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Friday, December 10, 2010

Press Release: Dwight And Nicole

For Immediate Release
Popular Music: soul/blues/rock
Media Contact for Dwight & Nicole:
Bonnie Ahl, 917-756-4138 (cell), bonnieahl@gmail.com
December 2010 [for New Years Eve concert]
[high rez digital images and CDs available; for sound bytes visit www.dwightandnicole.com]


New Years Eve 1/1/11
DWIGHT & NICOLE
8:00 pm & 10:30 pm performances
[dinner package combined with first show, starting at 5:30 pm]
December 31, 2010
Lizard Lounge
[dinner at West Side Lounge]

"Dwight & Nicole are truly great!"
(Dr. John)


(Cambridge, MA 02138)  Dwight & Nicole’s New Year’s Eve 1/1/11.  Friday, December 31st, 8:00 pm & 10:30 pm performances, with a dinner package combined with the first show starting at 5:30 pm.  Tickets: $40 for each performance; $75 for dinner at West Side Lounge (1680 Massachusetts Ave.) combined with the 8:00 pm Lizard Lounge performance.  Lizard Lounge, 1667 Massachusetts Ave, Cambridge.  For tickets and information: www.lizardloungeclub.com, info@lizardloungeclub.com, 617-547-0759.

Soul/blues singers Dwight & Nicole (Dwight Ritcher & Nicole Nelson) have partnered with the Lizard Lounge and the West Side Lounge in Cambridge to put on a sure-to-inspire 1/1/11 New Year’s Eve celebration.  Fans can ring in the New Year with customized packages ranging from $40-$75.  There is an early 8:00 pm show that is being offered with an optional $35 prix fixe dinner beforehand at the West Side Lounge located right across Mass. Ave. from the Lizard Lounge.  Take note that the dinner option is only available to the first 85 ticket holders for the 8:00 pm show.

2010 has been a big year for Dwight & Nicole, who were nominated for their fourth Boston Music Award for Best Blues act of 2010.  Their passionate live shows present a fresh, modern take on traditional blues and soul music.  Icing on the cake for D&N fans will come in the form of a well timed 1/1/11 release of their acclaimed album !Signs on 12” vinyl which will be available at the New Year’s Eve performances.  www.dwightandnicole.com   

Andy Coats Update

I regularly post gig updates for friends of mine, and one of my good friends is former Iowan Andy Coats who performs in North Carolina.   I was surprised to see this cancellation of an upcoming gig for Andy due to SNOW!  I expect snow here in Iowa.  In fact up here in NW Iowa we are expecting 4-8 inches of snow with single digits temperatures, and possibly up to 50 mile an hour winds!  However, if you are in North Carolina Andy is not playing tomorrow. Here is his update:

Hey folks, 

The winery at RagApple will be closed on Saturday, due to all the snow they've gotten this week, so that gig has been postponed.  

But my City Tap show is still on -- hope to see you there!

Friday, December 10, 9 pm - mid
Andy Coats, solo
City Tap

89 Hillsboro Street
Pittsboro, NC 27312
(919) 545-0562
www.thecitytap.com


Bob Corritore Blues News

December 9, 2011
  • Pinetop Perkins appears Friday at the Rhythm Room! The legendary Pinetop Perkins, now 97 years old, makes an appearance on Friday, December 10th, at the Rhythm Room, in Phoenix. He will be backed by the Rhythm Room All-Stars (Bob Corritore, Chris James, Patrick Rynn, and Brian Fahey). Pinetop Perkins is best known as the longtime pianist in the Muddy Waters band who replaced Otis Spann. Pinetop made his first recording for Sun Records with the Earl Hooker band in 1953. Pinetop has won numerous Blues Music Awards, Grammy Awards, and will soon be receiving a 2011 Govenor's award from the state of Mississippi (click here to read about it). His latest release, Pinetop Perkins & Willie "Big Eyes" Smith / Joined At The Hip, on the Tel-Arc label has just been nominated for a Grammy! For more information on Pinetop Perkins' show at the Rhythm Room this Friday and to buy tickets click here. Note the Rhythm Room All-Stars also perform Saturday at the Rhythm Room.
  • Phoenix Harmonica Showcase tonight at the Rhythm room. Tonight the Rhythm Room presents a Phoenix Harmonica Showcase with host band The Rocket 88s featuring Bill Tarsha. Other harmonica players include Sugar Bear, Gypsy, King Gypsy, Doc, Robert Jackson, Harmonica Boyd, John Calley, Walking Cane Mark, Paul Klapper, Roy Pinn, Campfire Rick, Blind Ronnie, Chicago Lenny, Steve Passerelli, Tumbleweed, Rob Hale, Keith Rogers, Rockin' Rueben, Sam McRae, Larry Polk, Ray DeSylvester, Dwight Miles, Dennis Karp, Bruce Wilson and Bob Corritore. The doors open at 7pm and the show kicks off at 8pm. The Rhythm Room is located at 1019 E. Indian School Rd., Phoenix, AZ 85014.
  • Blues Grammy nominations announced! It is always fascinating to see who makes the final nomination cut in the Grammy's. For the most part the nominees are seasoned blues veterans, but this year's nominees also include a pop artist who crossed over for a one album project, and a youthful blues-rock guitarist who has included some seasoned blues veterans in his project. Whatever your feelings about this are, these are the folks that earned this honor through the Grammy nomination process.
     
