Grande Dame of the Blues And Her “All Stars Blues Band” On The 23rd Edition of Viree Blues Boreale

    MISS ROBIN BANKS has her roots deeply dug. Clearly comfortable with Blues, 

Jazz, Classic R&B, Soul, and even Reggae, she's also known for her bold and 

brassy, classy but sassy, Texas and Chicago electric Blues style.   This Grande

 Dame of the Blues, with her powerful, clear voice, often compared to the 

legendary Etta James’ and Dinah Washington’s, is coming to visit us here 

on the 23rd edition of Viree Blues Boreale, on her first visit ever to the

 Province of Quebec.   She’ll be performing with the band she rightfully 

calls her “All Stars Blues Band”.

    A native of Canada, and now a resident of Toronto, Robin Banks has an 

 imposing track record to show for, which goes from Canada, to the States, to

 Germany, Austria, Belgium, Holland, Switzerland, France and Jamaica.   

She grew up 50 miles east of Detroit City.   She even drove taxis in 

Toronto in the `80s, to earn money tho fund her career.   Her career 

really started in 1992 with the birth of her first band, near Windsor,

 Ontario. with George "Wild Child" Butler and Alford "Chicago Pete"

 Harrell.   Right in 1997

, Miss Robin Banks was awarded the `New Artist of The Year’s 

Maple Blues Award.   Then, performances at most renown Blues and Jazz 

Festivals fast followed.   That same year, she launched her very first album,

 “Permanent Record” and also won her participation on the highly 

reputed Memphis International Blues Challenge.   She was then nominated 

in 1998, 2010 and also in 2011 to the  Singer Of The Year’s Maple Blues Awards.

    In 1999, Miss Robin Banks became a staple on the Texas music

 scene and continued to enjoy and record in the Lone Star state.  

 During close to the next 10 years, she brought together many bands

 from the Dallas / Fort Worth area, with reputed musicians,

 such as Marc Wilson (Anson & The Rockets), Drew Allain (Mike Morgan

 & The Crawl), Brian “Hash Brown” Calway and Johnny Moelle

r (Fabulous Thunderbirds), Danny Cochran (Delbert McClinton), 

Bill Campbell (LaVern Baker) and Marchel Ivery (Art Blakey & 

The Jazz Messengers).   She then launched her 2nd album 

“Honestly” where many of those major names can be

 heard, like the legendary singer and harmonica player, Sam Myers 

(Anson & The Rockets).   Those inspiring experiences brought

 Miss Robin Banks to record a live CD, her 3rd opus titled  “live after Dark”, just one year later.

    Then, in 2003, she left for Europe and visited Belgium and

 Holland for the first time.   In 2006, she went to Jamaica, where

 she became a major hit with some of the major musicians

 of that country ... like Bob Marley’s Band!   Despite those 

resounding successes, in 2009, Miss Robin Banks chose to 

come back to Canada where she still resides while making

 sure to constantly maintain her presence alive in Jamaica, in

 Texas and in Europe where she’s still top.   In 2010, she brings

 out her 4th opus, “Livin’ Life” co-written and produced in Dallas, 

Texas, with the prodigious pianist Christian Dozzler.

    And now, keeping with a 200+ show a year beat all over the world,

 she brought out a 5th album “Modern Classic” launched in 2014 

and produced by none other than Duke Robillard, with a huge success.   

She is visiting us together with a gang she affectionately calls her 

“All Stars Blues Band” ...  and how!!!   They are Gary Kendall on

 bass and Mike Fitzpatrick on drums, both from Downchild Blues

 Band, an iconic Canadian Blues band which made famous, among

 other stuff, “Flip Flop & Fly” which was an inspiration to some band 

named the Blues Brothers!   And we also shall notice the

 great guitarist Teddy Leonard, from Fathead and from the 

Maple Blues Awards House Band.  (Unfortunately, when writing this

 communique, we could not be sure that Teddy Leonard would be 

present, due to a broken wrist.   In the unfortunate event that

 his problem would not improve sufficiently to allow him to perform 

here, he will be replaced by the highly talentedJW Jones; this would 

definitely not affect, as you all know, the top quality of the performances)

    Miss Robin Banks and her “All Stars Blues Band” on the 23rd 

edition of Viree Blues Boreale, Wednesday, April 13  2016, around 

8h00 p.m., at the famous venue, Bar Le Petit Chicago, so easy to find 

at 50 Promenade du Portage, in the Old Hull sector.  

 Tickets are right now on sale at: www.vireeblues.ca and will also

 be available at the door, always for only 20$.   You can also

 take advantage of our profitable, practical and pleasant supper

 & show package and enjoy the delicious charcoal grilled

 dishes of Galo Piri Piri Restaurant (www.galopiripiri.com), 

only 2 doors from Le Petit Chicago, which will reserve your

 assigned places at the show by making reservations at

 (819)771-7474.   In the meantime, you can find further

 information on our guest at: www.reverbnation.com/robinbanks . 

  You should also check our own site which,  provides you with links 

to all of our guests sites and so many other interesting information 

at:  www.vireeblues.ca .   For inquiries, please get in touch with us

 at: info@vireeblues.ca .   Make very sure to get the latest information

 on this show by taking part in the facebook 

event for this show at: www.facebook.com/events/189014694791162/

 and mostly, make really sure to join and like us on 

our facebook page at: www.facebook.com/vireeblues .