Carlos del Junco and the Blues Mongrels

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Saturday, March 16th, 2019
7:30 PM

Carlos del Junco, Cuban-Canadian harmonica master, fashions sound the way Michelangelo sculpted his David: with daring and sensuality (Carlos actually graduated from Ontario College of Arts in his mid twenties with honours majoring in sculpture)! Considered one of the world’s greatest harmonica players, he is a pioneer of the “overblow” technique, allowing him to play a 10 hole diatonic harmonica chromatically. The result is stunning: an eclectic blend of soundscapes from the sublime to quirky that often conjure different instruments, from the sax to an electric guitar, and from violin to the bagpipes!

Simultaneously sophisticated and raw, his playing blurs the boundaries between blues, jazz and “roots” music (hence the name for his band The Blues Mongrels). The emphasis is on blues, but Carlos and his band (Eric St. Laurent on guitar, Henry Heillig on upright bass) are not afraid to merrily traipse off in other directions delivering a seamless fusion of New Orleans second line grooves, swing, ska, swampy roots rock, to singer/songwriter themes.

    2017, 2018 SPAH (U.S.A. Society) Bernie Bray Harmonica Player of The Year Award nomination
    2016 Maple Leaf Blues Nomination for Best Harmonica Player and Best Acoustic Duo (with Jimmy Bowskill for Blues Etc…)
    2010 JUNO NOMINATION for STEADY MOVIN’ cd
    2011 International Songwriter Award – 2nd place for instrumental of the year
    EIGHT times Harmonica Player of the Year (and many more years nominated) – Canadian Maple Blues Awards
    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

http://tidemarktheatre.com/event/carlos-del-junco-blues-mongrels/