    Best Traditional Blues Album
    1. James Cotton - Giant!
    2. Cyndi Lauper - Memphis Blues
    3. Charlie Musselwhite - The Well
    4. Pinetop Perkins & Willie "Big Eyes" Smith - Joined At the Hip
    5. Jimmie Vaughan - Play Blues, Ballads, & Favorites

    Best Contemporary Blues Album
    1. Solomon Burke - Nothing's Impossible
    2. Dr. John - Tribal
    3. Buddy Guy - Living Proof
    4. Bettye LaVette - Interpretations: The British Rock Songbook
    5. Kenny Wayne Shepherd ft. Bryan Lee, Buddy Flett, Willie "Big Eyes" Smith, and Hubert Sumlin - Live In Chicago
     
    Some blues associated artists also appear outside the blues categories. We see nominations for the Carolina Chocolate Drops, Luther Dickinson & the Sons of Mudboy, and Maria Muldaur in the Best Traditional Folk Album category. Also Chubby Carrier has made it into the category of Best Zydeco or Cajun Music Album. Congratulations to all the nominees.
    The winners will be announced at the 53rd Annual Grammys Awards, set for February 13th, at the Staples Center, in Los Angeles. CBS will broadcast the ceremony live, but the blues categories are announced earlier that day, in a non-televised afternoon ceremony.
  • Bob Corritore & Friends / Harmonica Blues in the news! Delta Groove Newsletter! We have recently posted the 60th review of Bob Corritore & Friends / Harmonica Blues (click here, to see). Harmonica Blues has had 4 months on the Living Blues Radio Charts with a peak position of #2, 14 weeks on the Roots Music Report Blues Chart with a peak position of #4, and 9 weeks on the House of Blues Radio Hour Chart with a peak position of #8. It has been and continues to be featured on both XM / Sirius Bluesville and Music Choice. Thanks to everyone at Delta Groove for a grand promotional effort. Bob's release will be highlighted in the forthcoming Delta Groove Newsletter which should be out soon (to sign up for Delta Groove's great newsletter, click here).
  • Pocono Blues Festival discontinued. The Pocono Blues Festival, headed by Michael Cloren, has always represented the highest mark for US blues festivals. Sadly, due the economic slowdown, the Pocono Blues Festival has been discontinued just short of it's 20th year. To read more about this occurance on the festival website, click here. Thanks to Michael, and all the folks at this festival, for many years of providing a great platform for blues music to be heard.
  • Son House 1969 live concert to be released by Arcola Records! Bob West of Arcola Records reports of a new new Son House CD, due out in early 2011. It will be a 2 CD release of Son House's 1969 Seattle concert plus an interview that Bob did with Son at the same time. Bob Groom and Dick Waterman have authored the liner notes for this release. Arcola Records is a small but mighty label with a catalog of important blues CDs, recorded in the 1960s and 1970s, by Furry Lewis and Bukka White (together), Henry Townsend, Big Al Calhoun (an amazing CD by this obscure St. Louis harmonica player with Henry Townsend on guitar), Sunnyland Slim, and Babe Stovall. The Arcola catalog also includes a number of jazz titles. For more information on Arcola Records, click here.
  • Sonny Boy Williamson II on YouTube! Please enjoy this wonderful preformance of Sonny Boy Williamson at the 1963 American Folk Blues Festival in Germany. Accompanying Sonny Boy is the great Otis Spann on Piano, Willie Dixon on the bass, Billy Stepney on drums, and Matt "Guitar" Murphy. Sonny Boy sings "Nine Below Zero" (Click here, to see).
  • Corrected Chicago Blues Guide link! In our newsletter of November 17th, we posted a broken link to the Chicago Blues Guide's coverage of the 3rd annual Blues Blast Music Awards that happened on October 28th at Buddy Guy's Legends in Chicago. Linda Cain has written a wonderful reflection of this great event (including some nice photos) that has appeared on the Chicago Blues Guide website. Click here to see the correct link! Thanks to Bob Kieser of Blues Blast Magazine for once again throwing this spectacular and well run event! 
  • Brazil Recap! The blues family as I would define it, would be the world-wide network of blues lovers connected by the commonality of their deep love for blues music. I have often been deeply touched by the "family" connections, as I travel to play various festivals and concerts, both in North America and in Europe. Dave Riley and I recently had the honor to travel to Brazil (or Brasil as it is spelled in it's own country) to do a few concerts. This was our first time in South America and we were greeted with open arms. We were brought over by Adrian Flores, an Argentina born blues promoter, now living in Brazil, with a long resume of blues activity (blues drummer and vocalist, concert organizer, label owner, producer, and former blues radio show host, and blues club owner). Also in Adrian's team was Luciano "Big Mouth" Boca, a fine blues harmonica player, band leader, promoter and an official endorser of the Brazilian harmonica company Hering Harmonicas. Dave and I had two concerts together. Dave was able to stay an additional week and do two additional shows while I returned home for my previous commitment to do a show at the Tempe Center For The Arts.
    Dave and I flew in on separate flights and met up at the airport in Sao Paulo, Brazil. It was a great coincidence to run into my old friend Teddy Morgan at the airport customs line as we both arrived in the country. It was here we met Adrian, Luciano, and their friend and aspiring harmonica player, Barney Virlei, who would be our driver for a good part of the trip. We had a 3 or 4 hour drive from Sao Paulo to Pocos de Caldas, where our first show would be. The drive involved some sight seeing. We stopped at a wonderful restaurant where waiters would bring skewers of various delicious meats, each with a unique and wonderful flavor. Dave Riley normally does not embrace the cuisine of a foreign country ("Where is the McDonald's?"), but he really took to the the Brazilian dishes. I really enjoyed the popular Brazilian specialty of chicken hearts, which I had never tasted before. At another point on this drive we stopped at a rest area and Dave and I took photos with some little monkeys who were easily persuaded from their tree by the lure of a banana. When we arrived at our destination we settled into our rooms, cleaned up, and had a nice dinner before rehearsing with Adrian Flores for the next night's show. Our first show was at an old train station that had been converted into a venue, and had become the home of a regular community concert series. Luciano Boca's band opened before Dave and I took the stageLuciano and his son, Pedro Otávio, would later join us as special guests at the end of our set. It appears that the community was really primed for the show as we had a full house and an amazingly warm response. Thanks to Luciano's promotional efforts and to the kind people of Pocos De Caldas. To see the poster for this event click here.
    The next day started with a trip back to the Sao Paulo airport to catch a flight to beautiful Porto Alegre. This show featured Dave and I in duet setting in a beautiful concert room at a bank that hosts regular jazz and blues concerts. Once again we were treated to an enthusiastic full house. This audience in particular was a very blues knowledgeable bunch, with folks eager to purchase our hard to come by American blues CDs. While on the road with Adrian Flores, I was very impressed by his many stories of bringing blues acts to South America. He has promoted tours with Phil Guy, John Primer, Hubert Sumlin, Lefty Dizz, Magic Slim, Eddie C. Campbell, Little Mack Simmons, James Cotton, Billy Branch, James Wheeler,and Larry McCray. He played me numerous, priceless recordings from blues artists appearing on his former radio show, as well as some great live concert recordings. He gave me a present of a stack of wonderful CDs from his Blues Special record label including a Little Mack Simmons release that was done just a few months before Mack's passing. Adrian has also recorded a whole CD where he sings blues in Spanish to a traditional Chicago blues backing (Note that the language of Brazil is Portuguese while other countries in South America speak Spanish). Adrian really lives the blues and has done this music a great service by tirelessly promoting it to the South American people. His contributions are simply amazing. 
    That was it for my shows, but I opted to take an extra day and a half in Sao Paulo where I would visit my friend Ivan Marcio, another fine Brazilian harmonica player that I met on-line a few years ago through Myspace, and would later meet in person at the Chicago Blues Festival. Ivan has worked and recorded with the Igor Prado Band who currently have an excellent new release out with Lynwood Slim on the Delta Groove label called Brazilian Kicks. Ivan recently released a CD called Chicago Blues Session Vol 1 recorded in the windy city in 2008. He played me some duet sessions he did with Jon McDonald that will be released in a forthcoming CD. Ivan took me around for some nice meals and some coconut milk (straight from the coconut). He also took me to an amazing store in Santos, Brazil, called Harmonica Master. This store is completely devoted to blues harmonica, and while there I met owner Rodrigo Morenno, and music writer Eugenio Martins Jr., who interviewed me for a future article. Ivan Marcio is also an official endorser of Bends Harmonicas, which is yet another Brazilian harmonica manufacturer. While I was at Harmonica Master, I was pleasantly surprised to learn of the many fine blues harmonica players living in Brazil.
    In summary, I am now in love with Brazil, for its warm, beautiful people, the great food and culture, and for the blues scene it so joyously supports. Dave Riley and I both had the greatest time, and we are very excited to go back for a festival appearance in July. Obregado (that's thank you in Portuguese). To see a photo page of some of the sites of our trip to Brazil click here.
    -Bob Corritore

