I will be the first to admit that when it comes to blues, the
more soulful jazzier kind is not my favorite, but on the other hand I will have
to admit that Andre Bisson's "Rhythm and Blues Experience" was nothing
less than thoroughly enjoyable to listen too.
"Rhythm and Blues Experience" consists of a virtual powerhouse
of musicians, in fact Andre features 9 other superb musicians on this album, all
working in perfect harmony together, producing both a soft and a big band
feeling depending on the nature of the song.
Andre Bisson shines through, on this, his debut release, which shows that his
early intro in the music industry, playing bars etc., at only 15 and joining a
R&B band at 18, certainly has paid off and has brought him now to the
forefront of the blues genre, especially R&B, in Canada.
As mentioned earlier, I found this Album to be very enjoyable
and one that will certainly be making the trip from my CD rack to my CD Player
on a regular basis.
Thank you Andre for stretching my boundary a bit concerning
R&B.
Review by John Vermilyea (Blues Underground Network)
Rockin' Rhythm & Blues, Funk, Swing all brought to life with the power of a five piece horn section.
Rhythm & Blues doesn't get better than this. With some of Canada's top drawer musicians Andre Bisson has brought together an excellent new album that keeps true to the classic rhythm & blues sound from the 60's and 70's, Andre has definitely done his homework.
Andre Bisson is a Hamilton, Ontario musician who began playing in bars and restaurants at the age of 15 in Sault Ste Marie singing 50’s Rock ‘n’ Roll music such as; Elvis, Little Richard, and Chuck Berry. He accomplished a lot at by age 17, André came 11 out of 150 in the Collingwood Elvis Competition, and at 18 he joined and played in a rhythm and blues band in Sault Ste Marie. Some great musicians that he has opened up for are; Jason McCoy, Diane Chase, and Beverley Manhood.
When he came to Hamilton he started a 6 piece Rhythm & Blues band called Andre & the J-Tones Rhythm & Blues Experience which includes a rhythm section as well as a Trumpet and Saxophone, the band now continues to play in Hamilton, Burlington, Mississauga, Streetsville, Stoney Creek, Sault Ste Marie, Oshawa, Brantford, and Milton. Along with his originals, the band also performs music from Wilson Pickett, Otis Redding, The Commitments, The Blues Brothers, Joe Cocker, Stevie Wonder, CCR, The Guess Who, Bill Withers, James Brown, and so much more.
With a great presence André’s vocals have the power of Wilson Pickett as well as the gentle sound of Otis Redding and Sam Cooke, the great talent of arranging, guitar playing, business knowledge, and of course his gutsy, raspy, and passionate/soulful voice. André has no problem delivering his songs with a heavy groove line making everyone in the room sit up and listen.
There's nothing more important to Andre than been able to play the music that he loves, getting the crowd on the dance floor, and at the same time managing to have an unpretentious and the most professional attitude.
The musicians performing on his CD are; Mark Kelso, Collin Barrett, Marc Rogers, Dave Murphy, Dan Rodrigues, Jason Logue, Rob Somerville, John Johnson, and Steve Bijakowski
Track List
1 Free Ride Blues
2 Hooked On Love
3 I'm Leavin'
4 Four Shots
5 Second Chance
6 I Gotta Feelin'
7 Heart of Gold
8 Slave to Your Love
9 I Gotta Move On
10 One More Gig
More About Andre Bisson
André’s talent is second to none when it comes to writing exciting and feverish music that you can’t help but dance to. Playing classic Rhythm & Blues by Wilson Pickett, Otis Redding, Sam & Dave, The Blues Brothers, The Commitments, Joe Cocker, The Beatles and more, he first had the idea in 2004 of forming a rhythm & blues band while attending the Applied Music Program at Mohawk College in Hamilton, ON. André arranges and writes all of the music in the style of classic rhythm & blues for his 6 piece band André & The J-Tones, he also finds gigs and makes demo’s, he is definitely one of the hardest working musicians around.
André’s vocals have the power of Wilson Pickett as well as the gentle sound of Otis Redding and Sam Cooke, the great talent of arranging, guitar playing, business knowledge, and of course his gutsy, raspy, and passionate/soulful voice. This combination allows André to have a career in music and songs that have a heavy groove line making everyone in the room sit up and listen.
He began playing in bars and restaurants at the age of 15 in Sault Ste Marie singing 50’s Rock ‘n’ Roll music such as; Elvis, Little Richard, and Chuck Berry. He accomplished a lot at this point in his life with music; at age 17 André came 11 out of 150 in the Collingwood Elvis Competition, and at 18 he joined and played in a rhythm and blues band in Sault Ste Marie. Some great musicians that he has opened up for are; Jason McCoy, Diane Chase, and Beverley Manhood.
Since he started writing and performing he has consistently built a following, bringing in large crowds to venues such as The Old Powerhouse, The Honest Lawyer, the Lobster Festival in Mississauga, The Lionheart British Pub, Cuchulainn’s, and many other locations. These venues and private events will book André and his band for months in advance after hearing the amazing sound and seeing the dedicated musicianship that he brings, as well as the crowd that follows André and his band where ever they play.
Besides the fact that André tremendously talented, there is another element that makes André successful; professionalism. André is in his mid twenties and already he has had quite a bit of experience with a vast knowledge in many fields of music and its always changing business. These are the qualities that define André Bisson.
André continues to work hard, record and is preparing for the release of his upcoming CD that will be released in 2009 with some of Canada’s truly remarkable and talented musicians in the Greater Toronto Area (GTA). André Bisson is positively an intense, dynamic, and talented vocalist & person.
Andre & the J-Tones - Hooked On Love
Written by Andre Bisson
Videography by Nathan Fleet
Played by Andre Bisson - Lead Vocals/Guitar, Kevin Matthews - Alto Saxophone,
Loretta Hale - Trumpet, Dan Rodrigues - Guitar,
Mike Rowell - Bass, Anthony Giles - Drums
