Fe ature d Ar ticles

On the cover: C hris Eger L a B on Ton Roule: Ne w Orle ans Blues Wel come Back: Rory Bl o ck
On the C over : C hris Eger Photo by Judy Tille y

In This Issue...

Letter from the President 7 Elenor Ellis Concert in Seattle 7 On Tour 9 Blues on the Road: New Orleans 10 Blues by the Numbers 11 Youve Got ta Have Heart 12

Festival Preview: Poverty Bay Festival Preview: Levenworth Book Review: Buddy Guy The Lonely Life On the Cover: Chris Eger Dateline: the Clubhouse

13 14 15 16 17 17

Welcome Back: Rory Block Festiveal Review: Mount Baker Dry Side Blues CD Reviews Soul Singer Surgery Blues Bash

18 20 22 24 25 26

Letter from the Editor

The Blues is a delicious way to spend the summer, and I cannot express the excitement I have for the up and coming Poverty Bay Blues and Brews Festival - its in my little corner of the world, just down the street, actually! And of course theres also The Scotch and Vine with yummy drinks and amazing blues every weekend! I love living in Poverty Bay/Des Moines! Im also really excited about this issue. One year ago this month I contacted WBS President Eric Steiner about the Bluesletter. I had picked up the Bluesletter at the Safeway Waterfront Blues Festival in Portland that July 4th weekend and since blues are what I love and magazine layout was what I wanted to do when I grew up (hey,

now, its supposed to happen any day now!) it seemed a perfect fit. I met with Eric during August and designed my first Bluesletter in September; which means that Ive done twelve Bluesletter layouts. Its been the most incredible year. The Bluesletter has been recognized nationwide for its upscale design, weve gained more writers, more photographers, and more advertising. Weve gone from 32 pages to 40 pages and have been delivered to doorsteps on time on a (fairly) regular basis, and all volunteer run. We have an amazing team working on the Bluesletter each month, and its still growing, I love getting the letters from readers about what they love about the Bluesletter and from people

asking if they can get involved. Its incredible. The plan, for me, was that I would help out the Washington Blues Society until I graduated from the Art Institute of Seattle, and then I was off to change the world. But in the few short months I worked on the Bluesletter I fell in love with the Washington Blues Society - you guys are AMAZING! Super supportive, challenging, collaborating - Ive never been a part of a such a large team, all working toward the same goal: growing and supporting the Blues. I say all that to say this: Thank you. For the most amazing year of my life, thank you. Until next time, Jesse Phillips, Editor Washington Blues Society Bluesletter

Celebrating 23 Years of Blues

August 2012 Bluesletter
Vol. XXIV, Number VIII
Publisher Editor & Art Director Secretary Calendar Advertising Printer Washington Blues Society Jesse Phillips (jesse@jessephillipsdesigns.com) Rocky Nelson Maridel Fliss (mflissm@aol.com) Malcolm Kennedy (advertising@wablues.org) Pacific Publishing Company www.pacificpublishingcompany.com

1989 - 2012

La Bon Ton Roule Blues on the Radio Dial Jam Guide Venue Guide Talent Guide Summertime Blues: Festival List Blues Blast Music Awards Calendar

27 28 29 29 30 31 32 36

Contributing Writers: Robert Horn, Eric Steiner, Malcolm Kennedy, Jerry Peterson, Jesse Phillips, Roy Brown, William Charney, Rocky Nelson Contributing Photographers:
Jerry Peterson, Eric Steiner, Judy Tilley, Sarah Alston, Sergio Kurhajec, Theresa Neinas, The Blues Boss and Paul Natkin

Cover Photo:

Chris Eger, Photo by Judy Tilley

On the

Cover:

Chris Eger photo by Judy Tilley Bellingham-based photographer Judy Tilley has been taking pictures since the Brownie Starfish was on the leading edge in film cameras. She is a much sought-after live concert photographer by touring artists from across the globe, and the Rockstars page of her www.clikrf8images. com web site has over 3,100 pictures. This months cover of Chris Eger is Judys first contribution to the Washington Blues Society Bluesletter, and we hope that shell continue to share her skills and talent behind her Nikon as she continues to capture the magic of the Mount Baker Rhythm and Blues Festival (and other festivals around the nation!)

The Bluesletter welcomes stories and photos from WBS members! Features, columns and reviews are due by the 10th of each month in the following formats: plain text or Microsoft Word. Graphics must be in high-res 300 dpi .pdf, jpg, or .tiff formats. We encourage submissions. If a submitter intends to retain the rights to material (e.g., photos, videos, lyrics, textual matter) submitted for publication in the Bluesletter, or the WaBlues.org website, he or she must so state at the time of submission; otherwise, submitters rights to the material will be transferred to WBS, upon publication. We reserve the right to edit all content. The Bluesletter is the official monthly publication of the Washington Blues Society. The WBS is not responsible for the views and opinions expressed in The Bluesletter by any individual. WBS 2012 The Washington Blues Society is a nonprofit organization whose purpose is to promote, preserve, and advance the culture and tradition of blues music as an art form. Annual membership is $25 for individuals, $35 for couples, and $40 for overseas memberships. The Washington Blues Society is a tax-exempt nonprofit organization and donations are tax-deductible. The Washington Blues Society is affiliated with The Blues Foundation in Memphis, Tennessee.

Mission Statement

Washington Blues Society P.O. Box 70604 - Seattle, WA 98127 www.wablues.org

5

September 2012 DEADLINES:

Advertising Space Reservations: August 5th malcarken@comcast.net Calendar: August 10th calendar@wablues.org Editorial Submissions: August 5th - editor@wablues.org Camera Ready Ad Art Due: August 12th - editor@wablues.org Camera ready art should be in CMYK format at 300 dpi or higher.

Washington Blues Society

Proud Recipient of a 2009 Keeping the Blues Alive Award from The Blues Foundation President Vice President Secretary Treasurer (Acting) Editor Music Membership Education Volunteers Merchandise Advertising Downtown Seattle West Seattle Eastside Northern WA Penninsula South Sound Central WA Eastern WA Ballard Lopez Island Middle East Webmaster Web Hosting WBS Logo 2012 Officers Eric Steiner Tony Frederickson Rocky Nelson Chad Creamer Jesse Phillips 2012 Directors Vacant Michelle Burge Roy Brown Rhea Rolfe Tony Frederickson Malcolm Kennedy president@wablues.org vicepres@wablues.org secretary@wablues.org treasurer@wablues.org editor@wablues.org music@wablues.org membership@wablues.org education@wablues.org volunteers@wablues.org merchandise@wablues.org advertising@wablues.org

Advertising Rates:
Graphics: Text: Full Page: Half Page: Back Half Page: Quarter Page: Fifth Page: Business Card: ADD COLOR: 300 dpi PDF, TIF or JPG Plain .txt or Word $260 (8.5 x 11) $150 (8.5 x 5.5) $200 (8.5 x 5.5) $90 (4.25 x 5.5) $65 (4.25 x 3.5) $25 (3.5 x 2) ADD 25%

Weve Got Discounts! 20% off- 12 month pre-payment 15% off- 6 month pre-payment 10% off- 3 month pre-payment Contact: advertising@wablues.org We value your business. Please send all advertising inquriries and ad copy to advertising@wablues.org with a copy to Malcolm Yard Dog Kennedy at malcarken@comcast.net

2012 Street Team Tim & Michelle Burge blueslover206@comcast.net Rev. Deb Engelhardt deb@revdeb.com Vacant Lloyd Peterson freesprt@televar.com Dan Wilson allstarguitar@centurytel.net Smoke smkdrms@aol.com Stephen J. Lefebvre s.j.lefebvre@gmail.com Cindy Dyer cindalucy@hotmail.com Vacant Carolyn & Dean Jacobsen cjacobsen@rockisland.com Rock Khan rocknafghanistan@gmail.com Special Thanks The Sheriff webmaster@wablues.org Adhost www.adhost.com Phil Chesnut philustr8r@aol.com

THANK YOU FOR READING THE BLUESLETTER AND SUPPORTING LIVE BLUES IN THE EVERGREEN STATE!
ATTENTION BLUES MUSICIANS: WOULD YOU LIKE YOUR LATEST CD REVIEWED IN THE BLUESLETTER? GOT A BLUES CD FOR US?
Need help in getting the word about your music? Wed like to help. While we cannot predict when or if a review will land in the pages of the Bluesletter, wed like to encourage musicians to consider the Washington Blues Society a resource. If you would like your CD reviewed by one of our reviewers, please send two copies (one for the reviewer and one for our monthly CD giveaways at the Blues Bash) to the following address: Washington Blues Society ATTN: CD Reviews PO Box 70604 Seattle, WA 98027

SammyEubanks chillin with the Bluesletter Photo byBluesBoss

Hi Blues Fans! I wanted to take a moment to introduce a new contributor to the pages of the Bluesletter. This month, we feature an article from William Charney, the bandleader of The IOUs. I did some Internet research on William, and found a lot of interesting things about him: hes an occupational health expert with a significant body of written work on hospital safety, a bluesman and a jazzman, and hes contributed to film scores over the course of his avocation in music.

Eleanor Ellis Concert in Seattle!

Eleanor Ellis, traditional American blues artist and performer/instructor at the Port Townsend Acoustic Blues Festival, July 29 - Aug. 5, will perform on Friday, Aug. 10 for the Pacific Northwest Folklore Society at 7:30 pm at Couth Buzzard Books Caf Espresso Buono, 8310 Greenwood Ave Northwest in Seattle. Louisiana native Ellis has developed a distinctive and personal approach to the music, and has played at festivals and clubs throughout the United States, in Canada and in Europe. According to one reviewer, More than copying one artist or another, Ellis distills the elements of the originals and transmits them, intact, in her own expressive way. She credits her musical reach to such greats as Memphis Minnie, Skip James and other early recording artists, as well as to the influence of the blues players she has personally known. She was recently nominated for a 2012 Wammie award for Blues/Traditional R & B Female Vocalist. The Wammie Awards recognize performers from the Washington (DC) Area Music Association. Eleanors CD, Comin A Time, was selected as a Pick to Click album by Bill Wax, host of XM Radios BB Kings Bluesville. This is part of the monthly second Friday Pacific Northwest Folklore Society Coffeehouse Concert series at Couth Buzzard Books. The intimate performance space seats about 40 people and is totally acoustic with no amplification necessary. Coffee, beer, wine and food are available. Concerts are free but a hat is passed and donations are encouraged. For more information phone 206-436-2960 or visit pnwfolklore.org, buonobuzzard.com or eleanorellis.com.

Last month, out of the blue, he sent in to our PO Box an opinion piece about how he views the current club scene in Seattle. I called him immediately and thanked him, and while I shared his piece with a few knowledgeable people, I realized that his words might be more than a little controversial. He told me about a new effort called Fair Trade Music led by the local chapter of the musicians union, the American Federation of Musicians.

This month, the local chapter of the American Federation of Musicians will convene a community meeting on the Fair Trade Music initiative, and while the Washington Blues Society cannot take a position on any political issue, I am confident that the conversations at the Labor Temple will be spirited around the hard road that working musicians, by definition, choose by following this career path. I have been heartened, however, by new opportunities posed by new Festivals like Idahos Wallace Blues Festival, and the continued support in the form of paying gigs like the Taste of Music offers blues musicians, thanks to the leadership of Washington Blues Society Vice President and Merchandise Director Tony Frederickson. If Mr. Charneys words strike a chord with you, please let me know at president@wablues.org. Id like to bring back Roy Browns lively Sound Off column, and getting a few reader comments both for and against Williams position may just be the first step in including strong, but respectful and courteous, opinions back into these pages. Ill see you at the Taste of Music in Snohomish, which will feature our 2013 International Blues Challenge finals! Eric Steiner, President Washington Blues Society Member, Board of Directors, The Blues Foundation

President

Letter
from the
7

On Tour:Welcome Back to
By Eric Steiner Photo by Sarah Alston This month, I wanted to inform Bluesletter readers of nationally-touring artists that will play clubs and select special events in the Pacific Northwest and British Columbias Lower Mainland. This article is not intended to be exhaustive and reflect all national acts that are on tour; rather, its a quick summary of blues and related roots music performances that Ive found on the Keeping the Blues Alive Award-winning Internet site online at www. pollstar.com. Please look elsewhere in this months Bluesletter for more information on August festivals, special events, the 2012 Taste of Music (which includes our 2013 International Blues Challenge finals), and next months Blues for Food. Los Lobos return to the Pacific Northwest with two shows this month: on the 1st, theyll play the annual Zoo Tunes concert series at Woodland Park, and theyll be back on the 12th at Port Townsends McCurdy Pavillion. Ive seen them a number of times, and they offer a diverse set of blues flavored with conjunto blues. In the clubs, August gets off to a great start with Hamilton Loomis at the Highway 99 Blues Club in Seattl on the 2nd, with San Diegos Nathan James the following night. Big Head Todd and the Monsters, fresh from their Robert Johnson tribute CD, will join Barenaked Ladies, Blues Traveler, and Cracker at Marymoor Park on the 3rd. Tracey Nelson returns to Dimitrous Jazz Alley on the 7th and 8th, and Bonnie Raitt and John Lee Schell play the Queen Elizabeth Theatre on the 10th in Vancouver, British Columbia (one night before the annual Burnaby Blues and Roots Festival). On the 16th, Mark Hummel brings his exceptional harp show to the Rockfish in Anacortes, the same night that Buddy Guy, Jonny Lang and Quinn Sullivan play the Tulalip Theatre in Marysville. This must be the weekend for guitar slingers, because Ana Popovic returns to Highway 99 on the 16th, followed by Eddie Devil Boy Turner on the 17th. Rory Block returns to our region to play the Triple Door on the 16th, and shes at the Upstage in Port Townsend the following night. Coco Montoya returns to the Triple Door

the Pacific Northwest!

on the 17th. On the 22nd, Zoo Tunes hosts another great blues line up: Trombone Shorty and Orleans Avenue plus Robert Randolph and the Family Band. The end of the month brings the Laurie Morvan Band to the Upstage in Port Townsend, that little ol band from Texas, ZZ Top plays Mountain View Plaza in Snoqualmie. Im sure that national singing competitor Leroy Bell has a great many friends, but you can catch Leroy Bell and His Only Friends at the Eagle Haven Winery in Sedro Wooley on the 22nd and in downtown Seattle at Westlake Park on the 31st. Our neighbors to the Northwest at the Victoria Jazz Society offer an exceptional lineup of blues at the 18th annual Vancouver Island Blues Bash featuring Alligator Recording Artist Joe Louis Walker and Canadian guitarist David Gogo from September 1st through the 3rd at Ships Point. Please send me any reactions to blues forecasts like this months On Tour article. Its designed to complement, and not compete with, our Bluesletter calendar or Marlee Walkers excellent Blues-to-Do monthly publication.