Jim Jackson: Kansas City Blues

Cool song by Jim Jackson.  This song has deep roots as one of the oldest blues songs.  Other songs that have equally as long roots, are C C Rider, Stagger Lee, and Joe Turner Blues (Not KC Jump blues artists Joe Turner, but a sheriff in Mississippi)

Monday, December 6, 2010

John Hammer Blues News

INFORMATION
 
'Cookin' In The Kitchen'

'Blues With A Smile'

'Red Hot'

'Diamonds In The Dirt'
  

Important Links
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Fillin' Dance Cards on the Radio
  You can dance with yer Honey, a broom stick or just by yourself; but you will dance. December 12th on
Hammered By The Blues  (every Sunday on KOWZ 1170AM at 10pm) we kick our dance party off with the sophisticated stylings of New York native Anne Mironchik off her brand new release 'Cookin' In The Kitchen'. To keep those tappin' tootsies happy, we have Biscuit Miller tossin' the joy juice atcha off 'Blues With A Smile'. To heat things up on the linoleum dance floor The Blazers set loose the conflagration with selections off 'Red Hot'. Leavin' ya gaspin' for air we allow Joanne Shaw Taylor have her way with ya with some original gems off 'Diamonds In The Dirt'. It don't matter the age, dancin' is the best therapy for stayin' young!
 We issue the challenge and toss out the dare; 
 Get your keister on up and outta that chair;
We'll supply the inspiration you supply the sweat;
You know dancin' to stay young is the best bet!
Hammer-time! 
Fresh Stuff Ya Wanna Know
December Blue Monday
NOW On Line

