The coveted Roots Blues duo of Vancouver-based and Alberta-born Blue Moon Marquee, are again seeing their name up in lights - this time on the face of the Toronto Blues Society’s Maple Blues Awards where they’ve scored four nominations - Entertainer of the Year, Acoustic Act of the Year, Songwriter of the Year and Recording/Producer of the Year - ahead of the ceremony on January 30, 2023. Fans have until 11:59pmET on December 1 to vote here.
The excitement surrounding the nominations is palpable for the globetrotting touring artists who refute genre boxes and create songs that swing, jump, groove and move inside their souls. A.W. Cardinal (vocals/guitar) and Jasmine Colette a.k.a. Badlands Jass (vocals/bass/drums) have played for a vast gamut of crowds at jazz clubs, Lindy Hop dance halls, folk venues, blues haunts, hospitals, prisons, markets, motorcycle joints, dive bars, and prestigious festival stages. The pair have crisscrossed Europe 5 times.
“To say A.W. and Jasmine are old souls is an understatement to say the least,” says co-producer and legendary guitarist Duke Robillard on the Scream, Holler & Howl liner notes. “They are poised for worldwide recognition in an amazing genre-bending ride through American blues and folk, gypsy jazz, Native American themes, jump blues, swing and more.”
The duo has garnered big time praise and adoration from their legions of fans and are now being recognized for their efforts and contributions to the blues community.
It’s undeniable the energy, and commitment Blue Moon Marquee have to their infectious sound and on-stage presence. The band released their fifth studio album Scream, Holler & Howl this past fall on their Blue Moon Marquee record label and hit #1 – twice - on the Roots Music Report’s Canadian Chart and has now spent over 20 weeks on the tally. The release also hit Top 10 on the Earshot Canadian Campus Radio Chart, hitting #1 on their Roots/Folk/Blues Chart this year. The totality of the record was another accomplishment in the tenure of Blue Moon Marquee, earning praise and positive reviews from fans and critics.
The band refuses to shy away from an equally enchanting visual component to their sensational music. From their stage show to their music videos and artwork, Blue Moon Marquee are storytellers at their core, and the pair seek to elevate the yarn they spin through a variety of mediums. Jasmine Colette not only commands the upright bass, but also brings the rhythm with her feet on a custom foot drum kit, all while singing in her signature honey-dipped tones. A.W. Cardinal’s distinctive and soulful vocals barrel out like a raging bull, while his guitar crackles with the swinging energy of jazz-tinged blues.
The Toronto Blues Society presents the Maple Blues Awards LIVE Monday, January 30, 2023 at Koerner Hall in Toronto.
