Rock Artist Frank Cosentino Releases Powerful, Groove-Soaked Single "Making The Rounds"

 

A musician's life can sometimes be glamorous but often involves a lot of time away from family, the rigors of the industry, and trying to keep a stiff upper lip often in the face of doors being closed or slammed shut. The temptations touring and the road offer can also destroy many physically, emotionally, and mentally as an artist tries to survive for the original love of creating one's art. For Toronto blues rock musician Frank Cosentino, the challenges of being a songwriter and performer are starkly captured in his latest weighty single, "Making The Rounds." It's a song Cosentino sounds like he's lived through and persevered.

 

"It's the story of every songwriter, performer, and artist," Cosentino says of "Making The Rounds." "The struggles, the loss, the countless rejections that come to an artist trying to get his art out to the people. It truly is the nature of the beast. The result was a gritty song about the truth of the life of the artist."

Cosentino, a longtime blues rock musician who has over four decades of experience in the business, says the origins of "Making The Rounds" emerged from working in Studio Cardinal Toronto recording with JUNO Award-winning producer Derek Downham. Downham said to Cosentino it was "time to write a song from scratch." With a clean slate, Cosentino says "the riff was born, and the song literally wrote itself."

 

"After dedicating four decades to touring, writing, and producing new music, I arrived at a personal crossroads and realized the need for a change in lifestyle," Cosentino says. "I overcame the challenges of addiction and got sober seven years ago. With renewed inspiration, I returned to songwriting with increased focus and energy. The story of 'Making The Rounds' symbolizes my journey. Throughout the process, my progress was evident, and I emerged as a stronger writer, player, and human."

 

"Making The Rounds," composed by Cosentino and Downham (who also produced the song) starts with a thick, infectious riff courtesy of Cosentino, who sings, plays lead guitar, with Downham on the well-crafted treasure. Teeming with confidence and knowing this is a groove that could go on forever, Cosentino has help from Downham, who plays the second bass guitar in addition to keyboards and drums. It's a track that brings to mind the work of Gary Clark Jr., Robert Cray, Buddy Guy and The Fabulous Thunderbirds among others.

 

A lyric video for "Making The Rounds" was recently released. The song, mastered by Mariana Hutton at The Lacquer Channel Toronto, is the latest track for Cosentino, who has performed throughout Canada at major festivals and clubs. Inspired after seeing the Jimi Hendrix Experience at Toronto's CNE Coliseum on February 24, 1968, Cosentino has released four full-length albums leading The Frank Cosentino Band. He has also shared the stage with artists including Cowboy Junkies, Sue Foley, Buddy Guy, the late James Cotton, the late Jeff Healey, and Duke Robillard among others.

 

Having played routinely for over 40 years, Cosentino still tours while his music has received airplay and North American radio as well as internationally. He has also gotten a figurative turbo boost of sorts after having been loaned a 1955 Guild CE 100 guitar by Frank Troiano, a guitar that was used by the late Canadian guitar great Domenic Troiano.

 

Having released previous singles "Vibin'" and "You Can't Call Back" earlier this year, Frank Cosentino is riding a momentous 2024 higher with the delectable "Making The Rounds." Judging from this excellent effort, it's apparent Frank Cosentino will be making the rounds in blues rock circles the world over.

Toronto Jazz/Blues Singer Tanya Wills Steps Out of the Dating Game with "That's Love" from New ‘She’ Album

Stepping back into the realm of dating can be an intriguing or irksome conundrum for those who have recently separated, split up, or divorced. With the commitment to your former partner now just a memory, some simply appreciate the joys of dating from afar. That is to say not dating at all. It's this idea that planted the creative kernel for Toronto-area jazz/blues singer Tanya Wills' latest Latin-infused single "That's Love" from her new album She, out now.
 
Wills says "That's Love," the follow up single to "Someone To Love," was inspired in part by the culmination of her own marriage and wondering how difficult navigating dating waters nowadays could be. She knew it might not be for her at this time but realized it could be the germ of a fine song.
 