Blues on the Road:

This summer, I had the privilege of attending the annual Pathways to Adulthood Conference in New Orleans sponsored by the Childrens Bureau of the US Department of Health and Human Services for my day job. While the workshops and panel presentations were excellent, I enjoyed the opportunity to introduce coworkers and new friends to some of my favorite places to go in the Crescent City. While I spent most of my time in the French Quarter during my fifth or sixth visit to one of my favorite cities, I took the free pedestrian ferry across the Mississippi River to see Bruce Sunpie Barnes and the Louisiana Sunspots at the Wednesday free music concert in New Orleans second-oldest neighborhood called Algiers. Sunpie is a true Renaissance man: a former teacher, park ranger, National Football League alumnus, and Zydeco bandleader, he put on a high-energy show at the Wednesdays on the Point summer concert series on June 27th. Hes a frequent performer at the New Orleans Jazz Festival, and this summers schedule also included George Porter Jr & the Runnin Pardners, Big Daddy O Revue, Ed Willis & Blues4Sale, and local club players the Brass-A-Holics. This family-friendly event featured slides and basketball hoops for children, and beer, wine and sausages were reasonably priced. The ferry is free for pedestrians, and $1 for cars, and runs until

midnight. When I get back to New Orleans, Id like to visit the newly-reopened and renovated Algiers Regional Library, and eat at the Dry Dock Caf, DiMartinos Muffulletas, Tout de Suite, and the Rendezvous Caf. This trip, I returned to Arnauds in the French Quarter for their excellent remoulade and Cajun cooking. Like many fine dining establishments in New Orleans, the main dining room offers live music, and the night I ate there, a jazz trio played New Orleans standards. As I paid the bill, the waiter asked if I had seen the museum honoring the restaurants founders. The Germaine Cazenave Wells Mardi Gras Museum, named for successor and daughter of Count Arnaud, opened in the restaurant in 1983, and Wells reportedly reigned as queen of over twenty-two Mardi Gras balls from 1937 to 1968, more than any other women in the history of Carnival. I looked at many of the Counts costumes, and wondered if he was a royal from France; I later learned that his honorific title was purely local. I hadnt been upstairs at Arnauds on prior visits, but after climbing two flights of stairs, I was transported into a world where the traditional colors of Mardi Gras weaved through each of the Kings and Queens fanciful costumes. I learned that the purple, green and gold colors that mean Mardi Gras to so many people

also symbolize justice, faith, and power. The exhibits featured adult and childrens Mardi Gras parade costumes, photo galleries of famous visitors, and trinkets and other memorabilia from Mardi Gras past. When I go back to New Orleans, I will return to Muriels at Jackson Square on Chartres Street. This contemporary Creole restaurant offers up fixed-price menus that are exceptional. Muriels web site features recipes for puppy drum (a mild and flaky local whitefish), BBQ shrimp and spicy remoulade, and I look forward to recreating some of these in my kitchen in Edmonds. My usual spot for breakfast coffee and beignets, Caf du Monde, was on the other side of downtown in the French Market shopping area, so I went to Caf Beignets near Bourbon Street and Bienville. The restaurants courtyard features industrial-strength fans to blow cool mists around the Musical Legends Park. The park features statues of Irma Soul Queen of New Orleans Thomas, Fats Domino, Ronnie Cole, Chris Owens, Pete Fountain, Al Hirt, and Louis Prima. Live jazz begins every morning at ten, and at six oclock, Steamboat Willie holds court with his jazz band til about nine. While live music blasts from many venues up and down the 15-block adult Disneyland

10

New Orleans
Photos and Article By Eric Steiner Clockwise: Brass on the street, Rue Bourbon, EJ Phillips at Sing Sing, Sunpie Barnes at Algiers, Gumbo Ya Ya & the Trolley.

known as Bourbon Street, I was particularly impressed with the Sing Sing Blues Club. Its a long and smoky bar, and electric guitarist E.J. Phillips honored Jimi Hendrix memory with spot-on interpretations of Red House and Little Wing. The stage barely fit the drummer, bass player and EJ, but the locally-brewed Abita IPA was very cold and refreshing. I also noticed that each nightclub I visited actively catered to smokers: so, if you are a blues fan who smokes, the French Quarter just might be one of your must-visit places on your bucket list. Many bars had good ventilation systems, and it was nice carrying my beer from club to club down Bourbon Street. Two blocks away from Bourbon Street, I found Sneaky Petes: this 24 hour bar was hopping with many pool players, and it was on my way home to my hotel, the Roosevelt. I had read mixed reviews online about New Orleans Waldorf-Astoria property, the Roosevelt. Thanks to my status with the Hilton Honors frequent-stay program, I was upgraded to a one-bedroom suite overlooking Canal Street, the trolley cars, and rows of palm trees that stretched to the Aquarium of the Americas and the Algiers ferry. Upon check-in, the receptionist handed me a coupon for the Sazerac Bar. The lobbys opulence matches that of its namesake property on Park Avenue in New York City, and the terrace

pool is a perfect place to unwind after a day at work. Its no joke that the Sazerac Bar bills itself with the creative tagline of Any bar can make a drink, few make history. Part of that history includes not only the creation of what may arguably Americas first cocktail in the Sazerac, and controversial Louisiana politician Huey P. Long would meet with constituents over a Ramos Gin Fizz (another Crescent City classic cocktail) in the bar. Finally, Id like to thank El Jefe Jef Jaisun for this expert advice on all things New Orleans any Bluesletter traveler to Louisiana would do well to get a copy of his recommendations for New Orleans. His Tip Sheet was an invaluable complement to local newspapers like Gambit and Off-Beat, and while I have never heard any New Orleanian call their city The Big Easy, El Jefes information was easy to read and helped me navigate the noisy, fun and boisterous experience that is New Orleans! I also recommend the citys official tourism guide, because its packed with information for all travelers, and the city truly welcomes families of all types (but my favorite thing are the coupons for restaurants and bars in the back!).

Blues by the Numbers in the Evergreen State

In an average Bluesletter, theres a lot of information about blues music, blues musicians and the blues community of Washington State. Thats what good blues society publications do: educate, inform, and celebrate a uniquely American musical art form that brings people together. Theres also, in an average Bluesletter, a great deal of numbers that tell a compelling story. The radio program listings often have up to 26 separate opportunities to experience blues radio (both terrestrial and online-only). Theres around 50 open jam sessions in any given month: from Centralia to Marysville and from Everett to Walla Walla and Puyallup, too. Thats an indicator of how many blues incubators there are in all corners of the state in clubs large and small. Im continually amazed that our venue guide lists over 100 venues that sometimes host blues shows over and above regulars like the Highway 99 Blues Club, the New Orleans Creole Restaurant, the Madison Pub, Jazz Alley and the Oxford Saloon and Eatery. Finally, we often run listings of over 135 artists that are available for hire across the state in the 206, 360, 253, and 509 area codes from the Olympic Mountains, across the Cascades, through the Palouse and over to Spokane. There you have it. Blues by the numbers in Washington State. Id be remiss if I didnt close with two of the most important numbers of all: in recent months, weve mailed out over 740 individual issues of the Bluesletters to subscribers (many of whom are couples memberships) and 66 packets of 20 Bluesletters each to blues clubs from the Pacific Northwest, Chicago, Clarksdale and Memphis and back. To steal the title of an important documentary from the 1970s, the word is out about the blues in the Evergreen State, thanks to the volunteers, Bluesletter readers, and musicians all connected by a love for blues music!
By Eric Steiner

11

Youve Got to Ha (When youre

I was told it was going to be a great crowd. I heard that people were on fire about the spankin Washington Blues Society program, Passing the Torch. It had touched a sensitive nerve with many in the Washington Blues Society, especially those growing long in the tooth. Here was the Washington Blues Society really focusing on their mission statement, the part about supporting and promoting the Blues art form. The Washington Blues Society was beginning to pay it forward with a heady goal: that of producing the next generation of Blues artists in the Pacific Northwest. Passing the Torch is an effort by the Washington Blues Society, Seattle Teen Music, and Centrum to impact the future of Seattle Blues. The goal is to produce the next generation of blues musicians through the process of education, both musical and historical. The support from many current musicians is over the top. Many, many of the Blues musicians are aging, as are the non-musician supporters. As more musicians hear of and understand this long term project, the ranks of the committed will grow. We were lucky enough to have $1,000 fall from the sky to get us started. Through a series of events, an anonymous donor from Bellingham came forward with a $500 donation, matched by their employer for $1,000 total. Centrum gave us the scholastic portion of one entry to Blues Camp. We were close to sending two kids, something that the Washington Blues Society has not been fortunate to do in the past. Our little group, including Jon Scherer with Seattle Teen Music along with Suze Sims, Dennis Zyvoloski and Roy Brown from the Washington Blues Society, committed to sending two kids to Blues Camp at Centrum, a week long Country Blues seminar which provides the best of the best in Country Blues Education anywhere in the country. Our show to raise the remaining funds was held on June 10th at the Red Crane in Shoreline, where our monthly Blues Bash is held. The bands contacted to help with the fundraiser were knocked out to be asked and immediately agreed to help. The crowd, expected to be a sell-out, wasnt. If you are familiar with the monthly Blues Bash, the crowd was a little more than average. The doors opened at 4:00pm on a Sunday afternoon. At 4:45 the show started out with Jesse James. Jesse is a 14 year old musician from Chelan who has been to Centrum twice. He isnt just a kid learning to play guitar. Jesse is an accomplished musician with a band, one member of which played with him at the fundraiser. He met that member at Centrum. Jesses message to the crowd was both simple and powerful; when he went to Centrum for the first time, it changed his life. Another youth musician who played between the bands was Nolan Garret, who gave an incredible performance of Robert Johnsons Crossroads. You didnt know it was coming. It started out as an acoustic instrumental which slowly built to frenzy. When the first familiar notes from Crossroads came from his guitar, several minutes into the song, the audience was literally going nuts. Nolan clearly hasnt decided on

Jesses message to the crowd was both simple and powerful; when he went to Centrum for the first time, it changed his life.
his genre of choice yet, nor should he. But his combination of a Seattle Grunge sound with traditional Blues is breathtaking. The third youth performance was by the Ian Sandisco Trio, courtesy of Seattle Teen Music. The group was another winner that played original and traditional music. Seattle Teen Music is an organization that searches out and provides youth musicians / bands with a stage to perform their music. Praise rained down on the Trio just as it had for the other two youth

12

ave Heart
By Roy Brown

Festival Preview: Passing the Torch) Poverty Bay

Blues & Brews
acts. Each of the three youth artists played between the bands with Jesse James starting and closing the show, in the end firing up his electric guitar, backed by members of the Stacy Jones Band. The advertised group started out with Son Jack Jr. and Michael Wilde followed by Blues Redemption, then The Randy Oxford Band, with The Stacy Jones Band finishing the night. We all know these bands, and their performances were typical; top rate. We wanted to provide a show for the fans that was worth their time. We did that. But in the end, it was the kids that stole the show. And guess what? These were the youth musicians that applied for the very first Passing the Torch scholarship. We had easily made enough money to send the two kids; that was our goal. There was a problem. We had three applicants. None of us wanted to be the Grinch that sent two and left one at home. In the waning moments of the show, we were $250 short of sending all three. A plea went out to the crowd. We needed $250 to make it all happen. One of the musicians pledged $125 if we could raise the other $125 from the crowd. The announcement was made, and we passed the tip jar: And the crowd Passed the Torch; more than the needed $125 came back to put us over the top. The recipients of the very first Passing the Torch scholarships to Centrum are: Ian Sandisco, Nolan Garret, and Jesse James. These are all names you will hear again. They are the beginning of the future of the Blues in the Pacific Northwest. The title of this article is a 50s song, Youve Got to Have Heart. Heart is all of what comes to mind when thinking of this effort. The crowd was smaller than we would have liked; yet the beating of the crowds heart was incredible. It was ferocious. Ive been involved with Washington Blues Society seriously for almost a decade. I have never experienced the determination and the love of a group of people who are as dedicated to local Blues at any previous event. Over the next year, Passing the Torch will grow from infancy into childhood. It will take some time to mature. We are giving this program ten years. Over that time our goal is to pay the Blues forward. In fifty years, when we are but a footnote in the history of the Blues, our kids will be Passing the Torch to the next generation of Northwest musicians. Stay tuned. You will be learning much more about this righteous program in the coming months. All of us must become involved as we continue Passing the Torch. The Des Moines Rotary Club invites you to attend the 3rd Annual Poverty Bay Blues and Brews which is scheduled to take place on August 25th along the shores of the Des Moines Beach Park. Enjoy a day on the Puget Sound listening and dancing to the four featured performers at this years event together with a variety of fine brews from local microbreweries. Northwest bands scheduled to appear at the event and time of their appearance are listed below: Junkyard Jane 12:30 to 2:00 PM All Stars No Stripes 2:30 to 4:00 PM Stacy Jones Band 4:30 to 6:00 PM Mark Dufrense 6:30 to 8:00 PM To complement your blues and brews, we will be barbecuing Bratwurst and B & E Markets famous Tri-Tip for your dining enjoyment. This is an outdoor event that will be held rain or shine, you must be 21 or older to attend the event and no pets will be allowed inside the venue. No outside food or beverages are allowed. Lawn chairs and picnic blankets are permitted. There will be plenty of free parking in the Des Moines Marina. Tickets are $25 in advance; $30 at the gate. Six tasting tokens are included with the price of admission. All beer tasting will be one token. Tickets can also be purchased on-line at the following web site: http://www.browntickets. com/event/245829 100% of the net proceeds support the Des Moines Rotary charitable projects with the primary benefactor being the Highline Music 4 Life project. This project supplies both new, used and repaired musical instruments to children who attend elementary school in the Highline School District. Please come and join us on August 25th to celebrate the 3rd Annual Poverty Blues and Brews at the Des Moines Beach Park.

