Saskatoon blues/roots musician Brian “B.C.” Read brings the blues to the Lethbridge Jazz and blues festival, Friday, June 15 when he plays the Slice.
Read explores everything from solo delta blues to blues with a full jazz band, but splits the difference when he brings the four-piece band to Lethbridge.
“I remember being in a country rock band which opened for the Charlie Daniels Band in the ’70s at the old arena,” Read recalled, noting he is pleased to present his long time four piece band of bassist George Tennent, saxophonist/keyboardist Sheldon Corbett and drummer Laurie Currie. he will be playing guitar and harp and singing.
“I’ve been playing with Laurie for 30 years, and I’d say Sheldon Corbett is among the top three or four keyboardists and saxophonists in the west if not Canada,” he enthused.
He noted he doesn’t recall how he got interested in blues music.
“I like to say the blues found me,” he said.
“I also listen to a lot of folk, country and rock and roll music. when you look at the history of it, the blues is in all of it, ” he continued.
Read has released four studio records including a live album for CBC and is currently working on his next album.
“ But I have to wait for financing to get into place,” he said.
He likes to put his own twist on blues songs and enjoys artists who so the same.
“ I listen to Big John Williamson and Keb Mo,” he said.
He doesn’t tour as much as he used to.
“ I used to do the ski hill circuit, Banff, Jasper and out to Whistler in the ’70s and ’80s but I’m not doing that anymore. I’m going to be 60 soon,” he said, adding good gigs are hard to come by as are audiences.
“So we don’t do a lot of bar shows anymore, though I do a lot of corporate gigs with the seven piece band,” he said.
Tickets for B.C. Read are $20. The show begins at 9:30 p.m., Friday, June 15 at the Slice.