'GROOVE' is blues guitar phenom Johnny Childs' first studio release since 2005 and follows the recent release of his award winning documentary film "The Junkman's Son".
  The critically acclaimed 'GROOVE', produced by 2011 Blues Hall of Famer and Grammy winner Bruce Bromberg [Hightone] features 14 exciting new tracks by Johnny Childs.

  John Vermilyea of Blues Underground Network had this to say:  "Johnny Childs has been playing the Blues for quite a while now, but don't make the mistake of thinking of him as anything other than the new kid on the block, that has shown up with a shiny new guitar and the talent to play it in a way that leaves many veterans of the Blues scratching their heads in bewilderment of this exceptional talent.  View upcoming tour dates or pick up a copy of 'GROOVE' at www.johnnychilds.com. 

  Tweed Funk brings an edge to the music of their forefathers by wrapping together blues, soul, funk, and elements of hip-hop on their debut release ‘Bringin It’.  Fronted by Smokey's sweet, soulful vocals, audiences can quickly hear why Smokey was signed to Curtis Mayfield’s Curtom Records in the 70’s.  Tweed Funk’s CD (released 3/15/11) consists of 9 original tracks and one cover tune. 

 

Veteran guitarist Paul Mark has had a long and storied career of over 18 years, filled with the normal trials and tribulations that go along with the road. You can hear echos of his past in the delicate guitar work and subtle nuanced chords that make of the sound of his latest release Mirage Cartography. While he is best know for his work in the realm of electric blues with vocals, this album features Mark venturing into acoustic and instrumental guitar work. While Mirage Cartography might seem like a departure from Mark’s ordinary way of working, this record is in some ways a sequel to Roadside America, his last acoustic record. All of the tracks were composed by Mark himself, and are a testament to his skills both as a musician and a writer. Mark created the album in the spirit of unadulterated minimalism and purity - music that breathes organically and naturally, expressing real human emotion. You can learn more about Paul Mark and see his latest show dates at http://www.paulmark.com/.

Reserve your ad space in the 9th annual issue of Blues Festival Guide magazine today!
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The 22^nd annual Simi Valley Cajun & Blues Music Festival in Simi Valley, CA has announced an impressive lineup of performers for the two day event which runs Saturday and Sunday of Memorial Day weekend.

 

The Blues stage features the 6^th Annual Delta Groove All-Star Blues Revue.  Saturday’s performers include Los Fabulocos featuring Kid Ramos, Mikey Jr. & Stone Cold Blues, Arthur Adams, Ana Popovic, the Mannish Boys Review with Tracy Nelson, John Nemeth and the 44s.  Sunday’s lineup features Elvin Bishop, Maria Muldaur, Cadillac Zack with special guests, the Mitch Kashmar Band, the Kirk Fletcher Band, Big Pete with a tribute to Lester Butler and Shawn Pittman.

 

The second stage features Cajun & Zydeco music with Buckwheat Zydeco, Andre Thierry & Zydeco Magic, Lil Pookie & The Zydeco Sensations, Bayou Brothers and Billy Lee & The Swamp Critters.  All Cajun-Zydeco performers will be appearing both days.

 

In addition to two stages, each with dance floors, there is a huge kids area with their own stage featuring a variety of talented kid friendly acts.  And there are jumpers and crafts just for the kids.

 

 

Included at the festival are a variety of food choices from authentic Cajun and Creole dishes like crawfish and alligator to traditional barbecue and hot dogs. And each day there is a New Orleans style parade with bands, stilt walkers and audience participation.

 

Tickets are $ 18 for adults ages 13 and up, $ 15 for kids ages 5 through 12.  Kids under 5 are free.  Tickets may be purchased at the event or on-line.  For more information and ticket purchases, visit the website at www.cajun-blues.com.

 

The Simi Valley Cajun & Blues Music Festival is produced by the Rotary Club of Simi Sunrise and all proceeds go to charity.

 

 

 

 

Announce 2011 dates - continue a Hall of Fame musical legacy forged in a decade of social conscience, protest and political upheaval.
 

 

Los Angeles, CA (Apr. 10, 2011) —  “THE HEROES OF WOODSTOCK,” the acclaimed touring ensemble of original Woodstock performers and musical peers, continue their rock & roll odyssey through time, by announcing their first set of 2011 confirmed engagements.  The same line-up that made history in 2009 by commemorating rock music’s most famous festival, will appear in Lakeville, IN July 2 … Chicagoland in Naperville, IL July 4 … and Edmonton, Alberta Aug. 13 with  more dates to be announced.

