Alberta residents love blues music, which is why MonkeyJunk can’t wait to kick off the first show of its tour in Jasper.
“We’re very excited to come to Jasper,” said Steve Marriner, who is responsible for vocals, baritone guitar, and harmonica in the blues trio. “Alberta is one of the only places where people actually know the lyrics to our songs; [it] feels pretty great to have someone singing along to something you remember writing at the kitchen table.”
The swampy roots blues trio’s name is inspired by a quote from American blues legend Son House: “I’m talkin’ ‘bout the blues now, I ain’t talkin’ about monkey junk!”
MonkeyJunk’s contemporary blues sound is reflected in its instrumental ensemble, which doesn’t include a bass guitar. The band never had a bass player, and more importantly, didn’t need one.
The group achieves low notes and tones through Marriner’s baritone guitar and some “electronic trickery—the guitar has two outputs that allow me to send the bass notes into a bass amplifier.”
Since the band’s inception in 2008, MonkeyJunk has steered clear of monkey business. It’s even joined the ranks with late blues artist Jeff Healy as one of only two Canadian acts to win the coveted international Blues Music Award.
Despite countless other honours, the Blues Music Award was special for Marriner and his bandmates, Tony D and Matt Sobb, “because we joined the ranks of some musicians we’ve been huge fans of for our entire careers.”
MonkeyJunk will soon add another item to its list of accomplishments—a fourth album. Slated for release in the fall of 2015, from Alberta’s Stony Plain Records, listeners can expect upbeat, progressive tunes and an incorporation of different influences. “There’s definitely a 70s rock-and-roll vibe,” said Marriner.
At the show in Jasper, MonkeyJunkies (the name MonkeyJunk has affectionately dubbed its fans) can anticipate to hear new material from the record that “hasn’t really been heard yet.”
Sarah Makowsky
Special to the Fitzhugh
