Powder Blues Band
Encyclopedia
The Powder Blues Band is a Canadian blues/pop/jazz band formed in 1978 in Vancouver
. Its first album Uncut went double platinum in Canada. The second album Thirsty Ears was similarly popular. Members have included Tom Lavin
, Dave Woodward
, Duris Maxwell
, Willie MacCalder, Gordie Bertram
, Bill Runge, Jerry Cook, Bill Clark and Daryl Bennett.
Their best known songs include: "Boppin' with the Blues", "Doin' It Right", "Thirsty Ears", "Hear That Guitar Ring" and "What've I Been Drinkin". Their newest release is Blues + Jazz = BLAZZ! from 2004.
in the Gastown
district of Vancouver
, British Columbia
. The band was founded by brothers Tom Lavin
(guitar, vocals) and Jack Lavin (bass, vocals) and Willie MacCalder (keyboards, vocals). After playing in local clubs for 18 months, the band released their self-financed and self-produced debut album, Uncut, in 1980, followed by a tour of Canada and the US. The band won the Juno Award
for "Most Promising Group of the Year
" in 1981. Uncut went double platinum
in Canada in 1982, selling over 200,000 copies. Their second album, Thirsty Ears, was released in 1981 and was certified platinum
in Canada. In 1986, the band won the American W.C. Handy Award for "Foreign Band of the Year". The band's greatest hits
album First Decade was released in 1990 and was certified gold
.
The unknown founding member on keyboards is Willie McCalder born in Victoria BC.
The Powder Blues Band was founded in 1978 by brothers Tom Lavin
, Jack Lavin, and Willie McCalder
. The initial lineup of the band consisted of:
Vancouver
Vancouver is a coastal seaport city on the mainland of British Columbia, Canada. It is the hub of Greater Vancouver, which, with over 2.3 million residents, is the third most populous metropolitan area in the country,...
. Its first album Uncut went double platinum in Canada. The second album Thirsty Ears was similarly popular. Members have included Tom Lavin
Tom Lavin
Tom Lavin is a Chicago-born musician and record producer and founding member of the Juno Award winning Canadian group Powder Blues Band on Warner Brothers Records...
, Dave Woodward
Downchild Blues Band
The Downchild Blues Band is a Canadian blues band, described by one reviewer as "the premier blues band in Canada". The band is still commonly known as the Downchild Blues Band, though the actual band name was shortened to "Downchild" as of the early 1980s....
, Duris Maxwell
Duris Maxwell
Duris Maxwell , also known as Ted Lewis, is a Canadian drummer who has played with many bands, including Bobby Taylor & the Vancouvers, Powder Blues Band, Doucette, The Temptations, Jefferson Airplane, and Skylark...
, Willie MacCalder, Gordie Bertram
Fraser MacPherson
John Fraser MacPherson, CM was a Canadian jazz musician born in St. Boniface, Manitoba.He moved to Victoria, British Columbia as a child, where he learned piano, clarinet, alto and tenor saxophones...
, Bill Runge, Jerry Cook, Bill Clark and Daryl Bennett.
Their best known songs include: "Boppin' with the Blues", "Doin' It Right", "Thirsty Ears", "Hear That Guitar Ring" and "What've I Been Drinkin". Their newest release is Blues + Jazz = BLAZZ! from 2004.
History
The Powder Blues Band was founded in 1978 as a house bandHouse band
For the British band that existed from 1984-2001, see The House BandA house band is a group of musicians, often centrally organized by a band leader, who regularly play an establishment. It is widely used to refer both to the bands who work on entertainment programs on television or radio, and to...
in the Gastown
Gastown
Gastown is a national historic site in Vancouver, British Columbia, at the northeast end of Downtown adjacent to the Downtown Eastside. Its historical boundaries were the waterfront , Columbia Street, Hastings Street, and Cambie Street, which were the borders of the 1870 townsite survey, the proper...
district of Vancouver
Vancouver
Vancouver is a coastal seaport city on the mainland of British Columbia, Canada. It is the hub of Greater Vancouver, which, with over 2.3 million residents, is the third most populous metropolitan area in the country,...
, British Columbia
British Columbia
British Columbia is the westernmost of Canada's provinces and is known for its natural beauty, as reflected in its Latin motto, Splendor sine occasu . Its name was chosen by Queen Victoria in 1858...
. The band was founded by brothers Tom Lavin
Tom Lavin
Tom Lavin is a Chicago-born musician and record producer and founding member of the Juno Award winning Canadian group Powder Blues Band on Warner Brothers Records...
(guitar, vocals) and Jack Lavin (bass, vocals) and Willie MacCalder (keyboards, vocals). After playing in local clubs for 18 months, the band released their self-financed and self-produced debut album, Uncut, in 1980, followed by a tour of Canada and the US. The band won the Juno Award
Juno Award
The Juno Awards are presented annually to Canadian musical artists and bands to acknowledge their artistic and technical achievements in all aspects of music...
for "Most Promising Group of the Year
Juno Award for New Group of the Year
The Juno Award for the New Group of the Year has been awarded since 1974, as recognition each year for the best new group or band in Canada. The award was originally known as Most Promising Group of the Year, and from 1994–2002 it was known as Best New Group.-Most Promising Group of the Year...