13

Festival Preview:

Leavenworth Blues, Brews & BBQ Festival

Photo of Duffy Bishop and Chris Carlson courtesy of the Leavenworth Blues, Brews & BBQ Festival

The home of brats, polkas, tree lighting festivals, and a festival a week, will take a turn down a different path. The Leavenworth Blues Brews & BBQ Festival is coming to town September 15th, 2012 and I dont think too many folks will be busting out the lederhosen or dirndls for this music! The Leavenworth Festhalle, right downtown, will be the center of the Blues for Central Washington at the first LB3 event. Dave Winters and George Lak of Icicle Enterprises have come together to produce this first time event to expand the entertainment opportunities for the locals and tourist. We just figured it was time to bust out and have some fun going in a different direction than the Chicken Dance and Maipoles said Lak. Winters added, We think the combination of all that Leavenworth has to provide culturally and recreationally is great, but to bring an entirely different element to the area, to expose folks to Blues and Funk, that is a winner in my mind. For a first time event, that is a pretty outstanding lineup, has been the response from many folks in the Northwest Blues community. Duffy Bishop will headline the event.

Shes dangerous! is what Bo Diddley said about Duffy Bishop when she shared the stage at his 75th birthday concert. Duffy is a Washington Blues Society and Cascade Blues Association Hall of Famer and recipient of the 2010 Lifetime Achievement Award and is a crowd favorite everywhere she goes. She shared the cover of the July Bluesletter with Tim Too Slim Langford. The day-long event will keep folks moving and grooving with a wide range of musical styles. Local favorite Slack Daddy brings their huge playlist of drive you out of your seat dance music of the 60s and 70s. Doctor Funk has raised the bar for soul music in the Pacific Northwest, bringing to mind the sound and energy of the Tower of Power. Ty Curtis is bringing his guitar-slinging style to Leavenworth from Salem, OR. He plays music from R&B influenced ballads to rough and tumble slide guitar to Reggae, and pulls out all the stops every time he steps on the stage. Big Mumbo rounds out the schedule bringing their Old School Funky R&B show influenced by artists such as B.B. King, Martha & the Vandellas, The Drifters, Flash Cadillac and many more. There may even be another surprise band or two to keep everyone moving. LB3 also brings great BBQ from three different

pit cookers as well as microbrews from across the Northwest. There will be an all-day beer judging event with us looking for the fan favorite. Random prizes will be given out to those participating in the voting! We are also bringing in a cigar bar as another fun extra said Lak. He continued, We want folks to come and have a great time. Winters chipped in saying, Leavenworth has a lot to offer with many restaurants, outdoor activities, shopping and other things, but for pure entertainment value, we think $20-$25 bucks for 10 hours of fun is a pretty great deal. This event is also a benefit for the United Way of Chelan and Douglas Counties. Part of the proceeds will go to the local United Way group to provide services in the Wentachee Valley. Advanced purchase tickets are just $20 and are available online at http://leavenworthblues. eventbrite.com or at Avalon Music in Wenatchee and the Leavenworth Chamber of Commerce. Tickets at the door sell for $25. The doors open at Noon on September 15th with music starting at 12:45. Last call for beer sales is 9:00pm and the music will end around 10:00pm. For more info about the event, please visit www. leavenworthblues.com. For even more info about Leavenworth see www.leavenworth.org.

14

Book Review:
When I Left Home: My Story
By Buddy Guy (with David Ritz) (Da Capo Press, 2012) When Buddy Guy met Muddy Waters for the first time, he said that As Muddy kept talking I found myself tapping my foot to his words. He was talking alright, but it was more like he was singing. You will find yourself doing the same thing as you read Buddy Guys new memoir on Da Capo Press, When I Left Home, coauthored by David Ritz. This is Guys first book-length foray onto the printed page, but contributor Ritz has successfully brought stories from artists like T.I., Scott Weiland, Ray Charles, Janet Jackson and Scott Stapp to the pages of contemporary musical literature. Guys biography is instantly readable, and it evokes the sights, sounds and smells of postwar American blues told by one of the true pioneers who made his way from Louisiana to Chicago after World War Two. Described in loving detail and poetic vernacular, the story of Guys life, from his humble childhood as sharecroppers son in Louisiana who got his first guitar from a total stranger, to becoming an influential pioneer of early electric blues, and now an owner of a blues club in Chicago and torch bearer for real blues worldwide, this book is essential reading for fans and scholars alike. Guy considers September 25, 1957 as a second birthday, as he was born again and found his destiny in Chicago. The vivid tales of Guys struggles to rise up through the ranks of a very competitive blues scene are re-told in eloquent detail, but are summed up succinctly: There never was, and never will be, another time when so many gunslinger guitarists terrorized the streets of any city. Guys stories are full of colorful characters and legends of a golden age of American music. Guy lovingly recalls how the men that he called teachers, fathers and friends lived and died. Men like Muddy, Willie Dixon, Howlin Wolf, Junior Wells and John Lee Hooker who breathed life into the blues and inspired generations of musicians worldwide. The pages are full of quotable anecdotes on The Blues, and offer wisdom in passages such as: Funny thing about the blues: you play em cause you getem. But when you play em , you lose em. These truly are words to live by. Buddy Guy named his Chicago club Legends to honor the blues players who have come before him and never got their due, and to respect those who left us too soon. He invites readers during their next visit to his club on South Wabash Street to find him at the back of the bar where hell tell you his story of how the blues shaped his life. Its one hell of a story from a living blues legend. Just like Buddy Guys records belong on every blues fans CD shelves, When I Left Home: My Story belongs on every blues fans bookshelves. Rick J. Bowen

15

Club Musicianship in Seattle:

Its not easy being a club musician in Seattle, no matter what genre or type of music you play. We are the working-stiff musicians. We are the ones exploited by club owners and promoters who want a great show, but who dont want to pay the piper. We routinely play three or four-hour gigs and only get paid what the club makes from the admission of patrons at the door, or even less than that sometimes. The current way we are paid for our work makes our lives and our careers as musicians unsustainable. Getting receipts from the door brings our pay to about 50 cents an hour way below the minimum wage. To musicians, one show means hours of preparation time, rehearsal time, equipment purchase or rental, travel time back and forth from the gig, parking, demo taping and much more. We get exploited for the love of the music. But for us, hope reigns supreme. Maybe one show will bring us a contract, or maybe we will have a good night where the pay and the atmosphere just might meld together. The current situation in most music venues in Seattle is unfair, unsustainable, and doesnt actually support the creation of great music or allows musicians to support a family with livable wages. But, we know local musicians are the life of the city. National groups come and go, are expensive to see and do not represent the inner core of a town. Local musicians are the towns heartbeat. But that heartbeat cant sustain life the way club musicians are paid now. We are expected to bring our own fans to shows by doing the majority of the marketing and advertising, we are expected to perform for almost no wages, provide hours of entertainment, call the club booker 20 or 30 times to get the booking, and then be happy with the proceeds we bring in at the door. Sometimes we even have to pay for the doorman out of our percentage of door proceeds, and then we are expected to go home happy... and then try it all again for a re-booking. Sometimes its worse. My band has been offered only a tape-recording at the end of the gig, no pay at all, or not even what the club owner took in at the door. Or, maybe we will be offered only drinks and a meal. Not every club is guilty of these transgressions and we appreciate that. But, in my opinion, the majority of the Seattle club scene falls into this category. This inequity forces club musicians

The Lonely Life

By William Charney

into poverty. Many leave the profession before reaching their creative potential. Many work at outside jobs just to pay the rent or put some food on the table. Younger bands are especially vulnerable to exploitation. The craving for exposure and the experience of playing live, to be heard is an overwhelming impulse that leads to impulsive acts. I believe that Seattle can do much better. There will be a meeting on August 13, 2012 at 7:00 PM at Labor Temple 2800 First Avenue, Hall 1 to talk to club musicians, to listen to their stories, offer solutions so that we can help each other raise our standard of living. This meeting is called the Fair Trade Music Meeting and it is sponsored by the Musicians Association of Seattle (Local 76-493 o f the American Federation of Musicians). All genres and types of musicians are welcome to attend as we share a strong interest in fixing the Seattle Club scene. For more information call Ms. Motter Snell, the President of our local, at (206) 441-7600. Editors note: William Charney is the bandleader of The IOUs and this is his first contribution to the Bluesletter.

16

On the Cover: Chris Eger

The subject of our August 2012 cover is guitarist Chris Eger. Fresh from his performance at Ephratas Basin Summer Sound in July, Chris returns to the Mount Baker Rhythm and Blues Festival at the Deming Log Show grounds this month along with perennial crowd pleasers Dana Fuchs, Hamilton Loomis, and Hot Tuna. On the 11th, hell play the 23rd annual Stillaguamish Festival of the River and Pow Wow at noon. Hes also playing the Taste of Music in Snohomish on the 17th at the Kla Ha Ya Park stage at 5:30 PM followed by a set at the award-winning Oxford Saloon and Eatery at 8:00 PM. Next month, Chris will return to the main stage at the Log Show Grounds in Deming for the East 542 music festival with country and roots acts like Sawyer Brown and Lonestar. Chris has played the Blues Bash of the Washington Blues Society at the Red Crane Restaurant in Shoreline, Washington, and we are happy to showcase Washington blues artists like Chris Eger on the cover of the Washington Blues Society Bluesletter.

by Eric Steiner Photo by Judy Tilley

Dateline: The Clubhouse

The Forty Fours with Special Guests
By Malcolm Kennedy

I have reviewed each of 44s CDs in the Bluesletter: Boogie Disease and Americana. These guys are the real blues deal. The show started at 8:45 opening with slippery slide guitar and reed bending harp backed by a propulsive rhythm section that reminded me of a train moving down the tracks on Slip Slidin Thang from Americana. The diverse music varied from barn burners to slow burners with raging guitar and steamy harp solos. The opening hour- long set consisted of 10 songs with several from Boogie Disease. Dancers hit the dance floor for Automatic with Tex Nakamuras keening blues harp and Mike Turturros thumping double bass, J.R. Lozanos steady beat and Johnny Mains spine tingling guitar. The slow but insistent Take It Easy had an epic guitar solo, and they played their tribute to William Clarke on his signature Blowin Like Hell which showcased Tex stunning harp chops. The show stopper of the first set was Mr. Operator, a slow burner off of Americana, with a nuclear melt down guitar solo and Johnny singing sans mic from the middle of the dance floor in the middle of the song. I introduced myself to Johnny and showered praise on the 44s first set. We talked about their new CD, Americana, and about some of his fellow Rip Cat label mates like the Mighty Mojo Prophets.

The Clubhouse, recently remodeled and under new management, is a sports bar with about a dozen large flat screen TVs, pool tables, a fully stocked bar and kitchen serving pub food. The room has a nice large open floor plan with virtually unobstructed site lines to the stage. There is a dance floor similar to the one at stage left at the Highway 99 Blues Club. The kitchens nightly special of fish and chips was an affordable $6.99. The hand trimmed, beer-battered cod was prepared to perfection, and washed down with a couple of cold Mac & Jacks, it was a good pub meal. I was surprised to find out that a touring band the caliber of the 44s would play at a relatively new club down in Kents East Hill. The 44s had a gig the following night at the Untapped Blues & Brews Festival, played at Duff s Garage in Portland on their way from Los Angeles, but their calendar that Friday night was open. Former Washington Blues Society president Cholo Willsin, who has long felt the pulse of whos new and hot in the blues world, called Jim King, and he got the 44s a gig at the Clubhouse. The Clubhouse is also the new home James King & the Southsiders, who were playing the Clubhouse the following night.

The second set featured more songs from Americana opening with Hanging Tree. For the funky version of Lady Luck, Johnny invited to the bandstand Southsiders Jim King on sax and Steve Blood on rhythm guitar. Steve took the first solo and Johnny took the second. They added Billy Spaulding on drums, and Jim took over the vocals Reconsider Baby, which is on the Southsidersdebut Too Faced. They closed out the set with a tribute to James Harmon on the slow blues Four Questions with Johnny Main back on lead vocals and guitar. I chatted some more with Johnny and Tex, and handed Johnny a copy of the May Bluesletter opened to the review of Americana to get a few autographs for my blues library. Johnny instantly recognized the Bluesletter format. Johnny said that he was in Davenport, Iowa last year at a blues festival. He remembered seeing my review of Boogie Disease in the September Bluesletter. He laughed when he recalled showing Kid Ramos the review, and they both enjoyed Buddy Guys cover photo taken at the Safeway Waterfront Blues Festival. The Clubhouse is easy to find and well worth the drive: its about a half mile beyond Kent Meridian High School, just east of 104th Street SE between the Kent-Kangley Rd (SR 516) and 256th Street SE at 25818 180th Street SE on Kents East Hill.

