Rowe is pleased to present his fifth original release entitled Five. Written with longtime bassist, composer Alec McElcheran, Steve and the band remain true to the powerful blues sound that leaves plenty of room to let loose. Five delivers the solid drumming of Sam Harrisson, and features his uncle, Bob Harrisson, displaying his rarely heard mastery of brushes. With vocals shared between Steve and Alec, Five brings a level of artistry and tradition that only comes after years of la vie en blues.

Known as San Diego's "Queen of Steam," Michele Lundeen graces the Southland Blues Magazine cover this month. She has earned that name with her magnetic onstage presence and her energetic performances. The singer and songwriter has received six San Diego Music Award nominations including one for her 2005 CD, Song Inside Me.

Published 12 times per year since 1990, Southland Blues Magazine includes artist profiles, CD, book, video and live reviews as well as club and festival calendars, radio listings, and columns with reporters covering the Los Angeles and Orange County blues scenes.

http://michelelundeen.homestead.com/

The four-story, 32,000-square-foot music temple, opening Saturday in downtown L.A., pays tribute to 125 years of recorded sound with an elaborate array of eye candy, ear massage and interactive high-tech touting every imaginable stripe of music.

PHOTO GALLERY: Explore the four levels of the new Grammy Museum

"That was our most daunting challenge," says executive director Bob Santelli, a music author and former CEO of Seattle's Experience Music Project. "We had to make certain that polka, Native American, Hawaiian, blues, hip-hop, country and all forms of opera and classical have a home here."

Unlike shrine-heavy, artifact-driven counterparts, "this museum is more about the creative process and unraveling the mysteries of the recording process," he says. "We don't dwell on nostalgia. We took technological ideas from EMP and pushed it forward to get deeper inside the music. It makes the visitor a more sophisticated listener."

http://www.grammymuseum.org/

Help us help a blues friend in need.

On Saturday December 6, Maple Road - a GBA member band - played a gig in Milwaukee near State Fair Park, and while loading up to leave after playing, Jenny from Maple Road had her truck with all her gear in it, stolen. We are calling on blues fans and GBA members to help us help her replace her equipment, and perhaps find the truck.

Saturday, January 3 at Circle B Recreation Center in Cedarburg we will host a fundraiser. Join us for the first big blues event of the new year.....

Participating bands will be added to our website as soon as they are confirmed. This will be a FULL night of music for a great cause and a donation...... Please spread the word and help us FILL Circle B and raise the money to help Jenny out.

Admissions will be donated to help cover the cost of the gear. A more detailed story is on our website - PLEASE visit it and send it to those that may not be on our mailing list.

Check out Maple Road at  Mapleroadbluesband.com

If you can help in other ways, please contact us directly at the number listed.

Thank you for your support!

Kris Raymond - 262-208-6288

Grafton Blues Association

PO Box 566

Grafton, WI 53024

www.graftonblues.org

The Kennedy Center Honors will be broadcast on network television December 30. They hold special meaning to Blues fans this year inasmuch as the following Blues musicians were involved in a tribute to Morgan Freeman: Koko Taylor performed with Blues Music Award Willie "Big Eyes" Smith (harp) and Bob Stroger (bass), as well as Kenny Smith (drums), Frank Krakowski (guitarist) and Shunsuke Kikuta from her Blues Machine (guitar). As if that was not enough, Blues Hall of Famers Honeyboy Edwards (guitar) and Pinetop Perkins (piano) also performed for Morgan. And then, the King himself--B.B. King and his band--performed in tribute to his fellow Mississippian. Clint Eastwood and Denzel Washington were there to pay tribute to Morgan, Blues fan and co-owner of Clarksdale, MS Ground Zero Blues Club. In addition, multiple Blues Music Award winner Bettye LaVette sang a tribute to The Who's Peter Townshend and Roger Daltrey and Beyonce who plays Etta James in Cadillac Recordds was part of the tribute to Barbara Streisand. The event will be shown on TV on December 30.

MORE ON KENNEDY HONORS & CADILLAC RECORDS

The celebration of a famous life always poses a dilemma for storytellers because it means having to decide what is relevant and what can be left on the editing floor. For those who receive the Kennedy Center Honors this weekend, their lives are examined through their creative triumphs and they are given a national pat on the back for their contributions to the arts. When their stories are told, it's impossible not to walk away awestruck.

