Getting the Blues

Italian-Canadian Rita Chiarelli returns to Toronto

The "Goddess of Canadian Blues" (as once dubbed by CBC Radio's Shelagh Rogers) is back in town, once again lending her celebrated and powerful vocal chords to the Toronto Blues Society's 18th Annual Women's Blues Revue. Rita Chiarelli has been performing in this event since its very beginning, when it was held at a Toronto venue "about the size of a postage stamp", as the singer recalls. This year's relocation to Massey Hall, made necessary to accommodate its ever-increasing audience, is quite a coup then, indeed. It also serves as a good indication of the rising popularity of Canada's blues music scene, women's blues in particular.
Born of Italian immigrants, Rita Chiarelli spent her childhood in Hamilton, Ontario, where she began performing with a band at the age of 15. In 1981, she flew to Italy for a vacation and ended up staying there for six years. This trip was by no means an escape from life in Canada, she assures, but rather a visit to a beautiful country which beckoned for an extension. She continued to perform and record in Italy, and upon her return to Canada she released her debut album, Road Rockets, in 1992.
Chiarelli has since released four subsequent albums (including her most recent, No-One to Blame, 2004), done extensive tours of Europe and North America and won many prestigious music awards including CBC's "Great Canadian Blues Award" in 2002. When asked what initially drew her to her now trademark musical style, Chiarelli refers to "the hardships and heartbreaks of the blues", the strong current of emotion that characterizes the melodies and lyrics of the genre. She admits to being a deeply emotional person herself, which explains why her songs (Chiarelli is the author of all of her music) are so powerful and have reached such a vast array of followers worldwide.
The Annual Women's Blues Revue is an exciting evening that celebrates a seven-woman band and six powerful female vocalists, through a genre that, as Chiarelli concedes, "has been identified so much by the male guitar player." Indeed when one thinks back to the classic blues artists, the majority tend to be men, but apparently this has never been an obstacle for Chiarelli. "I think at first women were looked at as a novelty", she says simply, "but it just meant having to persevere. I never worried about it too much." Nor should she have, judging by her success, though it's likely that she has helped to pave the way for such newer female artists as Serena Ryder, who, in only her 21st year, is also being featured at this year's Blues Revue.
Chiarelli has always focused upon her music, which is why, in this year alone, she has released an album, is currently touring North America and is up for nomination by the Toronto Blues Society for Female Vocalist of the Year. The holidays will hopefully offer "the chance to recharge," she says with a laugh, but it's likely that by February she'll be back on the road, delving once again into a powerhouse of music and emotion to deliver to her fans.
The Toronto Blues Society presents the 18th Annual Women's Blues Revue on Saturday, November 27, 8 p.m. at Massey Hall. Call 416.872.4255 or visit www.masseyhall.com.

Publication Date: 2004-11-28
Story Location: http://tandemnews.com/viewstory.php?storyid=4660