Winnipeg bluesman Big Dave McLean is excited about returning to Lethbridge to play the Slice, Jan.
9 with drummer Brendan Nagle.
He is still touring in support of his most recent CD ‘Outside the Box’ which was released in 2011.
“It isn’t full band arrangements. It’s just vocals, guitar and drums. There’s a lot more space without lead guitar and harmonica,” McLean explained from before a Saskatoon gig, one of several this week, which bring him to Edmonton, Calgary and Lethbridge.
He noted audiences are enjoying ‘Outside the Box.’
“I’m just selling it off the stage. It’s hard to say what the audience favourites on it are,” he said.
“Some like the Tom Waits stuff, some like the covers, some like the didgeridoo stuff and some like the originals. It really depends on who you ask,” he said.
“I wanted to do something a little bit different than the Chicago- Delta blues music I usually play,” he said.
He is finishing up plans to record his next CD in Nashville with producer Steve Dawson for his record label.
“He might play some guitar on it and there might be some Nashville session cats on it. And I’d be all right with that,” he rumbled.
He already has an eventful year planned in addition to recording the new album. He will be touring with Watermelon Slim as a duo and later on touring with West Virginia born roots/ blues/ rockabilly musician Hambone Wilson around Los Angeles.
“ So I have a few irons in the fire,” he said.
He is currently enjoying touring with Nagle, one of two drummers featured on the CD.
“We’ve got a good show going. I tell stories about the songs and the musicians who played them. I’m looking forward to it a lot,” he continued.
“I’m playing a lot from ‘Outside the Box And it’s all different arrangements for drums and guitar, so people won’t be saying ‘Oh, I’ve heard him play this one before.’ It’s a pretty fresh approach to the blues. I’ve got a lot of friends there now, so hopefully they will come out,” he said.
Big Dave McLean’s show is scheduled to start at 9 p.m., Jan. 9 at the Slice.
