Hornby Island Blues Workshop

There are many inducements as to why we wanted to catch Michael Jerome Browne on a break from his touring with Eric Bibb. First there are the accolades that include recognition as Canadian Solo Folk Artist of the Year, Maple Blues Acoustic Artist, International Blues Challenge Semi-Finalist, and three-time Juno Award Nominee in both the Roots and Blues categories. These kudos though don’t all tell you that Michael is a multi-instrumentalist, a songwriter, and a living encyclopedia of American Roots music. Whether he's gliding a slide across his National guitar, pulling his bow over the fiddle strings to play a lively Cajun waltz, or flailing away on his gourd banjo, Michael's passion and virtuosity always shine through. In the true tradition of folk blues music, his performances inspire us to see the interconnections between the many cultures and influences that gave birth to American Roots and Blues music including Gospel, Old-Time, Country, Soul and Cajun. Michael Jerome Browne is a street-smart archivist, a great teacher and an absolute talent. Born in South Bend, Indiana, Michael is the son of English professors whose love of music and poetry inspired them to take their nine-year-old son to the great jazz, blues and folk clubs in their adopted home of Montreal. By the age of fourteen, MJB was already a regular on the vibrant folk and coffee house scene adding banjo, fiddle, and mandolin to his masterful command of all variety of guitars and harmonica. I think you can see why we wanted him back in our Workshop as he has been away too long. Eric Bibb will just have to wait until we are done with him. As a musician's musician, and an extraordinary teacher, if traditional blues is something that you want to know more about and gain the kind of insight that is richly genuine, Michael Jerome Browne should be your first choice as an instructor.