17

Welcome Back to the Pacific Northwest:

Rory Block
Rory Block has embarked on a series of ambitious projects covering the styles and catalogs of some of the early blues masters that have influenced and inspired her. Back in the mid 1960s, Rory was in a rare musical place in her native New York, and later, California. Learning the guitar in her teens, she spent time with the likes of Fred McDowell, Rev Gary Davis, Son House, Bukka White, John Hurt and Skip James. Rory played in Washington Square Park where blues players would join the burgeoning folk scene. She was around people like Bob Dylan, and Maria and Geoff Muldaur, John Sebastian, John Hammond Jr, Jim Kweskin and Stefan
By Malcolm Kennedy Photo by Sergio Kurhajec

Grossman, who introduced Rory to some of those blues legends. This was a time when the only way to learn the blues these men played was at the source or from rare old records. In that era, there was no You Tube, no Internet, and apart from small, community radio stations, the blues were not on the airwaves. Blocks Mentor Series started with the 2006 Rykodisc release The Lady and Mr. Johnson. Although Robert Johnson was long dead before Rory was born, his first LP was released by Columbia in 1961. Producer John Hammond Sr. was instrumental in the release of Johnsons

material, and Rory heard John Hammond Jr. playing Johnsons stuff which had an immediate impact on her. Rory included 13 songs of the 29 Johnson waxed, including two cuts not released by Vocalion back in the 1930s, choosing a mix of some of his best known songs and some of his less covered work. The next release in Rorys series was the 2008 Stony Plain CD, Blues Walkin Like A Man honoring Son House. A contemporary of Charley Patton and Willie Brown, Johnson and a young McKinley Morganfield considered House one of their mentors. House was a Baptist preacher by

18

age 15 and served a couple years at Parchman Farm for murder, which House steadfastly claimed, was in self defense. As she interpreted Johnsons work, Rory tried for note for note renditions at first; but she later expanded and improvised a bit, too. Rory featured 13 tracks from Houses catalog, including Houses best know piece Death Letter and his three most important 1930s songs My Black Mama, Preachin Blues and Dry Spell Blues. Following her tribute to Son House, the 2011 Stony Plain Records release Shake Em On Down honored Fred McDowell. Usually called Mississippi Fred McDowell, he was actually born and raised in rural Tennessee, and after his folks died, he made his way to Memphis around 1926 before eventually making his way to Como, Mississippi, where he was to live out his life. There are several things that set McDowell apart from Rorys other mentors besides not being from the Delta region. For starters, Fred was not recorded during the prewar era. McDowells first recordings were for Alan Lomax in 1959 and he next recorded for Arhoolie Records in the 1960s, so he did not have the opportunity to record those rare 78s

Later in life, Davis had David Bromberg, Jorma Kaukonen, Ry Cooder and Stefan Grossman as students. Davis was a multi-instrumentalist playing six and 12 string guitar, banjo and harmonica performing gospel, ragtime and traditional songs and the Piedmont style of blues which features intricate finger picking. Born and raised in South Carolina, Davis moved to North Carolina where his career as a musician picked up before migrating in the early 1940s to New York where Grossman introduce Rory to him at his home in the Bronx. Rory skips over Davis early blues recordings, and focuses on his later gospel works opening with Sampson & Delilah (otherwise known as If I Had My Way by Blind Willie Johnson), which Rory belts out with authority. The 11 tracks also feature Twelve Gates To The City, Death Dont Have No Mercy and one of my favorites, Goin To Sit Down On The Banks Of The River. Although each of these Delta blues masters, except McDowell, did record before World War Two, none of these recordings met with much commercial success, unlike popular artists of the day like Bessie Smith, Lonnie Johnson or Blind Lemon Jefferson. . This may have been

recorded Parchman Farm Blues, Fixin To Die Blues, Shake Em On Down, Po Boy, Good Boy Blues and Aberdeen Mississippi Blues on Victor Records. For each Mentor Series project, Rory immersed herself in the music and history of each bluesman to truly get inside the music, from their unique hand positioning, rhythms, and fingering, to their picking technique and chording styles. On each release, Block did not just play the songs, she lived each one. About Son House, Rory wrote that, you must be shrill, edgy, harsh and always slamming, snapping and torturing the guitar it proved frustrating how much speed and dexterity was required to even come close. Impossible strums and snaps each one going in an unnatural direction. About Fred McDowell she wrote what at first sounds easy enough can swiftly become maddeningly complex. McDowell was a player who laid down a beat that didnt let up. I began by counting the number of times Fred repeated the same hard driving riff-maybe eight, perhaps ten or more times before changingmaybe for almost the entire song.

There are several things that set McDowell apart from Rorys other mentors besides not being from the Delta region. For starters, Fred was not recorded during the pre-war era.
a direct result of the Great Depression, and discretionary funds for 78s simply were not available. Fortunately, the music of these same Delta blues masters was rediscovered in the mid-1960s by blues and folk enthusiasts looking for the real deal who tracked them down. As a result, each released two or three well-regarded LPs prior to their deaths. Had it not been for these blues and folk enthusiasts, it is likely that the works of these important blues men would have been lost to time. Their 78s would not have become rare cherished collectors items, and they would not have made those 1960s records. To fully complete her Mentor Series project, Id like to think there would be upcoming CDs honoring the legacies of Mississippi John Hurt (who had a dozen side released by Okeh in 1928 like the murder ballad Frankie (& Johnnie), rags like Candy Man and Salty Dog and traditional songs like Stack-o-Lee (aka Stag-o-Lee, Stagger Lee etc.) and Spike Driver Blues (John Henry). Also, Id like to see Rory interpret Skip James, who first recorded 18 sides for Paramount Records in 1931 whose songs Im Glad, Hard Time Killing Floor, 22-20 and Devil Got My Woman are probably familiar to most blues fans. Bukka White, who With Rev Gary Davis, Rory lamented his use of finger picks, which were new different and challenging for Rory to use, especially the thumb pick. Each artist was a different challenge to overcome and master. Rory has released over 25 albums since 1975; she is the recipient of five Blues Music Awards. A pair for Traditional Blues Female Artist and three for Acoustic Blues Album of the Year, including one for The Lady and Mr. Johnson. Rory Blocks unprecedented series of releases once again brings the works and styles of some of these first generation bluesmen back into the light. The first four releases of Rorys Mentor Series are all excellent, lets hope she continues the project with the remaining three artists I mentioned previously in this article . For more information about Rory Block, please see Art Tipaldis article in Blues Revue # 132 Honoring Her Teachers. Rorys autobiography, When A Woman Gets The Blues, tells a compelling story, and is available from her web site as either a print or e-book. This month, Rory Block returns to the Pacific Northwest on Aug 16th at Seattles Triple Door and the following night at Port Townsends Upstage.

on so-called race records. Freds style was also not straight up Delta blues: on some songs, he used limited chord changes, and he was also known for the use of a single droning chord on some of his songs. In fact, some consider McDowell to be the first to play in what has become the North Mississippi Hill country blues style most associated with Junior Kimbrough and RL Burnside and their progeny. Another difference is that from at least 1969 until he passed in 1972, McDowell performed and recorded frequently on electric guitar. A master of slide guitar, McDowell coached a young Bonnie Raitt. Blocks tribute to Fred McDowell takes a slightly different approach from her earlier Mentor Series releases by including some originals on the CD. Rory recorded a couple of McDowells better known songs, Kokomo Blues and Write Me A Few Lines as well as Sonny Boy Williamsons Good Morning Little School Girl one of several songs McDowell frequently covered. For her 2012 CD, I Belong To The Band Rory performs the music of Rev Gary Davis. Davis first recorded for ARC in the 1930s delving into gospel upon becoming a Baptist minister in 1937, after which he usually refused to play the blues. Davis peers included Blind Blake, Blind Willie Johnson and Blind Lemon Jefferson.

19

Festival Review:

I have very fond memories of the Mount Baker Blues Festival; especially the 12th anniversary festival in 2007. I wrote down some quotes and observations at the time that Id like to share with Bluesletter readers as a blast from the past. It stands as a gleaming example of the quality and quantity of the fun, food and fantastic blues music anyone can expect at Mt Baker. It was an easy drive: head north on I-5 until you reach Bellingham. Head east on Hwy 542 until you think you are lost. Turn north just before the bridge, go down river on the Nooksack and pull into the Deming Logging Show Grounds. The location just appealed to this old Alaskan logger. There, you will meet a great group of volunteers waiting to show you a good time.

12

th Annual Mt. Baker Blues Festival

By Rocky Nelson

Kitchen had everyone bumpin to a funked up set. Coco Montoya, former guitarist for John Mayalls Bluesbreakers, satisfied with blistering guitar solos and smooth delivery. He amped up the energy and set the stage for Jeff Healy to close the show. Lloyd gave me a VIP pass to wear for access that read Coco Montoya and it didnt fool anyone. Coco stayed up on stage with Jeff Healy to really bring the house down. Always the consummate entertainer, Jeff had the people eating out of his hand. He, like many others, stayed at the Washington Blues Society booth for a very long time talking and signing autographs. On Sunday, the only band to play on each of the two days, the Fat Tones started things going. Members of the Inland Empire Blues Society, the Washington Blues Society and hailing from the Spokane area, The Fat Tones, broke Washington Blues Society sales records topping $1700.00 in CD sales. Best sales ever! crowed tireless (and former) Merchandise Director Malcolm Kennedy. They would like to break into the Western Washington blues scene said 2007 drummer Mike Hayes. The door looks open to them. They were a crowd pleaser and got the joint juken for Alligator Records all-star, Tinsley Ellis. With Mike Lowry on guitar, the Evil One on bass, and Jeff Burch on drums, Tinsleys crew ripped it up. We could use another Stevie Ray Vaughn to attract the young people to the blues, said Tinsley, in response to my question about what the new blues scene needed. Kal David and the Real Deal were as advertised, the real deal! Kal, also a former Bluesbreaker, and guitarist for Bonnie Raitt, did a great rendition of Red House that was spine chillin. Then, Blues Industrial Giants - B.I.G. - came on stage like a cool breeze in the hot afternoon sun. B.I.G. featured Mark Whitman on guitar, (Lo-fat) Fat James on guitar, John Lewis on vocals (on his reunion tour), Keith Wohlford on bass, Dave Delzotto on drums, Dick Powell on Hammond B-3, and 10 year old blues protg, Jumpin Josh, hung in there with the B.I.G. boys on guitar. To close the event, Savoy Brown did not disappoint. Savoy Browns newest incarnation has Mario Staiano on drums and Gerry Sorrentino on bass. Having seen them many times in my

then 53 years on the planet, I was struck with how little Kim Simmonds has changed both in appearance and musically. Entertaining the crowd with stories of his life, he played hit after hit from past LPs, including: Hellbound Train and Tell Mama with a sprinkling of new stuff. He did not have any CDs for sale due to a grueling schedule and airplane problems. Sounds reasonable. He said that you can go to my web site, www.savoybrown.com. He was good hearted and entertaining when I interviewed him before the set. The band was based around different kinds of energy that couldnt be found in the blues... energy coming from across the ocean, the British Invasion. I learned from the American Rock and Rollers of the 50s, said Simmonds. I tried to be myself and I let what ever influence I had come out in my music. I also followed the crowd. The underpinning of Savoy Brown was to have the band be non-conformist. Non-conformist. Cool. I knew I liked him for a damn good reason. I had a great time and wish to thank Lloyd and Marsha for their hospitality and generosity. I was treated like a long lost friend. Please remember the Mt Baker Blues Festival for next year when you set your summer Washington Blues Festival schedule. Clear your calendar for the entire three days and your auditory nerves will thank you. Easy to get to, fun to be at, and far out people to be with, makes this festival an inexpensive and tasty blues treat.

The 12th annual Mt Baker Blues Festival, hosted by Lloyd Peterson, featured a fantastic line up of solid music. I arrived Saturday and set up my tent next to the stage, Washington Blues Society Beer Garden and Merchandise Booth. Doesnt get any better than that! Lloyds hospitality section was in full swing. Gracious hosts, friendly staffers, fantastic food and beverages in unlimited supply and good vibes were the order of the weekend. Clean flush toilets, 180 acres of flat camping grounds with a variety of food and craft vendors made leaving unnecessary. Hard working (or long suffering) blues society volunteers satisfied thirsts and musical necessities. The recipient of three Best Blues Festival awards and a Keeping the Blues Alive award, Lloyd, wife Marsha and crew did a journeymans job in the production of this event. It was polished and well organized. This Festival is like my child, said Lloyd. Nothing I wouldnt do for her. It shows. True Tone Audio did a killer job on sound and stage production for the weekend. Everyone agreed that the sound was awesome. Access to the musicians was not a problem. Many were more than happy to sign autographs and sell their CDs in the blues society merchandise area. What a lineup! The Grey House Band, the Fat Tones and Anthony Gomes started the event Friday. On Saturday, it was Back Beat Revival, Brian Feist Band, Cathouse Blues Band, Bump Kitchen, D. K. Stewart and Band, Coco Montoya and the Jeff Healy Blues Band (sadly on March 2, 2008, Healy died of cancer). Bump

20

Head to the Radio for

Blues in August ive on NWCZ Radio L

hty th Mig ou M Blues

Monday, August 6, 2012 - Danny Rays Allstars Monday, August 13, 2012 - Mia Vermillion Monday, August 20, 2012 - Cee Cee James Monday, August 27, 2012 - 15th Anniversary Junkyard Jane Live Broadcast from The REC Room

21

Dry Side Blues

August brings the biggest musical event of the year to t he Dr y Side Im talking about Pig Out In the Park, held in Spokanes Riverfront Park August 29th through September 3rd. The 100 bands featured during the six day food and music extravaganza will include prominent l o c a l b lu e s pu r v e y or s Anita Royce and the High Rollers, Bakin Phat, Big Mumbo Blues Band, and our buddies from Laffin Bones. Regional acts will include long-time favorites Junior Cadillac and Too Slim and the Taildraggers, with The Most Blueswailing Yardbirds headlining on Saturday, September 1st. The music will be free, the lines short, parking available, and folks used to the Wet Side cluster will revel in the unencumbered relaxation enjoyed by us Dry Siders. Do come over and join us. Sammy Eubanks provided Dry Siders with the best in rock-solid blues at his free three-band show at the Knitting Factory on June 22nd. The show opened with a band that has been

called Spokanes best 3-piece, Chris Rieser and the Nerve. With Chris on drums, Dave Nordstrom on bass and Rick Lillemon on guitar, this experienced trio shared lead and backing vocals to produce the solid sound they are known for. Rick nailed the lead vocals on Doing Pretty Good for the Shape I Was In, and Chris gave the crowd a taste of his amazing vocal range in Further on Down the Road. The Nerve was followed by Steve Livingston and Tripleshot, a quartet that featured hardedged covers of blues icons such as Stevie Ray Vaughn and ZZ Top. Sammy came out with the semi-autobiographical Big Boss Man, followed by SRVs Texas Flood, Hottest Thing In Town, and fan favorite Dancing Like a White Guy. At the end of his set, Sammy walked down to the dance floor while playing Dont You Worry About a Thing, and ran into Spokanes own Queen of the Blues, Anita Royce. Sammy removed his guitar mid-song and gave it to Anita, who continued playing while Sammy went back onstage to finish the call-andresponse portion of the song in what became a wild finale. I want to extend many thanks to Sammy Eubanks, Tripleshot and The Nerve for a tremendous night of music, and to the amazing Anita Royce for taking the blues to the next level. Of course shes used to navigating at that elevation, leading her blues band the High Rollers and 19-year old guitar phenomenon Forrest Govedare in dates all over the Dry Side, including the Historic Wallace Blues Festival. But thats a whole different story Regular readers of this column may have guessed that I am a FatHead. For the past 10

By Jerry Peterson, Vice President

years, the songwriting, the vocal harmonies, the hard-edged take on the blues, and as Uncle Bob puts it, that guy with the electric twanger thing have kept me coming back to see the fabulous Fat Tones. On July 4, 2012, they helped Dry Siders celebrate our nations birthday with a free show in Spokanes Riverfront Park. Some of the other FatHeads congregated in front of the stage as the Tones started out with Full Time Job from their 2004 album Three, and we continued to boogie through bassist Uncle Bob Ehrgotts Shoes, guitarist Bobby Pattersons Landlord, drummer Zach Coopers I Need Love, and Delbert McClintons Why Me? The audience came to attention as Bobby Patterson played Jimis arrangement of our National Anthem, feedback and all, and he received a thunderous round of applause for his efforts. The audience remained standing as the band went directly to Illustrated Man, followed by their normal closer, Jason Riccis I-55. The Fat Tones currently have six Wet Side appearances scheduled in August, including the Mount Baker Blues Festival on August 4th, and a show at Club Hollywood in Shoreline with special guest Rafael Tranquilino on August 16th. On August 17th, blues fans will definitely be able to find a dry spot next to the red-hot stage at the Central Avenue Pub in Kent, where The Fat Tones will open for Tommy Castro. When considering the possibilities, be careful what you wish for. It may never rain again if Tommy Castro and Bobby Patterson shared the stage if that happened, what would we call you Wet Siders?

