Parker Crook

Morning Star Staff

It isn含羞草研究社檛 about the money, it含羞草研究社檚 about the music.

That含羞草研究社檚 the mantra of bluesman Harpdog Brown, who含羞草研究社檚 playing with the Travelin含羞草研究社� Blues Show featuring Sugar Brown at the Prestige Inn Ballroom Saturday.

The dynamic duo met last fall while Harpdog was on tour in Ontario.

含羞草研究社淭his man has truly given me hope that there is a chance that classic blues is alive here in Canada,含羞草研究社� said Harpdog, the Maple Blues Award winner for Harmonica Player of the Year in 2014, 2015, and 2016.

含羞草研究社淕uys like me and Sugar are keeping the torch alive.含羞草研究社�

After meeting, the two bonded over their love of classic blues: music straight from early 含羞草研究社�50s Chicago.

含羞草研究社淭hat was wicked. It was the most natural love affair,含羞草研究社� said Harpdog. 含羞草研究社淚t was encouraging, (and) we含羞草研究社檙e pretty excited about the blues marriage.含羞草研究社�

Sugar, born in Ohio in 1971, is a professor of East Asian Studies at the University of Toronto who grew up playing the blues with the likes of Taildragger, responsible for giving Ken Kawashima his stage name; Dave Myers; and Willie 含羞草研究社淏ig Eyes含羞草研究社� Smith, the late-drummer of Muddy Waters band.

含羞草研究社淪ugar Brown含羞草研究社檚 blues were shaped by playing the small clubs and venues along the west side of Chicago,含羞草研究社� said Harpdog. 含羞草研究社淗e含羞草研究社檚 paid his dues and he含羞草研究社檚 paid his time.

含羞草研究社淗e含羞草研究社檚 educated, but not too educated. If you get too over educated, it becomes jazz.含羞草研究社�

Classic blues comes from passion and emotion, said Harpdog, not about technical prowess.

含羞草研究社淢usic has become a sport 含羞草研究社� it含羞草研究社檚 all tricks, but it含羞草研究社檚 lost its language.含羞草研究社�

So when the two bluesmen played together, it was a natural connection.

含羞草研究社淚t含羞草研究社檚 like having the right guy on your stage,含羞草研究社� said Harpdog. 含羞草研究社淚含羞草研究社檓 amazed and overwhelmed by the talent.含羞草研究社�

But, because of its focus on passion, Harpdog said blues will never be popular to the degree of top 40.

含羞草研究社淚 don含羞草研究社檛 think anyone gets into the blues to be rich and famous,含羞草研究社� he said. 含羞草研究社淚t含羞草研究社檚 never going to be the flavour of the week. It含羞草研究社檚 not a sprint, it含羞草研究社檚 a marathon. Blues is a lifelong experience.含羞草研究社�

Harpdog stumbled into the world of blues after already being involved in music. He didn含羞草研究社檛 go searching for the blues, it found him.

含羞草研究社淚 can kind of see how I was designed for the circus, and blues was my circus,含羞草研究社� he said.

含羞草研究社淏lues is the thing (where) I really felt like I truly belonged. The blues gave me a purpose in life.含羞草研究社�

Growing up as a foster-child in Edmonton, Harpdog always felt out of place. He was named three times by people he never knew, but only once did the name feel right.

In 1989, when Harpdog was in his late-20s, he played a gig at the famous Mama Gold含羞草研究社檚 in Kitsilano, Vancouver. In the crowd was a group of well-dressed men.

含羞草研究社淎t the end of the night, they were chanting 含羞草研究社榟arp dog, harp dog.含羞草研究社�

He thought about it a few days later, and decided he liked it.

含羞草研究社淚 truly connected to the name. I never felt like I belonged as anything but Harpdog.含羞草研究社�

And after a divorce four years ago, he legally changed his name to Harpdog, known as 含羞草研究社淒og含羞草研究社� for short, because as he says in What含羞草研究社檚 your real name, 含羞草研究社淎fter all, I am the dog of the harp, not the harp of the dog.含羞草研究社�

Harpdog played the Prestige Inn Ballroom last year, loved it, and decided to make it an annual show.

含羞草研究社淚t was pretty damn successful,含羞草研究社� he said.

Despite his love for the blues, it含羞草研究社檚 still a job, and sometimes he has trouble getting out of bed in the afternoon, but he doesn含羞草研究社檛 quit.

含羞草研究社淚 never regret going to work on my way home.

含羞草研究社淧laying live is what it含羞草研究社檚 all about. Like a priest without a congregation, if there含羞草研究社檚 no audience, there含羞草研究社檚 no point.含羞草研究社�

Through playing the blues to live audiences, Harpdog has affected their lives. Hearing about other peoples含羞草研究社� struggles helps them realize their situations aren含羞草研究社檛 so bad, he said.

含羞草研究社淏lues is a practice. It含羞草研究社檚 not something to listen to. It含羞草研究社檚 something to live and to share. It含羞草研究社檚 music that can change a person含羞草研究社檚 life.含羞草研究社�

And that含羞草研究社檚 what keeps Harpdog going.

含羞草研究社淭hose moments are more valuable than money in the bank.

含羞草研究社淚t含羞草研究社檚 about the funny, not about the money.含羞草研究社�

Tickets to Harpdog Brown and the Travelin含羞草研究社� Blues Show featuring Sugar Brown are available for $20 at Bourbon St. Bar and Grill, 4411-32nd St., and East Side Liquor Company, 4209-27th St. Doors at 7 p.m. Show at 8 p.m. For more information, visit .