The American Deep South blues style guitarist, Doc MacLean, will be touring with South African blues icon Albert Frost. The National Steel CanAfrica Blues Tour will be 50 to 75 shows played in North America. The tour will be launching in September in Toronto, Canada.
The CanAfrica Blues Tour will be an “old school” road adventure. Spanning the continent, it will stop in places large and small, from coast to coast. “No venue too large, too small, too grand or too humble.” Frost and MacLean will haul “as many guitars as possible,” and their own production gear. “We’re just starting to confirm stops,” MacLean said, “but it does look like all ten Canadian provinces will be in– and maybe a handful of states.” Shows will feature Frost and MacLean material in the round, as well as takes on a few of their old favourites. Full CanAfrica Blues Tour schedule and routing to be announced as confirmed.
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Who is Doc MacLean?
MacLean is the son of civil rights lawyer and harmonica player. Growing up with a parent like that almost ensured that Doc would become a “Blues Man” one day.
He spent his early teens playing harmonica and washboard in coffeehouses and at festivals. He was also a regular on radio and television variety shows.
In 1972, he and Colin Linden formed a duo and opened for acts like Muddy Waters and John Hammond. The pair famously traded in a guitar for an old dodge and set off to explore America.
During his travels, Doc met, and became friends with, older players like Son House, Tampa Red, and Robert Pete Williams.
“Who I am what I do and what I carry was gifted to me by the grandchildren of slaves,” says MacLean. “I’m a small link in a big, unbroken chain.”
In those early years, Doc went on to accompany Peg Leg Sam the Medicine Show Man, Blind John Davis, Sunnyland Slim and Rev Pearly Brown, to name just a few.
Flying Fish, a record label based in Chicago, published all of the records that Doc appeared on during this period.
In 2006 Doc moved to Canada. It was around this time that he released his critically acclaimed album, Narrow House. The album was produced by Colin Linden and featured guest performances by bassist Larry Taylor and drummer Stephen Hodges. At the time both Linden and Taylor were the core of the Tom Waits Band.
