Canadian Blues Guitarist André Bisson Releases “Dusty Albums”: A Soulful Voyage Through Memories
Over 20 years in and acclaimed Canadian blues singer-songwriter, André Bisson, is still taking us on meaningful journeys with his songs, and his latest “Dusty Albums” is a walk-through of all the memories we’ve accumulated so far in life.
This reminiscence, however, is tainted with the sadness of missed opportunities and the thought of a life that could have been. Memories are one of the things we have of the life we lived, and in “Dusty Albums,” Bisson sings of “A past impossible to please yet now full of honesty.” Every line of the song somehow feels like listening to a thousand stories at once – “Spent my youth in a naive waste, little time to contemplate.”
The mid-tempo song derives strong influences from folk and country, as it talks about the way our perspective may come to change later in life, so much so that we may even start to regret certain decisions we once gloried in.
“Dusty Albums” is the follow-up to “Shake,” – a saxophone-driven song that reminds us to give care to those who need it and to accept it from others when we need it. Both singles are from Bisson’s upcoming 10th studio album Latchford, which saw him write, arrange and produce eleven tracks for the project. If you ask him what Latchford’s main theme is, he’d tell you that it is “perspective.” He’ll also quote an introspective verse from Shakespeare that says, “I cried when I had no shoes, but I stopped crying when I saw a man without legs.”
When he’s not picking up awards for his amazing songs, like winning the Song of Year Award at the International Song Competition from Blues & Roots Radio in 2022, he’s confidently performing on stage with a band that can range from 6 to 20 people, or writing the next song that will touch our hearts.
For the album, Bisson, in addition to writing and producing, sang all the lead vocals, and played all the electric and acoustic guitars, along with some percussion and harmonica. Though it may look like he’s a one-man songwriting and producing machine, he does employ the talents of others to help heighten the emotional range in his music. Joining him are Jesse O’Brien on piano and organ, Mike Rowell on bass guitar, Keagan Early on drums, Pat Carey on tenor and bari saxophone, Shawn Moody on the trumpet/flugelhorn, Loretta Hale on trumpet and cello, Rob Somerville on trombone, Paul Barna on violin/viola, Quisha Wint and Selena Evangeline on backing vocals and Dan Rodrigues on additional piano. His eclectic use of different instruments is a constant joy to fans.
Bisson is a firm believer that we can improve our situation when we change our outlook on it and wants to pass this message on through Latchford – out September 15, 2023.
“Realizing that when we control our thoughts, we have full control of our lives, our outlook on life, and our reality.”
Since getting his first taste of what it feels like to perform live at the tender age of 15, Bisson has made it his priority to put on thrilling shows that will make fans lose themselves in the act.
Upcoming Shows:
August 26, 2023 – Periscope Playhouse – Port Burwell, ON
November 3, 2023 – Westdale Theatre – Hamilton, ON
November 10, 2023 – Aeolian Hall – London, ON
November 25, 2023 – River Run Centre – Guelph, ON
April 27, 2024 – Market Hall – Peterborough, ON
Watch the live video of “Dusty Albums” at Boxcar Studio below and learn more about André via our mini-interview.
You’ve been here before, and welcome back! How’s the summer been for you so far?
Yes! Thank you for having me back. The summer has been busy but really fun!
Tell us about the process of writing and recording “Dusty Albums”?
The idea came from spending time with people of an older generation. These people have so much knowledge, experience, and perspective that only time can give. I thought about how it would be a shame to lose these memories because we didn’t take the time to listen.
For the recording, I wanted a folk/country sound but with a classical orchestration to add an emotional effect at the climactic parts of the song. It was a fun challenge to combine an acoustic rhythm section with a classical-type orchestra.
You’re also a super collaborator with other musicians – what’s one thing an artist or group should do before working with you to be ready for the studio?
I think the best thing to do is to be prepared for the session. I’m lucky that all the musicians I work with always show up on time and fully prepared for the session. The preparation allows efficiency and saves time. With the extra time, we are free to explore more ideas creatively.
Without playing favourites, who’s a great person to be in the studio with that you’ve worked with?
I’d say you can pick any one of the musicians on this album. After recording so many albums over the years, I’ve been lucky enough to work with a group of amazing musicians that are all creatively and professionally similar. This has allowed me to write for larger ensembles and take bigger chances in my songwriting.
You’re home on the weekend and want to play an album with your headphones on. What’s your go-to dusty album to listen to?
It changes from week to week but currently, I’m listening to “The Stranger” by Billy Joel.