Forrest heads to Memphis for Blues Challenge
Cowansville-based blues diva Angel Forrest says her brain is burning rubber with a beyond-packed schedule for the next ten months and that she is unstoppable. Between recording, writing, and countless gigs to perform, the singer who keeps rising in her industry along with her band are heading to Memphis in mid-january to represent the Montreal Blues Society and the province of Quebec in the band category at the 34th annual International Blues Challenge (IBC) after taking the top spot at the “Quebec to Memphis” challenge hosted by Montreal Blues Society (MBS) in late October. That’s not all. She has been nominated as female vocalist as well as entertainer of the year, the results which will be announced at the Maple Blues Festival in Toronto just prior to the Memphis event.
With Forrest assisting her husband, Denis Coulombe, and their longstanding band member Ricky Paquette, Coulombe is currently putting the final touches on his Colombus when it is anticipated that his first-ever solo album will be recorded. Then the group, including Sly Coulombe on drums and Alec Mcelcheran on bass, are off to the Maple Blues Festival in Toronto in early January, followed by the IBC in Memphis from January 16 to the 20th where they will be playing off against 250 other bands. From there Forrest and Coulombe head to Nashville’s SOCAN House to write for a few days before taking a small vacation. They then do a quick stop in Saskatoon for a gig before flying to Great Britain to perform in England and Scotland. From there they will head to Europe where they are scheduled to perform in Belgium and Germany. The whirlwind tour includes 30 dates in six weeks between March and April, after which they plan to return home so that Forrest can record another album.
Forrest says it’s like reliving the old days with so
many performances packed into a small period of time. Interestingly, she says that as she gets older her voice gets stronger and deeper. That the Memphis event represents the worldwide search for those blues bands ready to perform on international stage, she is hoping that this will be their big break.
Forrest says that winning the opportunity to compete in Memphis is sure to open new avenues for her at an international level.the MBS say that the high calibre performances made it tough to decide who would be representing Quebec in Memphis. “You couldn’t help notice the level of talent of the Quebec scene. It is second to none, as proven by the first-place finish that Dawn Tyler Watson and the Ben Racine Band pulled off last year in Memphis, and the Paul Deslauriers Band’s runner up spot the year before.”
The Maple Blues Festival to be held in Toronto at the beginning of January is a Canada-wide event. Forrest is counting on all her fans to vote online for her in the two categories of Best Female Vocalist and Best Entertainer and says that it’s not difficult because it is only once that each person gets to vote. Go to www.mapleblues.ca and you will find your way easily. Forrest says that all you have to do is register and then vote.
She has also organized a fundraising event in Montreal at the Rosewood Restaurant in Old Montreal to be held on December 3. She is excited that it features comedians and musicians who are coming together to support her Memphis adventure. Comedians Derek Seguin, Abdul Butt, and Mike Ward will be on deck and Tova, Dawn Tyler Watson, and Ben Racine, who were winners in Memphis last year, as will Deslauriers, who won Memphis two years ago, will be playing with Forrest at the Rosewood event. “We Quebecers are making a mark on blues music and are really getting to be known,” touts Forrest “But it is very expensive for the fiveperson band to travel and we are gathering support from our fans and community. We’ve set up a funding page with an objective of $5,000 to cover travel and lodging expenses for the musicians going on the trip.” Those interested in lending some support can go to www.gofundme.com/quebec-to-memphis2018. Forrest says that they are willing to offer a 50 per cent reduction on the cost of a gig to those who would support them and emphasizes what a great deal this is for anyone planning a reception or private party.