Johnny Max Band
Apparently Johnny Max has been playing the Beaches Jazz Festival for years now, and the kind of music he plays is exactly what I gravitate towards during streetfest. I have probably seen him before, but when my neighborhood is packed with people, music and corn stands, it’s a little too much stimulation to keep track of the bands I like. Another issue is that he plays across the street from FATHEAD and my mom has known the bass player all her life, so we make a point of watching them and moving on, which is something I definitely will not do this year. My editor, Paul, described the music as “happy blues”, which is actually pretty accurate. He keeps this up and in a few years, he will take over my job reviewing bands. Being in the audience with these multi- Juno and Maple Blues Award Nominees on stage is a blast. The music they play is the kind everyone can dance to, and it appeals to people of all ages. I had the pleasure of dancing with a sweet 65-year-old gentleman decked out in white slacks, white suspenders and a white hat. He was a great dancer, and I was enjoying feeling like I was living in a decade long before I was even born. He kept telling me how lucky he was to be twirling around with a woman less than half his age. The NXNE program describes Max as a combination of New Orleans and Memphis Blues with Southern Soul and R&B. He doesn’t always follow conventional Blues lines, favoring substance rather than traditional 12 bar influenced forms. He reasons that it’s all Blues, because he characterizes his own material as “music to move your groove by”. The music itself is enough to get the audience tapping their feet on their own, but Max takes it a step further and makes the crowd part of his own experience with his charm and sense of humour. He shows appreciation for his fans and, in the process, gains more at every show. The band’s fourth and most recent album, “A Lesson I’ve Learned”, is receiving critical acclaim, and has earned the band a number of prestigious nominations.
-Juno Nomination for Blues Album of the Year -Maple Blues Award Nomination for Songwriter of the Year (Max and Martin Alex Aucoin) Their recognition is warranted, and is sure to continue growing. Make sure you check this band out- you wont regret it.
