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New Album out May 12 on the Borealis/Stony Plain label!

“… a wonderful triumph for acoustic blues and the originators of these great spirited songs. There is not a weak cut on the album. …Gettin’ Together is the pure acoustic blues played as well as it can be—sheer musical pleasure, wall to wall. Everything just feels right and good—most sweet, spicy and soulful.”

   (Frank Matheis, Living Blues)

For more reviews, check out the Reviews Page.



ROOTS VERSATILITY - MUSICAL INTEGRITY

“Arguably the finest acoustic blues artist in this country”
   -Globe and Mail (Toronto), 

“His originals reek of musty back porch Appalachian family jams. His proficiency on strings is exemplary.”

   -Mike Greenblatt, Goldmine (USA)

“Michael Jerome Browne... magnifies the magnificence of 1920s and 1930s country blues numbers... A singer of clarity and character, he is as skilled on banjo and mandolin as he is on valuable old guitars.” 
   -Frank-John Hadley, Downbeat
 

“... one of Canada’s most significant musical exports; a finger-picking stylist with a hugely talented and nuanced delivery.”

   -Iain Patience, Elmore Magazine (USA), also appeared in Blues Magazine (Netherlands)

"Michael Jerome Browne is probably one of the finest musicians who is well versed in so many interrelated genres when it comes to roots, Americana, blues, Cajun, you name it, Michael has got it under his belt in a big way and instruments in his backpack. I first heard him on a Calgary Folk Music Festival stage and he played a gourd banjo with such authority and such knowledge of how far it goes back. It really sounded African to me... we ended up recording quite a few things and touring together as well. Any chance I get to hear Michael and then play with him is a chance I'll leap at."

    -Eric Bibb, interview in Talking Music by Holger Petersen

“Michael Jerome Browne is one of the best country blues guitarists ever to record.”
   -ED Denson, record producer, co-founder of Takoma Records and Kicking Mule Records, Manager (Country Joe & the Fish, others)

"Nowadays, [Michael Jerome Browne] can be considered as one of the finest players in the acoustic blues. Anyone who questions that should listen to his 2015 Borealis release Sliding Delta, which showcases his stunning traditional blues mastery."
   -Frank Matheis, thecountryblues.com

“...a fine singer, his sturdy voice rings with authenticity... Browne makes dusty old blues sound effortless, lively and natural.”
   -Lynn Saxberg, Ottawa Citizen

AWARDS and NOMINATIONS:

 

-5 JUNO Nominations:

       -Best Blues Album for:

            -"That's Where It's At" (2019) (still waiting to find out who won...)

            -“Sliding Delta” (2015)

            -“Drive On” (2001)

            -“Michael  Jerome Browne” (1999)

       -Best Roots & Traditional Album, Solo for:

            -"Michael Jerome Browne & the Twin Rivers String Band" (2004)

 

-Winner of 3 Canadian Folk Music Awards (CFMAs) (5 total nominations, 2008-2020):

       -Traditional Singer of the Year (2015)

       -Solo Artist of the Year (2012)

       -Solo Artist of the Year (2008)

 

-34 Maple Blues (Toronto Blues Society) Nominations (1999-2019) in the following categories:

       -Blues With A Feeling- Lifetime Achievement (Winner, 2019),

       -Acoustic Act (Winner, 2001) 

       -Male Vocalist of the year

       -Guitarist of the year

       -Songwriter of the year

       -Producer of the year

       -Recording of the year

       -Entertainer of the Year

 

-New Folk Finalist, Kerrville Folk Festival, Kerrville, TX (2012)

 

-Winner of Folqui Award, Folquébec (2004), Montréal QC

 

-Best Canadian Acoustic Blues Artist (1998), Real Blues Awards, Victoria, BC

 


Blues, Old Time, Cajun, Country, Soul and Swing.  Roots music is the music I play on guitars, banjos, fiddle, mandolin and harmonica. It is also the music I sing. A wide repertoire of all variety of songs. Songs that are traditional, original and interpreted.
 
For over thirty years now, I have studied, composed, and recorded many kinds of roots music, and performed on many continents.
 
If you, like me, are nourished and inspired by this kind of music, I invite you to explore my site. With any luck, I'll be playing somewhere near your town sometime soon. If not, I have many recordings to choose from, and you can listen to some of them here. (You can click below, and for more, check out the Music page).
 

