Thursday, October 24, 8 p.m.
The Redstone Room, 129 Main Street, Davenport IA
Praised by the Chicago Tribune for his “deep, contemporary blues” as well as his “razor-sharp guitar and compelling, forceful singing,” guitarist, vocalist, and songwriter Toronzo Cannon plays Davenport's Redstone Room on October 24, his signature blues and R&B stylings leading Mojo magazine to write, “He creates wide-screen modern arrangements for wry, thoughtful songs, molding an ensemble sound that's both tempestuous and scrupulously controlled.”
A Chicago native who still resides in the Windy City, the 51-year-old Cannon bought his first guitar at age 22, and began playing reggae before influences such as Albert Collins, B.B. King, and Buddy Guy shifted his musical interest to the blues. He performed alongside Tommy McCracken, Wayne Baker Brooks, L.V. Banks, and Joanna Connor beginning in 1996 and started his own band The Cannonball Express in 2001, finally recording his first album My Woman in 2007. This release led to 2011's Leaving Mood and 2013's John the Conqueror Root – the latter nominated for a Blues Music Award as Best Rock Album of the Year – as well as international tours throughout Mexico, South Africa, Armenia, France, and the Netherlands. It was with the 2016 release of The Chicago Way, however, that Cannon made his true leap toward blues stardom, with Mojo magazine naming the recording the best blues album of the year (a vote seconded in a Living Blues readers' poll) and the work nominated for four Blues Music Awards. Blues Matters also said of The Chicago Way, “Without sounding like I'm going over the top with praise, this release is terrific and top-heavy with superb musicianship and quality material, and is worthy of any blues lover's attention.”
Over the course of his career, Cannon has performed at the Chicago Blues Festival 10 times, and has continued his world travels with performances in Sweden, Spain, Belgium, and Luxembourg. Yet in addition to his thriving blues career, the artist also continues his day job as a driver for the Chicago Transit Authority – a dual career oftentimes mentioned in his reviews. (As Blues Music Magazine wrote, “His guitar playing has all the fire and spontaneity of the Chicago legends he carries; his songwriting is a timely and original look at the world he sees by day on a bus and in blues clubs by night, and his assertive voice is the perfect vehicle to deliver the message.” Alongside his current band members Luca Chiellini on piano, Dave Forte on bass, and Melvin “Pooky Styx” on drums, Cannon is currently touring in support of his September release The Preacher, The Politician or the Pimp, an album Rock & Blues Muse called “his most powerful effort to date” and “a definitive statement about hat the term 'contemporary blues' actually means.”
Toronzo Cannon plays the Redstone Room on October 24 with an opening set by the local musicians of The Candymakers, admission to the 8 p.m. concert is $12-15, and more information and tickets are available by calling (563)326-1333 or visiting RiverMusicExperience.org.
