Please note: Since May 5, 2002 the band name was changed to Kevin Mark.

It's an old cliché that some things - baldness, twins in the family - skip a generation. And while there's no empirical evidence to suggest the same is true of musical talent, it may well apply to Montreal's Mark Legault, leader of Big Mark & The Blues Express. Mark's grandfather, Charlie Legault, was a well-known and highly popular pianist/bandleader around Montreal back in the heyday of the big bands. And though he retired long before Mark came of age, it was the sax/clarinet player from his grandfather's band that gave young Mark his first music lessons.

"I wanted a set of drums," explains Mark, "but my dad decided the clarinet would be a better place to start." The lessons also included Mark's introduction to the tenor sax - "It seemed like a natural progression," - before he finally wore his parents down and got that much-coveted set of drums. Percussion, however, didn't hold his interest for very long. "I took a few lessons," recalls Mark, "but I guess drums weren't my thing after all. I soon picked up the bass, and that led to working with bar bands. I did that for about 10 years. It was the bass, really, that opened me up to the blues."

Asked if that was when he started singing, Mark laughs. "Well, as much as we all loved the blues, we just couldn't find a decent vocalist that could put them across convincingly. And I never could play solid bass lines while singing, so I started messing around with guitar. And it just sort of took off from there."

But what was it that drew Mark to the blues?

"It's the freedom of expression," he claims. "Sure there's a sort of pre-defined structure, that whole twelve-bar thing, but I don't find it restrictive in any way. It just provides a framework, and ultimately there are many different ways to say the same thing. Each reflects a different viewpoint, different experiences. That's what makes it so interesting."

Not surprisingly, Mark's primary influences coming up were the giants of the day. "I listened to a lot of Albert Collins, Albert and B.B. King," he says, "but these days I'm really into older stuff like Eddie 'Cleanhead' Vinson and T-Bone Walker. When it comes to the music that interests me, everything starts with these guys."

On a more contemporary note, Mark adds "I'm really looking forward to meeting Junior Watson. The man's a monster!" Others he admires these days include Ottawa's JW-Jones; "I really think he's got everything it takes to make it to the top," and Jack de Keyzer. "He's truly one of the best, and a great guy as well," says Mark.

Big Mark And The Blues Express' debut, "Steak And Potatoes," was released to critical acclaim in the summer of 2001. Winners of the previous year's Toronto Blues Society New Talent Search, the band made good use of recording time (courtesy of yet another contest win) to produce a fine, swinging set, primarily covers but featuring four of Mark's own compositions. At that time, the horns that contributed significant punch to the disc were a recent addition.

"The horns are definitely a permanent fixture now," says Mark, "and we've added piano to the mix. It's something I've always wanted; it gives the band a certain depth and an entirely different rhythmic texture. It's really made me rethink the way everything fits together."

Said piano chores are handled by Seb 'Slim' Dubois; founding members Rob Marcheterre and Costa Zafiropoulos continue on drums and bass respectively. Frank Thiffault (sax), initially brought on board for the "Steak And Potatoes" sessions, and Dave Robitaille (trumpet), the band's relative newcomer, constitute the now-permanent brass section. The band spent the summer of 2002 on the festival circuit with appearances all over Eastern Canada; in the process establishing a growing reputation for killer live shows. In the autumn they'll be gearing up for a sophomore recording, with a release planned for early 2003. Mark promises a greater proportion of originals this time out.

"We've been doing a lot of writing, going for more of a west-coast swing feel on this one, although we may stray into Chicago territory for a few tunes." Asked about tradition versus innovation, Mark comes down solidly on the traditional side. "For us, music is a good-time thing. We're not trying to reinvent the wheel. And there's still lots to be done within the so-called
'classic' sound."

Mark admits that he's responsible for the bulk of the band's originals. "I still play a bit of sax now and then, so I can write the charts," he explains. (No doubt his proficiency on almost everything else helps out too!). And fans of the 'Mississippi saxophone' needn't fear. While the band doesn't have a full-time harmonicist (guest Pat Loiselle did a fine job on the band's debut), Mark says, "I still want a bit of harp on there, too!"

Mark, who now makes the band a more or less full time occupation ("I put in the occasional appearance at my father's printing business, but they're more and more irregular," he laughs) knows it's a long haul, not a sprint.

"Sure, we'd love to win a few more Maples, but that's not really what it's all about. We'd just like to be recognized by both our peers and audiences as guys who love what they do. The business side of things, of course, is serious - running a band is hard work - but the product, the end result, has to be fun. Why else would we do it? I want to put on a show, to make people happy, make 'em want to come back and see us again. To me that's success."

When the business side of things gets a little too much, Mark finds release on the golf course. "I love golf! I'm an addict," he cheerfully admits.

He's also pretty handy around the kitchen; the liner notes for "Steak And Potatoes" featured a recipe for his favourite steak sauce, and in a rather unusual marketing move, the requisite de arbol pepper was included in the CD packaging. Mark's obviously not shy about his interest in food; the first words heard on "Steak And Potatoes" autobiographical opener are "They call me Big Mark/'Cause I weigh 255 pounds." Every ounce comes across in Mark's powerhouse roar; vocally he's not far removed from the great blues shouters like Big Joe Turner and Jimmy Rushing.

As the band's de facto manager, Mark regards the Internet as one of the most powerful tools at his disposal. "Oh, definitely! The web, e-mail . . . it puts everyone within reach, makes the marketing side of things so much easier."

Given the band's dedication and talent, he may not need that extended reach much longer; if they continue to nail awards at the rate they have so far, Big Mark & The Blues Express may just become the blues' next 'household name.'

Feature by John Taylor © Copyright 2002

From top left, clockwise: Costa Zafiropoulos (stand up bass), Rob Marcheterre (drums), Frank Thiffault (sax), Seb "Slim" Dubois (keyboards), Dave Robitaille (trumpet)