 

As they did across North America in 2009 & 2010, including stops at LA’s Greek Theatre and Bethel Woods Center for the Arts in upstate NY – the exact location of the original Woodstock Music & Arts Festival in August 1969 – Jefferson Starship with Rock Hall of Fame founder of Jefferson Airrlane, Paul Kantner … Canned Heat whose music defined Woodstock … Big Brother & The Holding Co.. – Janis Joplin’s original band … Grateful Dead’s original pianist Tom Constanten and host/performer Country Joe McDonald all return.

 

In all, seven veterans from the original festival – including co-creator, manager & spokeman Skip Taylor - will continue to create musical history for baby boomers and new generations alike.  Co-creator and manager Tim Murphy observes:  “Whether heard on the radio … or seen on “American Idol” … the songs performed by our aggregate of “Heroes” are as timeless and popular as they are poignant.”

 

The tour pays further homage to the original festival as every ticket purchaser shall be given the free soundboard download of the performance they actually attend.  “This is the first major tour in rock history to give the music away for free in this manner” boasts co-creator and manager Michael Gaiman.

 

FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION …
Management/ PR Contact: Tim Murphy (genxinc@aol.com) ph: 763-413-961

Soul music lovers and crate diggers will eagerly await the June 21
release of ‘Got To Get Back!’ on Electraphonic Recordings from Memphis soul music standard bearers the Bo-Keys, their first in seven years.  New converts to the genre via Sharon Jones and others will embrace it  upon first listen. Powerhouse guest vocalists join the band, including  Stax Records hit-maker William Bell, soul/gospel great Otis Clay, classic Atlantic Records singer Percy Wiggins, and blues legend Charlie Musselwhite, who also blows some of his signature harmonica.

 

The Bo-Keys are:

Scott Bomar – Bass and percussion, Charles “Skip” Pitts”- Guitar,
Howard Grimes- Drums and percussion, Willie Hall - Drums  and percussion on “Weak Spot”, Archie “Hubbie” Turner- Keyboard,
Al Gamble – Keyboard, Marc Franklin- Trumpet, Ben Cauley - Trumpet, Kirk Smothers – Tenor and Baritone Sax, Derrick Williams- Tenor Sax, Floyd Newman – Baritone Sax, Jim Spake- Baritone Sax

 

For more information on the Bo-Keys, please contact Nick Loss-Eaton at
nick.losseaton@gmail.com or 718.541.1130.

 

The guitar was donated to Big Brothers Big Sisters of Nevada County & North Lake Tahoe - a mentoring agency that I serve on the board for and which makes a huge difference in the lives of local youth. All proceeds from the online auction will help us match more local children with mentors.

Bid here until April 18th:

 

 

Both in response to charges that the Grammys have become exceedingly irrelevant and as a way to better focus on mass tastes, the Recording Academy last week announced the dismissal of 31 categories for next year's awards — only to, hilariously, piss off a whole new group of people. Now angered: all the musicians and labels that traffic in the lesser-known genres that the academy was, one presumes, actually doing a good job of representing. Academy president Neil R. Portnow met with aggrieved academy members in New York on Monday, and they let him have it about depriving them of categories in which they had eligibility. The response from Jochen Becker, of jazz and blues label Zoho, is representative: "[The academy] fixed a problem that none of us here in this room really saw ... We have gone the wrong way on this.” Portnow seemed spooked: "As we said, this is a fluid process. We may have done some things we want to rethink in a year.” Ah, Neil, now you're just going to have more people yelling at you. [NYT]

 

 

(LAKEVILLE, IND.)  After nearly three hours of deliberation, the St. Joseph County Council voted 5-4 in favor of a two-day Lakeville music festival.

 

Titled the Lakeville Folk and Blues Festival, organizers expect anywhere between 1,000 and 8,000 music fans to flood into the town of 786 people.

 

Those in support brought a petition of 400 signatures and attested to the festival’s ability to place Lakeville on the music map.

 

“I’ve had bands contacting me left and right. I had five groups talk to me today alone,” festival organizer Dean Roch said.

 

Others talked dollars, citing the festival’s ability to revitalize Lakeville’s economy in the wake of layoffs and a rough economy.

 

“Who would have thought Lakeville would have people to do all the legwork and take risks only to then give 25 percent of the money back,” one supporter said during the meeting’s public comment time.

 

Plans outline a 25, 25, 50 ratio in which funds will be divided. Organizers plan to place 25 percent of the proceeds in an account aimed at matching a $700,000 government grant. If met, the grant will rejuvenate Lakeville’s downtown with improved sidewalks, tree lawns and cross walks.

