With more than a dozen awards in its four short years as a collective, MonkeyJunk has fast become one of the top touring blues acts in Canada.
This is not a bunch of young upstarts, however. Ottawa-based Matt Sobb, Tony D and Steve Marriner each had active careers prior to teaming up. Guitarist Tony D released several albums and was constantly on the road across Canada and in Europe. Drummer Sobb was the go-to guy for all manner of bands on the Ottawa scene. Vocalist, harmonica player and guitarist Marriner kicked off his career in 1997 at the age of 14 winning the Ottawa Blues Harp Blow-Off, and has worked with almost every major blues name since.
What is it that brings these individually successful musicians together into one band? Holger Petersen, host of Saturday Night Blues, asked just that in conversation with the band during the Edmonton Folk Festival earlier this year.
On the heels of their Juno for blues album of the year, MonkeyJunk is up for yet another five Maple Blues Awards, to be handed out in January 2013. For a band on the road as much as these guys, you have to wonder if they even own a mantel.
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