Inland Empire Blues Society

Anita Royce and Sammy Eubanks

The Fat Tones, (left to right) Bob Ehrgott, Bobby Patterson, Zach Cooper with Forrest Govedare on guitar at right.

Rick Estrin and the Nightcats

22Chubby Carrier

Curtis Salgado

John Nemeth

23

Blues Reviews

New Blues that you can Use

Chris Watson Pleasure and Pain (Gator Music)

Chris Watson is not your average Texas guitar slinger, except where talent comes immediately to mind. Watsons second album, Pleasure and Pain, is a collection of funky loose grooves that resembles Chicago or Philly instead of Austin or San Antonio. The nine strong original tunes are anchored by three fresh covers songs traversing the spectrum from blues to soul, gospel and southern rock. Each track features Watsons smooth youthful tenor and singing guitar chops alongside his outstanding backup band with some spicy horns and backups added in for flavor. The album kicks off with the Watsons white boy funk Heart On My Sleeve, then sliding into a double shuffle burner Untrue, sounding more Stevie Ray- like. The strongest track on the album has to be the powerful slow blues classic Heartache. Songs like this one dont come along often and when you hear them on indie records you wish they had the budget for full liner notes with printed lyrics you can dive into. Watson give us a fine reading of the gospel standard Going Home, giving it a Thrill is Gone, twist. The he gets gritty on Sean Costellos Hard Luck Woman, paying tribute to another young gun taken from us far too soon. A native of Denton Texas, Watson has been gathering attention in the lone star state landing him opening slots for touring acts; this strong release could very well propel him to the same national stage as a headliner in his own right. -Rick J. Bowen

The Mannish Boys Double Dynamite (Delta Groove Music)

The Mannish Boys new Delta Groove release Double Dynamite offers a double helping of tough blues and impassioned R&B served up on two CDs. Finis, Randy, Kirk, Frank, Willie and Jimi (most of whom have their own bands and projects) have recruited a new Mannish Boy, vocalist Sugaray Rayford, on nine cuts. With 26 selections, the menu includes numerous sidemen like harp players James Harmon, Rod Piazza, Jason Ricci and Bob Corritore; guest vocalists Jackie Payne, Mud Morganfield and Cynthia Manley, guitarists a-plenty with Elvin, Junior, Nathan and the Kid. As with any Delta Groove CD, the production, packaging and musicianship are impeccable. Mud Morganfield honors his father with an exceptional version of Mannish Boy. The first CD opens with with Son Houses Death Letter, with Frank Goldwasser on bristling slide guitar and Rayfords ardent vocals backed by thundering rhythm as they breathe new life into this Delta blues crown jewel. The second disc opens with the Albert King staple Born Under A Bad Sign, featuring Elvin Bishops biting guitar, Finis Tasbys soulful vocals, with horns and organ adding punch. Cynthia Manley sings a duet with Rayford on the James Brown soul ballad Youve Got The Power, while Nathan James plays some tasteful lead guitar. Browns powerful Cold Sweat is rendered here as a percolating instrumental with Fletcher adding stinging lead notes, Goldwasser on rhythm, Bobby Tsukamoto on driving bass, Mike Finnigan on the B-3, Woodford on tenor and baritone sax, and Lee Thornburg on trumpet and trombone giving this track an almost Tower of Power sound. Double Dynamite is double the pleasure and double the fun. Very highly recommended. - Malcolm Kennedy

3 2
Lurrie Bell The Devil Aint Got No Music (Aria B.G. Records)

Lurrie Bells newest CD, The Devil Aint Got No Music, follows his critically-acclaimed Lets Talk About Love. The new CD is a world away from that decidedly secular, earlier release; instead of driving, incendiary electric guitar-filled blues, The Devil Aint Got No Music allows Lurrie to explore his gospel roots which were planted when he was growing up in Mississippi and Alabama. On this CD, Chicago artist Bell (son of the late Carey Bell) picks up where Rev. Gary Davis and Pops Staples left off, by combining sacred lyrics with blues stylings on acoustic guitar. There are many magical moments on this CD including: the opening Swing Low which is unlike any version Ive heard before, the relaxed ensemble playing on Dont Let the Devil Ride, along with Bill Sims, Jr.s hand-claps and Joe Louis Walkers testifying on Ill Get to Heaven on My Own. Another personal favorite is the sweet notebending and slide guitar on Its A Blessing, with Joe Louis Walker on guitar, backed by the economic and subtle, but effective, engine room of Ben Israel and Smith. Covers of gospel inspired songs by James Taylor (Lo And Behold) and Tom Waits (Way Down in the Hole) are given the Lurrie treatment. The Devil Aint Got No Music features liner notes from producer Matthew Skoller. After reading Lurries compelling story, I got a sense that Matthew wasnt writing about just another artist and just another recording session behind the mixing board at Joyride Studios alongside engineer Blaise Barton. He was writing about a dear friend. In fact, Skoller penned the title track for Bell, inspired by a quote from Mavis Staples. When asked whether or not blues was the devils music, she responded: The devil aint got no music. Thats why its called hell. I know that 2012 is barely half over, but its highly likely that this CD will land on my (and probably many others) list of Top 10 blues CDs of the year. Wait, lets make that Top Five. -Eric Steiner

24

Blues Reviews

Make sure you check them out at wablues.org for all the Blues you can use.

Paul Thorn What The Hell is Goin On? (Perpetual Obscurity/ 30 Tigers Records) Heavyweight rocker, boxer, painter,and poet from Tupelo, Mississippi, Paul Thorn, has been at the top of the American roots music scene for close to a decade. His music speaks to the everyday struggles of life in a way that few others can emulate. His latest album, What the Hell is Goin On? has risen to the top of the Roots 66,Roots Music Report and Americana Music Association charts. Released on May 8th on Perpetual Obscurity/Thirty Tigers Records, this CD finds Thorn putting his own gritty rock stamp on some of his favorite songs. There are some names familiar to Americana fans (Buddy Miller, Ray Wylie Hubbard), some lesser-known (Foy Vance, Wild Bill Emerson) and some surprises. Thorn turns Buckingham/ Nicks Dont Let Me Down, into a Tulsa style boogie. The Paul Rogers/Free song that Thorn chose to cover is the obscure one Walk In My Shadow, delivered with a pounding guitar riff. The set covers subjects that are familiar territory to Thorn, from the spiritual pull of Millers sweet classic R&B tune Shelter Me Lord, to the spirited fun of a man playing at being a hound dog in Big Al Andersons boogaloo Jukin. Thorn, so skilled with his own character studies, plays storyteller with such lurid tales as Hubbards swamp rocker Snake Farm. and Emersons southern rock sing along Bull Mountain Bridge, featuring a Delbert Mclinton on guest vocals. What The Hells centerpiece is the powerful title track, a blistering look at life in modern times that from blues-rock icon Elvin Bishop. Thorn persuaded long time friend Bishop to play some scorching slide guitar on the tune punctuating the poignant statement with fire. The strong 12- track album, produced by Sweet Tea and Black Eyed Pea, finds Thorn taking a break from his own songwriting but not his idiosyncratic point of view, and superb musicianship. This album should no doubt be making best of lists all year, it certainly is on mine. -Rick J. Bowen

Award-winning soul blues singer/harmonica master Curtis Salgado underwent successful surgery on July 18 in Portland, Oregon, to remove a cancerous growth from his lung, according to his manager Shane Tappendorf. Doctors removed the entire lower lobe of his left lung where a metastasized mass was found. Salgado will return home within a week, and will require a recovery time of up to four weeks. Doctors anticipate a complete recovery. Salgado had a similar mass removed from his lung in 2008. Winner of the 2012 Blues Music Award for Soul/Blues Artist of the Year, Curtis Salgado has recorded eight critically acclaimed solo albums. He tours internationally with his own band and has also toured as vocalist with the Robert Cray Band, Roomful of Blues and Santana. Salgado is also credited with being the inspiration for John Belushis character of Joliet Jake in The Blues Brothers. Salgados new CD, Soul Shot, on Alligator Records, is being hailed as his greatest album to date and continues to receive rave reviews and radio airplay worldwide. Blues Revue calls Soul Shot, A joyous celebration of life. Soul Shot is this millenniums finest soul

Soul Singer/Harmonica Master Curtis Salgado Undergoes Successful Cancer Surgery

Courtesy of Alligator Records Photo by Paul Natkin

blues record...deep, commanding, and essential. I am extremely grateful for the overwhelming support of my family, friends and fans and the courageous people that have faced this fight before me, the 58-year-old Salgado wrote from his home this week. I also want to thank the promoters and venues for their understanding regarding my medical situation. We will do our best to reschedule all of our performances affected by my surgery. Salgado, who was diagnosed with liver cancer on March 23, 2006, underwent successful liver transplant surgery on September 30, 2006 at the Nebraska Medical Center in Omaha, Nebraska. Donations to help with Curtiss expenses can be made online at: http://curtissalgado.chipin.com/ curtis-salgado-medical-fund. Donations can also be made to the Curtis Salgado Fund c/o Odaglas LLC Donation Account at all US Banks or by mail to US Bancorp, 2550 NW 188th Avenue, Hillsboro, OR 97124. For additional information please visit www.curtissalgado.com and www. facebook.com/CurtisSalgado.

25

The July

making him the guitar wizard fathering much of what we now call The Blues. A band from that junction may have something powerful on their side. Seconds after the band started playing people started dancing. Did the devil By Robert Horn, make them do it? I dunno, I think they just Photos by Eric Steiners Motorola Android Phone wanted to have fun.

at the Red Crane

Blues Bash

2012

The sun was out and the temperatures were up so one would wonder if anyone would come in from the outdoors on a day like Tuesday July 10, 2012. Some people did come inside anyway. They came inside because there was a get-together at the Red Crane Restaurant at Highway 99 and 167th Street North in Shoreline. The monthly bluesbash happened as it does on the second Tuesday of each month. The music of a band called Junction 61-49 was in the air. That band is named after a significant intersection in the Mississippi Delta. It was there that, according to legend, Robert Johnson got his magical zap of supernatural talent

Like last months article on blues dancing in these pages, blues and dancing are linked and it will be noticed around here. So, if dancing to this music is wrong, I dont want to be right.

An acoustic act is usually on stage by seven oclock, and an electric act follows. This time there was one band: Junction 61-49 performed the whole time, except when announcements were made and CDs were raffled off. One of the announcements made was about a new blues club in Kent called The Central Avenue Pub definitely a venue I want to check out. Junction 61-49 did a lot of blues cover songs like Help Me, Boogie Woogie Choo Choo Train, and Walkin the Dog. Three of the guys do some vocals and the two guitar players took turns doing lead vocals that night. On their Facebook page they mention that they have two lead guitar players. Their Facebook page also says We are the band your mother warned you about. Hey, I think that is a little like a pick-up line some guys have used with some success. The guys sing a little different than each other

Nate Drury and Woody Luxe are the lead guitar players who also are lead singers and make listeners dance.
This band did double duty on July 10th. Usually there are two acts at the monthly blues bash of the Washington Blues Society.

26

La Bon Ton Roule

let the good times roll
by Jesse Phillips Photos by Theresa Neinas

and have slightly different guitar styles as well, so that gives the band a little variety that the ears of listeners can appreciate. The dance floor was packed half way through their second set and any tune by Stevie Ray or another blues giant was welcomed by flying feet. This band is playing in the Seattle area, including Edmonds and Snohomish at times, so look them up in the Bluesletter to see what they are up to next. The band members are Wayde Leslie plays the drums and makes feet move on dance floors. Bear Drury does vocals and bass as well as makes listeners dance. Nate Drury and Woody Luxe are the lead guitar players who also are lead singers and make listeners dance. This is a line up with slightly different duties than most bands, and that is part of the fun. The second Tuesday of each month is time to be at The Red Crane Restaurant upstairs from the Club Hollywood casino in Shoreline. No cover charge and all ages are welcome

The truth is in the name. The delicious flavor of New Orleans creeps its way into every single dish at La Bon Ton Roule in Ballard. And top of the flavors of their delicious, life altering gumbo, and their phenomal Etouffee, they bring in the blues. The first Monday of every month, La Bon Ton Roule features the vintage jazz and blues tones of Casey MacGill and Orville Johnson. Casey, MacGill, a Seattle staple in the swing and jazz scene, goes back to the roots of jazz with stand up piano, ukele and a voice that brings his listeners back in time. Orville Johnson, plays a subtle mix of blues, swing and jazz with - you guessed it - a New Orleans flair. Casey said Our Monday night at the Bon Ton is always special for me, because Orville is such a talent he always makes me play to my best ability, and sometimes beyond that! He paused to drink in the moment. I also like the vibe at the restaurant. It is a bit of an outpost of New Orleans...

