The 44’s are a Los Angeles-based band who play blues-roots-rock music. They first made their mark on the Los Angeles blues scene in 07’ when they were tapped to compete and Finished 4th in the International Blues Challenge in Memphis, Tennessee. The band members include harmonica player Tex Nakamura (Formerly of war), Singer guitarist Johnny Main, Upright bassist Mike Turturro (Formerly Lynwood Slim/Candye Kane),drummer J.R. Lozano.

 

The 44’s, received the attention of Guitar Great/producer Kid Ramos (The Fabulous Thunderbirds, The Mannish Boys, Los Fabulocos) while playing their favorite haunt, the Doll Hut. With Producer Kid Ramos, they have released their first full-length album, Boogie Disease.

 

The 44’s' energetic live performances has gained a local following, and they are a fixture on the Los Angeles blues scene. Their sound attracted the likes of Los Lobos who invited them on tour with Los Lobos in 08’.

 

The 44’s have a devoted fan base and have received positive critical reviews, Critic Robert Kinsler wrote of their 09’ Appearance at The Doheny Blues Festival opening for BB King “Any overview of my day has to include the strong set by the 44’s, an electric blues band that kicked off the action with a set of Chicago blues crossed with primal rock “n”roll”

 

The 44’s have backed Blues luminaries Kid Ramos, Johnny Dyer, and Rod Piazza just to name a few.

 

Yank Rachell began his recording career in the late 1920's.  Through the ensuring decades, he established himself as the finest and most revered mandolinist the blues ever produced, performing regularly with Sleepy John Estes and Sonny Boy Willaimson, among many others.  Rachell drifted away from the music scene in the '40s, but resumed performing during the folk-blues revival of the late '60s and early '70s. These sessions from 1986, where Yank is joined for the first time by a rhythm section (his accustomed way of playing for many years), find Yank in fine form, his voice and instrumental skills still strong and compelling.  Downbeat magazine called the LP "a fun, effective presentation of old-timey music in a fresh, contemporary setting."

With Victim of the Blues, Tracy's 26th album in just over five decades, she has circled fully, back to the original music from South Side Chicago that mesmerized her teenaged mind in the mid-1960s.

 

The new album, Victim of the Blues, is a hand-picked collection of songs, most written by Nelson's early heroes: Muddy Waters (One More Mile), Jimmy Reed (Shoot Him), Percy Mayfield (Stranger in My Own Hometown), Lightning Hopkins (Feel So Bad), Joe Tex (The Love You Save) and Howlin' Wolf (Howlin' for My Baby). She has chosen 11 songs of the day, ones that were spilling out of AM radios from second-story apartments, rolled-down car windows, and live from darkened clubs with exotic names like El Macambo.

In late July, 2010, Nelson was featured on NPR's Weekend Edition, a little more than a month after the tragic fire that took the 100+ year old farmhouse she shared with longtime partner Mike Dysinger. She was just beginning to deal with the aftermath of losing her home and many of her personal belongings. ''The firemen told us they could save one room - we had to decide - we said 'the studio.''' This album, Victim of the Blues, is the album that miraculously survived the fire. And that is the reason that the first people Nelson thanks in this album's notes are the Burns, Tennessee Volunteer Fire Department.

 

To date, there have been several benefits across the country to assist the two in rebuilding their farmhouse on the land they love. Seeing as how her first Grammy nomination was for After the Fire Is Gone, with Willie Nelson, she would say drolly, ''It seemed like the perfect thing to call these events.''

Nelson had titled this album before the fire, so the irony is not missed on her. Victim of the Blues is as deeply felt as anything she she has recorded in her exceptional career. She is a soul survivor.

 

 

I don't know about anyone else - I'm excited!  This will be my first trip to the BMAs as well as Miss Kaati, I'm absolutely thrilled!  Our guide for the evening is the one and only, Terry Hanck.  Terry is a Blues Music Award Nominee this year in the category of "Instrumentalist - Horn".  If you're going to be at the Blues Music Awards - introduce yourself to Kaati and me. (We've got badges!)

 

The 22^nd annual Simi Valley Cajun & Blues Music Festival is set to fill Saturday and Sunday of Memorial Day weekend with wall-to-wall music. Nineteen different groups will be performing on two huge outdoor stages from 10:30am to 8:00pm on May 28^th and 29^th.

