Mark Sterling Band

Anyone who caught last year's Sunday "Porch Songs" workshop with Mose Allison, Willie P. Bennett, Colin James and Colin Linden should also remember Mark Sterling playing harmonica and dobro. He held his own in some pretty strong company and earned a return invitation with a higher profile. Mark is a local boy, and at the time he'd been back for over a year after spending three years in Toronto with Hemingway Corner. That Sunday afternoon workshop was his first live appearance in a year; since then Sterling has been a regular performer on the local scene. Local blues adherents have been catching him at the Full Moon Folk Club, the Sidetrack and the Power Plant, but he's also opened shows across the country for Jann Arden. In addition, he's put out a self-titled album that's received a favorable response-particularly on CKUA. And he's also teamed up with Mike Lent on bass, Calvin Vollrath on fiddle, and Gord Matthews on guitar, for expanded live dates.

  -- SA