This recording is a reminder of a moment in time, when we talked about guitars and music until we forgot what was said and then started all over again.

Ken was like an uncle. His British accent and British humour reminded me of a time I was missing. As a kid my mum asked my friend and I, "What would you boys like for a treat?" in her heavy British accent. My friend turned to me and asked, "What did she say?" It was then, I realised I had a super power! I could decipher English people!!!

I was trying to get back on my feet musically after the loss of my mum and dad and I moved back to Toronto from Vancouver. Ken suggested I learn some cover songs to keep the machine greased. That turned into starting a cover band with a couple of friends. Ken helped curate some of the songs in the set, and these four songs on Blues For Ken.

With the keeping of the machine greased I thought it would be fun to do the same for recording. It is very different recording cover songs that you put your own spin on versus recording your own material. I knew I was starting with good songs whereas when you are recording you own material sometimes ones‘ confidence washes in and out like a tide during the recording process.

I called a fellow Vancouverite/Torontonian pal Josh Bowman and asked if he was interested in overseeing this project. We started by picking some friends that we knew that we would have fun playing and recording with. On Bass: Juno and National Jazz Award winning Ian De Souza (Sisters Euclid, Mimi O’Bonsawin). On percussion: Grammy, Latin Grammy and Juno Nominee Marito Marques. On Organ: Juno award winner Rob Gusves (The Arrows, Kevin Breit, David Clayton Thomas, Blood Sweat and Tears).

We had a quick afternoon rehearsal at GMP Recording Studio and booked a day at Revolution Recording studio in Toronto's lower east side for bed tracking. From there we did some additional Vocal and Guitar tracking on the West side of Toronto at The Nelson Room. A few months later we went even further west. Josh flew from Toronto and Marcus from Whitehorse to meet up at The Wearhouse, Brian Adams recording studio in Vancouver. We had a few guitar overdubs to finish and then it was back to Toronto for Josh to finish mixing.

Ken did get to hear the rough mixes while he was in the hospital about a week or so before he passed. I spent just about everyday with him that last few weeks talking about guitars, music and how fun and funny life can be. It's interesting how when someone you trust tells you to "just do it", you feel like you can. Just after the last track played he took the headphones off and said, "well, what ya gonna do now?" In my best fake British accent quoting Twisted Sister, I responded, "I want to ROCK!" His reply was, "You, shall rock then, just do it. Do it like there is no tomorrow".