 

 

Featured Blues performers include Elvin Bishop and his “Hell Raisin’ Revue featuring his just released album. Also appearing are Grammy nominee Maria Muldaur, The Mannish Boys with their special guests, Big Pete Van Der Pluijm with his Tribute to Lester Butler Feat, John Nemeth, Ana Popovic, the Mitch Kashmar Band, Grammy nominee Tracy Nelson, the Kirk Fletcher Band, Los Fabulocos featuring Kid Ramos, Arthur Adams, Shawn Pittman, The 44s, Mikey Jr. & Stone Cold Blues, and Cadillac Zack with special guests.

 

 

On the Cajun-Zydeco stage Grammy winner Buckwheat Zydeco will be featured along with Andre Thierry & Zydeco Magic, Lil Pookie & The Zydeco Sensations, the Bayou Brothers and Billy Lee & The Swamp Critters. Also featured on the Cajun-Zydeco dance floor will be dance lessons led by Greg Benusa one of the world’s top Cajun & Zydeco dance instructors.

 

In addition to music and dancing, the festival features two dozen choices of food from exotic Cajun & Creole dishes to good old-fashioned barbecue. In addition there are over 100 craft and merchandise booths. And for those with children, there is an enormous kids area featuring a talent show, a variety of specialty acts, crafts and bouncers.

 

A special bonus this year is the addition of the Budweiser Clydesdales who will be on-site throughout the festival.

 

The pricing is family friendly with kids under 5 free. Kids 5 thru 12 are $ 15 and adults are $ 18. Tickets are available at the festival and on-line.

 

 

 

 

LONG BEACH -- More than 5,000 people and 80 vendors filled the Gulf Park campus of the University of South Mississippi on Saturday for a day of relaxed jazz music under the oaks.

 

The university hosted its third annual Jazz and Blues Festival, which featured music from the Rochelle Harper Band, the Southern Miss Faculty Jazz Quintet, the Jerry Ball Jazz and Blues Quintet, and Jason Ricci.

 

“We look at it as a great asset to the community and a way to bring people to the campus and let them know that USM is still open and still on the Coast,” said USM Dean of Student Services Tom Lansford.

 

“We see local vendors coming out to show their wares and, being right on the beach, people can look out and see the view while they enjoy great music and great art.”

 

Lansford said at one point during the concert, one of the music acts was running late due to an emergency and he pulled a man out of the audience to play on stage. Rusty Lemon then entertained the crowd for 45 minutes playing guitar until the band arrived to take the stage.

 

“It is a very beautiful venue,” said musician Rochelle Harper. “I think it’s great the school is doing this. It’s always nice to do stuff for your students and the community. Hopefully, these are bands that the students wanted to see.”

 

 

Bessemer business leaders say this weekend's barbecue and blues festival to be held downtown, combined with better relationships with the new mayor, are helping improve the image of the city.

 

Bob Sykes BBQ owner Van Sykes said he moved his Bob Sykes BBQ & Blues Festival, to be held from noon until 11 p.m. Saturday at DeBardeleben Park, from Tannehill State Park to downtown Bessemer in large part because of confidence in Mayor Kenneth Gulley, elected last fall.

"In the past, a lot of us in the business community felt unappreciated by city hall," Said Sykes, whose family has operated Bob Sykes BBQ downtown for half a century. "With the new leadership under Mayor Gulley, it feels like a new day in Bessemer. Our hope is that this blues festival will help showcase the positive side in Bessemer."

THE REGATTABAR JAZZ CLUB

information/reservations 617.395.7757 or order online at www.regattabarjazz.com

 

 

FRIDAY EVENING · APRIL 29th 2011
TWO SHOWS · 7:30 & 10pm $20. 

 

DAVID MAXWELL'S MAXIMUM BLUES BAND in TRIBUTE to OTIS SPANN and PINE TOP PERKINS......will be performing at REGATTABAR JAZZ CLUB in Harvard Square at the Charles Hotel, One Bennett Street, Cambridge, MA  RESERVE A SEAT NOW · CALL OR BUY ONLINE

 

FEATURING:
DAVID MAXWELL ~ Steinway Grand & electric pianos & vocals
TROY GONYEA ~ guitar
MARTY BALLOU ~ bass
PER HANSON ~ drums

 

DAVID MAXWELL's NEW CD, "CONVERSATIONS IN BLUE", featuring overdub collaborations with OTIS SPANN (from the classic 1960 Candid Records sessions), along with new MAXWELL solo cuts, will be available at THE REGATTABAR during this CD release engagement!

 

David Maxwell first saw his muse, the late great Otis Spann, perform with Muddy Waters in Paris in 1963 and then in Cambridge at Club 47 in 1966. By the late 60's, Maxwell and Spann (1930-1970) had become friends and their musical relationship was established.