The single opens with Latin sonic flavors that could recall Santana's classic "Oye Como Va." From there Wills relays the huge series of questions running sporadically through a person's mind. Is this date going good or not so good? Is there a connection? Will it last? What am I even doing here with this person?
 
Guitarist Bill Bridges provides some breezy instrumental work in the bridge as drummer Kevin Coady and bassist Ron Johnston are locked into the airy yet sensuous groove. The narrative In some respects recalls the classic Latin song "Quizás, Quizás, Quizás," better known in English circles as "Perhaps, Perhaps, Perhaps" made famous by Doris Day, Bing Crosby and Nat King Cole.
 
"'That's Love' is from a slightly different outlook on love," Wills says. "I was reflecting on how grateful I am to NOT be in the dating game, and how it could cause one to develop a bit of a cynical attitude toward the 'relationship.' I have several friends who are finding themselves newly single again, and they have stories about their experiences in having to dive into the dating pool."
 
Because this might really be love...or isn't
And you might have givin' me your heart...or didn't
Flip a coin, douse the flame, turn the page, or change the game
Roll the dice, it's all the same
That's love
 
The single is one of the songs from Wills' forthcoming album She set for an Oct. 4 release. Wills, who performs in the Wintergarten Orchestra in Toronto as well as leading the Tanya Wills Quartet, says the material was written over a 15-year period. Wills worked with her quartet as well as Jordan Klapman and Rob Korb. Unfortunately, the album's recording at Toronto's Inception Sound studio was shelved due to the pandemic. But Wills and her bandmates kept working on it by sending files and ideas back and forth through the internet. A second phase of recording post-pandemic at Toronto's Revolution Recording completed She.
 
Now with her latest single "That's Love," Tanya Wills should see a huge boost to her career with this lovely Latin-tinged nugget. In short, and to steal a lyric from the single, "That's Love" should be on a loop and leave you ten feet off the ground.

Blues Lifetime Achievement Winner and Blues Legend Kenny “Blues Boss” Wayne Is Back With New Album Ooh Yeah! on CD And Digital Formats

 

Boogie-Woogie might sound like a silly name for a musical genre, but those who are masters of it should be held in high praise. From Professor Longhair, Otis Spann, and Duke Ellington to Fats Domino, Ray Charles, and Allen Toussaint, these Boogie-Woogie legends are responsible for some of the finest music ever created. But even those icons would be hesitant to do what Ontario-based legend Kenny “Blues Boss” Wayne has done with his latest single “Try It Out.” A banjo, horns, Boogie-Woogie piano and a funky ‘70s bass line should not work so well. But thankfully, Wayne didn‘t listen, resulting in a refreshing, upbeat, and incredibly catchy track.

 

“Try It Out,” from Wayne ‘s forthcoming album Ooh Yeah!, opens with a gorgeous, funky bass line that sounds like it came direct from New York ‘s Studio 54 nightclub. But that ‘s just a taste of what ‘s around the song ‘s corner. From there, a banjo emerges in the mix with some intricate fingerpicking, bringing to mind Ricky Skaggs or Billy Strings. The listener might do a double take at first but Wayne and his fine ensemble of musicians find the majestic mojo to get this single soaring before he ‘s finished delivering his initial lyrics. Add horns into the already fine chorus, and the nearly 80-year-old Wayne is steering this party-starting staple to its glorious, good-times conclusion. 

 

If “Try It Out” sounds this solid on Ooh Yeah!, it is beyond anyone‘s expectations how much of a show-stopper this single could be in concert. With the horns, banjo and Boogie-Woogie finesse of Wayne, this tune could easily go on for far longer than its current length of four minutes and thirty-six seconds. 

 

As if Wayne‘s career wasn‘t deep and intriguing enough with his vast discography, “Try It Out” only adds another fine addition for the native of Spokane, Washington, who moved a few times in his early years with his family. Moving from San Francisco to Los Angeles, Wayne played gospel music with the encouragement of his father, the Reverend Matthew Spruell. An uncle would soon introduce the childhood prodigy to the world of Boogie-Woogie and from that a new avenue of expression opened up for Wayne. 

