Nothin’ better than the blues

East Coast blues legend Joe Murphy and front man for The Water Street Blues Band has been considered the "blues institution" in Halifax.

But Murphy himself has an eclectic biography playing on both sides of the border and sharing the stage with masters such as Otis Rush, Johnny Copland, John Lee Hooker and Pinetop Perkins, to name a few.

Now the iconic multi-instrumentalist has brought the blues to Windsor. With regular gigs at the Spitfire Arms, Murphy has bridged the gap for music lovers here at home and has provided an education in the blues for fans of all ages.

The Valley stage is nothing new, Murphy says, having played in the area for decades at venues including the former Black Bear, but admits he was surprised by the recent positive response. “Windsor is not far from Halifax, but in many ways it's a whole different world,” he said. “But people here have a really good appreciation of music; the reception has been fantastic.”

And it's no wonder. Hants County is known to embrace just about every musical genre. “We're also pretty laid back,” Murphy adds. “I love playing here; it's just so much more relaxed. It's a much more intimate gig,” he said. “You get to form this great bond between you and the audience and people here really want to identify with the songs. I end up getting to talk to people more, getting to know the people listening to my music.”

At the age of 60, the former high school teacher isn't slowing down, but rather taking it all in. And the Windsor scene gives him a chance to turn it down a notch. “For one thing I can play at a lower volume, and that's nice for a change. I can get into it, you get a much better tone,” he said. “It's not about playing for a packed house, it's about everyone enjoying the music.”

Local fan Lindsay Campbell tries to catch Murphy whenever he's in town. “Anyone who has yet to see a show is really missing out. It's good food, good ambiance, great acoustics and quality performance. You can't get much better than that,” he said. “This is as good as it gets for blues performances here in Canada with one of the best blues musicians right here on our doorstep.”

He says more people need to take advantage of the high quality of music in our area. “We've got a lot of talented musicians here in Windsor and we need to appreciate and support all of them.”

Murphy began playing guitar at the age of five. “I really wanted to be Elvis,” he said.

He soon moved on to the great bluesmen and mastered a variety of instruments including the blues harp, slide guitar, various accordions and squeeze boxes, using vocals like no other.

By high school he became totally preoccupied with blues music. “I loved Muddy Waters. Back then that's what was playing on the radio; soul music.” The blues, he said, is a gift he wants to share with everyone. “I kind of consider myself a blues educator,” he said. “The blues just make you feel good about life. It covers a whole range of emotions and rhythmically it's very exciting. It's funny, too; it has a sense of humour about it and we all need more of that.”

Joe Murphy and the Water Street Blues Band will perform at the Spitfire Arms Alehouse in Windsor Friday, June 19.