[.ca] For the Blues-Always

Amazon.ca:
Producer and fellow guitarist Colin James calls Big Dave McLean "one of the great undiscovered bluesmen," and his enthusiasm for McLean's talent is borne out by the strength of For the Blues... Always. Despite being part of the Canadian scene for 28 years, this stalwart Winnipeg musician had only made one recording--a live album cut in Saskatoon in '89 called Muddy Waters for President--prior to this 1998 disc for the Alberta blues label Stony Plain. He was finally encouraged to come west for a session, and For the Blues was recorded live off the floor in three days in Vancouver with a band that featured Colin James, bassist Norm Fisher, pianist Eric Webster, drummer Chris Norquist, and sax player Johnny Ferreira. Their repertoire includes such tried-and-true standards as Elmore James's "Dust My Broom," Mississippi John Hurt's "Sliding Delta," and a pair of Willie Dixon tunes, "Just Your Fool" and "The Red Rooster." With a style that's low-key yet distinctive, McLean makes good use of his National steel and six-string acoustic guitars. He also has decent presence as a vocalist, especially on the impassioned ballad "My Adorable One" (a '60s hit for soul singer Joe Simon) and a husky and lusty version of Jimmy Reed's "Going to New York." Meanwhile, McLean's often flashy producer and sideman wisely stays out of the limelight on For the Blues , giving listeners a chance to enjoy the hearty music of a bluesman who's been too little known for too long. --Jason Anderson

i've enjoyed big dave, "for year's",he's the best!:
this cd,is great! but if you want to hear blue's, and big dave, at there best, get your hand's on a copy of big dave's "muddy water's for president", recorded live somewhere in saskatchwan?muddy himself,would have cry'd!

best undiscovered talant in years!:
Big Dave has been playing the best music,of the century,for over 25yrs,without having recieved,his due!It doesn't get,any better,and thank's to Collin James,a lifelong fan of Dave's!You can now, finally get in on just how good,this guy is to!Collin produced this CD,in order, to spread the new's,Big Dave's the best,and, that's all there is! Listen to sampel's 1&3,at Amazon,and get hooked!!!

a classic blues collection!:
This is Dave Mcleans second CD and better than the first. The songs are unique with very simple accompanyment. It almost seems as if he sat down with the musicians for a jam session and they printed the results. His voice is raw and the lyrics are sheer poetry. I especially liked Dust my broom and Rollina and Tumblin. He has a very Chicage sound! As a Canadian I consider him a national treasure!

Blues from the Middle Kingdom:
Winnipeg, Manitoba has always been a hotbed of the blues. Situated in the middle of Canada, the prairie capital has remained a bedrock of blues music for at least the past three decades. And at the heart of this passion for the blues is the music and personality of Big Dave McLean. A legend in prairie music, Big Dave has thrilled local audiences for years with his white-hot renditions of Chicago and country blues. And now the secret is out. With this, his second album, Big Dave steps firmly out of the local spotlight and onto the national stage. His searing performances of classics such as 'Dust My Broom' and 'Rolling and Tumbling' prove that Big Dave is the finest blues singer around. There is simply no one else who can touch this Manitoba native when it comes to dishing out the blues. Its time for America to discover what local fans and professional admirers (such as John Hammond and the late Muddy Waters) have known for years: Big Dave IS the blues. Music doesn't get any better than this. And once you hear the music, you'll want to rush up to Winnipeg to hear this artist in person. Think of all those people who were, at the time, indifferent to the fact that Muddy Waters was playing, unheralded, in a club just down the street. Well, you can still pop into a downtown Winnipeg pub and hear Big Dave pumping out the music to an enthusiastic local audience. For free. But this won't last. Get it while you can.

• Dust My Broom
• Had My Fun
• Sliding Delta
• Going to New York
• My Adorable One
• Cakewalk into Town
• Rollin' and Tumblin'
• Always
• Just Your Fool
• Red Rooster