Check Out: BLUES PARTY
by Charles 'Big Daddy' Stallings
www.bigdaddystallings.com

*Special FREE MUSIC Offer*
From Aaron Williams & The Hoodoo
sign up for for their monthly newsletter and you can download a FREE EP
drop by website-> AARON WILLIAMS

'We got what yer lookin' for at
Hammered By the Blues'

Listen On Line Now: Click Here <-
Episode #240 featuring
: Reverend Raven & The Chainsmokin' Altarboys, Shaun Murphy, Chris Bell, and Michael Coleman & The Delmark All Stars


Be sure to check out brand new blues on the Juke Box Page, vote for your favorite song and enter to win a 2010 Limited Edition Blue Monday Lapel Pin

 
'Hammered By The Blues' now on
 ROCKIN U RADIO on LIVE365 11pm to 1am Monday, Wednesday and Friday!
Give a listen - > CLICK HERE for LINK
Print Out The 'OPPORTUNITIES LIVE' section at Blue Monday OnLine offering somethin' to do in LIVE MUSIC in Minnesota, Iowa, St. Louis, Omaha, Lincoln, Clarksdale, and Memphis at: bluemondaymonthly.com
Just click on the link above -or- type the name into your browser; right click on the Calendar page you want, save and print. Yes, it is just that easy!

John 'blueshammer' Hammer
Blue Monday Monthly Magazine
www.bluemondaymonthly.com
Hammered By The Blues Weekly Radio
KOWZ 1170am/ 100.9fm
510 West McKinley
Owatonna, MN 55060

Pratish Motwane Blues From India

Got this email today.  It is nice to see the blues going on in India. I embedded a video of the band below. enjoy!

Blues from India!

Pratish Motwane bluesman extraordinaire, formed the Beat Root Blues Band in 2004 to recreate the sound of music that influenced just about every major artiste in the world today. The band since then, has performed at live music venues all over the country and has been selected to perform alongside legends like Buddy Guy and Robert Cray at a major international blues festival in Mumbai slated for February 2011. The band went through several personnel changes over the years with Prat's rock solid harp and vocals being the central force around which the band evolved.

After years of being on the road belting out all forms of the blues, Pratish decided it was time to create his own signature sound of the blues. He got in touch with the band's former bassman Colin D'Cruz who is now a music producer based in Goa. Colin suggested adding Dave Kelly a smoking blues guitarist from the UK, currently based in Goa, to the lineup that included veteran Mumbai based drummer Claude Abranches. Things just kept falling into place from then on. A villa in Sangolda will serve as the rehearsal/jam pad for the four musicians who will use Goa's inspiring environment over the next three months to create an exciting new 'Indian' sound of the blues!

THE BEAT ROOT BLUES BAND
Pratish Motwane-vocals/harp
Dave Kelly-guitar
Colin D'Cruz-bass
Claude Abranches-drums
Pratish has been passionate about music and the blues in particular as far back as he can remember. He balances a career in the corporate world where he is on the board of directors of several multinationals, with his music career that took off in New York City where he was based in the early nineties. He returned to India and decided to tilt the scale in favor of the blues forming The Beat Root Blues Band in 2004 and then touring the length and breadth of the country over the last six years belting out nothing but every style of the blues..



Dave is a UK based, smoking hot blues guitar player who has toured the world as the wailing guitar in innumerable all blues bands. He will be recording and touring with The Beat Root Boys over the next six months. Dave plays every bluesman’s favorite axe the Fender telecaster and actually makes the instrument emote onstage. He has been influenced by all the legends that blues has produced over the years and looks forward to performing alongside some of them when the band performs at the biggest ever international blues festival in Mumbai come February 2011.



Colin used to be one of the original members of the band before he moved to Goa in 2008 to set up base as a music producer. He runs a state of the art recording studio from his home in Sangolda and has been recording and broadcasting local talent on Goa's 105.4 FM Rainbow. Pratish reconnected with Colin when he decided to record his own songs and along with the recording project, he decided to go on the road with the band once again.



Claude is one of India's drum legends. He has been at it for close to four decades starting off as a nightclub drummer in the early seventy’s. He gigged with just about every jazz/blues artiste in Mumbai and around the country on five star hotel residencies before hitting the concert and festival circuit. He has an amazing feel for rhythm and sinks naturally into the groove of a song even if he happens to be playing it for the first time.








Illinois Blues Blast! Blues News!


The FREE Internet Magazine - All news BLUES!
Can't see images? Click Here
December 2, 2010
© 2010 Blues Blast Magazine
Latest news, photos, reviews, links & MUCH MORE in this issue! Scroll or Page Down!

