Wes Mackey - Back To The Shack

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 44:10
Size: 101.1 MB
Styles: Urban blues
Year: 2017
Art: Front

[3:29] 1. Blues Shack
[3:03] 2. Born In Carolina
[3:05] 3. Who Do Da Voodoo
[3:32] 4. Baby Done Gone
[4:21] 5. Rock Me Baby
[3:41] 6. I'll Play The Blues For You
[4:16] 7. Prisoner
[3:45] 8. Bright Light, Big City
[3:44] 9. Nervous
[3:06] 10. I Been Bad
[4:32] 11. Mr. Blues
[3:30] 12. Outskirts Of Town

Here, Wes Mackey, the 75-year-old bluesman from South Carolina reflects on his life, his travels and the uncharacteristic blues journey. Returning home’ is a theme often found in blues music but The “Blues Shack” by the Combahee River is not simply about the physical location of his birth but the beginning of his life’s journey and a return to the music in which his life was rooted. Known for his penchant to experiment this collection of tunes at its core is pure blues, with a unique blend of the old and the new, covers and originals.

Mackey is a storyteller, a griot in the African tradition, recounting his adventures through his art. Over his 55-year career, Mackey has performed across the globe in Europe, Iceland, Russia. Asia and in Canada.

Back To The Shack

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Johnny Tornado's Stormriders - Roll The Dice

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 47:16
Size: 108.2 MB
Styles: Rockin blues
Year: 2011
Art: Front

[6:26] 1. Voodoo Queen
[4:03] 2. Just Like Jimmy Reed
[4:57] 3. Stormriders Ridin'
[3:44] 4. Intentions Were Good
[4:25] 5. Lonely Highway
[4:12] 6. Can't Have It Your Way
[4:38] 7. Kristine
[4:02] 8. Raw To The Bone
[4:11] 9. Ride The Wild Surf (Roll The Dice)
[6:34] 10. Mr. Blues

Johnny Tornado - guitars, slide and vocals; Adam Drake - drums; Tim Steinruck - bass and backing vocals; Wailin’ Al Walker - guitar; Big Dave McLean - guitar and harp; Kenny “Blues Boss” Wayne - piano; Wes Mackey - guitar.

From the dusty tobacco roads of Tillsonburg, Ontario comes Johnny Tornado. A natural born outlaw, he left home at 14 to work in the Canadian tobacco fields. Johnny has traveled throughout Canada, coast to coast, playing his special brand of rockin' blues with the likes of the late, great Dutch Mason, Big Dave McLean and numerous other Canadian blues icons. As a young man he lived a gypsy's life exploring the deep American south, hustling pool and living for the moment. He worked as a carney and when the rides fell silent, Johnny would entertain the carnival crew with his honest and edgy performances. Whenever possible he would frequent the local blues clubs and was a witness to the evolution of the some of the blues masters such as Freddie King and John Lee Hooker. His checkered past brought with it tragedies, setbacks and finally prison time.

At age 40 Johnny emerged from prison with head full of songs and an intention to live his music, his way, on the right side of the law. Though he has appeared on many recordings and has extensive stage experience, Johnny has never made a full length recording of his own … until now. .. ..”Stormriders” chronicles Johnny's life from those early days until the present. The songs are a direct and true reflection of a man who would lay down his life for a true friend. There is a gunslinger's swagger and a ‘devil may care' attitude that permeates his soulful songwriting and performances. He is a true Canadian treasure with a penchant for blues that will rock you to the core. There is a Storm brewing… and it's Johnny Tornado's Stormriders coming to your town!

