That Steve Marriner has accomplished as much as he has in the past decade, remains a story that continues to impress on a variety of fronts and for a variety of reasons. Simply put, it is nothing short of astounding that this Ottawa-raised, Toronto-based musician has driven, guided and participated in so many impressive and acclaimed recording and live performance projects. The multi-instrumentalist, song writing singer sits at, or near the top of the list, as “Canada’s hardest working person in show biz.” MonkeyJunk, has been a fan and critics favorite since the trio first roared down the track some 13 years ago. The blues-basted trio with whom he sings, writes, and plays ferocious harp, has released six albums. The group has won an impressive number of Juno Awards, and Maple Blues Awards in numerous categories. There’s nothing to suggest that train isn’t going to keep rolling down the track for some time to come. In addition to having ample opportunities to catch the man with the broad smile and unbridled energy perform with MonkeyJunk, audiences have witnessed Steve play the role of musical foil to Colin James on stage and on the outstanding release Miles To Go. Those same audiences have heard him deliver one tasty lick after another or sing alongside Harry Manx on their 2019 critically acclaimed and chart-topping duo outing, Hellbound for Heaven.

Danny Marks is a Toronto-born musician and broadcaster with a lifelong passion for music. Starting guitar at 11, he immersed himself in the local scene, eventually co-founding Edward Bear, which opened for legends like Led Zeppelin, The Byrds, and Humble Pie. Marks has collaborated with icons like Rick James, Bo Diddley, and Rita Coolidge, and hosted radio shows including CBC Radio’s Hum Line and JAZZ FM91’s BLUZ FM (since 1997). His critically acclaimed albums include Guitarchaeology (1996), Big Town Boy (2004), A Friend in the Blues (2007), and Cities in Blues (2013), earning awards in Canada and Europe. A “Blues with a Feeling” lifetime achievement award recipient (2006), Marks continues to perform and record, celebrating blues legacy. Recent singles “Man on the Radio” and “I’m Ready” showcase his artistic evolution. His new release, “One Way Ticket Home b/w Please Mister Conductor,” is a two-sided smash. With his guitar work and engaging personality, Marks remains a significant figure in Canadian music.

Juno Award-winning powerhouse Crystal Shawanda is back with her latest studio album, Sing Pretty Blues. Her latest fiery blues collection showcases her full-throttle raspy voice, unmatched in today’s musical landscape, and an authentic appreciation for the genre dating back to her youth. “Growing up, all of my favorite music had these breadcrumbs that led me to the blues,” Crystal says. “I often quote Willie Dixon: ‘Blues is the roots and everything else is the fruits.’ Even in today’s pop music, there’s all this influence that derives from the blues. I was just always really attracted to the rawness and the realness of the blues.” Born and raised in Wikwemikong First Nation, on Manitoulin Island, in Northern Ontario, Crystal was introduced to the blues by her eldest brother and to old-time country by her parents. “I was also into other styles of music that led me to the blues,” she says, citing everything from Elvis Presley’s “Hound Dog,” written by Big Mama Thornton, to R&B-pop star Monica’s “Misty Blue,” by Dorothy Moore. “I was one of those kids who read the liner notes,” Crystal says.  “I wanted to know everything, who are the songwriters, the musicians, the producers, the engineers. I’m always wanting to know who are the originators, who are the mothers of invention, who inspired all of us?  I’m a purist at heart, so I was always diving back to learn from the masters, like Etta James, as far as vocalists; Muddy Waters, as far as feeling; and Buddy Guy, as far as stylists who have a lot of swagger.” “I love all styles of music, but there was just always something drawing me to the blues,” she explains.  “I had a country hit on the radio, and I would show up at country music festivals and I’d do a BB King cover or Buddy Guy or Etta James. Within country music, as much as I loved it, I had to restrain my voice a lot. It’s very hard to hold back, and sometimes it was exhausting, whereas with the blues, I could just let it fly.” Crystal followed up her JUNO Award-winning album Church House Blues with another irresistible release, Midnight Blues, and quickly garnered her an 8th JUNO nomination, following her win in the Blues Album of the Year. THAT was the first time in JUNO history and Indigenous artist won in that category. One for the books, as they say. It’s also significant that she made history as the first Indigenous artist to win in the Blues Album of the Year category,  inspiring others to pursue their dreams and share their talents on the stage one day like she has.

