Chris O'Leary : WAITING FOR THE PHONE TO RING

The Chris O'Leary Band's brand new CD, Waitin' For The Phone To Ring, builds on the buzz of his certified badass debut — Mr. Used To Be — which won the 2011 Blues Blast Music Award for "Best New Artist Debut CD" and was also nominated for a 2011 Blues Music Award in the same category.

The Chris O’Leary Band, all living in New York’s musically-rich Hudson River Valley, worked with producer Dave Gross in his Fat Rabbit Studios to create Waitin' For The Phone To Ring. The record is made up of mostly live performances, with musical interplay that seems to bring the listener into the room with the band. Fat guitar and harmonica tones, pumping horns, keys, background vocals, upright bass and drums fall in behind O’Leary’s naturally powerful vocals. All thirteen songs are Chris O’Leary originals – West-Coast, Chicago and New Orleans flavors with moving, funny, and incisive lyrics over killer grooves. Each song has its own mood and personality, but they all come together to make a complete, cohesive contemporary Blues & Roots album that just oozes vintage cool.

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DUSK TO DAWN LABOR DAY WEEKEND FRI AUG 31- SUN SEPT 2

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After winning the Blues Foundation Award for Best Self-Produced CD at the 2010 IBC, the Laurie Morvan Band was featured in a half-hour TV special, airing nationwide on the Big Ten Network. Their successful coast to coast touring includes festivals, city events and clubs throughout the USA and Canada, the Legendary Rhythm & Blues Cruise, and later in 2012 their first European Tour.

“Morvan’s music stresses fine melody, polished musicianship, and catchy vocal harmony yet again…Morvan’s guitar playing is what the excitement is all about…dazzling chops and fluid licks” - Blues Revue

“Scary good. Get out of the business good. Why everyone doesn’t know about this woman or her rocking blues band is beyond me.” - Bill Scheft, head writer, David Letterman show.

“Morvan is a stellar guitar player with consummate phrasing…one of the rising stars in the blues guitar world” - Blues Blast.

A charismatic performer, both powerful and inviting, Laurie writes from a fresh perspective, and her in-between-song banter alternates between inspirational and flat out hilarious. Audiences feel a sincere connection with her.

The LMB’s creative arrangements feature the beautiful harmonies of backup singer Lisa Grubbs, dueling solos between Laurie, keyboardist Tom Salyers and bassist Pat Morvan, with drummer Kevin Murillo driving this high-octane blues rockin’ train.

08/09 NRoute Concert Series, North Platte, NE

08/10 Boulder Outlook, Boulder, CO

08/11 Steve’s Guitars, Carbondale, CO

08/17 Friends of the Auberry Library, Auberry, CA

08/18 McConell Estates Winery, Elk Grove, CA

08/19 Crystal Basin Cellars, Camino, CA

08/21 Mac’s, Eugene, OR

08/22 Northside Pub & Grill, Bend, OR

08/23 Duff’s Garage, Portland, OR

08/24 Highway 99, Seattle, WA

08/25 Upstage, Port Townsend, WA

08/26 Spar, Tacoma, WA

08/29 Oxford Saloon, Snohomish, WA

09/01 Blues by the Bay Festival, Eureka, CA

09/02 Biscuits & Blues, San Francisco, CA

09/07 Café Boogaloo, Hermosa Beach, CA

09/23 Blues in the Park, Simi Valley, CA

09/28 Black Oak Casino, Tuolumne, CA

09/29 Torch Club, Sacramento, CA

More info

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ROOTSWAY ROOTS & BLUES ASSOCIATION AND GENEVA ART FESTIVAL BRINGING "WE JUKE UP IN HERE"

FILM / BLUES CARAVAN TO GENEVA SWITZERLAND

August 21-22, Louis "Gearshifter" Youngblood, Terry "Harmonica" Bean and Jimmy "Duck" Holmes (in his first-ever overseas appearance) will join We Juke Up In Here film producers Jeff Konkel, Roger Stolle, Damien Blaylock and Lou Bopp for screenings, concerts, a photo exhibit, talks and more in Geneva, Switzerland.

We Juke Up In Here is a film project from the creators of the award-winning film M for Mississippi: a Journey Through the Birthplace of the Blues.

The film is largely told from the perspective of Red Paden, owner of Red's legendary lounge in the historic town of Clarksdale, Mississippi. Through music and rare interviews, the viewer is drawn into the world of authentic Delta Jukes.

More info 

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Blues Music Award winner and foremost of only a handful of female harmonica players, Annie Raines, has recorded the most comprehensive harmonica instruction to date and the only interactive video format with "Blues Harmonica Blueprint" with 263 minutes of instruction, 68 video lessons, and over 75 charts. It's now available as interactive video software available via DVD-R or download.

