Winnipeg based bluesman Big Dave McLean is excited to return to Lethbridge to play the Geomatic Attic, Sept. 25 with old friend and fellow walking encyclopedia of the blues, Tim Williams.
“ He ’s probably more of an encyclopedia than I am. Whenever someone asks me a question, I tell them to ask Tim. He’ll be able to tell you what kind of suit the guy was wearing and what the weather was like outside,” McLean rumbled.
“ He’s a good friend and an excellent guitarist. So I look forward to the opportunity to play with him,” he said, adding they will be sharing a rhythm section for the show.
He recorded a CD with Williams back in 1998 called “ Fellow Travellers,” which is something he’d like to do again.
“it was a straight ahead blues album. We had a lot of fun doing it. I’d love to do it again. you never know,” he said
McLean has played with his share of blues legends.
“My favourite would be Muddy Waters. I wrote a song for him called Muddy Waters For President.’ But I’ve played with Pinetop Perkins and Roosevelt Sykes and Bukka White. But my second favourite would be John Hammond. He gave me my first guitar lesson,” he said.
McLean will release “ Better the Devil You Know,” his second album with Steve Dawson’s record company Black Hen Records on Oct. 27, but won’t be playing any of it until it is released.
“I don’t want people to hear something I’ve thrown together with a band who have never heard the songs before.,” he said, adding he is planning a CD release party and possibly a tour in support of it in October.
“But we‘re going to be playing a lot of good blues music in Lethbridge. I’ve never been to the Geomatic Attic before,“ he said.
He enjoys working with Dawson. He released “Faded But Not Gone,” in 2014 with Black Hen.
“ So when the opportunity came to record the album in Nashville it was a real dream. I’m quite pleased with it,” he said.
“He knows his stuff. With the people he know,, I feel like the new kid.He wrote a couple of tunes for it. There’s a couple of original tunes on it. It covers a lot of different styles There is blues and gospel. But it’s all rooted in the blues. I don’t think I could play it if it wasn’t,” he said, adding there are special guests on it as well.
“The McCrary sisters are on it and Fats Kaplin, who has played with Jack White and Waylon Jennings and bassist John Dymond and drummer Gary Craig, who play with Blackie and the Rodeo Kings are on it,” he enthused.
He has also been involved with Stony Plain Records, which features one of his songs on their 40th anniversary Compilation.
“ Holger (Peterson) is a one of my good friends. I did three albums with Stony Plain. He’s the guy I turn to whenever I need advice on the blues and on the industry. I call Holger. He’s actually the one who suggested I work with Black Hen,” he said.
Before signing with Black Hen he released “Outside the Box” independently.
“But I just sold that off the stage. It didn’t have much distribution,” he said.
McLean has been a cornerstone of the Winnipeg blues scene for many years. he said the scene is quite strong, though there aren’t a lot of venues to play.
“ We had the annual blues Barbecue and that went well. There‘s a lot of players but a smaller number of places to play,” he said.
“ Look for Brent Parkin. He’s been around for almost as long as I have. And there’s this 14-year-old kid from Kenora, Jackson Kliperstein. He’s great and brave. When you say ‘take a solo,’ he says ‘sure,’ ” he said. And of course the Perpetrators. they used to be my band. They’re Winnipeg’s number one dance and boogie band who play a lot of Hound Dog Taylor and Elmore James. They get everyone on the dance floor,” he continued.
Big Dave mcLean and Tim Williams play the Geomatic Attic, Sept. 25 at 8 p.m. Tickets are $37.50.
