2017, 2018, 2019 SPAH (U.S.A. Society for the Preservation & Advancement of the Harmonica) Bernie Bray Harmonica Player of The Year Award nomination
2016 Maple Leaf Blues Nomination - Best Acoustic Duo (with Jimmy Bowskill for Blues Etc...)
Harmonica Player
of the Year - winner EIGHT times
Canadian Maple Blues Awards (& an additional eight times
nominated)
2010 JUNO
NOMINATION for STEADY MOVIN' cd
(JUNO is Canada’s equivalent of a Grammy)
2005 "Best Blues" Award - NOW Magazine, Toronto, ON
1998 JUNO NOMINATION for BIG BOY cd
1996 Blues Musician of the Year Award - Jazz Report Magazine
1993 Hohner World
Harmonica Championship, Trossingen, Germany -
Two Gold Medals in both diatonic blues and diatonic jazz
I first picked up a harmonica in 1972 and got a taste of playing in front of a live audience at a student talent night jamming on a couple Leadbelly tunes with my high school math teacher. While my first interests were definitely rooted in the blues, studying players like Paul Butterfield, Little Walter, James Cotton, I was also attracted to more progressive players like Lee Oskar and perhaps one of the most unsung heroes in my mind, David Burgin (see the link “CARLOS’ INFLUENCES” about some of my favourite harmonica recordings) and eventually after 15 years of playing, studied with Howard Levy 4 years in a row when he used to teach at Augusta Heritage Centre in West Virginia for the Blues and Swing week back in the late 1980's. I also recieved a study grant to study with him privately for 2 months in 1995.
My first love has always been blues. If I were to sum up my playing “style” as a “harmonica voice”, I like to think that I am marrying a sound somewhere between early David Burgin and Howard Levy: a blues attitude with a jazzy sensibility. So, definitely a more progressive voice. My 7 full band recordings to date delve into all types of “roots music” which encompasses many styles of blues, jazz, New Orleans second line grooves, Latin, Ska, folk, “world music”. Click here to get a taste of the sounds and styles I like to make on these recordings and here for a complete bio.
Teaching experience:
Over 30 years of private students & group classes/workshops (including Zoom lessons worldwide) thru out Canada, Europe and the US
Kincardine Summer Music Festival Master classes (Ontario)
Harmonica Masters Workshops Trossingen (Germany)
Augusta Blues Week (West Virginia)
Dunnville Shared Harvest Harmonica Workshops (Ontario)
Gitarrentage-Shorndorf (Germany)
Fleming College (Ontario)
Hornby Island Blues Camp (British Columbia)