An obvious uniqueness that identifies and sets apart Blackburn Brothers is that they are a band of brothers. Led by Duane (lead vocals, organ, piano), Brooke (guitar, vocals, writing), and Cory (drums, harmony vocals). Oldest brother Robert (guitar, vocal harmonies, writing) and cousin Nathan (bass guitar) can be heard on recent studio recordings. Longtime horn section bandmates include Neil Brathwaite on tenor saxophone and Ted Peters on trombone. Touring bass guitarist is Andrew Stewart. The brothers musical lineage traces back to R&B legend Bobby Dean Blackburn, whose legacy in the Toronto music scene spans over six decades.
Beyond the music, other history runs deep. The Blackburn Brothers are 4th-generation Canadians, descended of freedom seekers through the Underground Railroad and settling in Southern Ontario. The Blues that the Blackburn Brothers create is part of their inheritance, and always about a message of history, freedom, legacy, family, Black unity, and love. The SoulFunkn’Blues album is a tribute to all the trailblazers, all of the ancestors and forgotten tribes who taught the Blackburn Brothers the importance of history, blues, soul, groove, rhythm and life. It is a tribute to 230 years of Canadian Roots and Blues.
Blackburn Brothers have graced stages alongside an illustrious lineup of globally renowned icons, from the legendary Mavis Staples and Dr. John and The Nite Trippers to the electrifying talents of Christone "Kingfish" Ingram and Cedric Burnside. Additionally, they've shared the spotlight with esteemed Canadian artists such as Sarah McLachlan, Colin James, The Bros. Landreth, among others. These collaborations highlight their versatility and appeal across different genres and audiences. They have performed at many of the largest blues, jazz, and folk music festivals across North American and in Central America.
The Blackburn Brother’s latest album SoulFunkn'BLUES (Sep 2023) has garnered international acclaim, with reviews and features in several prominent music publications. Additionally, the album has received three American 2024 Blues Music Awards nominations for Album of The Year, Soul Blues Album of The Year, and Song of The Year (a new precedent from a Canadian band), and a 2024 JUNO Awards nomination for Blues Album of The Year. Considered the highest honours on the Canadian Blues scene, Blackburn Brothers collectively earned a record-setting nine nominations in the 2024 Maple Blues Awards including: Entertainer of the Year and Electric Act of the Year.
Colin Maier (oboe, saw, vocals, from Quartetto Gelato) & Mark Camilleri (pianist and music director for The Tenors) are "Joyride", an all-out "music party" where they play their favorites based in Latin jazz, pop jazz, ragtime, klezmer and bebop, as well as Celtic, folk and tango. These two players can go out on a limb improvising and composing on the spot, taking the audience along with them on their musical adventures. JoyRide has performed far and wide: in Toronto, Cornwall, Deep River and Ancaster, and at the First Ontario Performing Arts Centre, the Collingwood Festival, the Lowville Festival, the Westdale Theatre in Hamilton, the Burlington Performing Arts Centre, and at the State University of New York at Fredonia. JoyRide's recently released self-named CD has received radio play on jazz stations around the world, with reviews coming in from as far away as Spain, Denmark, the UK, and all across North America. The New York Music Daily says "Ridiculous, virtuosic, outside-the-box fun from JoyRide… It takes a lot of nerve to make music as amusing as JoyRide's."
"The audience was enthralled and dizzy with these supermen of music!" (Eden Mills Music Club audience member)
Colin Maier is an oboist and multi-instrumentalist who is also a dancer, actor, stuntman, singer, martial artist and Cirque de Soleil acrobat. Originally from Calgary, he has performed with orchestras across Canada and been seen in shows such as Lord of the Rings, Amadeus, Cats, A Chorus Line, and Sarah Brightman's World Tour. During the Vancouver 2010 Vancouver Winter Olympic Opening Ceremonies, he was featured as the Devil Fiddler in the Flying Blue Canoe. Since 2009, he has travelled the world, performing as a member of Quartetto Gelato. www.colinmaier.com
Pianist, composer, arranger and producer Mark Camilleri is the music director for The Tenors and director/producer of hundreds of theatre and musical productions in Canada. He has worked with some of show business's biggest names, such as Il Divo, Celine Dion, Sting, Eric Clapton, Herbie Hancock, Jim Cuddy and many more, and has produced award-winning CD's for Jeff Healey, The Toronto Symphony Orchestra, Alan Thicke, and others. https://www.imaginesoundstudios.com
