Front man Steve Marriner, drummer Matt Sobb and guitarist Tony D plan to make MonkeyJunkies of us all next week.
Coming up Wednesday at the Dekker Centre for the Performing Arts is a performance by a band that has, in its relatively short six-year existence, collected numerous awards, including 25 Maple Blues Awards, Canada's national blues awards program.
This year, MonkeyJunk picked up Maple Blues Awards for entertainer of the year, electric act of the year, recording of the year, songwriter of the year and harmonica player of the year. Billed as the most decorated Canadian blues band in recent history, MonkeyJunk was the winner of the 2012 Juno award for blues album of the year.
While they are picking up blues awards left, right and centre, Marriner says they are not exactly a blues band.
"In the beginning that was true, but now we write our own songs, and let them come out however they may.We want everybody to be able to enjoy our tunes."
Their music has been described as rock'n'roll / swamp / blues.
MonkeyJunk is a hard working band.
"Our touring schedule varies from year to year, but on average, I'd say we spend a total of four to five months on the road," says Marriner. "We're very fortunate to be able to make our living from music, and get to travel around the world while doing it."
They are currently heading into the homestretch of a month-long European tour that has taken them to France, Austria, Slovakia, Czech Republic and Poland.
"By the end, we'll have played 21 shows in these five countries!" says Marriner. "While we've played France several times already, this was our first visit to central and eastern Europe.The response has been fantastic!The shows have been very well attended and we've been selling lots of CDs.
Generally the three tour alone, but on this tour they have a manager, Ewa Matysik, who is getting them everywhere they need to get to.
"Since we're in countries like Poland, Czech Republic and Slovakia and we don't speak any of the languages, she's been helping to translate for us as well."
When they're done in Europe, they'll return to their home base of Ottawa for two nights before flying to Saskatoon.
"We'll be in Saskatchewan and Alberta for a week, and then we return home for a couple days before a short tour in Quebec," says Marriner. "Following Thanksgiving, we head back across the pond to Sweden for our first tour in Scandinavia.
While this is the first time MonkeyJunk will be performing in North Battleford, Marriner himself has played the venue in April of 2013 with Harry Manx, known for blending Indian folk melodies with slide guitar blues.
Marriner was impressed with the Dekker Centre.
"As convenient as it may sound for me to give the place a shining endorsement, I have no choice. It's absolutely true. It's a fantastic theatre," saysMarriner. "The equipment and the production personnel are top-notch and as a result, it's a great sounding room."
Marriner also says it's a great size.
"Spacious enough to really feel like you're on a big stage, but intimate enough that you really feel the connection with the audience, which is very important to us."
He adds, "With all of this said, a place is only as good as the people that run it.As such, I have to acknowledge Moe McGuinty and his team.They are committed to presenting fantastic entertainment and culture for the community and they are doing a great job."
He adds, "Business aside, Moe is just a heck of a nice guy, and we always prefer to work with nice people.The guys and I are very excited for our upcoming show."
After the show, they will be available to autograph CDs, or whatever else they are asked to sign, "so that folks get a chance to come and say hello or snap a photo if they wish."
Marriner says, "We enjoy getting a chance to chat with fans and concert goers as they make their way out."
They will also be selling all three of their albums. Marriner says they will also offer "some nifty new tuques we had made since winter is approaching."
While they've yet to perform in North Battleford, Marriner says they are no strangers to the province of Saskatchewan.In fact, he says, Tony lived in Saskatoon for a time in the early '90s.
"It was there he first befriended some amazing Saskatchewan musicians like Suzie Vinnick, Shawn Verrault (Wide Mouth Mason) and Jordan Cook (Reignwolf).
As MonkeyJunk, they've performed in many locales over the years including Saskatoon, Regina, Swift Current and Moose Jaw.
"We've developed some pretty deep ties with each community over the years."
In the winter of 2011, they were invited to be artists in residence for the Saskatoon Winter Blues Festival.In addition to performing several shows, they were part of the Blues In The Schools program and held a three-day Blues Camp as well.
"Basically, for the first week, we visited two schools a day in the Saskatoon area and performed for the students as well as gave them a brief history of the blues genre and how it has influenced popular music today," says Marriner.
For the blues camp component, they spent three days working hands on with a group of kids who had a particular interest in the genre and already had some experience playing their instruments.
"We showed them everything we could about blues in the time we had.They were like sponges!" says Marriner.
By the end of the three days, they had written three of their own original pieces, complete with their own lyrics, and performed for their family and friends at their school auditorium.
"The families were blown away, and so were we," he says.
"We've delivered a similar program for students at The Maverick School in Swift Current, which is a wonderful alternative education facility.Some of the young people you meet in these programs have some real life challenges and for us, it's incredibly rewarding to have the opportunity to provide them with a positive outlet."
He says they still keep in touch with some of these students they have worked with.
"In fact," says Marriner, "one of the kids at our blues camp in Saskatoon, Nick Longpre, went on to form a band, The Apollo Blues Band, and they opened for us at the SaskTel Jazz Festival in 2013."
MonkeyJunk is happy to help young people develop their musical talents, including their family members.
"I do not have any kids of my own, though I do have a wonderful niece and nephew," says Marriner. "My niece was just born this summer, so, not musical just yet. My nephew is two and a half, so I've started warping his mind already.He has a guitar, a harmonica and a piano and he loves to play them.He's even getting started on the drums!"
He adds, "Matt has a very talented 18-year-old stepdaughter who was involved in theatre and dance throughout her teens and she loves to sing.Tony has a 17-year-old son who plays some piano ... but mostly video games!"
MonkeyJunk will be performing Wednesday, Sept. 24 at the Dekker Centre for the Performing Arts at 8 p.m. Tickets are available at the Dekker Centre box office or online at www.dekkercentre.com.
