Musically promiscuous Ed Roth is one of those Whores Truly

Ed Michael Roth -Gary 17

Ed Michael Roth -Gary 17

October 9, 2021 | 161009

The truth can now be told: Ed Michael Roth is one of those Whores Truly.

As a member of the lively acoustic Cajun Blues/Pop trio of that name that’s performing a series of 8-12 Sunday evening shows at Wolf Like Me at 834 Bloor St. West this month (except Oct. 16), he adds accordion to a mix that also includes frontman Peter Boyd on guitar and vocals and Jon McCann on cajon drum.

But Roth, who, as we’ve told you recently, is known to play around with a wide range of different acts (including, for example, The Mediterranean All Stars European Folk-Jazz instrumental combo) won’t just be Whore-ing today.

He’s also got an afternoon gig at nearby Tranzac Lounge in the Annex 5-7 as part of another eclectic combo that’s fronted by poet-musicians Max Layton and Robert Priest (and that also includes David Hines on guitar in the backing band) doing their monthly “More Songs & Poetry” show in the 292 Brunswick Ave. venue’s Southern Comfort Room.  That event also includes a musical feature guest: accomplished Roots songwriter Joanne Crabtree.

The versatile squeeze-keys master performs on a digital accordion which, as we described a couple of years ago, gives him access to a wide range of instrumental voices plus effects and other electronic enhancements that allow him to sound like more than one instrument and to create a wide range of musical colourations.

Whether with poets and Roots performers or with the eclectic Whores trio (which used to be known as The Natchez Firecrackers but was “rebranded” as Whores Truly to have a “less racially tense” name, Boyd said in a recent Facebook post —LOL!) or the many other combos he’s likely to pop up with, Roth, with his eclectic musical tastes and prowess in several genres makes a valuable addition to any musical combo.

There’s no cover for either of the Roth shows as far as I can tell and while each will be quite different each will be interesting, guaranteed.