 

DAVID MAXWELL is a World Class Keyboardist who's played with just about everybody and their brother! MAXWELL holds 8 BLUES MUSIC AWARDS NOMINATIONS, ONE GRAMMY AWARD and MANY more NOMINATIONS for his work on albums with various artists.
- 2008 & 2009 BOSTON MUSIC AWARD Winner
- 2010 BLUES MUSIC AWARD Winner - BEST ACOUSTIC ALBUM

Mississippi John Hurt (July 3, 1893 or March 8, 1892 — November 2, 1966) was an influential country blues singer and guitarist. He sang in a loud whisper, to a melodious finger-picked guitar accompaniment.

 

This week's video - Mississippi John Hurt, Spike Driver Blues

 

Even though it's festival season we can still go to clubs to see folks who are jsut starting out, which leads me to my next question.  Let's see what "Old Blues Eye" has to say.

 

This week Rocky Allen 

Q: Of all of the artists there are to shoot, which do you prefer - famous or amateur?

 

A:

I like to capture the passion of the performer!   I'm like the hunter who hides in the bushes waiting for his prey to walk by.  I wait for the performer to bare a piece of his heart and when he does...I capture it!   It's all about the passion of the performance for me.  You can get a passionate performance from anyone who believes in what they're doing.  Consider this picture of my friend Roland Hutcherson.  Like so many thousands of ultra-talented musicians he is not at all famous, but he can deliver such a moving performance that you actually believe what he's saying is true!  His guitar bears witness to each emotion-packed story that he tells.  His talent and delivery are second to none.  With that said, if they are famous or not so famous, I put the same energy into photographing them.  I believe music is a gift from God, and musicians are messengers of that gift.

---

 

 

 

The New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival is an embarrassment of riches for music lovers, touching not just upon jazz music, but also lots of R&B, blues, rock, gospel, world music, hip-hop, and cajun/zydeco. So how can an oldies fan best spend his time at the 2011 "Fest"? Here's a handy day-by-day guide from yours truly, who's been going since he was a child. Remember to come back for next week's schedule!

 

(AU)  THE annual Bluesfest descended into more of a "boos" fest on Saturday night ... at least when it came to Amazing Grace Jones.

Serially late to the stage, the 62-year-old music maverick kept fans waiting nearly an hour for her headline performance at the Byron Bay shindig, and her 1981 hit Nightclubbing was almost drowned out by a chorus of contempt when she finally made a dramatic entrance at 10.35pm.

 

She was due on at 9.45pm.

 

"There is such a thing as Jamaican time," she said recently.

 

(UK) THE bright young stars of the blues made a bank holiday bee-line for Burnley and made Saturday night one to remember.

 

The Burnley blues festival may be a much pared down version of what it used to be but the quality and enjoyment factor was higher than ever.

 

 

Just four acts took to the Mechanics main stage, each carefully selected to bring something different to the party – and all representing the future of the blues.

 

Opening the event was Chantel McGregor, something of a blues prodigy whose powerhouse set combined touches of immense subtlety with extraordinary technique – boy can this girl play a guitar.

 

Aynsley Lister brought together a wonderfully balanced set spanning rock, blues and even a little country thrown in for good measure.

 

A great thing about spring is that there are lots of wonderful free weekend festivals all around Middle Tennessee.

 

One of the best is the Downtown Franklin Main Street Festival on Saturday and Sunday, featuring more than 200 artisans and crafters, three stages (with music including Dixieland, blues, bluegrass, swing, ’60s music, big band and more), two carnivals and an international food court. Plus, a traveling John Lennon exhibit will be featured starting Friday and continuing through the weekend.

 

Festival hours are 10 a.m-7 p.m. Saturday, with the Fourth Avenue Street Dance continuing until 10 p.m., and noon to 6 p.m. on Sunday.

 

Go to www.historicfranklin.com or call 591-8500.

You can see the look on his face and hear the excitment in his voice.  Like a kid with a new toy!  Bigger toys for bigger boys.

 

    

 

Exciting news! The Boulder Roots and Blues Summit is the very first live event presented by The Bluesmobile, in association with Z2 Productions. It is a three day musical event, May 13, 14, and 15 at two fabulous venues in beautiful Boulder, Colorado. Here is some of the lineup:  Sheryl Crow, Leon Russell, Lucinda Williams, Davy Knowles, Janiva Magness, John Lee Hooker Jr. Lionel Young, Otis Taylor, Iowa roots player William Elliot Whitmore, and Chicago soul stew band Lubriphonic. Elwood will play some of that, and tell you all about it. (And there are more details here.) Doubly exciting blues breaker this week: a bit of John Popper from Blues Traveler, and his new project, the Duskray Troubadours.

 

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
 

back to top