" in 1981. Uncut went double platinum
Canadian Recording Industry Association
Music Canada is a Toronto-based, non-profit trade organization that was founded 9 April 1963 to represent the interests of companies that record, artists, manufacture, production, promotion and distribution of music in Canada...
in Canada in 1982, selling over 200,000 copies. Their second album, Thirsty Ears, was released in 1981 and was certified platinum
Canadian Recording Industry Association
Music Canada is a Toronto-based, non-profit trade organization that was founded 9 April 1963 to represent the interests of companies that record, artists, manufacture, production, promotion and distribution of music in Canada...
in Canada. In 1986, the band won the American W.C. Handy Award for "Foreign Band of the Year". The band's greatest hits
Greatest hits
A greatest hits album is a music compilation album of successful, previously released songs by a particular artist or band...
album First Decade was released in 1990 and was certified gold
Canadian Recording Industry Association
Music Canada is a Toronto-based, non-profit trade organization that was founded 9 April 1963 to represent the interests of companies that record, artists, manufacture, production, promotion and distribution of music in Canada...
.
The unknown founding member on keyboards is Willie McCalder born in Victoria BC.
The Powder Blues Band was founded in 1978 by brothers Tom Lavin
Tom Lavin
Tom Lavin is a Chicago-born musician and record producer and founding member of the Juno Award winning Canadian group Powder Blues Band on Warner Brothers Records...
, Jack Lavin, and Willie McCalder
. The initial lineup of the band consisted of:
- Tom LavinTom LavinTom Lavin is a Chicago-born musician and record producer and founding member of the Juno Award winning Canadian group Powder Blues Band on Warner Brothers Records...
– guitar, vocal - Jack Lavin – bass
- Mark Hasselbach – trumpet
- Duris MaxwellDuris MaxwellDuris Maxwell , also known as Ted Lewis, is a Canadian drummer who has played with many bands, including Bobby Taylor & the Vancouvers, Powder Blues Band, Doucette, The Temptations, Jefferson Airplane, and Skylark...
– drums - Wayne Kozak – saxophone
- Gordie BertramFraser MacPhersonJohn Fraser MacPherson, CM was a Canadian jazz musician born in St. Boniface, Manitoba.He moved to Victoria, British Columbia as a child, where he learned piano, clarinet, alto and tenor saxophones...
– saxophone - David WoodwardDownchild Blues BandThe Downchild Blues Band is a Canadian blues band, described by one reviewer as "the premier blues band in Canada". The band is still commonly known as the Downchild Blues Band, though the actual band name was shortened to "Downchild" as of the early 1980s....
– saxophone - Bill Hicks- Drums
Current lineup
The band's most recent release is blues + jazz = BLAZZ! (2004). The lineup on that album consisted of:- Tom Lavin – guitar, vocals
- Bill Runge – bass, alto saxophone, baritone saxophone
- Bill Hicks – drums
- Miles Black – piano
- Paul Baron – trumpet
- Vincent Mai – trumpet
- Rod Murray – trombone
- Pat Caird – tenor saxophone
- Mike Kalanj – Hammond organ
Singles
- "Doin' It Right" - 1980
- "Boppin' with the Blues" - 1980
- "What've I Been Drinkin" - 1980
- "Hear That Guitar Ring" - 1981
- "Lovin' Kissin' & Huggin'" - 1981
- "Thirsty Ears" - 1981
- "Farmer John" - 1983
- "I'm on the Road Again" - 1985
Albums
- 1979 Uncut (Blue Wave)
- 1980 Uncut [re-issue] (RCA)
- 1981 Thirsty Ears (Liberty/Capitol-EMI)
- 1982 Party Line (Liberty/Capitol-EMI)
- 1983 Powder Blues (Liberty/Capitol-EMI)
- 1983 Red Hot/True Blue (RCA)
- 1984 Live At Montreux (Blue Wave)
- 1990 First Decade/Greatest Hits (WEA)
- 1993 Let's Get Loose (WEA)
- 1997 Live At Montreux [CD re-issue] (Peerless)
- 1997 Lowell Fulson with the Powder Blues Band (Stony Plain)
- 2002 Swingin' the Blues (Blue Wave)
- 2004 Blues + Jazz = BLAZZ! (Blue Wave)
Awards
- 1981 - Juno AwardJuno Awards of 1981The Juno Awards of 1981, representing Canadian music industry achievements of the previous year, were awarded on 5 February 1981 in Toronto at a ceremony hosted by Andrea Martin at the O'Keefe Centre....
for "Most Promising Group of the YearJuno Award for New Group of the YearThe Juno Award for the New Group of the Year has been awarded since 1974, as recognition each year for the best new group or band in Canada. The award was originally known as Most Promising Group of the Year, and from 1994–2002 it was known as Best New Group.-Most Promising Group of the Year...
" - 1986 - W. C. HandyW. C. HandyWilliam Christopher Handy was a blues composer and musician. He was widely known as the "Father of the Blues"....
Award for Blues, Best Foreign Band