Dave Mowat - Musician
Dave Mowat is a blues harmonica player and singer from Alderville First Nation with over two decades of experience playing bars, festivals, barbeques, fish fries, kitchens and concerts. He's recorded a number of albums and has a deep love of the blues, staying true to that music since first picking up a harmonica in Winnipeg in the early 1980s.
Throughout his 13 year stay in Winnipeg, Dave gradually became a regular on the downtown blues scene, learning from local greats such as Big Dave McLean and Gord Kidder. For 10 years he played the bars, festivals, street parties, bus shacks, street corners, universities, soundstages, and recording studios of that city, and on excursions to Chicago saw, met and listened to such heroes as Honeyboy Edwards, Sunnyland Slim, Johnny Winter, Smokey Smothers, BB King, and Junior Wells.
After relocating back to Alderville in 1995 Mowat continued in music throughout Northumberland County, as a solo performer on Mariposa 1996, and as an opener for such great American blues acts as Big Jack Johnson, R.L. Burnside, Kenny Brown, Mel Brown, Smokey Wilson and Eddie Clearwater. In 96 he returned to Winnipeg to record on the CBC produced “Wang Dang Doodle Blues Gala” live album which aired nationally on CBC Radio One's Saturday Night Blues.
Other recordings include an independent release entitled “Blues on Old Madoc Road,” Jimmy Bowskill’s “Old Soul,” lesser known bits and pieces on compilations, Spirit of the Hills dance production “Feet” and work with Northumberland based Stone Angel.
[inset photo] One of Dave's greatest moments came when he was hired to play harmonica with the great Hubert Sumlin, Howlin’ Wolf’s longtime guitar player and an innovator of the electric Chicago style.
Dave is currently looking forward to hooking back up with longtime partner and music confident Ben Sures who has recently relocated to the area from Edmonton. Ben and Dave began playing together in 1986 in Winnipeg’s “Village” neighbourhood. The two are preparing to take on some new venues in this part of the country in 2006.
Dave (left) on harmonica with the South Thunderbird Blues Band from Winnipeg, on the Rez Blues TV taping at Victoria Hall, Cobourg, September 2005
For bookings and more information you can contact Dave directly blackoak@eagle.ca