James learned from other blues giants—Sonny Boy Williamson, Howlin’ Wolf, and of course Muddy Waters, at whose side he played for over a decade. He began recording as a teenage band leader, at Memphis’ Sun Records. He appeared on many of Muddy’s later classic sides, including the famed Live At Newport album. Since the mid-1960s, he’s led his own all-star bands of world-class players, touring relentlessly. He’s cut almost 30 albums, combining his incendiary high-energy boogies with the deepest and sweetest of slow blues, the blues he first played as a boy in the Mississippi Delta and perfected on the South Side of Chicago.

 

These days James leaves the singing to his band, but every time he raises that harp to his lips, the sheer force and ferocity of his music reaffirms his status as Mr. Superharp Himself, an undisputed giant of the blues.
                                  –Bruce Iglauer

 

Giant reaffirms that James Cotton’s high-compression blues harmonica playing is a true force of nature. As The San Francisco Examiner says, “James Cotton is an inimitable blues legend. His wailing harmonica blows them away. His improvisations on the blues are full of fun and good humor. The blues don’t get much better.”

 

This might be a good argument that the best way to experience Walker is live. Here we find him out at sea with a bunch of blues and rock hitters just letting the good times roll because, well, where are they going to go. The electricity is in the air as cats that you didn’t think knew each other kick it out on tunes that stray pretty far afield from the usual jam session cuts. High octane party fun that’ll easily take you back to the college era roadhouses where you wasted your youth (or should have). Fun stuff throughout that makes you wish you were there.

 

Special gueses include Johnny Winter, Tommy Castro, Duke Robillard, Kenny Neal, Tab Benoit, Watermelon Slim, Curtis Salgado, Kirk Fletcher, Mike Finnigan, and many more!

 

These like-minded veteran musical cohorts, cut wild & raw & 'live' in the studio with no other musicians involved, let it wail... sending the blues & other like-minded music through other-worldly filters... primal & whack in full effect... resulting in something reverently irreverent, respectfully reckless, ruthlessly relentless, heretofore un-encountered & stranger than fiction. The musical content of Twist-O-Lettz truly walks the line between the richest of the American roots-music & blues-like sounds from the urban jungles of Planet X - grabbing & shaking you in a shocking-but-ecstatic manner, and you will do a thousand dances. The credits of guitarist/singer/songwriter Rick Holmstrom, harmonicist/singer/songwriter John 'Juke' Logan & drummer/percussionist Stephen Hodges would fill volumes. Play it LOUD, & may ye groove...

 

 

Houstonpress.com - Back in May, Dan Aykroyd was in town to grand marshal the Art Car Parade and emcee House of Blues' fundraiser for its educational/cultural outreach nonprofit arm, the International House of Blues Foundation. In our review of that night's show, starring Little Joe Washington, Rocks Off said we would remember that night as "the night House of Blues found its soul."

 

We also mentioned that while we were there, we heard the local outlet of the nationwide music/restaurant franchise was planning similar events. Turns out it was true, and the first one was last monday night.

 

"Blues Monday," a new monthly event HOB Houston general manager Mason Jambon says he hopes to fashion after the shows he saw in various New Orleans clubs during his college days, and dates back to conversations he had at the Aykroyd fundraiser.

 

"I talked to some of the local artists, and I made a commitment to those guys that we would bring some blues programming back to House of Blues," he says.

 

The idea of a monthly blues night took shape this summer, when HOB hosted a blues-themed party featuring Diunna Greenleaf during a national convention of arena and venue managers. But Jambon, who says HOB is also helping with the upcoming dedication ceremony for the Lightnin' Hopkins historical marker, thinks Houstonians will bite too.

 

"I think there's a market for that," he says. "Houston is very diverse, with an actual pretty good blues scene that we just need to help bring to the forefront." 

