10 Canadian blues acts recommend by ChatGPT – because we asked
We’ve been running a series of experiments here at Roots Music Canada asking Open AI’s chatbot, ChatGPT, to recommend music for us.
Like many people who have adopted the bot as their latest time-waster, we’re just curious to see what it can do.
ChatGPT is a large language model designed to mimic human-generated text.
Arguably, it does that better than many humans do these days, what with its complete sentences, proper use of grammar and punctuation and utter failure to employ shortcuts like “u,’ “lol,” and “wtf.”
And unlike the Microsoft Bing chatbot, it seems to do so without descending into existential crises about the nature of sentience.
What it doesn’t do so well is “get with the times.”
It freely admits that it’s not really capable of generating news stories, and the word “emerging” seems to mean nothing to it when it comes to talking about music.
This week we asked it to recommend some emerging Canadian blues artists.
And if you can get past the fact that some of these artists have been on the scene for 30 years or more, it actually did a pretty good job of sounding like it has its finger on the pulse.
I mean, assuming it has a finger, which it doesn’t.
Here’s what ChatGPT wrote for us:
- Shakura S’Aida – Shakura S’Aida is a Canadian singer-songwriter who has been compared to greats like Etta James and Aretha Franklin. She has won numerous awards, including the Maple Blues Award for Female Vocalist of the Year. Her music is a mix of blues, soul, and jazz, and she has a powerful voice that can bring audiences to their feet.
- Jack de Keyzer – Jack de Keyzer is a blues guitarist and singer from Ontario. He has won multiple Juno Awards for his music, and his guitar playing is often compared to blues legends like Stevie Ray Vaughan and Jimi Hendrix. He has released over 10 albums and is known for his high-energy live shows.
- Samantha Martin & Delta Sugar – Samantha Martin & Delta Sugar is a Toronto-based blues and soul band fronted by Samantha Martin. They have been described as “a cross between the Staples Singers and the Allman Brothers.” Their music is a mix of blues, soul, and gospel, and they have a reputation for putting on electrifying live shows.
- Paul Reddick – Paul Reddick is a blues musician from Toronto. He has won multiple Maple Blues Awards, and his music is a mix of traditional blues with a modern edge. He is known for his powerful harmonica playing and soulful vocals.
- Colin Linden – Colin Linden is a singer, songwriter, and guitarist from Toronto. He has played with numerous blues legends, including Howlin’ Wolf and Muddy Waters. He is also a successful producer and has worked with artists like Bruce Cockburn and Emmylou Harris. His music is a mix of blues, country, and rock, and he is known for his expert guitar playing.
- Crystal Shawanda – Crystal Shawanda is a blues and country musician from Ontario. She has won multiple awards, including a Juno Award for Aboriginal Album of the Year. Her music is a mix of blues, country, and rock, and she has a powerful voice that can move audiences.
- MonkeyJunk – MonkeyJunk is a blues-rock band from Ottawa. They have won multiple awards, including the Juno Award for Blues Album of the Year. Their music is a mix of traditional blues with a modern edge, and they are known for their high-energy live shows.
- Raoul and The Big Time – Raoul and The Big Time is a Toronto-based blues band led by Raoul Bhaneja. They have won multiple Maple Blues Awards and are known for their authentic blues sound. They play a mix of original songs and classic blues covers.
- Suzie Vinnick – Suzie Vinnick is a blues and roots musician from Ontario. She has won multiple awards, including the Juno Award for Blues Album of the Year. Her music is a mix of blues, folk, and country, and she has a powerful voice and expert guitar playing.
- Harrison Kennedy – Harrison Kennedy is a blues musician from Hamilton. He was a member of the Detroit-based soul group The Chairmen of the Board in the 1970s before moving to Canada. He has won multiple awards, including the Maple Blues Award for Acoustic Act of the Year. His music is a mix of traditional blues with a modern edge, and he is known for his soulful vocals and expert guitar playing.
