"The blues has always been a social commentary and will continue to be in the future. It’s always talked about the human condition and the life of the average person. This confirms we’re all just people struggling to survive."
Brandon Isaak: Walkin’ With The Blues
Brandon Isaak, the Whitehorse-born bluesman known for his gravelly voice and deep respect for tradition, returns withWalkin’ With The Blues(2025) - his most authentic and electrified blues album to date. Recorded live off the floor with minimal mics, vintage gear, and a soul soaked in the genre’s deepest roots, the record is a love letter to classic blues—gritty, emotional, and defiantly old-school. Themes throughout the album stretch from life and love to death, sex, and even murder—all delivered with what Isaak calls “gusto and passion.” Each track is infused with the vintage tones of electric blues, channeling the spirit of legends like T-Bone Walker and Ronnie Earl. A true blues craftsman with over 37 years on the road, Isaak has toured across three continents and earned accolades including a 2024 Juno nomination for Blues Album of the Year. His performance resume includes 13 European tours and four nominations at the 2023 Maple Blues Awards, where he was recognized for Male Vocalist of the Year, Album/Producer of the Year, Songwriter of the Year, and Acoustic Act of the Year.
(Brandon Isaak / Photo by Christian Kuntz)
A dash of Taj Mahal, a sprinkle of B.B. King and a few drops of Lighting Hopkins: stir it up, simmer on low and you have a recipe that sounds like Brandon Isaak. Crowds always leave Brandon’s shows with a smile on their face and a need to come back for more. His gravelly singing voice always astounds people that wonder how that big voice comes out of his smaller frame! This Yukon born songster performs a mixture of thoughtful, humorous, spiritual and catchy memorable songs; always delivered with world class guitar, harmonica and vocals. Lyrics are paramount and it’s obvious when you see his accolades and hear his music. Brandon Isaak is a one of a kind world class roots and blues showman! He engages with an audience, getting them involved and part of the show. New fans are made at every show as they leave the venue still singing catchy lines and humming new melodies.
Special Thanks: Brandon Isaak & Eric Alper (That Eric Alper)
How has the Blues music influenced your views of the world? Where does your creative drive come from?
The blues has always been a social commentary and will continue to be in the future. It’s always talked about the human condition and the life of the average person. This confirms we’re all just people struggling to survive.
How do you prepare for your recordings and performances to help you maintain both spiritual and musical stamina?
Practise is key, you always do your best when best prepared. I try to take everything in stride. I try to approach the live stage and recording studio with a neutral attitude. I find that gets a more consistent performance.
”I want folks to get comfort from my music or move them in some way. I also like folks to laugh when they hear some of my more humorous lyrics. My music is to help forget about all the drama in one’s life and to escape for an hour or so.” (Brandon Isaak / Photo by Christian Kuntz)
How do you think that you have grown as an artist since you first started making music? What has remained the same about your music-making process?
I’m always trying to find new / old sounds and take that to a more modern place. My 2024 Juno nominated album (One Step Closer) is all New Orleans based with tubas, clarinets, banjo and washboard, but with modern lyrics about how I feel about trump and the modern state of the world. The one thing that stays the same is my love for traditional / blues music, that will never change.
Your work is known for creatively reimagining blues tradition. How do you balance respect for the roots with experimentation?
The blues seems to have stopped evolving. People (me included) like it the way it was. But Robert Johnson was far from a traditionalist. He took the blues to the future, he reinvented and took what he learned and improved on it. We should have that same adventurous spirit. I use traditional music and add the odd sample, drum machine or just lyrics about the modern world we live in.
Currently you’ve one more blues release. How did your relationship with the Blues come about?
I found the blues growing up in The Yukon. I spent my early years on a polar bear farm and noticed the bears like when I played the blues on the loud speakers. I slowly learned that I too love the blues. The owner had one arm but played great harmonica and that’s where my learning began.
Do you have any interesting stories about the making of the new album Walkin' With The Blues?
I had trouble getting a good snare sound so we recorded it in my stairwell to the basement. I also recorded my guitar in my bathtub as it had much better reflections and reverb. Small know fact, it took 138 beers to get this album finished. That does not include mixing.
”The blues seems to have stopped evolving. People (me included) like it the way it was. But Robert Johnson was far from a traditionalist. He took the blues to the future, he reinvented and took what he learned and improved on it. We should have that same adventurous spirit. I use traditional music and add the odd sample, drum machine or just lyrics about the modern world we live in.” (Brandon Isaak, a multi-instrumentalist who writes heartfelt, uplifting, funny and spiritual songs. An emotional journey through the varieties of his original songs / Photo by Christian Kuntz - Album’s artwork by David Goatley)
You’veworked in many different settings, from clubs and studios to open air festivals. How do you navigate between these different worlds?
Every stage is the pinnacle of my career. It don’t matter what or where, it’s what I’ve worked my whole life together too. That being said, each stage has a different approach you must take. Big festival stages are impersonal, cold, and not my favourite. I like a smaller stage where you can interact with the audience and break down the wall between artist and audiance.
What are you doing to keep your music relevant today, to develop it and present it to the new generation?
