• Registered: 2008-02-14
  • Posts: 2,578

Topic: Toronzo Cannon

When he’s not driving a city bus on the west side of Chicago, Toronzo Cannon is gigging local clubs on the weekend and headlining festivals around the world. His latest album, The Chicago Way (Alligator), is a gritty testament to life in his hometown. Besides his natural showmanship, Cannon has found a new way to create modern blues; no album from Chicago in recent memory has so thoughtfully articulated the anguish of street violence. The city continues to deal with his blues as not just personal, but a reflection of the city itself.

THE CHICAGO WAY was produced by Cannon and Alligator president Bruce Iglauer. The album is comprised of all self-penned songs, inspired by his deep, homegrown Chicago roots and powered by his blistering guitar playing and soul-baring vocals. Cannon’s songs – from searing blues anthems to swinging shuffles to soulful ballads to roof-raising rockers – tell timeless stories of common experiences in uncommon ways. Toronzo was recently nominated for 4 Blues Music Awards including Contemporary Artist and Album of the Year

Electrifying blues guitarist, vocalist and songwriter Toronzo Cannon, performing songs from his Alligator Records debut,THE CHICAGO WAY, will be touring the United Kingdom between Thursday, January 19 and Saturday, January 21, 2017. Cannon has become one of Chicago’s most recognised and most popular bluesmen through the sheer force of his music, his songs, and his live charisma. MOJO magazine declared THE CHICAGO WAY the #1 Best Blues Album Of 2016. Cannon’s battled his way to the top of the ultra-competitive Windy City blues scene, has already played multiple tours of Europe and continues to deliver roof-raising performances around the U.S.A. Cannon, along with Alligator president Bruce Iglauer, won the 2016 Living Blues Award for Producer Of The Year – New Recording for THE CHICAGO WAY.

Recently featured in as the lead artist The Guardian's article Chicago's new generation of bluesmen, Toronzo has arrived in the UK for the first time and plays the following dates:

January 19, 2017 The Voodoo Rooms Edinburgh, United Kingdom       also with Bruce Iglauer Q&A

January 20, 2017 Goin’ Up The Country Overton-on-Dee, United Kingdom     

January 21, 2017 The Great British Rock & Blues Festival Skegness, United Kingdom

"The recently formed Edinburgh Blues Club has identified an appetite for the personal communication between musicians and audience that the blues long ago perfected." The Herald Newspaper (Scotland)
http://www.edinburgh-blues.uk
  • Curby
  • Curby
  • BONAMETAL
  • Offline
  • Registered: 2008-12-19
  • Posts: 2,603

Re: Toronzo Cannon

I've got some of his music but need to check out the new album.  Thanks for the reminder.

  • Curby
  • Curby
  • BONAMETAL
  • Offline
  • Registered: 2008-12-19
  • Posts: 2,603

Re: Toronzo Cannon

Curby wrote:

I've got some of his music but need to check out the new album.  Thanks for the reminder.

Update:  I looked in his most recent album and was disappointed this time around.  I saw him at one of the IBCs in Memphis 3 or 4 years ago and the guy was fantastic.  I hope his next effort is better.

  • From: Orlando, FL
  • Registered: 2010-04-15
  • Posts: 1,373

Re: Toronzo Cannon

Searched for older threads to see if Toronzo had come up, and sure enough!  In the late 90s I used to do a blues every mic at BLUES, Etc. in Chicago with him every Wednesday for maybe a year and a half. I think we started going to it about the same time, and neither of us were very good back then... just learning. I went down other paths, but he stuck with it all this time and I'm so happy for him. I got his latest CD The Preacher, The Politician or the Pimp for Christmas and I really dig it.  As you mentioned in the original post in 2017, I like that he has a unique voice in blues and takes things outside the box a bit.  Check it out.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eDw8ACrojZE
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zdwjhfeiNOk

He was also on Dave Specter's "Blues from the Inside Out" podcast not too long ago.

My music & music blog: https://vincedickinson.home.blog/
New prog/rock album "Atlantis" available everywhere, including:
https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/atlantis/1411523163
https://open.spotify.com/album/3InrPujiALJCslZqp9V6e2

ZeyerGTR's Website