A dash of Taj Mahal, a sprinkle of B.B. King and a few drops of Lighting Hopkins: stir it up, simmer on low and you have a recipe that sounds like Brandon Isaak. Crowds always leave Brandon’s shows with a smile on their face and a need to come back for more. This Yukon born songster performs a mixture of thoughtful, humorous, spiritual and catchy memorable songs; always delivered with world class guitar, harmonica and vocals. Lyrics are paramount and it’s obvious when you see his accolades and hear his music. After 35 years in the business, this international touring artist is always asked back as he’s a total pro off and on the stage. If you like top notch blues, hard hitting lyrics and great night of entertainment, Brandon Isaak is your man. Brandon Isaak is a one of a kind world class roots and blues showman ! He engages with an audience, getting them involved and part of the show. New fans are made at every show as they leave the venue still singing catchy lines and humming new melodies. Brandon is a multi-instrumentalist who writes heartfelt, uplifting, funny and spiritual songs. This Yukon born artist takes his audiences on an emotional journey through the varieties of his original songs. He has honed his craft over the past 37 years and it shows every night. His gravelly singing voice always astounds people that wonder how that big voice comes out of his smaller frame! He has played in three continents and 8 country’s, as well as 13 European tours. Brandon has been nominated for many awards including Maple Blues for song writing of the year, blues act of the year, producer of the year, guitar player of the year, album of the year . He also 2 Juno nominations under his belt.

Wayne was born in Spokane, Washington, and raised in New Orleans, Los Angeles and San Francisco. He started playing piano at 13 and has been performing for over 50 years. Over the years he has performed with and shared the stage with a great many of the world’s most influential blues and rock pioneers, including Jimmy Reed, Pinetop Perkins, Johnnie Johnson, Big Joe Duskin, Joe Louis Walker and Floyd Dixon, and as a guest performer with wellknown rock and soul artists that have included Ike Turner, Sly and the Family Stone, Delaney and Bonnie and members of Santana and the Doobie Brothers. As a touring performer, he has played to knowledgeable and appreciative blues audiences on four continents and has been profiled by music journalists in Europe and North America. His many awards include seven Maple Blues Awards (Toronto Blues Society) for ‘piano player of the year’ and three keyboard awards from Living Blues magazine, in which he was hailed as “an artist bringing the piano back to the front ranks of contemporary Blues.” In 2006 he won a Juno Award for Best Blues Album and was nominated three times afterwards. In 2017 he was inducted into the Boogie-Woogie Piano Hall of Fame while performing at the Cincy Blues Festival in Cincinnati, Ohio. 2021 Blues Artist of the year from Western Canadian Music Award and Washington State Virtual Showdown in 2021. The Blues Boss has been on many covers of blues magazines worldwide including the most recently the Living Blues Magazine 2022 June/July issue. Kenny now resides in beautiful Calgary, Alberta.

Dana Wylie is a singer of rare gift and a crafter of deeply felt and sharply observed songs. Penguin Eggs magazine once called her the only artist about whom they have “felt comfortable comparing favourably to Joni Mitchell in the scope of her talent EVER.” Cutting short a promising career in the Canadian theatre scene at 23, Dana moved to the unlikely locale of Taiwan, where she cut her musical teeth playing with jug bands, blues bands, bluegrass bands and cover bands, singing jazz in hotel lounges, and doing some of the most bizarre corporate gigs you could possibly imagine. Moving to the UK in 2005, she formed her own band there and zig-zagged the country in a Ford Transit van multiple times over the next five years, releasing three critically-praised albums along the way. She then landed (exhausted) back in Canada in 2010 and enrolled in university to give herself a break. Dana’s 2017 record The Earth That You’re Made Of earned her a Canadian Folk Music Award nomination for Contemporary Singer of the Year, and was described by journalist and programmer Peter North as “one of the finest contemporary roots recordings to have ever been produced in Alberta, period.” She debuted her critically-acclaimed theatrical song-cycle Makings of a Voice in 2021, released her sixth solo album How Much Muscle in early 2023, as well an album of original country duets with Sammy Volkov in 2024, and she received her MA in Music that same year. Answer the Call, the debut album of her soul/rock/roots supergroup Secondhand Dreamcar, received a 2025 JUNO nomination for Blues Album of the Year, as well as three Canadian Blues Music Awards nominations, including Female Vocalist of the Year for Dana

Manny DeGrandis (MD & Bass) Quincy Bullen (keyboards), Dave Patel (drums) Cecile Doo-Kingue (guitar) and Dan Jancar (Sax)