The double-header series to mark the 10th anniversary of Viree Blues Boreale, keep going. After having launched their two last albums here at Viree Blues Boreale, our next guests do it again and honour us by coming to launch their next album here. They will be presenting their 4th opus and will be with a rising star of the Blues who also was here to launch his first album at Viree Blues Boreale! We are featuring the launch of Riot & the Blues Devils’ CD/DVD “Turn it up (Live!)” and and we feature The Ben Racine Band on the same show.
A “Power Blues Trio” that progressed through slightly unusual paths, the members of Riot & His Rhythm Devils, now Riot & The Blues Devils have been playing with Hard Rock Bands in the ‘80s to then join Vilain Pingouin, a Quebec cult band they still belong to since the end of the ‘90s. But, in the 2000s, they were all drawn back to the Blues that they so much love. Having worked with Le Cirque du Soleil, Vilain Pingouin, Kim Richardson, Rick Hayworth, Nicolas Piguet, members of Blues Berry Jam and of many other bands, this `special`progression leads to very surprising results ... Be it at their hundreds of performances, at the Montreal International Jazz Festival, at Montreal’s Festiblues, at Sutton’s as well as here at Viree Blues Boreale, at le Bistro a Jojo or opening for the Jeff Healy Band or for Ronnie Baker Brooks, this Heavy Blues, Rockabilly, Soul, Rock’N’Roll trio carrying some shades of Johnny Cash does not aim at stirring up the Blues, but instead, they hope to convey the passion of the Blues; ... and they fully achieve this goal every time with great success.
Riot, a guitarist and singer, Big Papa Mike on bass and Mark DiClaudio on drums make up this trio that recorded four albums: “Eponym” in 2005, and “Tough Times” in 2008 under the name Riot & his Rhythm Devils; then, “No one to blame but me” in 2012 and finally the live performance album “Turn It Up” this year on Iguane Records/Universal, under their new name, Riot & The Blues Devils, which eases the job of French-speaking hosts who found their first name rather challenging.! «Find me a woman» from their eponym album has also been selected to appear on the «Blues Sampler Vol.2» compilation, on Network Pacific Records. With over ten nominations at the Lys Blues Galas, their first decade was filled with performances and special moments, which seems to lead toward still better things to come!
Definitely THE discovery of Viree Blues Boreale’s 13th edition as well as of the Lys Blues’ 9th where he was awarded the Lys Blues for «Discovery of the Year», our co-guest required to come launch his first album with us at Viree Blues Boreale, here in the Ottawa region, his native place. Always performing with renown musicians, he advances less and less as “the new kid with an Allstar Band” but as lead of The Ben Racine Band. Ben’s voice would be well fit for ‘50s and ‘60s R&B stars. Inspired by the likes of Junior Walker, Bill Withers, Stevie Wonder and Clarence Carter, he’ll carry you through an era when the voice was the heart of music. And Ben’s voice is not all there is! His guitar playing covers a wide range of styles that shall please Blues’ fans as well as Funk fans. The moment he walks on stage, his charisma and energy combine to produce an absolutely one-of-a-kind sound.
This prodigious Bluesman selected a major-league team made of: Little Frankie Thiffault – on Tenor and Baritone Saxophones. Many refer to him as one of Montreal’s best Blues saxophonists. Little Frankie was awarded a Lys Blues for «Top Musical Performance of the Year» ... three times. And he’s at his best in concert performances! His energy and hoarse sounds allowed him to be considered in a class of it’s own in North America, in South America as well as in Europe. His unique sound pushes further in the steps of the likes of Junior Walker, David «Fathead» Newman and King Curtis. Mat “Moose” Mousseau – Baritone Saxophone. With lots of contributions to many recordings and lots of performances on the local as well as on the international scene, he now brings to this band his well-rounded solid sounding.He is also a member of the renown Kevin Mark Blues Band since 2004. Nicky Estor – Drums. A professional musician since 16, Nicky toured internationally with Blues stars like Nico Wayne Toussaint, Shawn Pittman, Preston Hubbard and Sonny Boy Terry. Influenced by old school drummers like Fred Below and Richard Innes, Nicky brings his inspired Blues of the ‘50s and his R&B playing to the «Ben Racine Band»
Now is your chance to rediscover the all new Riot & The Blues Devils, purer, more ‘root’ than ever, and The Ben Racine Band, in a show with punch at Viree Blues Boreale, Wednesday, November 12 2014, around 8h00 p.m. at the famous Bar Le Petit Chicago, 50 Promenade du Portage, in the Old-Hull sector. Tickets are now on sale here and will be available at the door for a mere 20$. You can find more information on our guests at: www.riotdevils.com and at: www.benracineband.com. For inquiries or to arrange interviews, please do contact Alexandre Petit at: info@vireeblues.ca. You should also visit our site which provides you with information on all of our guests sites and lots of other interesting information at: www.vireeblues.ca.. Make sure to participate in the facebook event for this show at: https://www.facebook.com/events/1488218281458230/. Now, don’t hesitate to like us on our facebook page at: www.facebook.com/vireeblues.