 

​Veteran Houston duo Milton Hopkins and Texas Johnny Boy, who also appeared at the May benefit, headline tonight's show, with Trudy Lynn, Johnny Moeller and Mike Morgan also on the bill. With reduced prices on beer, bourbon and barbecue sandwiches, Jambon hopes to recreate the atmosphere of an old-time juke joint in the multimillion-dollar Houston Pavilions facility - as much as possible, anyway.

 

"I guess what we're trying to do is, in spite of where we are, once you walk through those doors, trying to make a transformation back to one of those traditional blues joints," he says. "We think that if we grow it, we can actually raise the profile of blues in Houston."

 

Jambon realizes that even with no cover, live music of any sort - but perhaps blues especially - is a tough sell on a Monday night in Houston. But he hopes the Blue Mondays will grow enough to where he can set up a revolving pool of local artists like Milton Hopkins, Little Joe Washington and Diunna Greeleaf alongside their counterparts from Beaumont/Port Arthur and New Orleans.

 

"Like anything, it may start off slow," he says. "It may never grow into a thousand person a night thing, but really that's not what we're going for. If we can get two or three hundred really good blues fans in the Music Hall, maybe expose some new people to the genre, then that's a good thing."

 

October 1, 2010 (Clarksdale, Miss.) -- For the Cat Head blues store in Clarksdale, Mississippi, the coming week promises to be one of the year's biggest. As nearby Helena, Arkansas, celebrates its 25th annual blues festival, Cat Head offers special live events both inside and outside the store.

 

"The Arkansas Blues & Heritage Festival in Helena is so big that it also fills up all of the hotels on this side of the river, too," said Roger Stolle, owner of Clarksdale's Cat Head Delta Blues & Folk Art. "We like to celebrate the fest each year with some really great events at the store as well -- including our infamous Cat Head Mini Blues Fest on that Sunday."

 

Called "one of the 17 coolest record stores in America" by Paste magazine, Cat Head store offers blues fans a mix of CDs, DVDs, books, art, T-shirts and souvenirs. Cat Head has also been putting on three blues festivals of its own each year for most of this decade.

 

"Here's the thing," explained Stolle. "We get visitors from all around the world during festival weeks like this. They want to have lots to do, and many of them are in search of the real-deal -- the kind of music and musicians most think are only in the history books. We aim to please."

 

And please, they do. Cat Head -- a past Keeping The Blues Alive Award and Blues Music Award recipient -- is offering up pleasing events starting Wednesday, October 6th and carrying on through Monday, October 11th.

 

The schedule includes visiting bluesman Andy Coats (Wed., Oct. 6 at 2pm), author Allen Whitley signing "Where Southern Cross The Dog" (Sat., Oct. 9 at 10am, inside), musicians Adam Gussow & Brandon Bailey (Sat., Oct. 9 at 10am, outside), and touring bluesman Bernie Pearl (Mon., Oct. 11 at 3pm).

 

But the highlight of the week has to be the ever-popular Cat Head Mini Blues Fest on Sunday, October 10th, starting at 9am.

 

"I have folks tell me the Cat Head festival is their favorite thing all weekend," laughed Stolle. "It's just a rare chance to see blues legends up close and personal, I guess. We set up tents and chairs out in front of the store and offer up free live blues most of the day."

 

This edition of the Cat Head fest promises to be one of the best yet with performances by M for Mississippi star Terry "Harmonica" Bean, 5-time Blues Music Award nominee Big George Brock with guest Clarine Wagner, Blues Revue magazine subject Anthony "Big A" Sherrod, Rooster Blues/Fedora Records artist Robert "Bilbo" Walker, and more.

 

According to Stolle, juke joint owner Red Paden also plans to hawk his tasty BBQ out front during the event. Inside, Cat Head plans to market some very special merchandise during the weekend -- including three exclusive Cat Head T-shirts and a limited edition Juke Joint Festival fleece sweatshirt, which is an early fundraiser for Clarksdale's own premiere spring blues event.