Website Links: Reviews    Links   Photos    Videos     Blues Radio     Blues Shows    Advertise for FREE!     Past Issues

Hey Blues Fans,
The 2010 Grammy Nominations for Blues were announced this week. Here are the nominees:
Best Traditional Blues Album
James Cotton - Giant
Cyndi Lauper - Memphis Blues
Charlie Musselwhite - The Well
Pinetop Perkins & Willie 'Big Eyes' Smith - Joined At The Hip
Jimmie Vaughan - Plays Blues, Ballads & Favorites

Best Contemporary Blues Album
Solomon Burke - Nothing's Impossible
Dr. John And The Lower 911 - Tribal
Buddy Guy - Living Proof
Bettye LaVette - Interpretations: The British Rock Songbook
Kenny Wayne Shepherd Band - Live! In Chicago
Featuring Hubert Sumlin, Willie "Big Eyes" Smith, Bryan Lee, And Buddy Flett
For a complete list of Grammy nominees in all music styles, CLICK HERE

Blues Wanderings
We made it out to hear Aussie Bluesman Harper recently.  He brought his didge of course, much to the delight of the crowd. He performed several songs from his recent release Stand Together. Good stuff Mate!

In This Issue
We have five Blues music reviews this week! Sheralyn Graise reviews a new CD from Cicero Blake. Steve Jones reviews a new CD by Studebaker John’s Maxwell Street Kings. Brian Holland reviews a new CD by Track44. George "Blues Fin Tuna" Fish reviews a new CD by Pete Cornelius. John Mitchell reviews a new CD by Mikey Jr and Matt Daniels.  All this and MORE! SCROLL DOWN!!!


 Blues Want Ads
 Blues Musicians - Place YOUR Want Ad Here for FREE
Blues Music Writers wanted
Blues Blast Magazine is looking for music writers to review new Blues CD's and interview Blues musicians. If you have a background and experience with Blues music and like to write we can provide new CD's for you to review. Must be willing to write a minimum of one review every other week. Reviewer keeps the CD's for writing the review.  If interested please send a sample of your writing and a short bio of your Blues background to
Please include phone number in your reply.
All ads submitted will be used if space allows. If space is limited, ads will be randomly selected to appear.   "workin Blues performers" ONLY can place Want Ads here for FREE.  Buy or sell equipment , musicians wanted, gigs wanted etc. Limit 100 words. Send your ad submission to  NO Commercial Ads! 

 Featured Blues Review 1 of 5
Cicero Blake - I’m Satisfied
11 Tracks
Cicero Blake was born in Jackson, Mississippi but raised in Chicago. He performed in various singing groups before going solo in 1962. He has recorded for a variety of labels throughout his career. Blake was one of the mentioned artists in the September, 2008 Living Blues Chicago Issue. He is one of many Chicago “soul blues” legends but just not as well known outside of Chicago as Tyrone Davis, Curtis Mayfield, and Jerry Butler.
Blake was away from the music scene after a series of tragedies, including a battle with cancer. He returned with a CD in 2008 but it suffered from poor production. This new CD features a few of Blake’s standards through the years that have been retooled and updated, such as “Into Something,” “Here Comes The Heartaches,” and “Dip My Dipper.” There are also a few new songs mostly written by Carl Marshall who is the producer of the CD. Marshall also provides the guitar, bass, organ, and background vocals! The first thought that came to mind in seeing the title of this CD, I’m Satisfied, was Muddy Waters’ Can’t Be Satisfied.
“I Can’t Go On Mrs. Jones,” is another play on a famous song, “Me and Mrs. Jones,” by Billy Paul. In this instance, however, Blake is letting go of his married Mrs. Jones. The title track, “I’m Satisfied,” is positioned to be a new Blake standard and is repeated in extended form later on the CD. The band, consisting of the aforementioned Carl Marshall, Andre Houston, Antoine Stewart, and Troy Anthony is smooth and tight. They particularly shine on “She Works The Night Shift,” and “It’s The Blues Uprising.” The music on these two tracks makes these my favorite cuts on the CD. “In The Vibe Room/Let Jesus Lead You” is the last track. On it he gives testimony to surviving and recovering from cancer and working to return to music.
The bottom line is I’m Satisfied is a good CD. Even though his voice isn"t what it used to be, he still sounds great and a whole lot better than many “so-called” singers.
Reviewer Sheralyn Graise graduated from the University of Akron a while back. A former Social Services professional, she is now pursuing other interests such as music history, writing, and photography. She has been a member of the Blues Foundation since 2001.
For other reviews and interviews on our website CLICK HERE


 Blues Society News

 Send your Blues Society's BIG news or Press Release to:  
You can submit a maximum of 125 words or less in a Text or MS Word document format.