Roll The Dice mc
Roll The Dice zippy

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Wes Mackey - Mr. Blues

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 48:40
Size: 111.4 MB
Styles: Electric blues
Year: 2006
Art: Front

[3:05] 1. Who Do Da Voodoo
[3:32] 2. Baby Done Gone
[3:31] 3. Baby What You Want Me To Do
[3:50] 4. Angelgirl
[3:03] 5. Born In Carolina
[2:57] 6. Ain't That Good News
[5:42] 7. A Change Is Gonna Come
[3:09] 8. Shame Shame Shame
[3:44] 9. Nervous
[3:44] 10. Bright Lights Big City
[4:32] 11. Mr. Blues
[3:42] 12. I'll Play The Blues For You
[4:02] 13. In My Neighbourhood

With more than 50 years in music he went from working the dusty honky tonks of Georgia to performing in five star venues, festival and concert stages around the world including places like Iceland, Russia, Malaysia, Hong Kong and many others. For years he toured as a side man and the road finally took him to Canada. It was a long and complicated journey but eventually he took front and center. As a soloist or bandmaster his dynamic stage presence and uplifting performances finally caught the attention of European promoters and made him a favorite in Europe where he has toured and performed countless times.

Wes Mackey learned to play the guitar from the seasoned old blues players of the South where he was born and raised. At the urging of his father he eventually left “Big Estate” in rural South Carolina and moved to Augusta Georgia where his career really began. His first gig paid 50 cents and a chicken sandwich but soon he found himself working in bands that would back up touring artists including Muddy Waters, John Lee Hooker, Jimmy Reed, Stevie Wonder and many others.

At age 72 he shows no sign of slowing down. Even with an endless list of collaborations, pursuits and projects in the works he will do another European tour summer 2015 and is planning his next album. Although Mackey loves the concert and festival circuit best, when he is at home in Vancouver you can usually catch him performing at the coolest 5 star lounges and clubs.

Mr. Blues mc
Mr. Blues zippy

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Wes Mackey - Life Is A Journey

Size: 133,7 MB
Time: 57:59
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2013
Styles: Urban Blues
Art: Front

01. Journey (3:01)
02. Thank You Carolina (4:14)
03. Shine A Light (Dark Night Blues) (4:11)
04. Ganges Blues (3:36)
05. Blue In Paris (4:33)
06. I Got The Blues (3:52)
07. Lines (Remix) (3:16)
08. Hellhound On My Trail (4:44)
09. Rapperswill (3:24)
10. Footsie Brown (3:08)
11. Blues Rules (3:32)
12. Dancing With The Angels (3:55)
13. Train (4:16)
14. Blues Carry Me Home (4:38)
15. Life Is A Journey (3:32)

With slightly more than 50 years as a professional musician he has more accumulated bio than can usually be contained in a few paragraphs. Lately however Wes Mackey has been flying under the radar . For those who know Wes, he is usually a person in perpetual motion, working gigs both at home in Vancouver BC and abroad where he toured Europe earlier this year.

While he’s usually awash in projects he has been quietly working on his new album Life is a Journey. “This one has taken a little longer. I think working with (critically acclaimed hip hop artist) Cityreal has changed my perspective and I tried a lot of thing on this album that I would not have in the past. I don’t want to say fusion because it is definitely blues, but it is different and I am pretty happy with it. Also there are 15 tracks and most of them are original written with my partner Laura Fisher so that take some time too.”

His career began in the US Deep South where he was born in raised and where the blues and gospel were a part of the tradition. His first guitar had 3 strings but he eventually left home and moved to Augusta Georgia where he began learning his craft from the older bluesmen who had taken him under their wings. His first job paid 50 cents and a chicken sandwich but in time he moved on to become a sideman for an an impressive list of touring artists including the great blues stars of the era including Muddy Waters. John Lee Hooker Jimmy Reed, Martha Reeves and the Vandellas and countless others. Mackey soon landed a regular gig with The Earl Lett International Soul Set and hit the road. For years he played in endless cities and towns and finally landed in Canada where he's been ever since.

Afflicted by a troublesome stutter Mackey never had dreams of becoming a solo artist but had to make a living and began a solo career. He searched for both his personal and musical identity and on a whim released his first blues album Second Chance never realising it was really was and also a major turning point.

Finally gaining some recognition he began touring Europe where he has grown steadily in popularity.
Since then Mackey has released 3 other albums ( Mr. Blues, Beyond Words, Life is a Journey).

Life Is A Journey

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