From the Montreal Gazette

Seven Days, Seven Nights: From big city blues to loving cityscapes

RICHARD BURNETT, SPECIAL TO MONTREAL GAZETTE

Monday, Jan. 26

Chicago native and old-school tenor/soprano saxman Johnny Beaudine headlines the downtown House of Jazz tonight with his band Deep Blue, featuring pianist Peter Mika, bass player Ben Comeau and drummer Jeffrey Simons.

“What we’re doing here is a kind of blues/jazz I used to see in Chicago,” says Beaudine, who learned to play the harp from his mentors Junior Wells and James Cotton. “Lesser known than the electric Chicago blues scene, which I was a part of, this music is more upscale, with jazz and R&B influences, but was very popular in the black community. I used to hear this music in black clubs like the Burning Spear and the Tropical Hut. More Ray Charles, early Lou Rawls, with touches of Sonny Stitt and Gene Aamons, two of my saxophone heroes. I wanted to do this for years, but you have to have a really good band to even attempt it. Now we do.”

Deep Blue headlines the House of Jazz (2060 Aylmer St.) every Monday night from 7:30 to 11. Admission: $10. Details: 514-842-8656 or www.houseofjazz.ca.

Johnny Beaudine and Deep Blue - Soprano Sax

As many of you know, I play the soprano sax. My horn is very special, it's a King, made in the late 1920's. It has a very unique sound, at times like a clarinet and other times a bit like a trumpet.
Over the last few years I many hours of practice with that horn to be able to use that sound in blues and especially, jazz. I love the way it fits in with Deep Blue.

I was watching a DVD today and Kenny G showed up.  I wondered, "How many people learned to hate the soprano sax from being forced to listen to Kenny G.

My new slogan: "Johnny Beaudine, taking the soprano sax back from Kenny G".

Johnny Beaudine and Deep Blue -------- The Chi-Town Hustlers

I recently reconnected with JW Williams, one of the founding members of the Chi-Town Hustlers

The Chi-Town Hustlers was/is (versions of the band are still active) a Chicago based blues/R&B band that I played and toured with. At the time I was with band, the members of the group came from the bands of BB King, James Cotton and Bobby Bland among others. One of the vocalists in the band is the great J.W. Williams who is still active in the Chicago blues scene. I checked the Chicago Reader music listings recently and you still see J.W. Williams and the Chi-Town Hustlers at clubs like the Kingston Mines.

One of my favorite Chi-Town Hustler tracks is a jazz/funk version of the War classic "The World is a Ghetto. This track has one of the best tenor sax solos I ever played that actually got recorded.  Check it out!

In addition to the Chi-Town Hustlers cover of the Meters classic, "Cissy Strut", I also posted
a great cover version by the Hustlers of the Sam Cook classic "Bring it on Home to Me." This track gets quite a bit of play on Soundcloud.

During my interview on CKUT radio and with Rick Kenne, several tracks by the Chi-Town Hustlers were played, during the course of the interview. They were, "Everyday I Have the Blues", "Rock Me Baby" and "Cissy Strut".

You can check out these and other Chi-Town Hustler tracks
at:
http://soundcloud.com/deep-blue- 1 

Johnny Beaudine and Deep Blue - House of Jazz - Video

Johnny Beaudine and Deep Blue - House of Jazz (Laval) - Sept. 20

Deep Blue keeps the spirit alive with hard driving Chicago style jazz and blues with touches of New Orleans. 

The Deep Blue gang played at the new House of Jazz (Laval) we were joined by one of our favorites Leanna White, a great soul and jazz singer.

The new club has a larger stage and a very nice lighting system. The band was greeted happily by the Laval audience even though we're new to the club.

They broke into applause when Leanna started Etta James classic "At Last" The band was very well received.

Johnny Beaudine and Deep Blue - Montreal Jazz Festival

Deep Blue does the Jazz Fest.

Don't miss this one! The band is geared up, fired up and ready. We'll be joined by Jeff Simons on drums and vocals. With Peter Mika on piano, and Ben Comeau on bass. We'll be putting some extra fire into our "Real Deal" Chicago style jazz and blues with our touch of funky New Orleans.

"We come to play" is our motto and we'll be playing hard and fast. Make sure to come down to "The House" for a memorable night. You won't regret it.

We're known as the "Real Deal" because we play hard every night. We'll be kicking it especially hard this Monday.

Come on down and have fun with us.

House of Jazz - 2060 Aylmer 7:30-11PM.  - 514-842-8656

Rock Me Johnny

I'm amazed about this, on my SoundClould page I posted one of the
Chi Town Hustler tracks, Rock Me Baby. I alway liked this
version but I just put it there and didn't really hype it or
anything. I've been surprised at the response It got played often
in the US but also in Lithuania and Venezuela, Columbia, Switzerland,
Brazil, Germany and the UK.

Click here for Rock Me Baby