Some of the most inspiring musicians have been honored, from jazz artist Ella Fitzgerald to opera soloist Marilyn Horne. There have been musicians who have focused on gospel, soul, rock and pop.

But few blues musicians have been given Kennedy Center Honors since they were first handed out in 1978. There have been those whose work has undeniably been inspired by the blues. And there have even been entertainers such as Tina Turner, whose life story of poverty and domestic abuse has unfolded like blues lyrics. But aside from B.B. King and Ray Charles, those who peddled the blues have not been feted during the weekend-long celebration that stretches from the White House to the State Department and finally to the stage of the Kennedy Center.

The Honors focus on uplift. You walk away from the blues feeling drained and spent. That is the nature -- and the beauty -- of the music.

The Honors are not a competition and so it's a bit unseemly to start counting how many of the honorees have come from the various genres of music. The suggestions of those who are deserving and the list of those who are ultimately chosen are all subjective. There is no clear way to measure cultural impact, but clearly, that impact has to have been positive. Otherwise, disco surely would have been acknowledged somewhere along the way. And notoriety alone isn't enough to be honored, because if it were, Madonna or Michael Jackson would have been nestled in the president's box for the annual gala by now. The only rule is that the recipient must be living and willing to accept the Honors in person. Have all the blues greats passed away? Or are they still too busy suing record companies and rock bands to claim the royalties they are owed to come to Washington? Are there no younger blues artists able to cut through the force of hip-hop?
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The subject of blues performers -- and their place in history -- comes up in part because the film "Cadillac Records" opened Friday. It tells the story of Chicago's Chess Records and its roster of influential blues singers such as Muddy Waters, Little Walter, Howlin' Wolf and Etta James. The movie, most prominently, stars Jeffrey Wright, who plays Waters with a Mississippi accent so thick it could benefit from subtitles. Beyoncé portrays the gritty-voiced, foulmouthed, drug-addicted, vulnerable and voluptuous James -- a casting decision made more understandable upon realizing that she is a producer on the project. Beyoncé has the booming voice, the platinum hair and the bonus pounds packed on for the role. But when she sings James's famous ballad, "At Last," her glamorous voice -- which stirs up images of sequined evening gowns and diamonds -- doesn't have the rough emotion of a woman who struggled through heartbreak to finally get a glimpse of love. Beyoncé sounds like the girl who has always gotten the boy -- and eventually sends him packing.

But never mind that. The film is less about the individual stories than the tide of frustration, poverty, wild-eyed desire and brutal realism on which the music floated. Racism comes in the form of brutal police officers, shortsighted club owners and folks who just didn't like race music. There's nothing romantic in the story of "Cadillac Records," not in the way so many jazz tales have unfolded. It's hard not to compare blues and jazz, two homegrown musical forms so rich in history, but with limited modern appeal. Jazz films like " 'Round Midnight," "Bird" and "Let's Get Lost" tend to imply a certain integrity to the music. It is played for artistic expression, not for money. In "Cadillac Records," money is the essential motivation. Getting paid and getting a new Cadillac -- those were the promised rewards for signing with Chess Records.

Jazz music was embraced by intellectuals and went international. Novices who go to a jazz performance and dare to mutter a few words while an artist is performing are given a stony-eyed glare from those nearby. Jazz is serious and heady. It is museum-quality music. Even all of the alcoholism and drug addiction that are part of the music's legacy have been burnished as creative indulgences, as tragically romantic as history's absinthe and opium.

If there's any lesson learned from "Cadillac Records," it's that the blues is messy. It doesn't have the controlled aloofness of jazz. It's impossible to imagine Little Walter playing his harmonica with his back to the audience in the manner of a self-absorbed Miles Davis.

In the film, the music is sung by grown-ups who have known pain. They are not smooth. They are awkward and vulnerable. Many of them are, like Wright's Waters, virtually incomprehensible because of thick country accents that in the pop culture rankings are not as desirable as incomprehensible British ones. And those blues folks sweat onstage. Messy sweat. Not sexy perspiration.

There's something about the blues that seems almost too untamed and oozy for an institution like the Kennedy Center. Without the blues, there would have been no Chuck Berry -- a Kennedy Center honoree in 2000 and played by Mos Def in "Cadillac Records" -- and without him there would have been no rock-and-roll. But rock makes us think of youth, rebellion, sex and swagger. Rock is tight. Blues is paunchy.

