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| April 16, 2009 |
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| Happy Birthday Blues Blast! Hey Blues Fans, The Blues Blast is now starting our 3rd year of bringing you Blues news! It seems like yesterday but our first official issue went out on April 1, 2007 and here we are two years and more than 100 issues later. Over the last 2 years we have sent you hundreds of CD reviews, live show and festivals reviews, Streaming Blues Radio links, great Blues photos and so much more! So to celebrate this week we have a double issue for you. We have 6 CD reviews, 3 live show reviews, 2 great Blues videos and more in this "anniversary" issue. We could not have done it without our faithful readers. Thanks for all your support! Over the next few months be sure to look for a new website and more of "All news Blues in the US"! Blues Wanderings We made it to the Alamo in Springfield, Illinois for Blue Monday this week to see Too Slim and the Taildraggers. Tim "Too Slim" Langford has a new band and a new CD. The new band includes Polly O'Keary on bass and vocals and Tommy Cook on drums. These Seattle, Washington natives put on a great show. They played some tunes from the new CD "Free Your Mind". Check these guys out if they come your way. They are off to Ireland on tour soon after this current swing through Nebraska and Texas in support of the new CD. To see James Walkers recent review of "Free Your Mind", CLICK HERE In this issue - Blues Reviews and MORE! James Walker reviews a new CD from The Rusty Wright Band. Belinda Foster reviews a new CD by Sean Carney. Mike "Cathead" Nunn reviews a new CD by The Nighthawks. Mark Thompson reviews a new CD by Roger "Hurricane" Wilson and Eric Steiner reviews a new CD by Joe Price and a CD by Johnny Drummer. We also have 3 live Blues show reviews. Joan Turner reviews the International Heritage Celebration in Baton Rouge, LA. Gary Weeks reviews two live shows from Atlanta, GA by Eric Sardinas and Saffire The Uppity Blues Women. Our two videos of the week are clips of Howlin wolf and Freddie King . All this and MORE! SCROLL DOWN!!! |
Featured Blues Review 1 of 6
| Sadson Music www.myspace.com/rustywrightblues 10 songs; Time 48:16; Suggested Style: Southern Blues Rock; Southern Rock I miss good ole blues based Southern Rock. I was in my 20s during the 1970s, and we listened to such great music – starting with the Allman Brothers. Then, 38 Years ago, Duane Allman died. Along came Lynyrd Skynyrd and all was well, but 32 years ago, Lynyrd Skynyrd’s airplane crashed killing Ronnie Van Zant and other band members. Yep, the golden age of Southern Rock came and went with bands like The Outlaws, Capricorn Records era Elvin Bishop, and Molly Hatchet. Some bands are still around like the Charlie Daniels Band, Marshall Tucker Band, and .38 Special, but they reached their zenith back then. By the early 1980s, it had sadly petered out. The Rusty Wright Band from Flint, Michigan has recaptured that muse and spirit from the classic Southern Blues Rock bands. They also refer to early 80s Stevie Ray Vaughan; but, rather than retread the old deep grooves that have become ruts, they are moving the music along nicely in the 21 century. You will definitely enjoy their slide guitar and familiar refrains, riffs, and hooks lifted from the classics, but for anyone born after 1990 and unfamiliar with those earlier acts, it will sound like ground breaking music. Check them out, because after three short years, they are right now on fire! Like a phoenix rising from fiery ashes of the 1970s bands, a guitar wielding dragon on the cover of the second CD from the Rusty Wright Band symbolizes the essence of this group: listening, learning, wood-shedding, blending, and taking the music on up the road, with harmony, style, energy, and fun. In less than three years, this act has jumped from a regional favorite to performing at some of North America's top blues festivals. “Playin' With Fire” takes listeners on a tour of joyful, blues-infused, radio-ready Americana with Motor City flair and attitude. Tastes of jazz, rock, country and even gospel find their way into the music of this six-piece "energized blues storm." Fronting the band with Wright is his wife, vocalist/guitarist Laurie LaCross-Wright. Beyond the guitar fun, the real strength of this CD is their singing. They harmonize beautifully, trade vocals on verses, and alternate lead vocals. Rusty sings in a rich tenor and Laurie's ear pleasing alto completes a match that makes this album a winner! Rounding out the ensemble is a rock-solid rhythm