DougCox and SamHurry



Text: Ray Bodenstein und S&F		Two of the best acoustic blues guitarists get together for an inspired tour of blues ‘n roots!
*Biography* *Doug Cox*
		Doug Cox was an early musical bloomer weaned on blues and roots music. Regarded as one of the world's leading dobro players and instructors, he was the first Canadian to perform at the prestigious Dobrofest in Slovakia. Cox is a multi-instrumentalist and as sideman is known for his work with the likes of Delta blues guitarist Ken Hamm, American songwriter Chuck Brodsky, British blues icon Long John Baldry and recently, string-bending guitar guru Amos Garrett. Cox is a favorite workshop leader and collaborator at festivals across Canada. The CD Doug released with guitarist Todd Butler, aptly titled 'Dobro and Guitar' was named in the “Top CDs of 2004” by the prestigious Acoustic Guitar Magazine. It also won nominations by both the Vancouver Island Music Awards and the Western Canadian Music Awards as “CD of the Year.” Doug's songs are gaining success as well, most notably with the recent placement of his tune 'Cold When I'm Dead' in the new film by Monty Python's Terry Gilliam entitled “Tideland.” "I couldn't have picked a filmmaker I'd rather be associated with," Cox raves. "I'm a huge fan of Monty Python as well as Terry Gilliam's brilliant film work from the movie “Brazil” to “The Fisher King.”" A passionate teacher as well as performer, Cox is the author of instructional books, CD's & DVD's and has taught at music camps from Alaska, to Kerreville, Texas to the Cotswolds in England. Most recently, Doug has partnered with Chris Manuel to form a company producing instructional DVD’s called Windswept / Cox Productions (more information is posted at www.learnrootsmusic.com). Cox adds "The variety of projects I have been involved in so far have been like a dream come true and this new chapter with Sam promises to be just as exciting. My goal as a musician, (perhaps due to my short attention span)," he jokes, "is to move from project to project always growing as a player and writer and to play music with my friends in a healthy, happy environment. I really enjoy being a side guy and a front man as much as I enjoy composing, teaching and producing. I want to do it all."
*Biography* *Sam Hurrie*
		Sam Hurrie began playing guitar while in elementary school in Toronto. He spent his teens obsessed with prewar blues, immersing himself in the Robert Johnson songbook and in later years scoured the Mississippi Delta for traces of Johnson, Son House and Charley Patton. He started his first band with high school pal Eugene Smith playing electric R&B around Toronto. "In 1967 I was in a band called the Churls, playing in Yorkville, at that time Toronto's answer to Haight- Ashbury,” says Hurrie. “There were lots of great venues and at that time all the folk blues Greats came through. I was fortunate to see some of my heroes including Son House, Bukka White and Sonny Terry & Brownie McGhee." "We were offered the chance to go to New York to play and record, and we started a house gig at the Scene the night we arrived,” Hurrie remembers. "The Scene was one of the places where musicians hung out, and you would often spot Buddy Miles, Van Morrison, Ronnie Wood or Rod Stewart in the audience. I haven't had stage fright ever since," he laughs. "I got it all out in the year we worked there. Jimi Hendrix, who lived in New York, was a regular and eventually ended up jamming on stage. One night John Lennon and Paul McCartney showed up and the legendary cool among the crowd evaporated instantly.” The Churls also performed at the Electric Circus, opening for Muddy Waters and Blood Sweat and Tears, with whom they toured the East Coast college circuit. The band signed with A&M records and headed west to record, being the second act to record at their new studios. After wonderful and hectic years on the road, Hurrie returned to Canada in 1970. Sam wraps it up... "I'm back to playing full time now and am still motivated by the desire I had when I started to pursue musical excellence and hopefully to leave something behind that people will still want to listen to in years to come."