Upcoming shows

Previous events

Mar18

Blues Guitar Workshop- Open D and Dm

 —  —

Montreal, QC

ANOTHER BLUES GUITAR WORKSHOP! ATELIER À MONTRÉAL! 18 mars/March 18 Acoustic Fingerstyle Blues in Open D ("Vastopol") and Open D Minor ("Cross-Note") tunings Blues acoustique “fingerstyle” accordé en ré ouvert ("Vastopol") et en ré mineur ouvert ("Cross-Note"). (EN FRANÇAIS PLUS BAS)

From the riff-based North Mississippi style of Fred McDowell, to the banjo-like qualities of Blind Willie Johnson's non-slide playing, to the Georgia/Piedmont bounce of Tampa Red and Blind Boy Fuller, Vastopol tuning (DADF#AD) has a lot to offer.

This workshop is aimed at intermediate players, but if you’re advanced you’ll get lots out of it. A rudimentary knowledge of alternating-bass fingerpicking would help, but is not a prerequisite. No flatpicks (plectrums) will be allowed. Some songs will feature a small amount of simple slide playing. It is definitely not the focus of the workshop, but please bring a slide with you if you have one.

Our primary goal will be to establish a groove in this tuning, using thumb and forefinger. The groove is the most important thing. There are also many interesting simple chord shapes used in Vastopol tuning.

As an added bonus, we will explore Open Dm ("Cross-Note") tuning (DADFAD), made famous by Skip James. This tuning is useful for for getting a darker sound than Vastopol, without necessarily going into minor keys, and was also used by Arthur "Big Boy" Crudup, Henry Townsend, Rosa Lee Hill, Booker White, and even Albert Collins...

We will NOT use tablature, but recording devices (audio and video) WILL be permitted and even encouraged.

Time: Sunday, March 18, 10 AM-1 PMPlace: Mile End, not far from Outremont Parc-Ex and Mile-Ex (I will PM the exact address) Price: $45, to be paid in advance Space is limited, (15 places), so message me if interested and reserve your spot!

Le tuning "Vastopol" (ré-la-ré-fa#-la-ré) a beaucoup à offrir: le style très rhythmique à base de "riffs" qui vient du Nord du Mississippi (Fred McDowell), l'imitation d'un banjo (Blind Willie Johnson, lorsqu'il n'utilise pas de slide), l'approche plus "ragtime" de la Georgie/Caroline (Tampa Red et Blind Boy Fuller).

L’atelier s’addresse aux guitaristes intermédiaires, mais si vous êtes avancé(e)s il y aura du boulot pour vous. Une connaissance rudimentaire du “fingerpicking” à basse alternante serait une bonne chose, mais ce n’est pas un prérequis. Les plectrums (flatpicks) seront interdits. Quelgues chansons utiliseront un peu de slide (ou "bottleneck") très simple. Ce n'est pas le focus de l'atelier, mais SVP amenez un slide si vous en avez un.

Le but premier sera d’établir un “groove” accordé en ré, en utilisant le pouce et l’index en partant. Le “groove,” c’est ce qu’il y a de plus important. Il y a aussi plusieurs positions d’accord simples accordé en Vastopol.

BONUS: nous allons explorer le ré mineur ouvert ("Cross-note": ré-la-ré-fa-la-ré), popularisé par Skip James. Le Cross-note sert à obtenir un son plus "dark" que le Vastopol, sans nécéssairement entrer dans des tonalités mineures, et a aussi été utilisé par Arthur "Big Boy" Crudup, Henry Townsend, Rosa Lee Hill, Booker White, et même Albert Collins...

Nous n’utiliserons pas de tablature, mais j'encourage l'enregistrement de l'atelier (audio ou vidéo).

Quand? Dimanche 18 mars, 10h à 13h. Où? Mile-End, près d'Outremont, Parc-ex et Mile-ex (j'enverrai l'adresse exacte par message privé) Prix: $45, payable à l'avance Il n'y a que quelques places (15 maximum), envoyez-moi un message et réservez votre place!

Aug9

Tour of UK/Ireland accompanying Eric Bibb

 —  —

Various venues, North Berwick (Scotland), Dublin (Ireland)

Accompanying Eric Bibb w/ band.

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