section with Andy Barancik on bass and Pete Haist on drums, Dave Brahce adds B-3 organ, keyboards, and guitar, and Eddie Lester is credited with saxophone and percussion. The first song, “World Upside Down,” gives the listener a nice introduction to the album, but there are surprises to come. It opens with Wright and partners’ guitars harmonically channeling SRV, and from his first notes, the song crackles with dynamic energy. But, that is just the beginning; by 1:12 into the song, soaring Hammond B3 organ takes a tasty solo. Meanwhile, Rusty and Laurie have been trading vocal verses about lovers who are “crazy, lazy, and lost” but with such redeeming qualities that they turn “my world upside down.” Following that rollicking opening song, Track two opens with some ear grabbing slide guitar soon followed by two fisted piano reminiscent of Skynyrd’s Billy Powell. Southern blues veteran Eddie Lester, adds a saxophone solo and then bounces off more of Rusty's guitar solos. Before it is over, Pat Travers runs are heard during twin lead guitar harmonies. At this point, as one’s speakers are smoking, the seasoned listeners realize they have just come across a monster of a band playing old, yet new, music. Proving they are no one trick pony, track three carries the new CD into new territory from the first two. "Lost Souls" is a slow emotional mix of piercing guitar and booming bass notes during the intro soon followed by more mellow organ tones and shimmering jazz chords. The tale of “Lost Souls” is punctuated throughout the 6:28 minutes with welling power and complementing guitar solos. Track four’s focus on smooth vocals again shows the complexity of interests the band brought to the recording. And, speaking of vocal focus, track five, “Make a Liar Out of Me,” will absolutely capture hearts. The twin harmony lead guitars on cut six nicely set up the fun story of the “Last Days of Whitey Malone” and his mis-adventures at the “head cutters ball.” While the opening chords of both the up tempo “Playin’ With Fire” and "What A Ride" will nail you to your seat, “A Change in the Weather” will kill fans of Southern Rock slide guitar. This song was the first cut from the CD that I heard on the radio and the first one I played on my own radio show. One passage reflects the exciting call and response heard on the original Allman Brothers’ version of “One Way Out.” Get this CD and play it for friends both young and older. I guarantee they will be inquiring, “Who is this?” within any three songs! Reviewer James “Skyy Dobro” Walker is a noted Blues writer, DJ and Blues Blast contributor. His weekly radio show “Friends of the Blues” can be heard each Thursday from 4:30 – 6:00pm on WKCC 91.1 FM in Kankakee, IL For other reviews and interviews on our website CLICK HERE. |
Rusty Wright Band - Playin’ With Fire| May 9, 2009 - Downtown Shreveport, Louisiana For complete performer info and tickets visit http://leadbellybluesfestival.com |
Live Blues Review - 1 of 3
| April 8th, 2009 Like many other blues acts that come from America, Eric Sardinas and Big Motor tour Europe so much that it has become their second home. Blues enthusiasts are well aware that Europe embraces these musicians with open arms. And Sardinas is such a hot act, he doesn't go unrecognized in countries on the other side of the globe. He might have made a big mistake playing Smithe's Old Bar In Atlanta on a Wednesday night. The weekend would probably have been better for him as people would not have had to get up for work the next day. Sardinas played only to a 100 or so people. It's too bad. Eric Sardinas and Big Motor is a wrecking ball of bluesbuster sound. Eric could very well have sold his soul to the devil at the crossroad. With an electrified dobro, Eric is a whirlwind of fury. Big Motor's music is geared to a crossbreed of blue collar workers, blues enthusiasts and night owls looking to get pulverized by blistering blues rock. Watching Sardinas perform is nothing short of heartstopping. He tears into his instrument, slashing notes with vicious slide attacks as if a horde of piranhas were in a feeding frenzy on a piece of steak. Eric reminds you of a younger Johnny Winter in his prime with bloodkin lines tracing to Robert Johnson. At one point during his set, Eric left the stage to let his bassist and drummer solo while obviously taking a break from such an over-the-top performance. The duo provided an earthquake of rhythm loud enough to make bits of paper fall off the ceiling. It's surprising they didnt' fall through the floor to the downstairs bar below. Sardina's did enough of his own compositions