 

So, why all the excitement over a festival week that's not even based in Clarksdale?

 

"Fifteen years ago, I attended my first blues festival in Helena," recalled Stolle. "I was living in St. Louis then, and it really made an impression on me. It's always been one of my favorite blues fests, and I'm happy to say that their line-up this year looks like one of the best ever."

 

With Helena headliners like B.B. King and Taj Mahal as well as Delta favorites like Big Jack Johnson and Jimmy 'Duck' Holmes, it's easy to see why.

 

Stolle is quick to point out that in addition to Cat Head's festival week events, many of Clarksdale's other tourist-related entities are offering up some exciting happenings of their own.

 

"Some of the biggest blues names attached to Clarksdale will be playing in town during the festival weekend," according to Stolle, who regularly lists all of the Delta's weekly blues happenings on his www.cathead.biz live music web calendar.

 

For example, Friday night will feature Big Jack Johnson at Red's Lounge, Cedric Burnside & Lightnin' Malcolm at the Shackup Inn, and TCB at Ground Zero Blues Club. On Saturday night, look for Big George Brock a Hopson Commissary, Super Chikan at Ground Zero Blues Club, and Watermelon Slim at Bluesberry Cafe.

 

"Plus, folks will definitely want to check out the Rock & Blues Museum on Saturday and Sunday," Stolle noted. "The museum is offering live music both days in the afternoon."

 

Stolle also pointed out that blues travelers to the region will want to pay visits to the Delta Blues Museum and several of downtown's art galleries such as Hambone, Lambfish, Gimme Gumbo, Foxtrot and The Gordon. While most of the hotel rooms are booked up in the region for the festival week, places like the Loft at the Five & Dime, the Loft at Hopson Plantation and The Clark House are all worth trying he said.

 

"Cat Head is proud to be based in Clarksdale," Stolle summarized. "Clarksdale is more than just home to the mythical 'Crossroads'. It's home to a rich, living legacy of Delta blues, art and culture. Arkansas Blues & Heritage Festival week is a great time to experience it."

 

For more information on the web, go to:
Cat Head Delta Blues & Folk Art, www.cathead.biz
Arkansas Blues & Heritage Festival, www.bluesandheritagefest.com

 

WHERE:
Elmwood Park
Downtown Roanoke, VA
(Inclement weather location
Roanoke Civic Center - Special Events Center)

 

 

WHEN:
Saturday
October 2, 2010
2:00pm - 9:00;pm
Music All Day

 

 

ADMISSION:

 

 

$22.00 – Discount Advance Ticket: now available online and also available at regional SunTrust Bank locations.

 

$20.00 - Discount Advance Ticket for SunTrust Bank Customers (when purchased at SunTrust Bank locations)

 

$28.00 - Day of Show - at the gate

 

Children 12 & Under FREE
Re-admission into park will be permitted.

 

Four-Time Grammy Winner!

 

"He is a virtual deity--a living legend."
– Guitar Player Magazine

  

 

One of the finest purveyors of raw, unadulterated roadhouse blues that you'll ever hear!

 

 

Two-time Grammy Nominee, and son of the blues legend is bringing his modern blues, soul and R&B sound!

 

 Teresa James & The Rhythm Tramps

 

Nominated for “Contemporary Female Blues Artist of the Year” (Blues Foundation – 2008)

 

 

Winner of the 2010 Blue Ridge Blues Society’s band competition at the Blue Ridge Blues & BBQ Fest, and one of the DC areas hottest blues acts!

Click for more

 

Bon Jovi, Neil Diamond and LL Cool J highlight this year's class of nominees for induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum, the hall announced Tuesday morning.

 

The eventual inductees — to be honored at the 26th Annual Induction Ceremony on March 14 in New York City — will join the 92 groups and 196 individual acts that already are members.