 

The other 25 percent will cover the property owner who is leasing his land for the festival. The remaining 50 percent will be funneled into an account to ensure events like this continue in Lakeville.

  Someone once asked me if I knew why the blues is such an overlooked genre.  I said "Over looked?  It's everywhere you look."

Some folks fear change while others embrace it.  Photographers are no different.  Their dilemma may be less intrusive than the ones we face in our everyday lives, but it reflects in their work.  Does it really matter if you use film or digital photgraphy?  Let's ask "Old Blues Eye".

 

This week - Joanie Hunt

Q:   Film or digital? In your career of photography which do you prefer and why?

A:   Let's see...while I loved shooting with film (loading my own cartridges and developing/printing my own stuff - I started doing that when I was 11), I have come to really enjoy the freedom that comes with shooting digital. It's much more affordable, of course, and that allows me to take even greater chances when I shoot. I'll push my limits, the camera's limits, and really go for broke in trying to capture every facet possible of an artist. I like the wide stage shots, the action shots, and then I love to find details or angles someone else may not see. You just can't afford to do that with film these days. 

                 

 

  Looking for more photographers!  editor@bluesfestivaleguide.com

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The Santa Clarita Valley Blues Society will host its annual Blues Festival at Mountain View Park in Saugus on Saturday, May 14 from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.

 

Admission and parking is free. The festival will also feature a car show, raffle, silent auction, barbecue, Kid's Zone and free fire truck rides.

 

This year's performing artists include Teresa James, Michael John & The Bottom Line, Toni Dodd & Southbound Blues, Bob Malone, Kelly's Lot, Wumbloozo, Susan Rey Band and Austin Scott & Triple Threat.

 

The SCV Blues Society also calls for volunteers to sell food and raffle tickets, manage the kids rides, help unload the bands, run booths and more. Contact mailto:Lynn@SCVBlues.org for more information on how to volunteer.

 

Mountain View Park is located at 28502 Seco Canyon Road, Saugus 91350.

 

Visit the SCV Blues Society online at scvblues.org or on Facebook at facebook.com/scv.blues.

 

 

Entering its 17th year, The Tampa Bay Blues Festival "has really established [itself] as one of the preeminent blues festivals," says Chuck Ross.

 

Of course he'd say that. He's the founder. But he's got some pretty convincing evidence.

 

Ross' baby was honored as the best U.S. blues festival at the Keeping the Blues Alive Awards held in February.

 

The awards are presented by the Blues Foundation, and honor those who promote the blues in the industry, schools and media.

 

"It was an honor for everybody in the community who supports the festival, hundreds of people," Ross says, who accepted the award at the ceremonies held in Memphis.

 

 

Since late last year, founding organizer Ted Gehrke had been mounting what he called a “last-ditch” effort to keep the Metro Fountain Blues Festival alive. At the same time that the festival was celebrating its 30 anniversary in 2010, SJSU’s Associated Students was forced by its financial situation to pull out as the main sponsor.

 

By last month Gehrke had made peace with the circumstances, and he even wrote a speech that he planned to deliver when the Fountain Blues Festival All-Stars Band performed at Montalvo on March 2.

 

“I was going to give the going-away speech,” Gehrke says. “I had my ‘It’s been a great 30 years,’ wave-goodbye-and-fade-into-the-sunset ready for that gig. I was really hoping I wasn’t going to cry.”

 

But that very day, he got a call from a potential sponsor who expressed serious interest in supporting the festival. The speech went into his back pocket while he spent a few weeks nailing down the details. Luckily, he had prepared a long-term financial plan showing how the festival, with a few tweaks, could quickly be in the black. The deal came together, though the sponsor isn’t ready to be named.

    

 

Louisiana swamp rock and blues man Kenny Neal started out playing bass for Buddy Guy when he was just a kid, moved to Canada to be a side man, and even was a member of Canada’s most famous blues band, Downchild, before picking up a guitar and fronting his own music.  Kenny has some stories to tell, and a new record for Elwood to play, Hooked on Your Love. Also: Creedence Clearwater Revival, Big Mama Thornton, Slip Harpo, Buddy Guy, and Kenny Neal, live in the studio. This week’s blues breaker features a slamming young guitar player out of Tampa, Damon Fowler. And five of you can win something! South Carolina bluesman Davis Coen has a new CD, Blues Lights for Yours & Mine. Enter to win here. And take a chance on our Baton Rouge Blues Festival getaway. We’ll put lucky winners up for the weekend, with passes to the VIP tent.  Delbert McClinton, Sue Foley, Jimmie Vaughan, and more.

 

 

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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, Yvonne Varner, editor@bluesfestivaleguide.com

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

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