Arts and Entertainment

Larry Kurtz and The Lawbreaker’s to debut Album Release Party this Friday

May 15, 2025   ·   0 Comments

By Constance Scrafield

Larry Kurtz and The Lawbreakers are thrilled to announce their long-awaited album “Take A Ride” is out and an Album Release Party is being held tomorrow (May 16) at Revival 1863.

The party will take place from 8 p.m. until 11:59 p.m.

Take a Ride is the title song, and there are 14 other originals on the album. Nine were written by Orangeville resident Larry Kurtz; five were co-written with James Legere.

“Doing this as an artistic decision,” Kurtz commented, “it was hard to curate because we like them all so much.”

They did the album locally, recording it at Escarpment Sound, a studio owned by Brian Hewson.

Kurtz made it sound simple. “We went in and recorded live at the studio,” he told us. “Like a live performance. That was the best for us, in a recording studio. The more I don’t overthink, the better.”

They managed. In two sessions they got it all done. Some of the songs were familiar and some were new. They have been talking about an album but Kurtz also has a business as a woodworker and in renovations, so he had to make some time.

The first song is called “Headwaters Hill Country,” a love letter to this country where he has been living for a long time. Kurtz commented that he always liked the style of Blues music, in particular Mississippi Hill Country Blues.

“We live in hill country,” was the connection. “I wanted to do a Canadian version of the Mississippi Hill style. That’s the first track.”

Theyfilmed a video for it, coming out this Friday. Grand Valley artist Tony Fenech is the videographer, filming it locally with familiar landmarks: on YouTube by next week.

“Even when we were rehearsing, it led to the beginning of other songs,” he remarked.

First, they worked on it in January and then March and then finished. Band members sat with the recording engineer and determined what sounds were more important than others.

Along with Kurtz and Legere, Scott Bruyea is the drummer. He was the drummer for 20 years for Ronny Hawkins. Sam Carothers is on Bass, “He’s a very good bass player,” said Kurtz, “we’re just the four of us – no extra instruments.”

Kurtz does the vocals and famously plays his harmonica, for which old slang called it a Mississippi Sax or a tin sandwich. The songs they wanted were set and then there were details in the rest: they needed to go into the studio with some sounds of the harmonica to enrich an audible sound.

Kurtz has travelled to hear the Blues in their original homes. He has listened to Memphis Blues in Chicago Blues clubs.

“When we were down in South Memphis,” Kurtz said, “we saw Reverend Al Green at his church preaching and singing.” Adding, “We saw B.B. King live at Massey Hall.”

Reflecting that when he first started, they played a lot of Muddy Waters, Kurtz recalled with interest, now that the album is out, when he played as Trouble and Strife with Bruce Ley, the music only came out as CDs.

Currently, there are streaming platforms; Kurtz and The Lawbreakers have CDs for sale with nice artwork on the cover. Tony Fenech did the graphic.

For the first time ever, Kurtz has hired a publicist to help distribute the music to journals all over everywhere. This even led to him doing an interview in Greece, although not in person.

Musicians don’t make a lot of money, he informed the Citizen; the streaming service makes the money.

“The best to way to support the artist is to buy the material,” he offered simply.

“We are very pleased with the actual recording,” he confirmed. “People are going to get their money’s worth. For now, I would like to do it again, to see it happen.”

As ambition for the album, Kurtz hopes it leads more people to know The Lawbreakers and to think they have something to offer as well.

He would love to travel to places in Canada or Europe as musicians, “not doing this to be competitive – just to add our voice to it all,” Kurtz noted.

The style of The Lawbreakers does not copy anyone; it respects the tradition of the Blues while they like to do their own thing, with nice arrangements.

In his own songwriting, Kurtz says he is a “fairly literal writer, a little more straight forward.,” whereas his fellow songwriter James Legere is “darker with metaphor.”

“One Step on the Devil,” a song about staying ahead, is Legere’s work.

“I have a song, ‘Tear Drop Tim’ about a hockey player, one about my dog called ‘The Wrong Side of the Door.’”

There is one, more of a jazz song, ‘So Glad You’re Home.’ Meanwhile, ‘God’s Gift’ is close to rock and roll.

“Each song is pretty and uniquely ours,” said Kurtz.

He and his family feel excited and happy with the results.

Larry Kurtz is the artistic director of the upcoming Blues and Jazz Festival, celebrating 21 years on the weekend of May 30 to June 1.

When the Citizen asked what keeps him involved, he told us, “Because you’re supporting local live music. A lot of people might not know what’s the Blues but there is a lot of up-beat Blues music.”

He advised purchasing a ticket to the main stage over the whole weekend. Such great quality of music and entertainment came the assurance. Tickets for Friday and Saturday are $20 each and Sunday is $10 but a weekend pass with incredible acts for all three days sell for $40.

To purchase a Take the Ride CD, “You can buy them at any of my live shows, at my Kurtz Millworks shop at 493 Broadway Orangeville or from my website by e-transfer at larrykurtz.ca.

At last, Larry Kurtz observed, “Now, we won’t be the only one not to have an album.”

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