Orville has been playing the blues in Seattle for over thirty years - he is a teacher, songwriter, composer, instructor and musician with a heart for what he likes to call Roots Music - blues, ya know? Country Americana. The first Monday of every month features this delicious duo along with high class New Orleans food, world class drinks and Blues like they write songs about. La Bon Ton Roule is a tiny little restaurant, famous for their oysters and crawfish. The waiters make whatever you order an event to partake of, with serving sizes that are much larger than their prices should allow. A quiet little New Orleans moment landed in Seattle so subtly that its barely been noticed; a secret, sunshine filled, southern hospitality packed world dropped into the cold and wet world of Seattle. Its a grand evening, an incredible experience, and the blues just cant be beat. La Bon Ton Roule 4332 Leary Way NW, Seattle, WA - lebontonroule.com

27

Blues on the Radio Dial

PLEASE SEND ANY RADIO UPDATES TO CALENDAR@WABLUES.ORG

Monday

KUGS 89.3FM Bellingham: Highway 61 8:00AM - 10:00AM www.kugs.org - DJ, Chalkie McStevenson KAOS 89.3FM Olympia: Blues On Rye 1:00PM - 3:00PM www.kaosradio.org - DJ, Val Vaughn Mighty Mouth Blues on NWCZ Radio - www.nwczradio.com Monday 8:00-11:00PM Pacific Northwest Convergence Zone Online Radio: NWCZradio.com: Dave Samsons BluesShow 7:00pm - 10:00PM

KPLU 88.5FM Tacoma: All Blues 6:00PM - 12:00AM www.kplu.org - DJ, John Kessler KAOS 89.3FM Olympia: Blues For Breakfast 8:00AM - 10:00AM www.kaosradio.org - DJ, Jerry Drummond KSER 90.7FM Everett: Audio Indigo 7:00PM - 9:00 PM www.kser.org - DJ, Robin K KPBX 91.1FM Spokane: Blues Kitchen 10:00PM - 12:00AM www.kpbx.org - DJ, Tina Bjorklund KZPH 106.7FM Wenatachee: The Blues 11:00PM - 12:00AM www.therock1067.com - DJ, Dave Keefe KSER 90.7FM Everett: Blues Odessey 9:00PM - 11:00pM www.kser.org - DJ, Leslie Fleury KEXP 90.3 Seattle Preaching the Blues with Johny Horn Sunday Mornings 9am to Noon KYRS 92.3 FM, KYRS.org Blues Now and Then 6-8 PM. DJ, Patrick Henry and Jumpin Jerry. KPLU 88.5FM Tacoma: All Blues 6:00PM - 12:00AM www.kplu.org - DJ, John Kessler KWCW 90.5FM Walla Walla: Blues Therapy 7:00PM - 9:00PM www.kwcw.net - DJ, Biggdaddy Ray Hansen and Armand The Doctor Parada KKZX 98.9FM Spokane: Blowtorch Blues 7:00PM - 10:00PM www.kkzx.com - DJ, Ted Todd Brion Foster. KSER 90.7FM Everett: The Juke Joint 1:00PM - 3:00PM www.kser.org - DJ, Jon Noe

Saturday

Tuesday

KBCS 91.3FM Bellevue: Eh Toi! 11:00PM - 1:00AM www.kbcs.fm - DJ, DJ Marte

Wednesday

KEXP 90.3FM Seattle: The Roadhouse 6:00PM to 9:00PM www.kexp.org - DJ, Greg Vandy KSVR 91.7FM Mount Vernon: The Blue Boulevard 8:00PM - 10:00PM www.mail@ksvr.org - DJ, Jackson Stewart KSVR 91.7FM Mount Vernon: The Blues Note with Janice 10:00PM - 12:00AM www.janice@ksvr.org - DJ, Janice Gage

Sunday

Thursday

KSER 90.7FM Everett: Clancys Bar and Grill 8:30PM - 10:30PM www.kser.org - DJ, Clancy Dunigan

Friday

KEXP 90.3FM Seattle: Shack The Shack 6:00PM - 9:00PM www.kexp.org - DJ, Leon Berman

Washington Blues Society

Sundays

Blues Jams

Mondays

Alki Tavern: Jam hosted b y Manuel Morais Dawsons, Tacoma: Tim Hall Band, 7pm Castles, Sedro Wolley: Gary Bs Church of the Blues, 6-10pm Eastlake Zoo Tavern: Eastlake Zoo Social Club & Jam featuring the Seattle Houserockers, 7pm Evelyns Tavern, Clear Lake: Gary Bs Church of the Blues 6 10pm Lighthouse, Des Moines: Northpoint Tacoma: Loose Gravel & the Quarry, 7pm Raging River: Tommy Wall Silver Dollar: Big Nasty, 8pm Two Twelve, Kirkland: hosted by HeatherBBlues, 7pm

Caffe Mela, Wenatchee, 7pm (first Mon. of the month) 88 Keys, Pioneer Square: Star Drums & Lady Keys host Blue Monday Jam, 8pm JRs Hideway: Malcolm Clark, 8pm Opal Lounge, South Tacoma Way: Tim Hall, 8pm Oxford Saloon: All ages open jam, 7 11pm Ten Below: hosted by Underground Blues Jam, every 1st Monday of the month, Wenatchee

Tuesdays

28

BBarrel Invitational: hosted by Billy Shew, 8pm Dawsons, Tacoma: hosted by Shelley & Jho, 8pm J & M Cafe Jam: May 8 & 22 Tim Turner Pacific Rim Marysville Best Western: Mike Wright & the Blue Sharks, 7 - 11pm Snohomish Spirits & Sports: Sean Denton & friends Summit Pub: Tim Hall & the Realtimes, 7:30pm Wild Buffalo, Bellingham: hosted by Rick Baunach, 6:30 - 9:30pm

Venue Guide
Seattle
Clearwater Casino Suquamish (360) 598-6889 Destiny Seafood & Grill Port Angeles (360) 452-4665 Halftime Saloon Gig Harbor (253) 853-1456 Junction Tavern Port Angeles (360) 452-9880 Little Creek Casino Shelton (360) 427-7711 Seven Cedars Casino Sequim (360) 683-7777 Sirens Port Townsend (360) 379-1100 Upstage Port Townsend (360) 385-2216

Washington Blues Society

Peninsula

Al Lago, Lake Tapps (253) 863-8636 2 Wheel Blues Club Tacoma Barnacles Restaurant, Des Moines (206) 878-5000 The Barrel Burien (206) 244-7390

Tacoma, Burien, Federal Way, etc

South Sound

CCs Lounge, Burien (206) 242-0977

Blarney Stone Pub and Restaurant (206) 448-8439 China Harbor Restaurant (206) 286-1688 Dimitrious Jazz Alley (206) 441-9729 x210 EMP Liquid Lounge (206) 770-2777 EMP Sky Church (206) 770-2777 Fiddlers Inn (206) 525-0752 Bellingham, Anacortes, Whidbey Island, etc Grinders (206) 542-0627 China Beach Langley (360) 530-8888 Highliner Pub (206) 283-2233 Just Moes Sedro Woolley (360) 855-2997 Highway 99 Club (206) 382-2171 LaConner Tavern LaConner (360) 466-9932 J & M Cafe (206) 467-2666 Little Roadside Tavern Everson (360) 592-5107 Lock & Keel (206) 781-8023 Old Edison Inn Edison (360) 766-6266 Maple Leaf Grill (206) 523-8449 Rockfish Grill Anacortes (360) 588-1720 Mr. Villa (206) 517-5660 Stump Bar & Grill Arlington (360) 653-6774 New Orleans (206) 622-2563 Watertown Pub Anacortes (360) 293-3587 Paragon (206) 283-4548 Wild Buffalo Bellingham (360) 312-3684 Pike Place Bar and Grill (206) 624-1365 Viking Bar and Grill Stanwood (360) 629-9285 The Rimrock Steak House (206) 362-7979 Salmon Bay Eagles (206) 783-7791 St. Clouds (206) 726-1522 Third Place Commons, Lake Forest Park (206) 366-3333 Triangle Tavern (206) 763.0714 Bellevue, Kirkland, etc. Tractor Tavern (206) 789-3599 Central Club Kirkland (425) 827-8808 Triple Door (206) 838-4333 Crossroads Shopping Center Bellevue (425) 644-1111 Damans Pub Redmond Forecasters Woodinville (425) 483-3212 Ice Harbor Brewing Co - Kennewick (509) 582-5340 Raging River Caf & Club Fall City (425) 222-6669 Time Out Sports Bar Kirkland (425) 822-8511 BBQ & Blues Clarkston (509) 758-1227 Vino Bella Issaquah (425) 391-1424 Breadline Caf Omak (509) 826-5836 Wild Vine Bistro, Bothell (425) 877-1334 Club Crow Cashmere (509) 782-3001 Wilde Rover Kirkland (425) 822-8940 CrossRoads Steakhouse Walla Walla (509) 522-1200 Valhalla Bar & Grill, Kirkland (425) 827 3336 Lakeys Grill Pullman (509) 332-6622 Main Street Tavern Omak (509) 826-2247 Peters Inn Packwood (360) 494-4000 Pine Springs Resort - Goldendate (509-773-4434 Rams Ripple Moses Lake (509) 765-3942 Rattlesnake Brewery Richland (509) 783-5747

North Sound

Capitol Theater/Olympia Film Society (360) 754-3635 Charlies Olympia (360) 786-8181 Cliff House Restaurant Tacoma (253) 927-0400 Destination Harley Davidson Fife (253) 922-3700 Blues Vespers at Immanuel Presbyterian (253) 627-8371 Jazzbones in Tacoma (253) 396-9169 (The) Junction Sports Bar, Centralia (360) 273-7586 Lighthouse Des Moines (206) 824-4863 Maggie OTooles Lakewood (253) 584-3278 Magnolia Caf Poulsbo (360) 697-1447 Mint Alehouse Enumclaw (360) 825-8361 Pats Bar & Grill Kent (253) 852-7287 Pick & Shovel Wilkeson (360) 829-6574 Riverside Pub, Sumner (253) 863-8369 Silver Dollar Pub Spanaway (253) 531-4469 The Spar Tacoma (253) 627-8215 The Swiss Tacoma (253) 572-2821 Tugboat Annies Olympia (360) 943-1850 Uncle Sams Bar & Grill - Spanaway (253) 507-7808 Wurlitzer Manor Gig Harbor (253) 858-1749 Cascade Tavern Vancouver (360) 254-0749

Eastside

Central & Eastern

Red Lion Hotel Wenatchee (Tomasz Cibicki 509-669-8200)

Anchor Pub Everett (425) 252-2288 Balefire Everett (425) 374-7248 Bubbas Roadhouse Sultan, (360) 793-3950 Canoes Cabaret Tulalip (888) 272-1111 The Conway Muse in Conway (360) 445-3000 Demetris Woodstone Taverna, Edmonds (425) 744-9999 Diamond Knot Brewery & Alehouse Mukilteo (425) 355-4488 Engels Pub Edmonds (425) 778-2900 Historic Spar Tree Granite Falls (360) 691-6888 Madison Pub - Everett (425) 348-7402 Mardinis Snohomish (360) 568-8080 Mirkwood & Shire Caf Arlington (360) 403-9020 North Sound:Star Bar, Anacortes (360) 299-2120 ( The) Oxford Saloon Snohomish (360) 568-3845 Prohibition Grille, Everett (425) 258-6100 Stanwood Hotel & Saloon Stanwood (360) 629-2888 Stewarts Snohomish (360) 568-4684 Timberline Caf Granite Falls (360) 691-7011 Traceys Place Everett (425) 259-0811 Wicked Rack BBQ Everett (425) 334-3800

(Lynnwood, Everett, Edmonds, etc.):

North End

Tumwater Inn Restaurant and Lounge Leavenworth (509) 548-4232

Wednesdays

Charlies Olympia: Blues Attitude Damans Pub, 8 PM Dogghouse Tavern, Mt. Vernon Alan: Hatley Trio, 7pm Eddies Trackside Bar & Grill, Monroe: every 1st & 3rd Wed., 8pm Half Time Saloon: Billy Shew & Billy Barner Locker Room, White Center: Michael Johnson & Lynn Sorensen, 8-12pm Madison Pub, Everett: hosted by Unbound w/special guests 7:30pm August 1 - Richard Williams August 8 - Billy Stoops August 15 - Julie Duke and Brian Barta August 22 - Ryan LaPlante August 29 - Bobby Holland and Jim McLaughlin September 5 - Rich Chapman Salmon Bay Eagles: Broomdust presents Blues of the Past jam (1st Wed.), 8pm Yuppie Tavern, Kirkland (Totem Lake), HeatherBBlues Acoustic jam, 8pm

Thursdays

Bad Albert Invitational w/Annieville Blues CCs Lounge Burien Club Flight Nightclub w/Cory Wilde, 9pm Conway Pub Dawsons, Tacoma: Billy Shew, 8 pm OCallahans: Tim Hall, 7pm Oxford Saloon: Invitational Jam w/Steve Ater, 8pm Ruston Inn: Loose Gravel & the Quarry, 8pm

29

30

A.H.L. (206) 935-4592 AlleyKattz (425) 273-4172 Annieville Blues (206) 994-9413 Author Unknown (206) 355-5952 Baby Gramps Trio (425) 483-2835 BackGround Noise (425) 931-8084 Back Porch Blues (425) 299-0468 Badd Dog Blues Society (360) 733-7464 Billy Barner (253) 884-6308 Bay Street Blues Band (360) 731-1975 Norm Bellas & the Funkstars (206) 722-6551 Black River Blues (206) 396-1563 Blackstone Players (425) 327-0018 Blues Attitude (360) 701-6490 Blue 55 (206) 216-0554 Blue Healers (206) 440-7867 Blues To Do Monthly (206) 328-0662 Blues Playground (425) 359-3755 Blues Redemption http://www.bluesredemption.com (The) Blues Sheriff (206) 979-0666 Blues to Burn (253) 945-7441 Boneyard Preachers (206) 755-0766/ 206-547-1772 Bill Brown & the Kingbees 206-276-6600 Bump Kitchen (253) 223-4333, (360) 259-1545 Brian Butler Band (206) 361-9625 Charlie Butts & the Filtertips (509) 325-3016 Ellis Carter - 206-935-3188 Malcolm Clark Band (253) 853-7749 Colonel (360) 293-7931 Kimball Conant & the Fugitives (206) 938-6096 Jack Cook & Phantoms of Soul (206) 517-5294 Rod Cook & Toast (206) 878-7910 James Curley Cooke (253)945-7441 Cooke & Green (253) 945-7441 Coyote Blues (360) 420-2535 John Scooch Cugnos Delta 88 Revival (360) 352-3735 Crossroads Band (206) 935-8985 Daddy Treetops (206) 601-1769 Sean Denton Band (425)387-0620 Double Cookin (253) 945-7441 Double Scotts on the Rocks (206) 418-1180 Julie Duke Band 206-459-0860 Al Earick Band (253) 278-0330 Sammy Eubanks (509) 879-0340 Richard Evans (206) 799-4856 Fat Cat (425) 487-6139 Fat Tones (509) 869-0350 Kim Field & the Mighty Titans of Tone (206) 295-8306 Gary Frazier (206) 851-1169 Free Reign Blues Band (425) 823-3561 Fil Gumbo (425) 788-2776 Nicole Fournier & Her 3 Lb Universe (253) 576-7600 Jimmy Frees Friends (206) 546-3733 Charlene Grant & the Love Doctors (206) 763-5074 Paul Green (206)795-3694 Dennis Juxtamuse Hacker (425) 512-8111 Heather & the Nearly Homeless Blues Band (425)576-5673 Tim Hall Band (253) 857-8652 Curtis Hammond Band (206) 696-6134) Ryan Harder (253) 226-1230 Scotty Harris & Lissa Ramaglia/Bassic Sax (206) 418-1180 Terry Hartness (425) 931-5755 Jeff DRUMMERBOY Hayes (206)909-6366 Ron Hendee (425) 280-3994 JD Hobson (206) 235-3234 Hot Rod Blues Revue (206)790-9934 Bobby Holland & the Breadline (425)681-5644 James Howard band (206) 250-7494 David Hudson / Satellite 4 (253) 630-5276 Hungry Dogs (425) 299-6435 Brian Hurst (360) 708-1653 K. G. Jackson & the Shakers (360) 896-4175 Jeff & the Jet City Fliers (206) 469-0363 Junkyard Jane (253) 238-7908 Stacy Jones Band (206) 992-3285 Chester Dennis Jones (253)-797-8937 Harry The Man Joynes (360) 871-4438 James King & the Southsiders (206) 715-6511

