May 5th, 2017 – Stemming from the Badlands of the Rocky Mountain prairies, Blue Moon Marquee is a self-styled Canadian gypsy blues band. This authentic duo writes and performs original compositions influenced by early blues,folk roots, swing, and ragtime. A.W. Cardinal, a Metis of Cree heritage, howls with a distinctive thick and smoky vocal while playing a jazz tinged blues guitar. Jasmine Colette, aka Badlands Jass (Bill Bourne, Paul Pigat), is the rhythm section who not only commands the upright bass but also keeps the swing with both feet while singing harmonies. Blue Moon Marquee’s passionate performances and smouldering onstage chemistry is their trademark, and the way Colette’s honey tones lift A.W.’s beaten down “bukowski-esque” mystique is something that enthrals audiences from the back room bar to the public square.
Now West-Coast based, they have been steadily touring for the last 4 years. They were the most requested Canadian band for the 2016 International Jazz festivals across Canada, and were invited to play 9 Jazz festivals across Canada (Vancouver, Victoria, Toronto, Regina, Edmonton, Ottawa, Saskatoon, and Montreal, Lethbridge. They have been on Holger Petersen’s Saturday Night Blues as his featured artist twice in the last two years, and have received substantial airplay on Earshot/campus stations and CBC, which took their 2016 album Gypsy Blues to #2 on the National Roots and Blues charts.
In Nov 2016 Blue Moon Marquee were nominated for a Maple Blues award for Best New Artist and received requests to return to every Jazz festival they performed at for 2017.
More info,music, photos, video here: www.bluemoonmarquee.com
PRESS QUOTES:
“Gypsy Blues plucks the danger from a Tom Waits melody, dances it a little further over the line with dark magic, teases the rhythms & and raises a toast to back alley Jazz” The Alternate Route
“Whiskey soaked Cab Calloway” Blues Matters UK
“The spirits of Memphis Minnie, Louis Armstrong, Charlie Patton, Howlin’ Wolf, Lightnin’ Hopkins, Bukka White and many others haunt the musical offerings of Blue Moon Marquee.” – BC Musician
“The night began with a rousing set from Alberta gypsy-noir duo Blue Moon Marquee. The pair cooked up a swamp-blues bouillabaisse, one that counted Tom Waits and late-era Bob Dylan among its key ingredients. And it did so with a flair for the atmospheric.” – Victoria Times Colonist
“Their musicality is outstanding, their presentation is spellbinding, and their original songs are unforgettable. To me, they represent the real core of the folk blues tradition. They would not seem out of place if they were on stage beside Lonnie Johnson or the young Memphis Minnie. – David Vest
“Blue Moon Marquee have their own completely original style. Modern blues doesn’t really get any better than this.This is a tremendous album by a hugely talented and unique duo who have found a way to update an ages old musical genre for the new century whilst remaining true to their roots and the genres originators. “American Roots UK
Tickets $15 advance, $20 at the door
Available at River City Coffee