Raines is eminently qualified to teach as harmonica legend James Cotton calls Raines “James Cotton Junior” and Muddy Waters sideman Pinetop Perkins said, “She plays so good it hurts."

Presented for the beginner to advanced intermediate player, this revolutionary video drills deeper and wider than any blues harmonica course ever published. Over two years in the making, with hundreds of hours dedicated just to the visual notation guides and animations, "Blues Harmonica Blueprint" features animated graphics showing where the notes are as they're being played; detailed video breakdowns of songs and exercises; text descriptions; live band jam tracks so you can play along with a blues combo including guitarists Paul Rishell and Troy Gonyea; an adjustable metronome; and a guitar tuner in multiple tunings.

One of the challenges of teaching harmonica is that one cannot see what a harp player is doing and TrueFire's animation over the footage of Raines cuts through that barrier.

Finally, Raines teaches solos and repertoire in the styles of blues harmonica masters such as Sonny Boy Williamson II, Big Walter Horton, Jimmy Reed, and Little Walter.

Having learned from Jerry Portnoy who has toured with Muddy Waters and Eric Clapton, Raines has performed on three Susan Tedeschi albums and with John Sebastian over her distinguished twenty-five year career. She has been the touring and recording partner of Paul Rishell for over twenty years. They have released six albums together, including the W.C. Handy Award-winning, Moving to the Country.

Click here for TrueFire's Blues Harmonica Blueprint playlist on YouTube, with numerous embeddable clips.

More info

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WISCONSIN HISTORIAL SOCIETY & MADISON BLUES SOCIETY OFFER BLUES TUNES & TASTES IN AUG

The Wisconsin Historical Museum and the Madison Blues Society are hosting three nights of “Blues, BBQ and Beer” this month, featuring blues history, music, food and drinks.

Aug 16 features Louka Patenaude presenting “Blues Meets Jazz,” with food from Underground Catering and beer from Sprecher Brewery. Aug 24 features "Blues Traditions" from Westside Andy and Glen Davis, food from Blowin’ Smoke BBQ and beer from Potosi Brewing Company. And Aug 30 will be “Blues Return,” a performance and presentation by area musicians, with food from Working Class Catering and beer from Capital Brewery. Blumers Root Beer and Blueberry Cream Ale also will be available at all events.

The events will be 6:30 to 9 p.m. at the Wisconsin Historical Museum, 30 N. Carroll St., on the Capitol Square. Tickets are $25 per event or $60 for the series (Historical Society members receive a 10 percent discount on single tickets only).

Call 608-264-6555 or visit shop.wisconsinhistory.org. Some single-session tickets may be available.

Read more

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RAISE THE ROOF: CAMPAIGN FOR THE BLUES HALL OF FAME

Attention Blues Fans:

The Hall of Fame pays tribute to the greatest of the genre and educates new people about the genre. The Blues Foundation has been inducting into the Blues Hall of Fame for years; it was just a simple evening with web presence. Nothing permanent. But now we need physical presence, and withyour help, we are going to get The Blues Hall of Fame building built in Memphis, Tennessee!

Here is a link with more details about the Blues Hall of Fame campaign:

(click line above or copy and paste URL into your browser)

http://www.mynewsletterbuilder.com/email/newsletter/1411379570

Doesn’t this project sound important and exciting?

If not us, who? If not now, when?

Our goal is to raise awareness and funds to reach the goal of 3.5 million.

How to donate:

1. Make a multi-year pledge by signing the form and mail it, fax it or e-mail it. The form is available online at: http://www.blues.org/capitalcampaign/index.php. The fax is 901.529.4030.

2. Make a multi-year pledge online at: http://www.blues.org/capitalcampaign/index.php.

3. Make a one-time donation by calling with a credit card or mailing a check.

3. Make a one-time donation online at: http://www.blues.org/capitalcampaign/index.php .

4. Text the word " blues " to 80077 to donate $10. When you receive a message to confirm, confirm by answering “YES.”

No effort is too small or unappreciated!

If not us, who? If not now, when? Just think, YOU can make

the Blues Hall of Fame a reality. Your support matters! 

Editor's Note: Thanks to Tall City Blues Festival, Music Matters Entertainment, A Music Company Inc., and Garvin Gate Blues Festival for helping to raise awareness about the Blues Hall of Fame. You too can get involved. Email us: Info@BluesFestivalGuide.com to get logos and links for your website or Facebook.

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Video of The Week

Otis Taylor Band : IN CONCERT

(NAMM Show 2011)

CLICK HERE FOR VIDEO

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