Band

Ruth McGillivray - Lead Vocals
Sheldon Bradley - Guitar
Paul Freeman - Bass
Hoto - Drums & Vocals

Through groove, improv and raw, unadulterated emotion, the Bradley/McGillivray Blues Band (BMcG) takes listeners on a journey rarely heard in today’s image-driven music. They play with authenticity, whether an uptown jazz shuffle, gritty Mississippi blues, or New Orleans funk. Influenced by artists like Warren Haynes, Robben Ford, Susan Tedeschi, Janis Joplin and Etta James, they've built an impressive repertoire of original music and signature covers.

The band's been playing since 1999, blending blues, jazz, Motown and gospel into their own hip brand of soul.  Ruth’s knock-you-flat vocals are nicely balanced by Sheldon’s tasteful, understated guitar, and the whole sound is rounded out by an inventive rhythm section featuring bassist Paul Freeman, and drummer Hoto.

There's no gimic or hype in a BMcG show--just smokin' music, passionate delivery, and cool tunes. Ruth's voice sends shivers up your spine and leave those little hairs tingling on the back of your neck. And Sheldon's grin when he drops a country twaaaang into a ballad, or a holy-smokes-where-did-he-just-go jazz thing into an old rock cover will make you realize there's not much the guy can't play.  They're a band of music lovers for an audience of music lovers. 

BMcG released their second CD, Livin' This Way in 2008. This CD, produced in Vancouver, B.C. by award-winning, veteran producer Bill Buckingham, features nine original songs, their own unique, blues version of Tennessee Waltz, and a bonus track included by special request, Piece of My Heart.  Both Canadian Musician and Real Blues Magazine cited Livin' This Way as "one of the best Canadian blues albums of 2008."

Their debut CD, River of Soul, featured their first collection of original material and was released in September 2003. It received critical acclaim, 4-star reviews, and a nomination in the Jazz/Blues category of the Shai Awards.