It lacks the lean, swivel-hipped, youthful cool of the music that it inspired. And it remains nowhere near as lucrative. More people can detail the dating history of Justin Timberlake than have ever heard of Keb Mo.

The Kennedy Center Honors make us proud of our performing arts. They inspire us to stand taller and straighter. "Cadillac Records" reminds us of the music that's there when we're bent over and burdened. It is not the music that reassures listeners that everything will be all right. But sometimes, catharsis is far more satisfying than a pep talk

"From seasoned professionals, to emerging newcomers, this is the most diverse group of nominees the program has recognized," said Martin Folkman, IMA program director. "The level of talent is extraordinary and reflects the vast talent pool found in the indie scene."

This year's Finalists cover every level of experience and include a variety of seasoned veterans. Martin Sexton is nominated for Solo his career-spanning retrospective in the Live Performance Album category. Other veterans who received nominations include banjo virtuoso Tony Trischka, nominated for his release Territory; Dan Zanes, who received a nomination in the Children's Album category for the album Nueva York; John Sebastian & David Grisman in the Americana Album category for their collaboration, Satisfied; and the late blues guitarist Jeff Healey who is nominated in the Blues Album category for his record, Mess Of Blues.

The Winners of the 8th annual Independent Music Award will be announced later this year.

Blues Song

Celso Salim - Brazil "Big City Blues"

Dalannah Gail Bowen - BC, Canada "Mamma's Got The Blues"

Eddie Turner - CO, USA "Mr. Blues"

Eden Brent - TN, USA "Mississippi Flatland Blues"

Meagan Tubb - TX, USA "Let Me Believe"

Blues Album

Delta Generators - MA, USA Album: Devil In The Rhythm Record Label: n.a

Jeff Healey - AB, Canada Album: Mess Of Blues Record Label: Stony Plain Records/Ruf Records

Swamp Cabbage - NY, USA Album: Squeal Record Label: Zoho

The Mannish Boys - CA, USA Album: Lowdown Feeling Record Label: Delta Groove

Tomcat Courtney - AZ, USA Album: Downsville Blues Record Label: Blue Witch Records

The label will release new recordings from vocalist/harmonica player John Nemeth (Love Me Tonight) and guitar phenom Damon Fowler (Sugar Shack), and audiophile quality vinyl records from Walter Horton (Fine Cuts) and Otis Rush (Tops).

John Nemeth burst on the scene last year with his dazzling debut album, winning acclaim as one of the most gifted artists on the modern blues scene. He skillfully blends retro and modern blues and soul into compelling music that is simultaneously old and new. Brimming with energy, his new CD is tougher and edgier. Nemeth re-visits the inspired sounds of the 50's and 60's when Chicago blues was adding funk and rock to the mix. By reinvigorating the sound of vintage American R&B with his spine-tingling vocals and considerable songwriting skills, John has crafted a timeless slice of American music. Frequent collaborator Elvin Bishop guests on two tracks.

Damon Fowler, another fast-rising blues star, has made a name for himself with his guitar expertise and fusion of roots, rock, blues, and sacred steel. He's been compared to Johnny Winter and Jeff Beck, while his slide guitar has a hint of Ry Cooder and the late Duane Allman. He can play fiery runs with the best of them, but it's his lyrical work on lap steel and Dobro that sets him apart from legions of guitar players. Sugar Shack is pure Southern Americana - a skillful blend of swamp, blues, and Southern rock.

Big Walter Horton, whom Willie Dixon called "the best harmonica player I ever heard," was a highly influential harp master who combined a unique, fluid style, a genius for tone, and a rare emotional intensity. Fine Cuts, released in 1978, was one of the first recordings from the fledgling Blind Pig label, when the company was still headquartered in Ann Arbor, Michigan.

Otis Rush, another blues giant and one of the premier Chicago blues guitarists, is captured live in a searing, soulful performance at the San Francisco Blues Festival in 1985. This fired-up, imaginative program showcases Rush's prodigious skills, immaculate chops, stinging, vibrato-drenched guitar and tortured, intense vocals.

http://www.blindpigrecords.com/

PINE LEAF BOYS FROM LOUISIANA SIGN TO LIONSGATE MUSIC

Pine Leaf Boys, the young Cajun band from Louisiana whose last album, Blues de Musicien, was one of the first to be nominated for a Grammy Award in the new Best Cajun/Zydeco Album category, have signed to Lionsgate Music and have completed their new album Homage Au Passé (translated as Homage to the Past), slated for release on February 3, 2009. The youthful Southwest Louisianans celebrate their Cajun heritage with a rollicking and often rowdy collection of soulful original songs and traditional classics.