I’m trying some different chords, beats and the lyrics are what makes it belong to the new world. I aim my music at real people who love real music, not at age groups. The crowds at my shows are a bit older, but that’s due to the fact it takes time to appreciate the finer things in life. Life asparagus, spinach, fine wine and the blues.
What moment changed your music life the most? What´s been the highlights in your life and career so far?
When I finally settled into the blues, I never looked back. That was for sure a turning point for my musical journey. Playing with my father in his band or having him record on one of my records are some highlights in my career for sure.
"Family is the most important thing and being kind to others is paramount. We’re all connected, and love is the answer to getting through this life with the lest damage possible. This is always an undercurrent in my music." (Brandon Isaak is a one of a kind world class roots blues showman / Photo by Christian Kuntz)
What's the balance in music between technique and soul? Why is it important to we preserve and spread the blues?
For me, soul is the most important, but of course technique is something we all need. Sometimes that involves playing worse than you are. So, sounding like an old blues dude with arthritis is technique as well. It’s important to preserve this music and especially the old types of blues. Blues rock don’t need much help it seems. It’s the true story of man and it’s a modern-day form of hieroglyphs that future man can look back to.
What has been the hardest obstacle for you to overcome as a person and as artist and has this helped you become a better blues musician?
Dealing with loss of friends and loved ones is my hardest obstacle to deal with. This inspires me to be more spiritual and to write songs that help me, and many other fans deal with life. This in return make me dig deeper as an artist and I write songs that are more profound than love or a broken heart.
What is the impact of Blues on the socio-cultural implications? How do you want the music to affect people?
I want folks to get comfort from my music or move them in some way. I also like folks to laugh when they hear some of my more humorous lyrics. My music is to help forget about all the drama in one’s life and to escape for an hour or so.
What are some of the most important lessons you have learned from your experience in the music paths?
Treat everyone with respect and you can learn from everybody. This is a long journey, and we all need to rely on each other on this musical trip. We’re blessed to be able to make art for a living and it’s getting harder to do so everyday.
"For me, soul is the most important, but of course technique is something we all need. Sometimes that involves playing worse than you are. So, sounding like an old blues dude with arthritis is technique as well. It’s important to preserve this music and especially the old types of blues. Blues rock don’t need much help it seems. It’s the true story of man and it’s a modern-day form of hieroglyphs that future man can look back to."
(Brandon Isaak / Photo by Christian Kuntz)
Life is more than just music, is there any other field that has influence on your life and music?
Family is the most important thing and being kind to others is paramount. We’re all connected, and love is the answer to getting through this life with the lest damage possible. This is always an undercurrent in my music.
Q&A with Canadian musician Brandon Isaak, a dash of Taj Mahal, a sprinkle of B.B. King and a few drops of Lighting Hopkins
by Music Network by Michael Limnios
on Monday
"The blues has always been a social commentary and will continue to be in the future. It’s always talked about the human condition and the life of the average person. This confirms we’re all just people struggling to survive."
Brandon Isaak: Walkin’ With The Blues
Brandon Isaak, the Whitehorse-born bluesman known for his gravelly voice and deep respect for tradition, returns with Walkin’ With The Blues (2025) - his most authentic and electrified blues album to date. Recorded live off the floor with minimal mics, vintage gear, and a soul soaked in the genre’s deepest roots, the record is a love letter to classic blues—gritty, emotional, and defiantly old-school. Themes throughout the album stretch from life and love to death, sex, and even murder—all delivered with what Isaak calls “gusto and passion.” Each track is infused with the vintage tones of electric blues, channeling the spirit of legends like T-Bone Walker and Ronnie Earl. A true blues craftsman with over 37 years on the road, Isaak has toured across three continents and earned accolades including a 2024 Juno nomination for Blues Album of the Year. His performance resume includes 13 European tours and four nominations at the 2023 Maple Blues Awards, where he was recognized for Male Vocalist of the Year, Album/Producer of the Year, Songwriter of the Year, and Acoustic Act of the Year.
(Brandon Isaak / Photo by Christian Kuntz)
A dash of Taj Mahal, a sprinkle of B.B. King and a few drops of Lighting Hopkins: stir it up, simmer on low and you have a recipe that sounds like Brandon Isaak. Crowds always leave Brandon’s shows with a smile on their face and a need to come back for more. His gravelly singing voice always astounds people that wonder how that big voice comes out of his smaller frame! This Yukon born songster performs a mixture of thoughtful, humorous, spiritual and catchy memorable songs; always delivered with world class guitar, harmonica and vocals. Lyrics are paramount and it’s obvious when you see his accolades and hear his music. Brandon Isaak is a one of a kind world class roots and blues showman! He engages with an audience, getting them involved and part of the show. New fans are made at every show as they leave the venue still singing catchy lines and humming new melodies.
Interview by Michael Limnios Archive: Brandon Isaak, 2014 Interview
Special Thanks: Brandon Isaak & Eric Alper (That Eric Alper)
How has the Blues music influenced your views of the world? Where does your creative drive come from?
The blues has always been a social commentary and will continue to be in the future. It’s always talked about the human condition and the life of the average person. This confirms we’re all just people struggling to survive.
