Bio

Born in Saskatoon, SK, Canada, Nigel grew up surrounded by both the music of the ‘60’s and jazz emanating from his Dad’s stereo.  The city’s central location and world-class university guaranteed that everybody who toured western Canada came through town.  Touring artists that that came through Saskatoon were extensive and eclectic: Muddy Waters, Count Basie, Duke Ellington and Stevie Ray Vaughan, just to name a few.

The ‘blues explosion’ in the mid-eighties led to the establishment of a western Canadian blues circuit.  Saskatoon’s ‘Buds on Broadway’ featured touring blues artists from all over the US and Canada.  “It was unbelievable!” exclaims Nigel, “There were cats like Eddy Shaw or Phil Guy playing six nights a week.  Blues legends that we had only heard on records, we were suddenly hanging out and jamming with.”

In the spring of 1988 Nigel and his band relocated to western Canada’s music mecca, Vancouver, BC.   With a large population, a busy nightlife and a temperate climate, Vancouver was a great place to be.   From his west coast base Mack built a strong local following and toured around western Canada.

In 1992, Nigel received a phone call from Chicago blues band leader Eddie Lusk inviting him to perform with ‘The Professor’s Blues Revue’ during the Chicago Blues Festival.  “I thought it was a practical joke,” says Nigel, “but a mutual friend had played Eddie one of my recordings and he was impressed enough to offer me a break.”  The Professor passed away later that year, but Nigel seized the opportunity and began touring the US with a vengeance, racking up seventeen American/Canadian coast to coast tours over the next ten years.

In 1996 Nigel released his first full length all-original CD ‘High Price To Play’ to critical acclaim, including a nomination for ‘Best Blues/R&B Album’ at the 1997 ‘West Coast Music Awards’.  Songs from the CD have been featured on television sound-tracks ‘Dawson’s Creek’, ‘The Street’ and ‘Time of Your Life’.

Nigel Mack followed ‘High Price to Play’ with ‘Road Rage’ released in 2001.  Essentially a live album, ‘Road Rage’ blends blues classics with original songs and three studio tracks.  It quickly became a favorite of fans.

In 2003, Nigel relocated to the home of the blues, Chicago, IL.  A decade earlier, the seeds of this move had been planted.  On that first trip, Eddie Lusk had said, “This is where you should be.”

Since moving to Chicago, Nigel Mack and his ‘Blues Attack Band’ have toured North America, Europe and headlined top blues venues throughout.  They are a favorite act at festivals everywhere.  With the release of ‘Devil’s Secrets’, his brand new, award winning, all-original CD, Nigel Mack is looking forward to building on past successes and bringing his own brand of Chicago blues to a new generation of blues fans.