Talent Guide

Washington Blues Society

Virginia Klemens / Jerry Lee Davidson (206) 632-6130 Mick Knight (206) 373-1681 Bruce Koenigsberg / the Fabulous Roof Shakers (425) 766-7253 Kolvane (503) 804-7966 Lady A & the Baby Blues Funk Band (425) 518-9100 Brian Lee & the Orbiters www.brianleeorbiters.com Brian Lee Trio (206) 390-2408 Scott E. Lind (206) 789-8002 Little Bill & the Bluenotes (425) 774-7503 Loose Gravel & the Quarry (253) 927-1212 Dana Lupinacci Band (206) 860-4961 Eric Madis & Blue Madness (206) 362 8331 Bill Mattocks Band (206) 601-2615 Albritten McClain & Bridge of Souls (206) 650-8254 Brian Jelly Belly McGhee (253) 777-5972 Doug McGrew (206) 679-2655 Mary McPage Band (206) 850-4849 Michele DAmour and the Love Dealers 425-761-3033 Miles from Chicago (206) 440-8016 Reggie Miles (360) 793-9577 Michal Miller Band (253) 222-2538 Rob Moitoza / House of Reprehensibles (206) 768-2820 Moon Daddy Band (425) 923-9081 The Muddy Sons (206)909-6366 Jim Nardos Boogie Train Blues Band (360) 779-4300 Keith Nordquist (253) 639-3206 Randy Norris & The Full Degree (425) 239-3876 Randy Norris & Jeff Nicely (425) 239-3876/(425) 359-3755 Randy Oxford Band (253) 973-9024 Robert Patterson (509) 869-0350 Dick Powell Band (425) 742-4108 Bruce Ransom (206) 618-6210 Raven Humphres (425) 306-3752 Red Hot Blues Sisters (206) 940-2589 Red House (425)-377-8097 Mark Riley (206) 313-7849 Gunnar Roads (360) 828-1210 Greg Roberts (206) 473-0659 Roger Rogers Band (206) 255-6427 Maia Santell & House Blend (253) 983-7071 Sciaticats Band (206) 246-3105 Shadow Creek Project (360) 826-4068 Tim Sherman Band (206) 547-1772 Billy Shew Band (253) 514-3637 Doug Skoog (253) 921-7506 Smoke N Blues Allstars (253) 620-5737 Smokin Jays (206) 707-2018 Son Jack Jr. (425) 591-3034 Soulshaker Blues Band (360) 4171145 Star Drums & Lady Keys (206) 522-2779 John Stephan Band (206) 244-0498 Chris Stevens Surf Monkeys (206) 236-0412 Stickshift Annie Eastwood (206) 522-4935 Alice Stuart & the Formerlys (360) 753-8949 Richard Sysinger (206) 412-8212 Annette Taborn (206) 679-4113 Dudley Taft (206)795-6509 Tahoma Tones (253)851-6559 Ten Second Tom (509) 954-4101 Tone Kings (425) 698-5841 Too Slim & the Taildraggers (425) 891-4487 Leanne Trevalyan (253)238-7908 Tim Turner Band (206) 271-5384 T-Town Aces (206)935-8985 Two Scoops Combo (206) 933-9566 Unbound (425)-212-7608 Uncle Ted Barton (253) 627-0420 Nick Vigarinos Meantown Blues (360) 387-0374 Tommy Wall (206) 914-9413 Mike Wright & the Blue Sharks (360) 652-0699 / (425) 327-0944 Charles White Revue (425) 327-0018 Mark Whitman Band (206) 697-7739 Michael Wilde (425) 672-3206 / (206) 200-3363 Rusty Williams (206) 282-0877 Hambone Wilson (360) 739-7740 C.D. Woodbury (425) 502-1917 Beth Wulff Band (206) 367-6186, (206) 604-2829

There Aint No Cure for the

by John Millner

This is a list of Blues Festivals and other Blues related events that Ive just finished compiling. The dates listed are for 2012 ONLY and were accurate as of 5/22/2012. All of the web addresses were tested and working on that date also. PLEASE call or e-mail in advance of travel to check for any changes. As impressive as this roster appears, Im sure that Ive missed a few. This was meant to cover British Columbia, Alberta, Washington, Idaho, Montana and Oregon. If you have info on other events in those locations, please email it to me at: thebluez@gdicom.net . Note: Any event with ??? at the end of the listing ARE NOT CONFIRMED. JULY 3 SALISH POINT BLUES FESTIVAL POLSON, MT Facebook page under Salish Pt. Blues Festival JULY 4 8 25th. WATERFRONT BLUES FESTIVAL PORTLAND, OR waterfrontbluesfestival.com JULY 6 8 VANCOUVER ISLAND MUSICFEST COMOX VALLEY, BC islandmusicfest.com JULY 7 BEACON HILL BLUES FESTIVAL ASHLAND, OR ashlandblues.org JULY 13 & 14 1st. ANNUAL WALLACE BLUES FESTIVAL WALLACE, ID wallace-id.com/bluesfest JULY 14 TACOMA OLD TOWN BLUES FESTIVAL TACOMA, WA ??? tacomaoldtownbluesfest.net JULY 14 & 15 WALLA WALLA SWEET ONION FESTIVAL WALLA WALLA,WA sweetonions.org JULY 20 NORTH UMPQUA MUSIC FEST ROSEBURG, OR numusicfest.com JULY 19 22 RENDEZVOUS IN THE PARK MOSCOW, ID rendezvousinthepark.com JULY 20 22 25th. ANNUAL WINTHROP RHYTHM & BLUES FESTIVAL winthropbluesfestival.com JULY 27 & 28 ROCK CUT BLUES FESTIVAL ORIENT, WA rockcutblues.com JULY 28 RHYTHM ON THE RIVER GOBLE, OR JULY 28 KLAMATH BLUES FESTIVAL KLAMATH FALLS, OR klamathblues.org JULY 27 29 JAZZ IN THE VALLEY ELLENSBURG, WA jazzinthevalley.com JULY 29 AUG 5 PT. TOWNSEND ACOUSTIC BLUES FESTIVAL PT. TOWNSEND, WA centrum.org/blues JULY 30 AUG 5 CALGARY BLUES FESTIVAL CALGARY, ALBERTA calgarybluesfest.com AUG 3 5-- MT. BAKER BLUES FESTIVAL DEMING, WA bakerblues.com AUG 4 & 5 SKY HIGH BLUES FESTIVAL ROCK CREEK, BC skyhighbluesfestival.com AUG 4 & 5 BIG SKY BLUES FESTIVAL NOXON, MT bigskybluesfestival.com AUG 3 & 4 WILLAMETTE VALLEY BLUES & BREWS FESTIVAL SPRINGFIELD, OR wvbbf.org AUG 3 & 4 PINE SPRINGS BACKYARD BLUES BASH GOLDENDALE, WA pinespringsresort.net AUG 9 12 MAGIC CITY BLUES BILLINGS, MT magiccityblues.com AUG 10 & 11 RIVERFRONT BLUES FESTIVAL LIBBY, MT riverfrontbluesfestival.com AUG 10 & 11 BRONZE, BLUES & BREWS JOSEPH, OR bronzebluesbrews.com AUG 11 BRATS , BLUES AND BREWS KLAMATH FALLS, OR sunriserotary.org AUG 11 BURNABY BLUES FESTIVAL BURNABY, BC burnabyblues.com AUG 10 12 ROCKIN THE RIVERS THREE FORKS, MT rockintherivers.com AUG 17 19 HARVEST MOON BLUES FESTIVAL LEBANON, OR harvestmoon2012.com AUG 17 & 18 ILWACO BLUES & SEAFOOD FESTIVAL ILWACO, WA bluesandseafood.com AUG 18 A CASE OF THE BLUES & ALL THAT JAZZ YAKIMA, WA yakimagreenway.org AUG 17 19 TASTE OF MUSIC SNOHOMISH, WA tasteofmusic.org AUG 17 19 SALMON ARM ROOTS & BLUES FESTIVAL SALMON ARM, BC rootsandblues.ca AUG 17 19 20th. ANNUAL SEATTLE HEMP FEST SEATTLE, WA hempfest.org AUG 24 26 EDMONTON BLUES FESTIVAL EDMONTON, ALBERTA bluesinternationalltd.com AUG 25 POVERTY BAY BLUES & BREWS FEST DES MOINES, WA dmrotary.org/events AUG 29 SEPT 3 PIG OUT IN THE PARK SPOKANE, WA spokanepigout.com SEPT 1 BOTHELL BLUES FESTIVAL BOTHELL, WA bothellbluesfestival.com SEPT 1 & 2 BEAUMONT BLUES FESTIVAL BEAUMONT, ALBERTA beaumontblues.net SEPT 1 3 - VANCOUVER ISLAND BLUES BASH VICTORIA, BC jazzvictoria.ca/blues-bash SEPT 1 3 BUMBERSHOOT SEATTLE, WA. bumbershoot.org SEPT 1 6th. ANNUAL BLUES FOR FOOD FEST SEATTLE, WA bluesforfoodfest.org SEPT 7 9 DOCK OF THE BAY BLUES FESTIVAL WESTPORT, WA westportblues.com SEPT 6 9 SUNBANKS BLUES FESTIVAL ELECTRIC CITY, WA sunbanksfestival.com SEPT 15 LEAVENWORTH BLUES, BREWS & BBQ LEAVENWORTH, WA leavenworthblues.com SEPT 21 23 CHOWDER, BLUES & BREWS FLORENCE, OR florencechamber.com/chamber/chowder-blues-brews

Summertime Blues

31

Voting for the 2012 Blues Blast is now open and continues until August 31st, 2012 online at www.TheBluesBlast.com. Voting is free and open to anyone who is a Blues Blast Magazine subscriber. Blues Blast Magazine subscriptions are FREE and you are automatically signed up as part of the voting process on our website. Be an informed voter! Listen to the nominees before you vote. Not familiar with some of the 2012 nominees? The Blues Blasts media partner, public radio station WGLT FM in Normal, Illinois, has set up a web page where you can play selected songs of the 2012 nominees. To hear samples of these great Blues artists on WGLTs 2012 Blues Blast Music Awards Artist Listening site visit: http://wglt.org/music/blues/bluesblast.shtml. A complete list of the 2012 Blues Blast Music Award nominees follows:

2012 Blues Blast Music Award Voting Is Now Open!

2012 Blues Blast Music Award Nominees

Eugene Hideway Bridges - Rock And A Hard Place Toronzo Cannon - Leaving Mood Janiva Magness - Stronger For It Billy Thompson - A Better Man Johnny Sansone - Lord Is Waiting the Devil Is Too Joe Louis Walker - Hellfire Mac Arnold & Plate Full O Blues - Blues Revival The Cash Box Kings- Holler & Stomp Chicago Blues: A Living History (Billy Boy Arnold, John Primer, Billy Branch, Lurrie Bell with Ronnie Baker Brooks, Magic Slim, James Cotton, Buddy Guy) The (R)evolution Continues Big James & The Chicago Playboys - The Big Pay Back Mud Morganfield - Son Of The Seventh Son Bernie Pearl: Sittin on Right Side Of The Blues Sugar Ray & The Bluetones - Evening Holler And Stomp - Joe Noseck (Holler & Stomp -The Cash Box Kings) Thank You for Giving Me the Blues - Grady Champion, Zac Harmon & Chris Troy (Dreamin - Grady Champion) Blinded By The Darkness - Matthew Curry0 (If I Dont Got You - Matthew Curry & The Fury) Thats How A Woman Loves - EG Kight (Lip Service - EG Kight) I Wont Cry - Janiva Magness & Dave Darling (Stronger For It - Janiva Magness) Back to the Blues - Hadden Sayers (Hard Dollar - Hadden Sayers)
Song Of The Year Traditional Blues Album Contemporary Blues Album

Ivan Appelrouth - Blue & Instrumental Matthew Curry & The Fury - If I Dont Got You Mary Bridget Davies - Wanna Feel Somethin Sena Ehrhardt Band - Leave The Light On Big Pete - Choice Cuts Andy Poxon Band - Red Roots Lurrie Bell Tab Benoit Bob Corritore John Primer Bobby Rush Johnny Sansone Joe Louis Walker
Male Blues Artist

New Artist Debut Release

The Cash Box Kings Big James & The Chicago Playboys Kilborn Alley Lil Ed & The Blues Imperials Sugar Ray & The Bluetones Trampled Under Foot Toronzo Cannon Matthew Curry & The Fury Mary Bridget Davies Sena Ehrhardt Mud Morganfield Victor Wainwright & The WildRoots
Sean Costello Rising Star Award

Blues Band of The Year

Shemekia Copeland Ruthie Foster Diunna Greenleaf EG Kight Janiva Magness Ana Popovic

Female Blues Artist

For more information, please visit www.TheBluesBlast.com Contact: Bob Kieser (309) 267-4425 or info@thebluesblast.com

