Featured Artists
Donna Hourigan & The Turnaround
Thriving on the influences of Motown, Memphis & New Orleans, The Turnaround takes the traditions of Blues, R&B and Soul and infuses them with a completely original and contemporary vibe. This energetic 4 piece is electric on stage, rocking their original music plus well loved covers.
Jonathan Hirsch
Originally from England but now based in Malaysia, my musical journey started when I taught myself to play the guitar at the age of 14, using an old and battered classical instrument that had been handed down via my mum from my great aunt Agnes Capri. Style-wise, the obvious references are Dire Straits and Pink Floyd, with Mark Knopfler and David Gilmour being formative influences on my guitar playing and songwriting.
Dida Pelled
Brooklyn-based guitarist, singer, and songwriter, Dida Pelled, is widely regarded as the greatest jazz guitarist this side of the Mississippi. Love of the Tiger, Pelled’s latest album, is the product of a jazz prodigy gone rogue. It is a love letter to the obscure, weaving across genres, twisting and turning with Pelled’s ever-expanding range of musical abilities and interests.
Dirty Shoes Band
Dirty Shoes Band is a collaboration of Colorado musicians who share a love for American roots music. The band is led by “Doctor” Doug Krause who plays the piano. He immersed himself in the history if rhythm and blues piano styles from the time his father played boogie-woogie 78 rpm records for him when he was a teenager. This is evident in his songwriting, which is deeply influenced by the swampy, funky tradition of New Orleans, folksy storytelling, the raw emotion of the blues, and salt-of-the-earth honesty.
Tim Larkin
Renowned composer and trumpet player Tim Larkin returns with Setting Standards, his long-awaited debut jazz album. Out August 1 on all major platforms, the album is a curated collection of reimagined classics and one original composition that captures the emotional breadth, musical depth, and cinematic storytelling that have defined Larkin’s career across jazz, film, and video games.
The Johnny Max Band
The Johnny Max Band has always been a crowd favourite at any festival, with danceable and well written songs, along with a frontman who is not afraid to jump into the audience and get them going.
The award winning Johnny Max Band has travelled across Canada performing at some of the finest Blues and Roots Festivals over the last 25 years and they want to play at your festival.
Eddie Kold Band
The Eddie Kold Band stands at the crossroads of Chicago’s gritty blues tradition and Cologne’s vibrant music scene. Led by guitarist and educator Eddie Kold, the band has carved out a reputation for raw authenticity, soulful storytelling, and stage-shaking performances.
The Hokum Syndicate
The Hokum Syndicate is a band known for playing a distinctive blend of early American music styles, drawing heavily from influences like ragtime, blues, vaudeville and jazz traditions. Their sound harkens back to the lively and diverse music scene of early 20th-century New Orleans and the Minstrel Shows of the late 19th to early 20th centuries.
Sunny Bleau & The Moons
Singer-Songwriter, Kelly Brock, aka “Sunny Bleau,” is known for her straightforward lyrics, passionate performances, strong vocals, and playful personality. When writing and performing with guitarist/ songwriter/composer Nic Cocco they have created some great music. They have teamed up with longtime bluesman Mick Kolassa to produce their new album, Passion and Regrets.
Paddy Smith
Smith is no newcomer. A veteran of the Irish music scene, he has carried his harmonica and songs across decades of change, never losing sight of the grit and spirit that defined the tradition. Where others bend to trends, Smith holds the line for raw, unvarnished rock and blues. His music stands as proof that Ireland still produces artists who carry the weight of the past and the urgency of the present in equal measure.
Ivan Hartle
Ivan Hartle (Vancouver, BC) is a musician who molds a vintage sonic aesthetic with modern elements. Pivoting from a successful US college baseball career into music, he’s been featured as a popular and emerging artist by DailyHive Canada. Ivan’s bluesy, soul singer-songwriter sound is flush with melodic grooves and his timeless, warm vocals.
Bees Deluxe
Bees Deluxe is a Boston-based British/American modern blues band, winners of the New Hampshire State Blues Challenge, and are on the way to compete at the International Blues Challenge in Memphis, January 2026. The band tours from Maine to Miami and as far east as the Cleveland House of Blues.
Rene Lopez
Rene Lopez is a Bronx-born singer-songwriter whose music walks the gritty line between truth and myth, blending Americana,Latin rhythms, Outlaw Country and rock & roll into something unmistakably his own. Raised in a New York steeped in musical legacy—his father, René López Sr., was a trumpet player with Ray Barretto and Tipica ’73—Lopez inherited a love of rhythm and melody that pulses through everything he creates.
Vel Omarr
Vel Omarr is a celebrated soul singer whose voice has captivated audiences across the world. Born and raised on a small farm in the Mississippi Delta, his earliest musical experiences were steeped in Southern gospel traditions—sounds that would shape the emotional depth and expressive power of his artistry. Drawing inspiration from the legendary Sam Cooke, Vel developed a signature vocal style marked by its warmth, clarity, and unmistakable soul.
The Robians
With their roots in blues and rock “The Robians” combine different styles and influences to create music that is unique.
The quartet from Mainz, Germany, released their first EP in 2023. The singles „Mystic River“ and „Freckled Girl“ directly placed in the „German Blues“ Spotify editorial playlist. The Robians want to spread their music beyond any borders and engage listeners all over the world.