Colorado Blues Society - Boulder, CO
Sunday November 28th The Colorado Blues Society and Boulder Outlook are presenting Otis Taylor’s Trans Blues Certified Jam Work Shop. Join Otis for a rare opportunity to learn his unique perspective on music. Otis has played with a virtual who’s who of Blues stars over the years and has won numerous Blues Foundation awards. The workshop runs from 1PM to 5PM with a Live one hour jam with Otis and the Students at 6PM. Followed by an open Blues Jam hosted by Lionel Young.
The workshop is open to all ages and all levels. It’s for musicians, singers, writers and educators, even poets. All instruments welcome, acoustic and electric (bring your amp if electric). The cost is $40 per student. To reserve your spot call the Boulder Outlook at 303-443-3322. 800 28th Street, Boulder, CO. There is no specific level or age, kids are particularly welcome, as are teachers. The Colorado Blues Society will be providing four scholarships for hardship cases. www.coblues.com
Also The Colorado Blues Society is holding their 1st Annual Holiday Party & Benefit December 11, 2010. Headlining the show will be 2009 IBC winners, JP Soars and the Red Hots. Opening the event will be young guitar wizard Taylor Marvin, the Colorado Blues Society two-time Youth Showcase performer at the IBCs in 2010 and 2011.
Show starts at 6PM. Tickets are $10 and on sale at the Boulder Outlook. In addition to seeing a great show this is for a great cause. We are collecting for the Emergency Family Assistance Association ( E.F.A.A), so please bring your donations to help. EFAA can use canned goods (chili, tuna and peanut butter are hot items, but all are welcome) and also these families can use toiletries like—shampoo, deodorant, toothpaste, and lotion. Tis the season for giving so bring as many items as you like! Plus, all money, after expenses will go to E.F.A.A
The Mississippi Valley Blues Society invites you to a holiday party Friday December 10 at The Muddy Waters, 1708 State Street, Bettendorf. John Resch and the Detroit Blues will providing music. Their sound is reminiscent of Chicago electric blues from the ‘50s and ‘60s. John Resch and the Detroit Blues were voted Best Band in the Quad Cities in 2001, won the Iowa Blues Challenge in 2002, released a well-reviewed CD in 2004 and have played numerous festivals and venues around the Midwest.
Doors open at 7pm with food being served at 7:30; the music starts at 9:00. Admission is $10, $5 for MVBS members. www.mvbs.org  PH 563-322-5837, MWF 11:30 - 1:30, 2:00 - 5:30
ALSO Join MVBS in Memphis for the IBC in February! The Blues Foundation’s International Blues Challenge [IBC] will take place in Memphis February 2-5, 2011, and the Quad-Cities’ Steady Rollin’ Blues Band will be there to represent the state of Iowa. We are trying to organize a contingent to go down together for this event.
If you are interested in being part of a party bus traveling to Memphis in the early hours of Wednesday February 2 and returning on Sunday February 6, please contact Lonnie Britt. You can e-mail him at litwilerbritt@mchsi.com or call him at 309-737-5087.
We have also reserved a block of rooms through Linda Kibak, the travel agent for Big City Rhythm & Blues magazine. Unless you are a member of the Blues Foundation, rooms at the host hotel, the Doubletree on Union Avenue, are already sold out. Linda has reserved us a block of 25 rooms for February 2-5 at the Benchmark, right across the street from the Doubletree on Union Avenue, about 3 blocks from Beale Street. The rooms are $114 per night, both kings and doubles, smoking and non-smoking.
To reserve your room, please contact Linda by e-mail before January 12 at either bigcityblues@lindentravel.com or linda.kibak@frosch.com . You will need to tell her what kind of room you want (king or double, smoking or non) and give her your credit card number to guarantee the room.  www.mvbs.org  PH 563-322-5837, MWF 11:30 - 1:30, 2:00 - 5:30
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 $3 cover. December 6 - The Mojocats, December 13 - Studebaker John & the Hawks, Dec 20 - Brooke Thomas and The Blue Suns, Dec 27 - The Sally Weisenburg Blues Trio. icbluesclub.org 
2010 Friends of the Blues shows - Tuesday, December 14, Shawn Pittman (Texas Blues trio), 7 p.m., Kankakee Valley Boat Club, 1600 Cobb Boulevard, Kankakee IL 60901. (815) 936-1699.

2007 Blewzzy Award Best CD Winner & Blues Blast Magazine Best Song Nominee Release Second CD
Steve Gerard & The National Debonaires
Words Are Like Bullets
Order at www.blueedgerecords.com  plus CD Baby and iTunes
www.nationaldebonaires.com

