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Classic Vinyl

With Allan Day

EDDIE VAAN SHAW JR.

Tuesday, May 25, 2010

There are many, many Blues Bands on the Scene today---so many it is hard to keep track of who is the hottest act around---well they are everywhere, if you can get by the standard hit makers, you will find them playing right now in the local festivals and bars in your town. Here is a bio of one of these Blues Boys---Eddie Vaan Shaw Jr. who played at our Bluesfest last year in Goderich. Be sure to check out the youtubes this week and you can hear for yourself, how good this bluesman is and be sure to watch the clip of when he was only 14 yrs old.
 
Eddie Vaan Shaw is a living legend with tyes that go back to many of the old blues artists that I Will mention shortly. EVS JR. began his career at the age of eleven, 9 days after receiving a red guitar as a belated Christmas gift---he has been on the road ever since.
 
He was introduced to the guitar by Magic Sam and sat in on late night rehearsals in various basements and also participated in jam sessions with Michael Bloomfield, Elvin Bishop and Mighty Joe Young. You could say he was raised on the laps of Elmore James, Muddy Waters and Howling wolf.
 
He began playing for tips in Chicago subways and on Maxwell Street. Later, he played rhythm guitar at his father's club, 1815 West Roosevelt---backing Eddie Taylor Sr. Walter Horton, JB Hutto, Hound Dog Taylor (my favourite) , Freddie King and many, many more blues Greats.
 
At the age of 17, he received critical mention by Hip-Hop Record Producer and Heavy Metal guitar talent scout, Mike Varney of Guitar Player Magazine for the publications talent search. When he was nineteen, Vaan was featured in Downbeat Jazz Magazine as one of the young musicians deserving wilder recognition. He was also cited in Living Blues Magazine as part of the new generation of blues Musicians.
 
Like many other Blues Greats, he has been in high profile European solo opening acts performances for Lucky Peterson and appeared in a Music Video with European Blues Diva, Dana Gillespie. He has played in every famous blues spot and hole in the wall clubs in Chicago and television shows.
 
Eddie Vaan has performed on several boat cruises, private yachts and corporate parties---played many festivals with greats James Cotton, Fenton Robinson, concerts with George Thorogood and toured with Son Seals, Hubert Sumlin, Junior Wells and Luther Guitar Johnson---what an amazing resume
 
EVS has been on demand in the east coast clubs and has recently toured to international audiences and television in Spain, Greece, Italy, France, Sweden, Israel, Canada, Austria, Mexico and Alaska---Eddie has let his mark on 10 CD's---recordings with Mighty Joe Young, Pinetop Perkins and Magic Sam---he still enjoys guitar battles and jam sessions with Melvin Taylor, Lurrie Bell and Matt "Guitar Murphy ----in short, he has paid his blues dues and certainly deserves to be listed with any blues greats---way to go Eddie Vaan Shaw Jr.
 
Thanks to Jim O'Neil from Living Blues Magazine for his imput to this week's column
 
This week's youtubes Eddie Vaan Shaw "Wait On It" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_7kQez1rIb0&feat...ated Eddie Shaw and the Wolfgang 2008 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cXXL4gDsVos&feat...ted Guitar Solo http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xFzYEIqgwMc&feat...ure=related and Livingblues played by a 14 year old Eddie  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=per7U47ZC6w&feat...ated check out more of his youtubes
 
Help Preserve Canadian Music, log onto http://www.mouseholemusic.com/OttawaBan...ds.htm and you will find an amazing selection of Canadian music for sell on cd's and some waiting to be re released
 
Hope you enjoyed this weeks column and see you in 2 weeks---contact me at bluesslider88@yahoo.ca or at cktimes with any comments you would like to make about classic vinyl



Allan Day----long time acquaintance of John Gardiner----I presently live in Goderich Ontario, retired (oh yeah) and live for the sound of music, especially from the 60's music explosion---I hope you enjoy some of my articles and they bring back some lost memories of bands gone by. Now I have to let you know that I am a HUGE Rolling Stones fan, collector, historian and I hope to hear any stories you might have on this GREAT Band from the 60's----email me at CK Times and let me know what you have or memories you have of this group. I will include stories and short stories on The Stones each week.