32

33

34

35

Calendar 1 11 5 2 6 7 8 3 12 9 13 10 14 4 15
August 1 - Wednesday Engles Pub, Edmonds: Tim Turner Band, 8pm Highway 99: Drummerboy w/KevinSutton & Hot Rod Holman Mr. Villa, Lake City: Kimball & the Fugitives w/Stickshift Annie Trio, 7pm New Orleans: Legacy Quartet w/Clarence Acox, 8pm Pike Pl. Bar & Grill, John Stephan Band, 6 pm Ship Canal Grill: Saxman Blackstone, 6:30pm Si View Park, North Bend, Brian Lee Trio, 6pm Triple Door: Maceo Parker August 4 - Saturday continued Outdoor at SeafarersMemorial Park, Anacortes: Cherry Poppin Daddies Rockfish Grill: Ron Hendee Swedish Culture Center Dance, Seattle: Brian Lee & the Orbiters, 8:30pm August 2 - Thursday Bad Alberts, Ballard: Bill Chism w/Annie Eastwood, Larry Hill, Tom Brighton, 6pm Highway 99: Hamilton Loomis Jazz Alley: Dirty Dozen Brass Band New Orleans: Selbred/Jackson Oscars, Tacoma: Lil Bill Trio, 6pm Pine Lake Park, Sammamish: Stacy Jones Band, 6:30 pm Salmon Bay Eagles: Bare Roots Triple Door: Maceo Parker Vogue, Chelan: Alice Stuart solo, 8pm August 5 - Sunday Big Sky Blues Festival, Noxon, MT: Heather & the Nearly Homeless Blues Band Jazz Alley: Dirty Dozen Brass Band Johnnys Dock, Tacoma: Lil Bill Trio, 5pm Mt. Baker Blues Festival, Demming Spar, Tacoma: Chris Stevens Surf Monkeys, 7pm August 6 - Monday New Orleans: New Orleans Quintet August 7 - Tuesday Kent Out to Lunch: Lil Bill Trio, 12pm Jazz Alley: Tracy Nelson New Orleans: Holotradband, 7pm August 3 - Friday Anacortes Arts Festival, Little Bill & the Blue Notes, 1:30pm Big Rock Cafe, Mt. Vernon: Dan Duggin w/Kimball Conant, Larry Hill & Stickshift Annie, 8pm Highway 99: Nathan James Band Jazz Alley: Dirty Dozen Brass Band Mt. Baker Blues Festival Old Village Pub, Lynnwood: Jeff Herzog & the Jet City Fliers, 8:30pm Oxford Saloon: Mac Daddy Band Rendezvous Blues Festival, Coleville: Nick Vigarino Sonny Newmans Dance Hall, Greenwood: Phantoms of Soul, 8:30pm Third Place Books, Lake Forest City: Gin Creek, 7pm Vino Bella, Issaquah, Astrocats w/ Brian Lee, 7:30pm August 4 - Saturday Bakes Place: Red Hot Blues Sisters Cle Elum Eagles: Little Bill & the Blue Notes Daves Place, Milton: Tim Turner Band, 8pm Engels Pub: Mary McPage & the Assassins Marys Birthday Bash! Highway 99; Dr. Funk Jazz Alley: Dirty Dozen Brass Band Mt. Baker Blues Festival Pinehurst Park, Seattle: Eric Madis/Blue Madness, Jack Cook/Flight 420, Sidewinder, 2pm Pine Spring Resort, Goldendale: Too Slim & the Taildraggers August 8 - Wednesday Highway 99: DJ Gatorboy Jazz Alley: Tracy Nelson New Orleans: Legacy Quartet w/Clarence Acox, 8pm Oxford Saloon: Blues Playground Rockfish Grill: Stilly River Band Ship Canal Grill: Saxman Blackstone, 6:30PM August 9 - Thursday Bad Alberts, Ballard: Bill Chism w/Annie Eastwood, Larry Hill, Tom Brighton, 6pm Curran Orchard Park, University Pl.: Chris Stevens Surf Monkeys, 6:30pm Highway 99: James King & the Southsiders New Orleans: Ham Carson Quintet Salmon Bay Eagles: Boneyard Preachers

Blues

August 10 - Friday Songwriters in the Round, 7pm Taste of Edmonds: Nick Vigarino, 2:30pm Yuppie Tavern, Kirkland: Tim Turner Band, 8pm August 11 - Saturday Concert in the Park, Sedro Woolley: Alice StuartSongwriters in the Round, 7pm Festival of the River, Arlington Highway 99: the 44s Lennard Ks Boathouse, Allyn/Case Inlet: Stickshift Annie w/Kimball & the Fugitives, 5pm Marysville Homegrown Festival: West Coast Women Blues Revue feat. Lady A, Teri Wilson & more, 6:30pm New Orleans Creole Restaurant: Gin Creek, 8pm Oxford Saloon, Snohomish: Stacy Jones band Porterhouse Blues Festival, Mt. Vernon: Mary McPage & the Assassins, 2pm Rockfish Grill: Mark DuFresne Rock the Green, Kanaskat Palmer State Park: Night Train Scotch & Vine: Chris Stevens Surf Monkeys 10th Annual Jokum Fest, Victory Heights: Papa Bear Band, DooWah Sisters, Daddy Treetops & Greg Roberts, Town Hall Brawl, 3pm Vino Bella, Issaquah, Brian Lee & the Orbiters, 7:30pm August 12 - Sunday Bloedel Blues Festival, Bainbridge Island: Lady A & the Baby Blues Funk band, 6pm Central, Kirkland: Lil Bill Trio, 8pm Festival of the River, Arlington Guitar Workshop Plus, Squamish, BC, Canada: Eric Madis & Emil Deon, blues instructors; 9am Lake Wilderness Park concert series: Night Train, 5:30pm August 13 - Monday New Orleans: New Orleans Quintet August 14 - Tuesday Jazz Alley: Lydia Pense & Cold Blood New Orleans: Holotradband, 7pm Spar: Gin Creek August 15 - Wednesday Jazz Alley: Lydia Pense & Cold Blood Highway 99: John Schooch Cugno & the 88s Mr. Villa, Lake City: Kimball & the Fugitives w/ Stickshift Annie Trio, 7pm New Orleans: Legacy Quartet w/Clarence Acox, 8pm Oxford Saloon: Blues Playground Pike Place Bar & Grill, Seattle: Tim Turner Band, 6pm Ship Canal Grill: Saxman Blackstone, 6:30PM

36

August 10 - Friday Brick, Roslyn: Stacy Jones Band Couth Buzzard Books - Cafe Espresso Buono: Eleanor Ellis Eddies Trackside, Monroe: West Coast Women Blues Revue feat. Lady A, Teri Wilson, Vicki Stevens Festival of the River, Arlington: Dr. John, Mark Whitman band, 5pm Highway 99: Michael Shrieves Spellbinder New Orleans: Flexicon w/Thomas Marriott Rockfish Grill: Chris Stevens & the Surf Monkeys Scotch & Vine, Des Moines, Brian Lee Trio, 8pm Summer Concert Series, Anacortes: Alice Stuart-

16 17 18

August 16 - Thursday: Bad Alberts, Ballard: Bill Chism w/Annie Eastwood, Larry Hill, Tom Brighton, 6pm Destination Harley, Fife: Lil Bill Trio, 6pm Highway 99: Ana Popovic Madison Park Music in the Park Series: Gin Creek, 6:30pm Music in the Park, Yakima Heritage Park: Alice Stuart & the Formerlys, 6:30pm New Orleans: Ham Carson Quintet Rockfish Grill: Mark Hummel & the Blues Survivors feat. Steve Freund, 8pm Salmon Bay Eagles: 44th St. Blues Triple Door Rory Block August 17 - Friday Eddies Trackside, Monroe: Nick Vigarino, 8pm Highway 99: Eddie: Devil Boy Turner & the Trouble Twins Match Coffee & Wine, Duvall: Kimball & the Fugitives w/Stickshift AnnieTrio, 7:30pm Neptune Theater: Eric Johnson Owl n Thistle, Seattle: Randy Norris & Jeff Nicely, 10pm Pilchuck R&B Festival, Granite Falls w/Lydia Pense & Cold Blood, lots of local wonderful bands Prohibition Grille: Gin Creek Rockfish Grill: John Carswell & Blues Union Semi Ah Moo Resort, Blaine: Chris Stevens Surf Monkeys Soap Lake Businessmens Club: Soap lake, Alice Stuart solo Triple Door: Coco Montoya August 18 - Saturday Bakes Place, Bellevue: Little Bill & the Blue Notes, 8pm H2O: Fat Tones Highway 99: Curtis Hammond band Ilwaco Blues & Seafood Festival: Mary McPage w/ the Heartbreakers, also Lady A & Rae Gordon New Orleans: Brian Lee & the Orbiters Pilchuck R&B Festival, Granite Falls w/Lydia Pense & Cold Blood, lots of local wonderful bands. Mark Whitman Band, 12pm, Lil Bill & the Blue Notes, 1:30pm, Nick Vigarino Rockfish Grill: Hot Rod Blues Review w/special guest Polly Okeary Salmon Bay Eagles: Gold Rush Thomas ONeil Cellars: Richland, Alice Stuart solo, 7pm Skykomish Music in the Park: Stacy Jones Band, 8pm Taste of Music, Snohomish: Randy Oxford Band, 6pm, Nick Vigarino, 12pm Third Place Books, Lake Forest Park: Phantoms of Soul, 7:30pm Triple Door: Jr. Cadillac August 19 - Sunday Central, Kirkland: Mark Whitman Band, 8:30pm Pilchuck R&B Festival, Granite Falls w/Lydia Pense & Cold Blood, lots of local wonderful bands Two Twelve on Central, Kirkland: HeatherBBlues, 7:30pm

20 21 22 32 24 25 26

August 20 - Monday New Orleans: New Orleans Quintet August 21 - Tuesday Eddies Trackside, Monroe: Gin Creek, 8pm Elmers, Burien, Brian Lee @ Billy Shew Jam, 8pm New Orleans: Holotradband, 7pm August 22 - Wednesday Bit of Seattle: Gin Creek, 3pm Central, Kirkland: Cee Cee James Highway 99: Westerngents Oxford Saloon: Blues Playground Pike Place Bar & Grill at the Market: Stickshift Annie w/Kimball & the Fugitives, 6pm Ship Canal Grill: Saxman Blackstone, 6:30PM August 23 - Thursday Bad Alberts, Ballard: Bill Chism w/Annie Eastwood, Larry Hill, Tom Brighton, 6pm Curran Apple Orchard park, University Place: Stacy Jones Band, 630pm Highway 99: Monster Road New Orleans: Ham Carson Quintet Oscars, Tacoma: Lil Bill Trio, 6pm Salmon Bay Eagles: Town Hall Brawl August 24 - Friday Balefire, Everett: Kimball & the Fugitives w/ Stickshift Annie Trio Crossroads Shopping Center, Bellevue: Randy Oxford Band, 7pm Highway 99: Laurie Movan band & Hot Rod Holman blues band Laurelthirst: Portland, Alice Stuart solo, 6pm Muse, Conway: Nick Vigarino New Orleans: Flexicon w/Thomas Marriott Nudestock Wine & Cheese Opener: Mary McPage & the Assassins Old Village Pub, Lynnwood. Stacy Jones Band Oxford Saloon: CD Woodbury Rockfish Grill: Cee Cee James Scotch & Vine, Des Moines, Brian Lee Trio, 8pm Tulas: Dave Peck Trio, 7:30pm August 25 -Saturday Destination Harley, Fife: Lil Bill Trio, 12 pm Grinders: Little Bill & the Blue Notes, 8pm Highway 99: Nearly Dan New Orleans: Chris Stevens Surf Monkeys Olympic Cellars Winery, Port Angeles: Red Hot Blues Sisters Oxford Saloon: CD Woodbury Poverty Bay Blues & Brews, Des Moines Beach Park: Stacy Jones Band, 5pm Prohobition Grille, Everett: Randy Oxford Band, 8pm August 25 -Saturday continued Repp, Snohomish: Alice Stuart & Steve Flynn duo, 7pm Rockfish Grill: Badd Dog Blues Society Tulas: Dave Peck Trio, 7:30pm

26 27 28 29 30 31

August 26 - Sunday Slow Food Roots Festival, Stanwood, Alice Stuart & the Formerlys, 4pm Two Twelve on Central, Kirkland: HeatherBBlues, August 27 - Monday New Orleans: New Orleans Quintet August 28 - Tuesday Crossroads Farmers Market, Bellevue: HeatherBBlues, 1pm New Orleans: Holotradband, 7pm

August 29 - Wednesday Kent Station, Kent: Stickshift Annie w/Kimball & the Fugitives & Brian Kent, 6pm Highway 99: Sam Marshall Trio New Orleans: Legacy Quartet w/Clarence Acox, 8pm Pike Pl. Bar & Grill, John Stephan Band, 6pm Ship Canal Grill: Saxman Blackstone, 6:30PM August 30 - Thursday Highway 99: Stacy Jones Band, 8pm Jazz On The Green, Interbay Golf Center, Magnolia: Stickshift Annie w/Kimball & the Fugitives & Brian Kent, 5:30pm New Orleans: Ham Carson Quintet Pig out In the Park, Spokane: Too Slim & the Taildraggers Port Gardner Concert Series, Everett: Randy Oxford Band, 6pm Salmon Bay Eagles: Chris Stevens Surf Monkeys August 31 - Friday Alki Tavern, Seattle: Tim Turner Band Highway 99: Nick Vigarinos Meantown Blues Midtown Bar & Grill, Bonneylake: Night Train, 8pm Oxford Saloon: Boneyard Preachers Prohibition Grille, Everett: Randy Norris & Jeff Nicely, 8pm Scotch & Vine, Des Moines, Brian Lee Trio, 8pm Third Place Books, Lake Forest Park:Stickshift Annie w/Kimball & the Fugitives and Brian Kent, 7:30pm Triple Door: Main Attraction

September 1 - Saturday Blues for Food, Magnussen Park, Seattle: Stacy Jones Band, 1:30pm New Orleans: Nick Vigarino Rockfish Grill: Blues Redemption September 2 - Sunday September 3 - Monday New Orleans: New Orleans Quintet September 4 - Tuesday New Orleans: Holotradband, 7pm Red Wind Casino, Yelm: Alice Stuart & the Formerlys, 6pm

Sept

19

37

38

39

Non-Profit U.S. Postage Paid Seattle, WA Permit No. 5617

P.O. Box 70604 Seattle, W 98127 A Change Service Requested

The WBS is a proud recipient of a 2009 Keeping the Blues Alive A ward