Jook

Jook: the Story of the Blues” is the culmination of a life’s work, born from personal experience with the brutality and diminishing effects of racism I endured growing up and still face today. These experiences have inspired me to use my music to advocate for equity and equality. This album brings to life the songs and voices from the plantations and the story of the Great Migration, where thousands of Black people moved from the South to the North, searching for dignity, freedom, and a life without the tyranny of racism. Music was the passport to that freedom, bringing the Delta Blues and igniting a fire in my soul, setting my spirit free. Jook brings us back stories that will now live on forever.

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Information

Dates

Sunday February 22

Old Flame on Main Newmarket

2-6 P.M.

Friday February 27th

Aurora Winter Blues Festival Workshop on the instruments of the blues with Manny De Grandis

5-6 P.M

Saturday February 28th

Aurora Winter Blues Festival

1-1:45 PM

Jook, The Story of the Blues – A journey through the history of the blues with Glenn Marais, featuring songs from his latest album

Saturday March 14th

Aurora Legion

2:30-4:30 PM

with Craig Riley

About

Glenn Marais

History

Glenn Marais is an important artist whose words and music speak out against injustice and inequality in a powerful and melodic voice, that is equally haunting and beautiful. He is a visionary singer/songwriter whose words and music resound with the voice of a nation, the voice of the people, a voice for change.

Achievements

  • Co-wrote the song “Everybody Wants to Be Like You”, with the artist, “Snow” in 2000. Second fastest rising song in Canadian history, reaching the Top Ten and is currently the fifth most played song in Canadian radio history.
  • Socan award Number One Award
  • nominated for a Juno award in the best songwriting category for “Everybody Wants to Be Like You”.
  • second place in the 2006 Mix 99.9 Canadian Radio Star Contest, with his entry, “Don’t Let Your Love Go”
  •  Glenn flew to South Africa to film a video for his song, “Like a Child” in 2005. It debuted on Much More Music on Jan.30th/2006 and went to number one on Much More Music’s Clip Trip Show
  • Sunday Aug.13th /06, the video for Like a Child, debuted at the Rogers Centre Skydome for the Toronto International AIDS Conference.
  • Friday Aug.18th/06 Glenn Closed the AIDS conference with a performance of Like a Child in front of 7000 people, broadcast internationally on CBC Newsworld.
  • music director in Swaziland in 2009 for an international charity organization, “Heart for Africa’s” production of Litsemba- A concert of Hope.
  • Instructed and led children from the El Shaddai orphanage in rehearsal and performance for the concert event using six of Glenn’s original compositions during the concert.
  • Swaziland in 2010 for the Litsemba II concert at the national stadium, as a featured performer in front of 20 000 orphaned and at risk children and King Mswati III of Swaziland.
  • Composed On the Shoulders of Giants, the official song for the Canadian division of the Nelson Mandela Children’s Foundation on his 90th birthday.
  • Apr.2011 Received the Toastmaster’s Communication and Leadership award.  Prior recipients include football legend Pinball Clemons, First Female astronaut Dr.Roberta Bondar and Lieutenant Governor Of Ontario, The Honourable Lincoln Alexander.
  • Nov.2010 nominated for the Ontario Art Council’s Premier’s Award.
  • Apr.2010 nominated for the York Region Character Awards for the Social Justice Award.
  • Created a national kindness campaign, Say My Name Canada, that was featured on the front page of The Toronto Star, Global Television and CTV News.
  • Glenn’s video for his anti-bullying song, “Say my Name” has over 2, 500 000 views to date
  • Donald Cousens Award Recipient 2021
  • Queen’s Jubilee Award 2023
  • Glenn Marais and the Mojo Train Semi-finalists in the International Blues Challenge in Memphis 2024
  • Glenn Marais Semi-finalists in the solo category for theInternational Blues Challenge in Memphis 2025
  • King Charles III Coronation Medal 2025