Music – Page 2 – Jan Randall

Blues Party at Hermann’s

Jan Randall was proud to be featured in the rhythm section for this stellar award winning blues act.

Jan Randall was proud to be featured in the rhythm section for this stellar award winning blues act. Canadian blues treasures Diana Braithwaite & Chris Whiteley with special guest Eugene Smith at Victoria’s legendary Hermann’s Jazz Club this coming Thursday May 5th.

Multi-blues award winners deemed “Masters of Old School Blues” by Blues Revue Magazine with an all star band: Jan Randall on Piano, Jack Lavin on bass, and Ross Hall on Drums, this show will feature more songs from their exciting collection of classic and original blues favourites. Highlighted by Diana’s authentic blues vocal sound and legendary multi-instrumentalist Chris Whiteley on slide guitar, harmonica and trumpet, this promises to be a memorable night of great music.
Special guest – the legendary vocalist Eugene Smith! A rare Victoria performance by this unique entertaining singer who has shared the stage with BB King, Gordon Lightfoot, Bo Diddley and K.D. Lang to name just a few! Throughout his lengthy career, Eugene toured with ‘Rompin’ Ronnie Hawkins to Memphis, Alabama and many southern states and also led his own successful band for many years.

Blues Blues Blues

Since receiving a facebook message from guitarist Terry Medd last year, my life has taken a dramatic change for the best., I had not connected with Terry for nearly 40 years. Back then we were both part of the Edmonton live music scene and had played in a couple of bands together.

**(L toR) Terry Medd, Ross Hall, Jan Randall and Jack Lavin**

Since receiving a facebook message from guitarist Terry Medd last year, my life has taken a dramatic change for the best., I had not connected with Terry for nearly 40 years. Back then we were both part of the Edmonton live music scene and had played in a couple of bands together.

**(L to R) Ross Hall, LJ Mountenoy, Jack Lavin, Jan Randall**

Now Terry was moving to Victoria so he texted “would you like to come check it out my new recording studio?” Well, YES! That visit quickly turned into helping Terry record some of his original blues tracks. The other musicians included blues god Jack Lavin (Powder Blues) and first call drum ace Ross Hall (The Kingpins). After meeting them, I soon found myself on a stage at the Rib Fest with the legendary Big Hank Lionhart and his band The Kingpins that included a hero from my childhood, sax man Wayne Kozak. Then my new brother Jack hired me to appear on an album he was producing for Vancouver blues singer LJ Mountenoy. Ross too! What was happening? I felt like I was strapped onto the front of a train, it was all very exciting. The studio for the album had a vintage Hammond organ with a Leslie. I was in Heaven.

Dallas Harlen killing it with some BB King licks

Since then Jack, Ross and I started a new band Rhythm Train that now plays at The Loft Pub every Thursday night. We had Terry Medd join us as a special guest for the first two weeks, followed by harmonica wizard Powell St. Slim and some true musical magic from guitarist Dallas Harlen. But I know this is just the beginning because we also were recruited to give two concerts with Maple Blues Award winners Diana Braithwaite and Chris Whitely. As if THAT wasn’t enough, we also were treated with a couple of songs from Eugene Smith (Ronnie Hawkins Band).

Here I am with brother Jack. He noticed I needed a cool hat, and generously gifted me this beauty.
This is now my Lucky Hat.

There’s lots more ahead for Rhythm Train. If you read this, come on by and say hello. There’s a lot ahead of this last month is any indication of the future.