 

The other nominees are:

 

Alice Cooper 

 

The Beastie Boys 

 

Chic 

 

Donovan 

 

Dr. John 

 

J. Geils Band 

 

Darlene Love 

 

Laura Nyro 

 

Donna Summer 

 

Joe Tex 

 

Tom Waits 

 

Chuck Willis

 

Click for more

 

 

Rollingstone.com - Last November, blues-rock guitarist Joe Bonamassa invited former Deep Purple and Black Sabbath vocalist Glenn Hughes to jam with him at the Houses of Blues in Los Angeles. The two had been plotting a collaborative project for some time, but didn’t know what shape it would take. Producer Kevin Shirley (Led Zeppelin, Rush, Aerosmith) caught the show and ran backstage afterward. Says Hughes: “He said to us, ‘I have a vision. Form a band with Jason Bonham on drums and Dream Theater’s ex-keyboardist Derek Sherinian.’ Derek and I looked at each other and went ‘O-o-kay,’ and then Kevin said, ‘You’ve got six weeks to record an album and you gotta come up with a name. Go!’”

 

Hughes and Bonamassa have different musical backgrounds, and were initially unsure what the album would sound like. “Joe is the new blues-rock guy,” says Hughes. “I come from the classic rock thing with Deep Purple, but my background is a lot of funk stuff as well. The longer we stayed in the studio, the louder we got. The Marshalls came out, the Les Paul’s were hung a little lower, and we started to make rock music.” The album — which hits stores today — was cut in just four days, with very little overdubbing. “I think the greatest records we’ve ever heard, from Zeppelin to Purple to Sabbath to The Who, were all recorded in the studio live,” says Hughes. “I’m the elder statesmen here and I’m really enjoying playing in a band again. I played with John Bonham a lot in my old band Trapeze, in 1971, and now I’m getting to play with his son thirty-nine years later.” After struggling over the right name, they settled on Black Country Communion, because Hughes and Bonham were both raised in the area of England known as Black Country.

 

Hughes knows that comparisons to other new supergroups Them Crooked Vultures and Chickenfoot are inevitable. “Those are my mates,” he says. “We’ve all had this dang ‘supergroup’ tag. I was around for early supergroups Blind Faith and Humble Pie. Labels don’t matter to me. Call it what you will, it’s just the right ingredients for a rock and roll band.” Things have gone so well, the band are already making plans for their second album even as they plot their inaugural tour for 2011. Hughes has no plans to revive Deep Purple or other old songs in their concerts. “We might do two or three stellar covers, and maybe a Zep song for the heritage of the Bonham name,” he says. “But I’d like to think we can do this on our own merit.”

 

Taj Mahal, Ruthie Foster, Corey Harris, Li'l Ed & the Blues Imperials, Henry Gray and Barbara Lynn will be among the featured attractions at the fifth annual Crescent City Blues & BBQ Festival.

 

This free festival, presented by the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Foundation, features two stages of music, a crafts fair and the best barbecue in the South.

 

 

 

DANCEHALL STAGE
11:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. Honey Island Swamp Band
1:15 p.m. – 2:15 p.m. Little Freddie King
3:15 p.m. – 4:15 p.m. The Stanton Moore Trio plus Anders Osborne
5:15 p.m. – 6:15 p.m. Luther Kent & Trick Bag
7:00 p.m. – 8:15 p.m. Taj Mahal

 

JUKE JOINT STAGE
10:30 a.m. – 11:30 p.m. New Orleans Blues Society Contest Winner: TBA
12:30 p.m. – 1:15 p.m. Carol Fran
2:15 p.m. – 3:15 p.m. Otis Taylor with Don Vappie
4:15 p.m. – 5:15 p.m. Corey Harris
6:15 p.m. – 7:00 p.m. Henry Gray

 

 

DANCEHALL STAGE
11:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. Mem Shannon
1:30 p.m. – 2:30 p.m. The Joe Krown Trio featuring Walter “Wolfman” Washington and Russel Batiste
3:30 p.m. – 4:30 p.m. Jon Cleary
5:45 p.m. – 7:00 p.m. Ruthie Foster