The Homage au Passé album received a 2009 Grammy nomination in the Best Cajun or Zydeco category for its digital-only release on iTunes. February 3, 2009 is its brick-and-mortar retail street date.

In a 2007 New York Times profile on the band, a performance was described thusly: "A spell was cast, combining a mysterious past - the nearly forgotten dialect and the archaic squeezebox's red bellows - with an unabashed rock 'n' roll energy conducive to the elbow-flying, hip-swiveling spirit on the dance floor." Rolling Stone describes the group as "steeped in tradition . . . but with free-range ambitions in soul." NPR recently featured the Pine Leaf Boys on "Morning Edition, " crediting the band with keeping Cajun music alive.

http://music.lionsgate.com/

In the short time since the Red Hot Blues Sisters performed their first live show in 2004 at Highway 99 in Seattle, they have taken the International Blues community by surprise with the power and depth of their musicianship. Washington Blues Society Best Band of 2008 & 07 06 nominees; fans love their innovative original songwriting and fresh electric feel to the blues. Selective covers of traditional standards shine with the power of Aretha and the pearl in-laid guitar coolness of Bonnie Raitt & Eric Clapton through the lens of the bands strong musicology & blues show varieties. The Red Hotz are 5-Star Foley Entertainment rated. Their new 2008 release ‘Red On Blue' from the Peace Code Records labelhas been submitted for both GRAMMY and Blues Foundation awards. Fronted by powerful soulful vocals from Suze Sims and searing rock/blues styles from Teri Anne Wilson on guitar; The Red Hotz are joined by top class Northwest musicians including Patrick McDanel on bass, and John Oliver on drums among many others. The Red Hotz travel as a 4 to 8 pieces; with horns and an award winning sound. These sisters always volunteer in your event city and make radio and instore appearances to promote shows and fundraising. So make use of them as you see fit.

2009 brings The Red Hotz to Memphis for the Semi-Finals of the International Blues Challenge, land also brings new originals released on Peace Code Records. Red Hot Blues that is memorable and the success of the finest duo in Blues today. The Red Hotz guarantee a crowd pleasing live engagement with a huge international fan base.
Their well-crafted songs feature brilliant performances that are world class ready!
Recent live performances on main stages have continued to introduce the talents of RHBS to the International music scene; resulting in extremely positive responses from ardent blues, rock and R&B fans.


http://www.redhotbluessisters.com/

No shows on Christmas Eve (Dec 24) or New Years Eve (Dec 31)

January 7th - Studebaker John - Studebaker John Grimaldi is a powerful vocalist and talented songwriter. His raw amplified Blues style recalls > past masters like Little Walter and Big Walter Horton, while his slide guitar style is descended from the styles of Elmore James and Hound Dog Taylor.

January14th - Scott Holt Band - Scott Holt played with the Legendary Buddy Guy's band for 10 years playing all over the world with everyone from Eric Clapton to Richard Gere! Playing Las Vegas and the Rose Bowl with the Rolling Stones. While with Buddy, Scott was also working at home in Nashville with his own band and developing a national reputation as one of the premiere live bands.

January 21 - TBA,

January 28 - James Armstrong - Whether alternating vibrant slide work with Hendrix-like rock leads or flat-picking BB King style Armstrong smoothly redefines the range of contemporary blues.

Captain's Wheel

2801 Court Street

Pekin, IL 61554

(309) 346-1154

http://www.rivercityblues.com/

Guitar prodigy Joe Louis Walker walked away form the blues in the mid-70s, then made a triumphant leap back in 1985, and has been walking the blues walk ever since. He joins Elwood to talk about his new CD, WITNESS TO THE BLUES, what it's like to work with legend Steve Cropper, what got him into the blues, and how he got his unique style. Plus tunes by Shemekia Copeland, the Grateful Dead, and a performance live by Mr. Walker in the Radio Hour Studio. Make sure you Tune In!

visit www.TheBluesMobile.com
for times and stations in your area