How do you prepare for your recordings and performances to help you maintain both spiritual and musical stamina?
Practise is key, you always do your best when best prepared. I try to take everything in stride. I try to approach the live stage and recording studio with a neutral attitude. I find that gets a more consistent performance.
”I want folks to get comfort from my music or move them in some way. I also like folks to laugh when they hear some of my more humorous lyrics. My music is to help forget about all the drama in one’s life and to escape for an hour or so.” (Brandon Isaak / Photo by Christian Kuntz)
How do you think that you have grown as an artist since you first started making music? What has remained the same about your music-making process?
I’m always trying to find new / old sounds and take that to a more modern place. My 2024 Juno nominated album (One Step Closer) is all New Orleans based with tubas, clarinets, banjo and washboard, but with modern lyrics about how I feel about trump and the modern state of the world. The one thing that stays the same is my love for traditional / blues music, that will never change.
Your work is known for creatively reimagining blues tradition. How do you balance respect for the roots with experimentation?
The blues seems to have stopped evolving. People (me included) like it the way it was. But Robert Johnson was far from a traditionalist. He took the blues to the future, he reinvented and took what he learned and improved on it. We should have that same adventurous spirit. I use traditional music and add the odd sample, drum machine or just lyrics about the modern world we live in.
Currently you’ve one more blues release. How did your relationship with the Blues come about?
I found the blues growing up in The Yukon. I spent my early years on a polar bear farm and noticed the bears like when I played the blues on the loud speakers. I slowly learned that I too love the blues. The owner had one arm but played great harmonica and that’s where my learning began.
Do you have any interesting stories about the making of the new album Walkin' With The Blues?
I had trouble getting a good snare sound so we recorded it in my stairwell to the basement. I also recorded my guitar in my bathtub as it had much better reflections and reverb. Small know fact, it took 138 beers to get this album finished. That does not include mixing.
”The blues seems to have stopped evolving. People (me included) like it the way it was. But Robert Johnson was far from a traditionalist. He took the blues to the future, he reinvented and took what he learned and improved on it. We should have that same adventurous spirit. I use traditional music and add the odd sample, drum machine or just lyrics about the modern world we live in.” (Brandon Isaak, a multi-instrumentalist who writes heartfelt, uplifting, funny and spiritual songs. An emotional journey through the varieties of his original songs / Photo by Christian Kuntz - Album’s artwork by David Goatley)
You’ve worked in many different settings, from clubs and studios to open air festivals. How do you navigate between these different worlds?
Every stage is the pinnacle of my career. It don’t matter what or where, it’s what I’ve worked my whole life together too. That being said, each stage has a different approach you must take. Big festival stages are impersonal, cold, and not my favourite. I like a smaller stage where you can interact with the audience and break down the wall between artist and audiance.
What are you doing to keep your music relevant today, to develop it and present it to the new generation?
I’m trying some different chords, beats and the lyrics are what makes it belong to the new world. I aim my music at real people who love real music, not at age groups. The crowds at my shows are a bit older, but that’s due to the fact it takes time to appreciate the finer things in life. Life asparagus, spinach, fine wine and the blues.
What moment changed your music life the most? What´s been the highlights in your life and career so far?
When I finally settled into the blues, I never looked back. That was for sure a turning point for my musical journey. Playing with my father in his band or having him record on one of my records are some highlights in my career for sure.
"Family is the most important thing and being kind to others is paramount. We’re all connected, and love is the answer to getting through this life with the lest damage possible. This is always an undercurrent in my music." (Brandon Isaak is a one of a kind world class roots blues showman / Photo by Christian Kuntz)
What's the balance in music between technique and soul? Why is it important to we preserve and spread the blues?
For me, soul is the most important, but of course technique is something we all need. Sometimes that involves playing worse than you are. So, sounding like an old blues dude with arthritis is technique as well. It’s important to preserve this music and especially the old types of blues. Blues rock don’t need much help it seems. It’s the true story of man and it’s a modern-day form of hieroglyphs that future man can look back to.
What has been the hardest obstacle for you to overcome as a person and as artist and has this helped you become a better blues musician?
Dealing with loss of friends and loved ones is my hardest obstacle to deal with. This inspires me to be more spiritual and to write songs that help me, and many other fans deal with life. This in return make me dig deeper as an artist and I write songs that are more profound than love or a broken heart.
What is the impact of Blues on the socio-cultural implications? How do you want the music to affect people?
I want folks to get comfort from my music or move them in some way. I also like folks to laugh when they hear some of my more humorous lyrics. My music is to help forget about all the drama in one’s life and to escape for an hour or so.
What are some of the most important lessons you have learned from your experience in the music paths?
Treat everyone with respect and you can learn from everybody. This is a long journey, and we all need to rely on each other on this musical trip. We’re blessed to be able to make art for a living and it’s getting harder to do so everyday.
(Brandon Isaak / Photo by Christian Kuntz)
Life is more than just music, is there any other field that has influence on your life and music?
Family is the most important thing and being kind to others is paramount. We’re all connected, and love is the answer to getting through this life with the lest damage possible. This is always an undercurrent in my music.
Brandon Isaak - Home