 

JUKE JOINT STAGE
10:30 a.m. – 11:30 p.m. New Orleans Blues Society Contest Winner: Big Daddy O
12:30 pm. – 1:30 p.m. Shannon McNally & Hot Sauce
2:30 p.m. – 3:30 p.m. Li'l Ed & the Blues Imperials
4:30 p.m. – 5:45 p.m. Barbara Lynn

 

Click for more

 

 

---

 

Andy's Summer Fest: A Benefit For The San Rafael Heads Up FoundationTwo Great Events, One Cool Venue! Come Party with Tommy Castro (and a few thousand friends

 

 

Game booths, jumpy jumps, petting zoo, pony rides, face painting, tattoos, henna, portrait artist, wheel of fortune, kiss a pig, dunk tank, Triumph skateboard demonstrations, high school art display, kid’s stage with school music groups, yummy BBQ, Lagunitas beer garden with local band Knight Drive and GWood Gents. 

 

General Admission $50, VIP $200

 

Tickets: BROWNPAPERTICKETS.COM or 800-838-3006 

 

VIP ticket includes special VIP concert area, free VIP parking, Sol Food buffet, drink tickets, and preconcert cocktails at Loch Lomond Yacht Club. For VIP tickets, email maika@headsupsr.org This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

 

Music by: Tommy Castro Band, Vinyl, Big Brother & the Holding Co., Miles Schon with Terry Haggerty, Frobeck.

 

with Visual artists: FooFooHa and Vau de Vire, and MC Michael Pritchard. Wheel of Fortune.

 

Food and Beverages by: Sol Food; Row 11 Wines; Marin Brewing Co., and Broken Drum beer.

 

And now for the fun leading up to the fun…

 

ESSAY AND ART CONTEST: BUILDING A COMMUNITY

 

How do you build a community? Pick an idea from the list below and either write an essay (no more than 1 page) or draw a picture about it. Know Your Neighbors   •  Use Your Library   •  Play Together   •  Buy from Local Merchants   •  Support Neighborhood SchoolsHonor Your Elders   •  Start a Tradition   •  Organize a Block Party   •  Sing Together   •  Share Your Skills   •  Seek to Understand

We will select winning essays and drawings from 4 age groups: Grades K – 2, Grades 3 – 5, Middle School, and High School. Winning entries will be posted at Andy’s Market and on the HeadsUp website. Grand Prize: The top essay AND drawing will be printed on Andy’s Market grocery bags. All entries must be received by Friday, Sept. 24. Mail to HeadsUp, PO Box 150157, San Rafael, CA 94915, attn: K. Murphy.

 

RAFFLE TICKETS

 

All schools will be selling tickets for a chance to win: a Lance Duke Scooter, $1000 Cash, or an iPad

 

Meet Tommy Castro and the band while dining on the jewel of San Rafael cuisine, Sol Food. Cap the night with local wines and beer and sit back and enjoy.

 

Remember: This event is to raise funds for the San Rafael School District and pay for classes and services for the youth of San Rafael: Our future.

5th Annual Evening of Art & Blues

 

October 1, 2010 at the Jemison-Van de Graaf Mansion
LIVE BLUES · LIVE & SILENT AUCTION

 

Click for more

 

 

Click here to pre-book

 

Before he passed on, Pat requested that folks remember the Big
Bend Hospice, who treated him so well in his last days. This will be an all day and night affair at the BBC with many of the bands that Pat influenced. All proceeds go to Big Bend Hospice as all bands have donated their time for this event, as well as the good folks providing the sound, equipment, stage, lighting and other necessities for making this work.

 

We're going to have two outdoor stages this year with the main stage under the oak trees and a solo stage by the bonfire. THIS IS AN OUTSIDE EVENT & CHILDREN FRIENDLY ....

