Blues duo Black and Gogol will headline the 10th Blues for Eric benefit concert at The Oaks Restaurant and Tea Room Saturday, June 8.
The concert series started 15 months ago to raise money for a scholarship in the name of Eric LeBlanc, who was a DJ of 33 years and was known locally for his show, Let the Good Times Roll, on University of Victoria’s CFUV-FM. LeBlanc also taught courses in the history of jazz and blues at Victoria Conservatory of Music.
READ MORE: Concerts continue to boost scholarship fund in former DJ’s name
The duo of guitarist Paul Black and songwriting scholar Wynn Gogol have partnered for on-and-off for shows on the local blues scene for a couple of years and are releasing their debut CD Groov-A-Lator in June. It features nine of the duo’s clever, original songs, their New Orleans-influenced groove, and passionate re imagining of the blues.
In addition to his work with Black, Gogol has produced, mixed and engineered more than 50 recordings at his One Ton Studio and his music has garnered Juno nominations and Maple Leaf Blues and Canadian Folk Awards. Gogol teaches songwriting to students at Camosun College and Victoria Conservatory of Music.
His keyboard, blues harp stylings, and raspy tenor beautifully combine with Black’s concise guitar lines and darker, blues growl.
Tickets are $20 (cash only) in advance at The Oaks, 2250 Oak Bay Ave. There is no reserve seating for Blues for Eric shows at The Oaks. Show time is 7 p.m.