 

A winner of a JUNO Award in 2006 for Best Blues Album and several Maple Blues Awards over his career, Wayne in 2017 he was inducted into the Boogie-Woogie Piano Hall of Fame while performing as part of the Cincy Blues Festival. In 2023 he received the Bobby Blue Bland Lifetime Achievement Award from Atlanta‘s Jus Blues Music Foundation. And most recently was the winner of the 2024 Blues Music Award for ‘The Pinetop Perkins’ Piano Player of the Year as well as Living Blues Magazine‘s Keyboardist of the Year honor. 

 

Performing throughout Canada, the United States, and on various Blues Cruises, Wayne released his last studio album in 2022 entitled Blues From Chicago to Paris: A Tribute to Memphis Slim and Willie Dixon. In addition to these accolades, Kenny “Blues Boss” Wayne has shared the stage with a horde of legends including Pinetop Perkins, Johnnie Johnson, and Floyd Dixon. He also worked with a bevy of rock heavyweights including Santana, Sly and the Family Stone, the Doobie Brothers and Delaney and Bonnie among others. It‘s no surprise then that his nickname of “Blues Boss” is so accurate. 

 

“Try It Out” is one of 12 great tracks from Wayne‘s Ooh Yeah! which features great local guests including guitarist Jimmy Bowskill and a great horn section from Quebec. The album is described as “remarkably adventurous” as it “stretches the boundaries of instrumentation for the blues.” Judging by how much oomph is packed in “Try It Out,” listeners would be very fortunate and blessed to take Kenny “Boss Blues” Wayne up on his suggestion.

Johnny Henderson

"My first love was music and it came from my mother. She was always singing gospel music around the house. The peace that would transcend with her singing during the hard times of my life was my inspiration. So I guess you can say gospel music is my spirit and R&B is my soul. I was at a nightclub with some friends when I first heard All This Love by Debarge and I was like, “Man! If I could sing like that” and pretty much that was it, the beginning….. 

I started working with my vocals and practicing with different musical genres which led me to writing my own songs. The first song I wrote was a gospel song called, Let’s Get Ready which got some good reviews from family and friends, but I knew I had to keep pushing and writing and learning. So I kept going and I wrote several more songs which were a combination of both gospel and R&B. I even submitted a song for a Coca Cola commercial and got knocked out at the last minute. However my music career was gaining traction. I began to get requests from other up and coming artists to sing on their songs and I collaborated with many talented artists. Today, my vocal ability has matured and grown into a solid flow. I have even started developing my own tracks. I see myself once again at the beginning of a career that can only get better and with the right opportunities, grow into a rising star."

Stony Plain Records Honoured with Three 2025 Grammy Nominations

Stony Plain Records is celebrating a milestone as it approaches its 50^th year anniversary in 2025 with the announcement from the Recording Academy on Friday that the Canadian independent blues & roots label received three 2025 Grammy nominations.

 
The nominated recordings are for:

• Best American Roots Performance: “Nothing In Rambling” by The Fabulous Thunderbirds, featuring Bonnie Raitt, Keb’ Mo’, Taj Mahal, and Mick Fleetwood.

• Best Traditional Blues Album: Struck Down by The Fabulous Thunderbirds. Co-written and co-produced by the celebrated Canadian bluesman Steve Strongman.

• Best Traditional Blues Album: One Guitar Woman by Sue Foley, her first ever Grammy nomination.

 
“These nominations are a testament to the hard work and creativity of our artists,” said Holger Petersen, founder of Stony Plain Records. “We are incredibly proud to be part of their musical journeys and to have Stony Plain recognized at the Grammys.”
 
Since its founding in 1976, Stony Plain Records has been a champion of blues and roots music, producing over 350 releases and supporting a roster of celebrated artists both in Canada and internationally, including Taj Mahal, Ian Tyson, Sylvia Tyson, Maria Muldaur, Duke Robillard, and Colin James. The label’s enduring dedication to roots music has garnered multiple Grammy and Juno nominations over the years, including a nomination last year in the Traditional Blues Album category for Eric Bibb’s album ‘Ridin’”.
 
