The search is on, for the 3rd year in a row, for talented unsigned and original blues bands and solo musicians. The province of New Brunswick, Canada, is looking once more for UK talent to perform on an international stage at its renowned Harvest Jazz and Blues Festival in the capital Fredericton and have once again chosen The New Crawdaddy Blues Club in Billericay, Essex, for the South East heat. Unsigned musicians from around the UK producing original work are invited to sign up for the competition between 1 October and 30 November.  Bands getting through this first phase will be invited to perform at the heats.  This is a brilliant opportunity for local blues musicians and we’d love you to help us spread the word.

For more information or for interviews with New Brunswick Battle of the Blues organisers, just get in touch.  I’ve attached a release and image of last year’s winners, Groove-A-Matics.
With best wishes
Rachel
New Brunswick Battle of the Blues
(02380 732981 )

NEWS RELEASE
September 2012

Nationwide search for best unsigned Blues Musicians chooses Billericay once more for South East heat – musicians from across the country urged to enter now!!

It has just been announced that entries for this year’s highly prestigious and nationwide competition – The New Brunswick Battle of the Blues – will open on 1st October.  For a third year the cream of unsigned bands and singer/songwriters is being sought from across the UK and particularly from the South East of England where, organisers believe, great blues talent deserves higher recognition.
Five heats will take place around the country, with the South East heat being held once again at The New Crawdaddy Blues Club, Billericay.  Another heat in the South will be held at The Brunswick in Hove on 25th January (although musicians are welcome to enter any of the 5 heats – see below). Heat winners plus a ‘judges’ choice’ will go head to head at the final in London in March 2013, with the overall competition winner being taken out to play main stage at the world renowned Harvest Jazz & Blues Festival in New Brunswick, Canada, during September 2013.
Says Lisa Gagnon, who’s organising the competition in the UK for New Brunswick, “Harvest Jazz & Blues is one of the world’s great music festivals.  Once again we’re thrilled to be offering this chance to British blues musicians to play alongside the best of the best.  New Brunswick’s capital Fredericton, where the festival is held, is a wonderful place to visit at any point in the year, but at Harvest time the atmosphere is electric!”
And she continues, “The winners will play gigs on the Festival’s main stage and have the chance to make contact with some of the all time blues greats who come here from across North America and indeed the world.  And we’ll even take our winners whale watching, sea kayaking and sightseeing – all expenses paid, of course.
Last year’s winners – Groove-A-Matics from Gateshead – said this of the competition, “It’s a fantastic opportunity for emerging or established British blues artists to raise their profile and play on a world stage at this brilliant festival – as well as experiencing the wonders of the Canadian province of New Brunswick.”
Interested bands and singer/songwriters are invited to register initially at www.tourismnewbrunswick.co.uk between 1st October and 30th November 2012.  Artists will need to demonstrate the ability to produce new and original work, though some covers are permitted.  To qualify, they will need to be unsigned at the time of the competition (including the final). Musicians may enter whichever heat best suits them – choose from Newton-le-Willows in the North West, Redcar in the North East, Billericay in the South East, Hove in the South and Cupar, Scotland.
For further information, interview, images or press tickets, please contact Rachel Shimell or Miranda Johnson on 02380 732981/ 01962 890208 or
email: Rachel.shimell@ntlworld.com  or mirandajohnson@btinternet.com

Note to Editors
New Brunswick is one of Canada’s 3 maritime provinces and is known as the ‘Jewel of Atlantic Canada’.  The province is rich in history, culture and natural beauty and music is an integral part of its psyche. Visit www.tourismnewbrunswick.co.uk  for more information

The Harvest Jazz & Blues Festival is an annual music festival held in Fredericton, the capital of New Brunswick.  It has an international following and features blues, jazz and world music, taking over the city for 5 days in September.

Details of heats:

11th January, True Blues Club, Newton Le Willows
24th January, New Crawdaddy Blues Club, Billericay
25th January, The Brunswick, Hove
8th   February, Redcar Blues Club, Redcar
23rd February, Blues & Beyond club, Cupar, Scotland