without falling into the trap of phoning it in like a predictable jukebox of standards. But when he did the Muddy Waters classic "Cant Be Satisfied, " one couple couldn't resist the urge to get out on the dancefloor and get their mojo working. Eric stamped this Dockery Plantation number with his indelible blueprint of bourbon slide boogie. Eric has a reputation of going out into the audience while still ripping sweat drenched notes in a slide mania. The man's even been known to set his guitar on fire. None of that happened this night. No it wasn't disappointing. But it would have been great to photographers wanting to capture a precious snapshot of time. It's nothing to ruin your evening. Sardinas might get a little tired of presenting a nightly bag of tricks that for him just gets too damned repetitive. It's one thing to have a couple of Eric Sardinas' cds. The man's forte is live performances. You just have to be there to experience the sound. Once you do, you'll need a couple of days to recover from an almost cardiac arrest. The show stretched to an hour and forty-five minutes. The encore was "Roadhouse Blues" done the Eric Sardinas way. Dedicating this number to Jeff Healey, Eric pulled it off effortlessly as he rocked this number into hard shuffle stomp. Jim Morrison and the Doors might have authored this song. Sardinas hyper-drived this mother into a Delta slidefest of Mississippi White Lightning. After it was all over, you wondered if the roof was still on the joint. It was one of those gigs you would rave about for days after. If you see this guy, bring earplugs. Your cage will still be more then rattled. Review and photos by Gary Weeks For other reviews and interviews on our website CLICK HERE. |
Eric Sardinas and Big Motor - Live at Smithes Old Bar, Atlanta, GA| For tickets and info CLICK HERE |
Blues Society News
Send your Blues Society's BIG news or Press Release to: Please submit a maximum of 175 or words or less in a Text or Word format ONLY. Central Mississippi Blues Society – Jackson, MS The CMBS presents Blue Monday at Hal & Mal’s (200 Commerce St., Jackson, MS) every Monday night. Doors open @ 8:00 and music begins @ 8:30. Cover is $5. The Blue Monday Band is comprised of the “best of the best “ musicians in the Central MS area. Featured artists are King Edward, lead guitar/vocalist and Pat Brown, Abdul Rasheed and Dennis Fountain as vocalists. Other regular band members are Dwight Ross and Rick Lewis (drums), Keith Collins (bass), Johnny Sharpe (keys) and Malcolm Shepherd (CMBS President) on Congas. Most of these musicians appeared in The Last of the Mississippi Jukes. The Blue Monday Band plays the first set and then the event turns into a jam. For more info see: www.centralmississippibluessociety.com or call Peggy Brown @ 601-613-7377 Friends Of The Blues Shows - Kankakee IL The Friends of the Blues has started their 2009 Blues concert Series. Here are thie shows for April. Saturday, April 18 – Reverend Raven & Chain Smoking Altar Boys, 8:00 PM, Kankakee Valley Boat Club, Cobb Boulevard, Kankakee IL(815) 936-1699 Tuesday, April 21 – Damon Fowler, 7:00 PM, Kankakee Elks Country Club, 2283 Bittersweet Drive, St. Anne Il. 815-937-1228 Mississippi Valley Blues Society - Davenport, IA The Mississippi Valley Blues Society presents Toronto guitar wizard Shawn Kellerman and his band on Monday, April 20 at the Rock Island Brewing Company, 1815 Second Ave., Rock Island, IL. Admission is $7.00, $5.00 for blues society members, and the show starts at 7:00 p.m. For more info contact call the MVBS office at 563-32-BLUES or Hal Reed at 563-650-4303 Illinois Central Blues Club - Springfield, IL BLUE MONDAY SHOWS Held at the Alamo 115 N 5th St, Springfield, IL (217) 523-1455 every Monday 8:30pm $2 cover - Apr 20 - Pleasure Chest, Apr 27 - Nothin' But Trouble River City Blues Society- Peoria, IL The River City Blues Society's Wednesday Blues Series in Central, Illinois are early shows each Wednesday at 7:00pm, featuring the best traveling regional and National Blues musicians. The shows feature a budget priced cover charge of $4. The shows are held at the Dragon's Dome, 3401 Griffin Ave in Pekin, IL. Shows scheduled are: Apr 22 - Damon Fowler Group, April 29 - Bob Dorr & The Blue Band, May 6 Shannon Curfman w/ opening act Barb Hamilton, May 13 - Scott Ellison, May 20 - Deak Harp, May 27 - The Insomniacs |
http://cdbaby.com/cd/brandonscottsellner
Featured Blues Review 2 of 6