Geoff Kulawick, President of Stony Plain Records, added: “We’re extremely proud to have three Grammy nominations this year.  Congratulations to Sue Foley on her first-ever Grammy nod, and to The Fabulous Thunderbirds and Canadian co-writer/co-producer Steve Strongman for Struck Down – an album for which I had the honor of serving as Executive Producer. My thanks go out to our entire team at Linus Entertainment, Stony Plain Records, and all our distribution partners, promoters, and publicists whose hard work made these achievements possible.”
 
The 67th Annual Grammy Awards will be held on February 4, 2025. Stony Plain Records is part of the Linus Entertainment group of labels, which includes True North Records, home to Bruce Cockburn & Buffy Sainte-Marie, Borealis Records, home to Stan Rogers, and The Children’s Group, which was acquired by Round Hill Music in 2023.

Blues Legends Terry Robb And David Vest Release Collaborative Studio Album CrissCross

Unlike the legendary story of blues icon Robert Johnson and his iconic "Cross Road Blues," widely acclaimed blues guitarist Terry Robb and the highly lauded blues pianist David Vest have individually crossed clubs, cities, and countries performing their rich and illustrious discographies to blues fans from north to south, east to west. Now the two musicians have joined forces for CrissCross, the debut album from the duo featuring the almost criminally short but terribly sweet instrumental single "Long Gone Home."
 
"Long Gone Home" is as rollicking and terrific as one could hope for as Robb lays down an incredibly intricate bit of acoustic guitar work. It's "unmatched virtuosity you almost take for granted because it's never 'showy,'" the duo says. Meanwhile, Vest, not to be outdone, matches him note for note on the piano as "a one-of-a-kind original who makes you believe it when he sings 'Somebody must be walking on my grave.'" Far from the classic plodding of some great blues instrumentals, "Long Gone Home" has plenty of pep for its roughly 90 seconds. It's a track that sees both Robb and Vest take boogie-woogie-leaning solos for great effect while their fellow musician keeps things rolling.
 
The fact David Vest and Terry Robb sound like they've been joined at the hip for decades is a testament to how formidable both artists are. "Twelve originals, a mix of vocals and instrumentals," the duo says. "In the tradition of Leroy Carr and Scrapper Blackwell, Tampa Red and Georgia Tom, Lonnie Johnson and Blind John Davis." The result is a combination whose synergy makes "Long Gone Home" essentially precious and pure perfection.
 
The song is just one of a slew of great tracks from CrissCross. Other highlights include the fantastic boogie of "Electra Jane," with Robb's blazing fingerpicking complementing Vest's toe-tapping, head-bobbing tickling of the ivories, each allowing the other to shine while forming a perfect chemistry together. Another keeper is the tranquil, contemplative "Natural Facts" that welds classical music with the blues for surprisingly stellar results. It's not your standard genre combination all that often, but both Robb and Vest tackle the song with verve and dexterity.
 
The tandem of Vest and Robb combines a wealth of experience and musicianship. Vest has shared the stage with the likes of Big Joe Turner, Bo Diddley, and country legend Faron Young, among others. He has also won six Maple Blues Awards and five Muddy Awards. Meanwhile Robb has worked with Diddley, Joe Cocker, Maria Muldaur, Johnny Winter and Steve Miller among countless others. These collaborations are in addition to 19 Muddy Awards for Robb and being a member of the Oregon Music Hall of Fame and the Cascade Blues Association Hall of Fame.
 
"Long Gone Home" is the latest single from CrissCross, out on Cordova Bay Records, the collaborative album between Vest and Robb. And the tandem have come from different roads. Vest was born in Alabama but has called Canada home for some time. On the other hand, Robb was born in Vancouver but has called Portland, Oregon home for many years. Hence the album title of crisscrossing the continent and also the border seems quite apt.
 
In short, you have two blues legends with more than eight decades of experience combined. Put the two together, and as much as each has to offer individually, the sum is greater than the parts. Both Vest and Robb have individually had albums top various blues and roots music charts throughout their rich musical histories. Now with "Long Gone Home," look for Vest and Robb to only further cement their status as two of the best in the business of the blues. Thank goodness they crossed paths!