 Featured Blues Review 2 of 5
Studebaker John’s Maxwell Street Kings - That’s The Way You Do It
15 tracks
I’ve listened to a lot of Studebaker John Grimaldi’s recordings over the years, and this new release (the first on Delmark) may just blow the rest of them all away! John offers up 15 original cuts, all offering his take on really low down, Westside Chicago Maxwell Street blues. His harp is greasy and hot, his slide cuts like a knife and his vocals are truly inspired. Joined by Rick Kreher on guitar (the last guy to play guitar with Muddy Waters and Rockin’ Johnny’s rhythm player) and drummer Steve Cushing (who is also radio host of “Blues Before Sunrise”), this is gritty, filthy dirty blues the way it is supposed to be played!
Studebaker John’s songs here all hearken back to the West Side of Chicago and the days when blues were played in open air markets by the up and coming along with the greats who played the clubs. John and his band the Hawks began there in the early ‘70’s, honing their skills while listening to and playing with the masters. John writes his own stuff and has filled many acclaimed CDs with his great songs.
The album opens to the title track and introduces the listener to John’s nasal tones and stinging harp. “Side by Side” shuffles along and shows you how John’s guitar can burn it up. “Fine Cadillac” then goes ballistic with a rocking good tempo. Then on the next track John gives us a superb history of Maxwell Street blues with his lyrics and greasy harp on “Headin’ Down To Maxwell Street”. That’s just the first four tracks and there are 11 more that are equally good! “If You Would Love Me”, “Son Of The Seventh Son”, “When Your Mule Won’t Ride”, and “Steppin’ Stone” are but a few of the other great tracks showcasing John and his legendary Maxwell Street Kings band. All of the songs are very tight and well done- no fluff here!
This album is filled with primal blues energy. Each song evokes deep rooted emotions of loves both won and lost, heartaches, fine automobiles, and the time when his blues forefathers blistered the world with their songs and playing. John and his band play it all with equal skill and loving care: slow blues, shuffles and a rocking good style. If you are a fan of his, this one needs to be added to your collection. If Studebaker John is new to your horizons, this is an ideal CD to both introduce you to him and to how the blues should be played! Delmark has delivered another winner with Studebaker John in their stable of great artists.!
Reviewer Steve Jones is secretary of the Crossroads Blues Society in Rockford. IL
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I Got The Blues... All Because Of You is an eclectic mix of female blues classics and of originals written by G'Jai. This CD will make you reminisce of a time when women reigned supreme in the Blues world.
I Got The Blues All Because Of You
Available at
www.GJAI-Blues.com
http://www.cdbaby.com 
www.DigStation.com
With some blues classics like "Chirping The Blues", and a link to the present with originals like "Little Lady From Detroit". "You can't look to the future without embracing your past!"