Belinda Foster is a Columnist and Contributing Writer for Greenville SC Magazine “Industry Mag” and former manager of Mac Arnold & Plate Full O’Blues. She currently books blues-rock-jam musicians and is a devoted promoter and supporter of live blues root music and history, making frequent trips to “The Crossroads” and Clarksdale Mississippi, birthplace of the blues. Her column “The Upstate Blues Report” can be found on line at www.industrymag.net For other reviews and interviews on our website CLICK HERE. |
The Sean Carney Band - Live Blues On Whyte
Live Blues Review - 2 of 3
| On Sunday, April 5, 2009, Baton Rouge, Louisiana hosted the 12th. Annual International Heritage Celebration. Presented by the Baton Rouge Center for World Affairs, the event is designed to bring the community closer together by highlighting its rich muli-cultural makeup with music, food, dance, storytelling and educational booths from many countries. One of the most colorful and interesting features of the celebration this year was the Parade of Nations. With bagpipers leading the way, Mayor – President Melvin “Kip” Holden led country representatives as they marched dressed in native costumes and presenting their countries’ flags. The free event highlighted entertainment on three stages, the International Music Stage, the International Dance Stage and the Louisiana Heritage Music Stage. Under the capable direction of producer and Baton Rouge music industry leader Henry Turner, Jr., the Louisiana Heritage Music Stage provided a rich variety of talent from many musical genres across the state, including Cajun, gospel, rock, jazz, reggae, funk, Native American and blues. Outstanding performers included Lori Kates, Briggs Brown and Bayou Cajuns, Jonathan Long and the Baton Rouge Soul Explosion, Wonton Lust, Lil Fallay, the Herman Jackson Trio, Nukie, Step Child, King Solomon, the GreyHawk Band, Henry Turner, Jr. & Flavor, Gordon Nurse and the Steel Drummer/Island Band. Of special interest was a performance by the Mystic Belly Dancers, a Tahitian dance group from Corpus Christi, Texas. Other fun events included a children’s and adult’s limbo contest. In a city known as the “Blues Music Capital of Louisiana” that has produced such legendary artists as Slim Harpo, Buddy Guy, Henry Gray, Raful Neal, Tabby Thomas and his son, Grammy Award-winning super star Chris Thomas King, great blues performances are expected on such occasions, and blues lovers at the International Heritage Celebration were not disappointed. Veteran blues artist and former Malaco Records star King Solomon and his band turned in an outstanding performance. Solomon, born Johny B. Willis, is a master bassist, a writer, singer, producer, and performer who has toured throughout the United States and in several European countries. He now owns his own Knapp Town Sound label and his album Blues Take One is currently available. Nukie, an exciting new star on the Baton Rouge blues and soul scene, thrilled fans as she belted out her songs like a young Aretha Franklin. Her sultry voice and warm Southern charm is a winning combination. Nukie, born Dekisha Miller, is a powerful performer with vibrant talent and a unique style all her own. Her new singles are available from Hit City Records. Lil Fallay, Chris Andrus, a finalist for Southern Soul Male Artist of the Year, 2009, rocked the stage with his charismatic and exciting performance. He brought festival goers to their feet when he introduced his new dance sensation the “Zydefunk Slide.” A polished and professional artist with a string of hit albums, including Dreams Do Come True, Taste Me, and Follow My Lead, Fallay thrilled listeners with songs like “A Mother’s Love,” and “L-O-V-E under Arrest.” The 2009 International Heritage Celebration was an outstanding event that spotlighted the diversity and hospitality of Baton Rouge and the remarkable array of talent the city and state have to offer. Plans are already underway to make next year’s festival even more memorable. For more information: http://www.brcwa.com or http://www.myspace.com/ihclouisianastage. Review by Joan Turner For other reviews and interviews on our website CLICK HERE. |
The 12th. Annual International Heritage Celebration Live Review
Jonathan “Boogie” Long, a gifted young songwriter and blues artist, thrilled fans with his dynamic performance. Jonathan and his band, the Baton Rouge Soul Explosion, recently represented the Baton Rouge Blues Society in the 2009 International Blues Competition in Memphis. Picked by B. B. King’s Blues Club to perform at The New Daisy Theater for the title of King of Beale Street, Jonathan sang his way to second place and a $500.00 cash prize. His debut album is coming soon and his own composition “Blues Revolution” is a hit in the making.