Tour 2007 Europe
BLUE GATE media Erbsenkamp 22 F D-22175 Hamburg/Germany Fon +49-40-640 89 201 fax +49-40-640 89 200 www.bluegate-media.com ray@bluegate-media.com		Doug Cox & Sam Hurrie (CAN) - acoustic Folk-Blues - duo BlueBridge Network International - info@bluebridge-network.com Tour 28.03. - 11.04.07 28.03. Ensisheim (F), Caf Conc 29.03. Ulm (D), Charivari Blues Festival 30.03. tba 31.03. Bethune (F), Oxford Cafe 01.04. Tournai (B), Local Custom Moto 05.04. Skalica (SK), Culture House 06.04. Pilzen (CZ), Hotel Continental - tbc 07.04. Leverkusen (D), Topos 09.04. Postfeld (D), Alte Meierei ...more dates tba
*Comments / Press*
		"Doug Cox's instrumental competence and creativity promise to open up new territory for listeners who accompany him along his career's unconventional trail." The Canadian Folk Music Bulletin "This virtuoso brings the Dobro into the drawing room and the concert hall. It's no longer just a case of country backup, it's a front-and-centre solo instrument." Jurgen Gothe, CBC Discdrive "full of wondrous suprises watch forthis young man!" Acoustic Musician Magazine "One of the worlds most expressiveDobro players..." The Boston Globe "Cox is a musician's musician. Widelyrecognized for his incredible technique and mastery of a wide variety of roots music a must see for guitar players and aficionados." The World Next Door Festival "everyone on the CD had a ball and the results show the versatility of the man and his Dobro..." Folk Roots Magazine "If you've ever wondered what rips, yelps, and growls have to do with playing the resonator guitar you need to check out the latest Doug Cox instructional video..." Bluegrass Unlimited "Doug Cox has triumphed as a Dobro player in a mere 6 years..." Victory Review
*CD - Review*
Special thanks to NorthernBlues Music, Inc. www.northernblues.com info@northernblues.com Photocopyright ctsy. NorthernBlues		Artist: Doug Cox & Sam Hurrie Title: *Hungry Ghosts* Label: Northern Blues Music NBM0030 This is the first album release from the collaboration between two of Canada’s finest exponents of acoustic roots, rural blues music. *Doug Cox* who has over the years finely honed his playing skills to become a highly regarded slide and dobro player, who has toured widely displaying his remarkable skills to an ever eager audience. *Sam Hurrie* spent his early teens listening to all the recorded acoustic pre-war blues he could find; he later went on to join a band named The Churls, who later enjoyed a residency at ‘The Scene ‘club in Toronto, in the sixties, during this time, soon to be legends such as; Jimi Hendrix, John Lennon and Paul McCartney happily jammed with the band when visiting the city. In the intervening years to date the two musicians carried on with their respective careers; until about seven years ago when they started to play occasionally together and subsequently, we now are treated to a uniquely interesting and fascinating meeting of minds who have produced an astonishing roots album that is more than the sum of its’ constituent parts, for we are presented with simply astonishing, soul touching, riveting yet gossamer light acoustic and dobro dominated album of songs and instrumentals that are far more relaxing and satisfying than floating in an isolation tank for a fortnight, you can feel throughout the album the lyrical dexterity of the playing seeping into your consciousness; of the thirteen stunning numbers here, five are originals the others range from the sublime “Grinning. In Your Face,” from Son House to the gentle urgency of “Kansas City.” The time is now right for you to put away all your pills, potions and lie down, listen, float away! Mucho Impressto! Brian Harman (BAS-Journal* USA/AT)*.
*latest NEWS*
		Doug Cox & Salil Bhatt *Slide to Freedom* Coming in April "Stunning, groundbreaking marriage of the Blues and Indian classical music." *Dave Rubin, Guitar Player Magazine* Fusing Blues music with Indian music has been tried before, but no one has done it quite as successfully as Doug Cox and Salil Bhatt (the son of V.M. Bhatt). That’s because they have been thinking and practicing for over a year before actually recording together. “Slide to Freedom” was recorded by Miles Wilkinson, one of the best sound engineers from Nashville - necessary for capturing the intricacies of the mohan veena, V.M. Bhatt’s 19- stringed instrument; the amazing tabla of Ramkumar Mishra; and Salil’s instrument, the Satvik Veena, which has 20 strings (3 for main melody, 5 for drone, and 12 sympathetic strings). *info NorthernBlues Music*

home
back		Worldcopyright © 1998-2007 BluesArtStudio, BLUES LIFE, USA - AUSTRIA