 Featured Blues Review 3 of 5
Track44 - Prove It
Boston based Track44 recently released their debut CD, Prove it. The band is essentially a duo, but guitarist/vocalist Jimmy Pircio and keyboardist Dan Sevush recruited drummer Joe Bellomo, bassist Steve Dubois, background singer Kristin Fonseca, background singer and percussionist Paul Gallo, and fiddler Wendy Mittelstadt to complete the project. Along with Pircio and Sevush, Gallo produced and engineered the recordings.
Be prepared for a straightforward serving of the blues in some of the nine tracks (and one surprise) presented here, chased with an even flow of traditional musicianship. The first slide guitar note in the opening song, "Can't Take It Back," initiates the display of respect and adoration that these guys have for traditional blues. When more instruments are added, the lethargic yet catchy riff is supplemented by a funky drive, one that adds more of a contemporary blues sound to the initial acoustic feel. With that said, if pure-in-spirit acoustic atmosphere is one's preference, further into the CD is "Ten Years Passed." This delta blues gem stays acoustic throughout, and contains more interesting slide from Pircio.
A New England blue-jazz feel converges with Bourbon Street in "I Wonder Why." Sevush pulls all the stops on both organ and piano, displaying a sundry flair on both. Pircio's piercing guitar solo responds to the 'you treat me so bad' lyrics with corresponding emotion, yet all the while, the rhythm section keeps the music firmly entrenched in tradition.
The CD's music contains an unrefined earthiness in places, especially in the more acoustic and traditional material. The sound authenticates the blues feel. But on the other end of the spectrum, the CD's title song and its follower are examples of precision in arrangement and production. Drummer Joe Bollomo struts along in an appealing groove in "Prove It." In a performance that's solid and tight, the piano and guitar solos are concise and dynamic, and the background vocal adds a nice element to the recording. "Land On Me" is a poignant country blues with a colorful piano and slide arrangement.
The last three tracks take tradition into the bluesrock generation. "Even Angels Get The Blues" possesses an incredible air of Clapton and Cream, especially the song's potent riff, the solo as well. Pircio's licks are astoundingly suggestive of the era. "What's Up With That" is in that Cream mode, too. The rhythm section gets downright prominent and subterranean in these songs, giving them that trio punch. Pircio's singing voice sometimes evokes a Mayall sound and style in places, which is suggestive of a different Clapton era.
The final track, "Love Looks A Lot Like You," follows suit with the previous two, with more catchy rhythmic grooves and excellent organ and guitar solos. This track ends with a surprising acoustic piece that's about as pure as blues tradition gets. Not desiring to be the spoiler, I'll keep it that way for surprise sake.
Prove It should do just that, prove to fans everywhere that Track44 is a blues band to reckon with. It's a successful debut release from a couple of strangers who grew to be friends after meeting one evening at Johnny D's in Somerville, Ma., where the idea to create traditional music was originally spawned.
Reviewer Brian Holland is a music journalist who resides in Massachusetts. www.briandholland.com
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 Featured Blues Review 4 of 5
Pete Cornelius - Tumbleweed
Only Blues Music (Australia)
10 tracks
Total time: 49:30
What Cornelius offers on Tumbleweed is a very sophisticated rock album with links to the blues. There is, of course, Cornelius’s excellent lead guitar playing that draws inspiration from later blues guitarists, notably Buddy Guy and the late Mike Bloomfield. Also, the Pete Cornelius-penned title song, track 4, is a solid blues-rock number of desperate getting-away-from-it-all that adapts country as well as blues influences, a Nashville/Memphis fusion sound backed by riffing blues piano. Further, another Cornelius original, track 9, “Helpless Man,” with its low-tone, slightly fuzz-guitar riff and burning lyrics, sounds much like a rock adaptation of city blues. But that’s it for actual ties to blues.
The rest of Tumbleweed is far more rock than blues, although a sophisticated modern rock that’s learned well from the best of 1960s-1980s rock, from the Rolling Stones through Mellencamp and Springsteen. That to me, as one who loves good rock as much as he loves good blues, is a solid pedigree which commends this CD.
Of the 10 tracks, six are Pete Cornelius originals; of the four songs written by others, three are from certified rockers who only occasionally did blues: Neil Young’s “Mr. Soul,” the 1967 hit by Buffalo Springfield, track 2; and the ending instrumental, “Deadman Theme;” along with Rory Gallagher’s “Bad Penny,” track 6, a rocker built around the kind of imagery common to the blues, comparing a bad woman to a bad penny that just keeps proverbially coming back. The final song written by someone else is blues/R&B master Allen Toussaint’s “On Your Way Down,” track 8, which is done here as a longish, pensive, yet thoroughly modern rock, not blues, ballad.
Pete Cornelius does indeed have a way with original song lyrics, as all six of his originals show; they are evocative, sensual, and philosophical in the way the best rock of the late 1960s-early 1970s could so often be. Interestingly enough, the geographical imagery on tracks 3-5, “San Jose,” “Tumbleweed” and “Driving Love,” seem more evocative of the U.S. than they do of Australia. Only the first track, “Town of Machine,” evokes images of Australia more than it does of the U.S., at least to this American listener. But maybe that’s because, with the wide spread of rock worldwide now, what we have is a Global Village music that borrows freely from, and incorporates, influences from all over, and is at home anywhere—as, for example, track 7, “Stars,” a song of getting out and realizing ambition that relates to the way many feel not only in the U.S., but, I’m sure, also in Canada, Europe and Australia.
The instrumentation is first-rate throughout, with Cornelius showing himself adept on a wide range of different guitars, which encompass standard electric and acoustic, resonator, lap steel and pedal steel, along with electric and stand-up bass. With nicely-understated backing only by Henry Nichols, drums, and Randal Muir’s Hammond organ and piano to Cornelius’s rhythm guitar and bass, it’s solidly captivating in the way it sticks just to the essentials, without histrionics or overplaying. The same could also be said of Cornelius’s lead guitar playing—just sticking felicitously to the basics, creatively and originally, certainly, but not overdone or with gratuitous flash. Ian Collard adds accompanying harmonica to Cornelius’s guitar solo on “”On Your Way Down;” and Kelly Ottaway plays Wurlitzer electric piano and regular piano on “Town of Machine.” Background singers Carmel Claxton and Jane McArthur appear on a couple of tracks.
All in all, Pete Cornelius’s latest release, Tumbleweed, is a top-notch, original rock CD that draws on, but does not depend on, the best of contemporary rock and some blues influences. Being a rock music fan, I would recommend it.
Reviewer George "Blues Fin Tuna" Fish hails from Indianapolis, Indiana. He wrote the liner notes for Yank Rachell’s Delmark album, Chicago Style and has written a regular music column for several years.
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 Featured Blues Review 5 of 5
Mikey Jr and Matt Daniels – Pocket Full Of Money
8th Train Records
10 tracks, 30.55 minutes.
Mikey Junior is a native of New Jersey and has played harmonica and sung since his teenage years. This is his fourth CD release and is in acoustic trio format with regular guitarist Matt Daniels and Jimmy Pritchard on upright bass. Mikey also runs a full band called “Mikey Junior And The Cold Stone Blues” which will be competing at the IBCs in February. Mikey endears himself to any reviewer by providing a humorous press release which informs us that Mikey and Matt met while auditioning for “So You Think You Can Dance” – a likely story!
Each of the players contributes one original song. Mikey’s “We Made A Mistake” features some tough harp on a song of regret at the end of a relationship (“No matter who I’m with it’s you I’m thinking of”). Matt’s “North Country Blues” is an instrumental that does pretty well what the title suggests, Matt’s guitar sympathetically underpinned by Jimmy’s bass. Jimmy’s effort opens the CD and provides the title of the CD. It provides a good start to the CD locating the music in classic acoustic blues before we get versions of four RJ, two Muddy Waters and one tune from the pen of Junior Wells. All are well done and clearly recorded, but does the world need more versions of these classic songs?
Well the truth is that Mikey will probably sell more CDs off the bandstand after people enjoy his shows. Nevertheless for someone who has not seen the live show the CD works well and I particularly enjoyed the uptempo version of “They’re Red Hot”, the stately version of “Me And The Devil Blues” and the rolling tempo of closer “You Don’t Have To Go”. All three originals work well and suggest that next time round they might do more original music and fewer covers.
The CD is a good introduction to Mikey Jr. and friends’ music and should appeal to all lovers of well recorded acoustic blues.
Reviewer John Mitchell is a blues enthusiast based in the UK. He recently attended the Blues Blast Awards in Chicago and had a great time! Back in the USA for the January 2011 Blues Cruise!
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