 

Music on the Outdoor Stage under the oaks by:
1pm Cheap & Easy
2pm Swingin' Harpoon Blues Band
3pm Harvest Gypsies
4pm Road House
5pm Major Bacon (Blues Disciples Guitar player Dave Renson & Bass player Eloise Davis with their new band ,coming to town from New Orleans)
6pm Wiley Coyote Band
7pm Acme R&B
8pm JB's Zydeco Zoo

 

Solo Music on the Bonfire Solo Stage ( day hours) with:
2:45 pm Big Daddy
3:45 pm Drew Reid
4:45 pm Michael Brawer
5:45 pm Rick Perez (from Cocoa Beach)
6:45 pm Steve Taff
7:45 pm Lori Kline
8:45pm Jim Crozier

 

Inside the club: 
 

10 pm Blues Disciples All Star Jam with special guests Duane Wader (drums) , Rick Peraz (guitar) Choo Choo Charlie (slide guitar monster) Clyde Ramsey (Harp & Keys)

 

Note: all seating is first come, first served. The BBC will not have reserved seating on Saturday night. 

 

Click for more

 

 

WEST POINT, Miss. (WTVA) - There's an effort to breathe new life into a couple of buildings on Cottrell Street that used to host performances by blues greats such as Howlin' Wolf.

 

"At any point and time when Wolf or anybody like that was playing down here, you wouldn't be able to get down the street it would be so packed," said Richard Ramsey of the Howlin' Wolf Blues Society.

 

Ramsey wants people to know about the juke joints that were here and the music played in them, and he is not alone.

 

"Something needs to be done to, to save these old buildings and bring life back in the blues scene in West Point," said businessman Milton Sundbeck.

 

Sundbeck is behind an effort to bring back this area where people can appreciate the blues.

 

Besides restoring the buildings, they may even build an outdoor stage where blues music can be performed.

 

They believe a revival here would boost tourism, but it would also preserve the past.

 

That's something Ramsey says should not be forgotten.

 

"If you lose your heritage, you've lost your soul," said Ramsey.  "You got to know where your history is from, and this is a major part of Mississippi's history."

 

Multi-instrumentalist/vocalist/songwriter JJ Grey appears on NPR's Weekend All Things Considered on Saturday, October 2. He talks about the new JJ Grey & Mofro CD Georgia Warhorse with host Guy Raz, and performs an acoustic version of Hide And Seek. Raz also plays tracks from the album. The New York Times calls Georgia Warhorse, "impassioned, riff-based Southern rock, swamp funk and Memphis soul." Grey has been featured in The New Yorker, The Wall Street Journal, Relix, Paste, USA Today, Pollstar, Vintage Guitar, An Honest Tune, Hittin' The Note and many other national and regional publications.

 

 

JIMMIE VAUGHAN PLAYS BLUES, BALLADS & FAVORITES.  That’s the featured CD this week on the Radio Hour, as Elwood welcomes Jimmie Vaughan to talk about juke box music from the early sixties, his brother Stevie Ray, and what the blues is all about.  Also: the Fabulous Thunderbirds, Freddie King, Gatemouth Brown, and new gut bucket blues from Rick Holmstrom and pals.  This week you can win 100 MILES FROM MEMPHIS, the new Stax sound tribute from Sheryl Crow, and HARMONICOPIA, from harmonica master Jay Gaunt.  It’s free if you win!  And you can win right here.

 

 

RBA Publishing Inc is based in Reno, NV with a satellite office in Beverly Hills, Florida. We produce the annual Blues Festival Guide magazine (now in its 7th year), the top-ranking website: www.BluesFestivalGuide.com, and this weekly blues newsletter: The Blues Festival E-Guide with approximately 20,000 weekly subscribers. We look forward to your suggestions, critiques, questions, etc.

Reach the E-Guide editor, Gordon Bulcock, gordon@bluesfestivalguide.com

or contact our home office at 775-337-8626, eguide@bluesfestivalguide.com
 

back to top