Toronzo Cannon brings classic Chicago blues to Syracuse

Toronzo Cannon is showing listeners the way — The Chicago Way, that is.

Chicago-born guitarist Cannon is elevating the classic Chicago sound to new heights with his album “The Chicago Way.” This blues man splits his time between working for his native city’s Transit Authority as a bus driver and globe-trotting as a musician.

The Daily Orange spoke with him to discuss his life, his influences and his favorite countries to play in. He will be performing at Funk ‘n Waffles on South Clinton Street this Saturday.

The Daily Orange: What was your musical journey to blues?

Toronzo Cannon: I grew up around blues. My grandparents raised me. To me, it wasn’t a genre, it was just something I heard my granddad play. I didn’t really think of it as just blues.

I had joined a reggae band for about two years. Their family started to move back, so that pushed me out of the band. It was hard for me to land another reggae gig, so I would just start going to jams in Chicago.

All you have here are blues jams. I would recognize all the songs from my grandparents. The first song I learned was “Got My Mojo Working” by Muddy Waters. Then things just progressed from there.

The D.O.: Did you teach yourself (to play the guitar) or did you have others teach you?

T.C.: Along with a guitar, (my sister) bought me four weeks worth of lessons. I only went to three of them because I wanted to learn reggae, but the guy was teaching me to write (music). I wanted to dive right into reggae music like, “Give me some chords!” So, I only got to three of them, and I don’t think I’ve ever told my sister that I didn’t get to the fourth. I think I owe her some money.

I then learned through trial and error. I guess I have a motto that you are either super talented or you have a lot of time on your hands. At that time, I had time on my hands and the will and the drive to learn the guitar, or at least learn a couple of songs. I had no dreams of doing this for a living or on stage or traveling or anything like that. I just wanted to hear the song I had been listening to at the time, me playing it.

Courtesy of Toronzo Cannon

The D.O.: What are some of your favorite influences?

T.C.: Of course, I have many, but I would say the big three, if we can narrow it down to three, would be — and this may sound strange — Jimi Hendrix, Albert King and Elmore James. They are three totally different approaches to blues. The rawness of Elmore James’ voice, the passion behind Albert King’s blues solo licks and the freakiness and passion of Jimi Hendrix are the big three for me right off the bat.

The D.O.: How would you describe your music to listeners?

T.C.: Blues in 3-D. My songs are visual, I like really getting in touch with the audience. I’ll talk to the audience, we’re just hanging out at a space and time. Being from Chicago, most of our blues people like to really get in with the audience, roll our sleeves up like a community kind of thing. I let the audience know they are there. I don’t play so they are just listening to me. I want them to have fun and do this thing for about an hour and a half, and then we are going to go about our lives.

The D.O.: What do you enjoy more, writing lyrics or the music?

T.C.: If I can hit (the audience) with a smooth lyric that will make them go “woah,” I dig that. A guy told me a long time ago, “People leave your shows singing your songs, not your guitar solos.” It’s true. So, I’ve been trying to write more and be more innovative with my writing.

The D.O.: What is it like being a full-time bus driver and a musician?

T.C.: It’s tiresome sometimes. It’s fun. I feel sometimes like Clark Kent. My other co-workers may go to the casino, and I’ve just come from France, I’ve just come from London, something like that. They ask me, “What did you do this weekend?” I’m like, “I was in London.” It’s cool.

I’m working bad neighborhoods, so most of my riders are from these economically depressed areas. To see the things I see and then to see there is something else is pretty cool. Sometimes I just want to tell people, “Man, it’s a big world out there. Don’t give up, get a passport.”