Blues Video of the Week 1 of 2
| This week we feature a video by Blues legend Howlin Wolf. Born Chester Arthur Burnett on June 10, 1910, Howlin' Wolf remains one of the most influential Blues musicians of all time. Many of his hit songs such as "Smokestack Lightnin'," "Back Door Man" and "Spoonful" are standards of blues and blues rock to this day. This 6 foot 6 inch, 300 pound man continues to influence young Blues musicians today. This 1964 video is Wolf at the top of his game when his music influenced some of the great British rockers like the Rolling Stones and Eric Clapton. To see this cool video on our website, click the play button below. . For other videos on our website CLICK HERE. |
Howlin Wolf - 
The Smokie Blues International Festival - August 14 - 16, 2009
The Golf Hotel, Carnoustie, Scotland
For tickets an info www.SmokieBlues.com or www.oxfordhotelsandinns.com
Featured Blues Review 3 of 6
For other reviews and interviews on our website CLICK HERE. |
Roger Hurricane Wilson - Exodus| New CD from Alex Dixon Band Rising From The Bushes For more info CLICK HERE Dixon Landing Music
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Featured Blues Review 4 of 6
For other reviews and interviews on our website CLICK HERE. |
Live Blues Review - 3 of 3
For other reviews and interviews on our website CLICK HERE. |
Featured Blues Review 5 of 6
For other reviews and interviews on our website CLICK HERE. |
| BJ Allen & Blue Voodoo "Heartless" "From fun to funky to soulful ballads and back again" - Blues Blast Magazine To read the complete review CLICK HERE Available now at:
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Featured Blues Review 6 of 6
For other reviews and interviews on our website CLICK HERE. |
Johnny Drummer - Rockin’ in the Juke Joint| | The River City Blues Society presents Wednesday Blues 7:00pm Early Shows featuring April 22 -Damon Fowler Group The Dragon's Dome To see Map- CLICK HERE Admission $4
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Blues Video of the Week 2 of 2
| This video is a live recording made when Freddie was in Austin to play at the Armadillo World Headquarters in April 1976. Richard Halpin (Jail Arts & Education Project) got Freddie and his brother Bennie to play for the inmates at the Travis Co. Jail. He plays several songs in this video on acoustic guitar with his brother Bennie who played bass in his band. Recordings of Freddie King on acoustic guitar are rare. Freddie King died in December 1976 To see this cool video on our website, click the play button below. . For other videos on our website CLICK HERE. |
Freddie King - Live Blues Calendar
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Performance dates were submitted by Musicians, Club Owners, Blues Societies and Blues festivals. TheBluesBlast.com is not responsible for errors or omissions.
or click a state to see Blues shows by State Alabama Alaska Arizona Arkansas California Colorado Connecticut Delaware D.C. Florida Georgia Performance dates submitted by Musicians, Clubs, Blues Societies and Blues festivals. The BluesBlast.com is not responsible for errors or omissions. |
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