I

l
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ask if he or she has CD's to sell.... I Shemekia Copeland on April 19.
Sit back, smile, foot stomp, applaud, I' Next time you plan to be near Santa Barbara,
enjoy the music. Let the artist work consult the complete Calendar of many local
the crowd. If the artist wants inter- I events at www.SBBlues.org.
action, enjoy yourself. Little Arthur i
Duncan (and the Back Scratchers) I Australia
loved when females in 'theaudience I
scratched and rubbed his back while I Bluesfest
he played harp or danced with them.
Through the years, 1 have had ' A l' St 1
many experiences at blues bars and II ustra Ian y e
clubs that have enriched my life.
made me aware how the blues con- I By HILTON FAIT
nects all of us of various back- I A s Easter approaches I wonder what new
grounds, countries, ages and races. ' artists I will discover performing at the 24th
The blues is a common denominator. Eastcoast Blues and Roots Festival in Byron
One night at Rosa's, between Bay. the mo t easterly town on Australia's coast-
sets, I asked Sugar Blue if he would line. Bluesfest had it's beginnings in 1990 in a
sign his "James Whiting" on a CD 1500 cApacity veuue known as The Piggery or the
cover. He just stared at me, said, Byron Bay Arts Factory. Since 19 4 this venue was
"No one but my mama has called a popular slopover for overseas artists who fell
me James Whiting in years. How i right at home amongst rhe memorabilia and arti-
did you know that was my name?" I facts (he owners and operators, Dan Ooeppel.
"Because I study the credits of the " Karin Woods and Keven Oxford had outfitted the
music I listen to, noticed James , place with. Keven, having promoted many shows
Whiting wrote most of the songs you i in the Seventies, was able to attract such artists as
record." I Johnny Winter, Robert Cray, Albert Collins, The
He smiled at me, signed (Sugar I Fabulous Thunderbirds, Buddy Guy, Lonnie Mack,
Blue) on the cover, said, "You are a Clarence Gatemouth Brown and Jeff Healey, to
true blues fan, aren't you?" make the pit stop to this small venue, whilst tour-
"Yep ... and a bit of a blues i ing All tralia,
scholar, too," I said. 1 handed him a I Keven, after seeing John Lee Hooker and
second copy of the new CD, asked if , Bobby Blue Bland at a Festival in San Francisco in
he would sign and inscribe it for my soon-to-be l 1988, decided the enthusiastic audience was no
born grandgir], Izzy. ! different from the Australian audiences who sam-
He smiled, said, "Not even born and you are i pled the acts he had through the Arts Factory.
making her a blues , Pho'o/Shi,ley Mae Owens I Thus, the first Bluesfest was established at Easter
6
fan!" I nodded as he signed ... then he said, I the Year. Primer will be backed by up-and-coming i of 1990. Running off two stages over the four day
"I have to sign it to Mama, too. Being preg- young guitarist Zack Siovinsky And his adept band I weekend, the headliners included Canned Heat,
nant is hard work, especially in the slimmer." from Los Angeles. The birthday cakes already Charlie Musselwhite, The Paladins and Big Jay
Last week, the now-three-year old Izzy was in i being baked, and velyone is polishing those McNeeley. Considered a success after the sale of
my living room walling on her Hohner Blues Harp I dancing shoes! 6000 tickets, Keven, Karin and Dan continued the
(a gift to me from Chicago bluesman Fernando " No reason to wait for March for a party, formula at the Arts Factory for another 2 years till
Jones). Her pig tails flail d like dJead locks; her , though. At its annual winter Member ! il was time to expand to more stages and more
nine-month-old sister Kayleigh banged the keys of I Appreciation Show on February 9, the SBBS will acts. In those years 1 marveled at discovering hid-
a toy piano. "Play, Pinechop, play," yelled Izzy. I be treated to the solo keyboard wizardry of Carl den gems such as Bobby Radcliffe, Little Charlie
You can never start these blues fans, musicians-to- Sonny Leyland, indisputably One of the best blues i and The Nightcats and Rod Piazza and The
be, too young. 1 just hope I live long enougb La I' and boogi.e woogie pianists anywhere. If you i Mighty Flyers, Their enthusiasm and showman-
explain to Izzy Lhat Pinechop is really Pinetop (as haven't heard of Carl yet, check him out! 1 ship won many new fans and all became repeal
in Pinerop Perkins), let her hear recordings of At Yolie's restaurant in nearby Ventura, Jan ! fixtures in subsequent Bluesfests.
Pinetop's piano playing, take lhese grAndgirls to a and Jer.ry McWorter of Hi liat Entertainment con- I In 1993 the Festival was relocated to a
blues bar, Sil stage-side with them. watch the tinue to heat up the joint with quality Friday blues 'I Conference Centre and camp ground althe
sparks ignite in their eyes as the music touches gigs. Perennial BMA nominee Candye Kane, again Belongil in Byron Bay. The stages were expanded
their souls.mn apparenlly triumphant in her ongoing battle with I' to 4, with varying sized camiv(ll tents covering
serious illness, rocked the house on January 4 rIle performers and audience. Tills site continued
San
ta Barbara -1- with her band, featuring Laura Chavez on smok- for four years under varying weatber pallerns
ing guitar. The following week, the Laurie with most years awash with rain and mud.
Allstar Blues
I Morvan Band definitively answered the question I Merchants in the area always sold out of rubber
, posed by Laurie's song, "Where Are the Girls with I boots during this period. Along with the extra
I
Guitars": they are certainly in California, and I facilities came more food stalls and merchandise
On The Left Coast
. Laurie has become a monster blues rocker compa- i Photo/H,lIon Fall
I rable to the best anywhere. By the time you read 1
this, her band and the Alastair Greene Band from j
By STEVE DANIELS Santa Barbara will have completed their competi- 1
T
he oldest eXisting U.S. blues society, the live appearances allhe International Blues .
Santa Barbara Blues Society (SBBS) was Challenge ill Memphis; high hopes ride wllh
founded in March 1977. Each year its them. scheduled by Hi Hat in the coming
spring birthday show is a gala event, and Ihis ,. months: James Hannan and Doug MacLeod.
year's 36th birthday show will be headl1ned by Santa Barbara's own Roach and Byl of Cafe
guitar maven John Primer from Chicago. Primer, i R&B will be gracing the stage of the San Lllis
one of the many fine six-string virtuosos who I Obispo Blues Society on January 26, and tlte
graced the Muddy Waters Band, is currently a i University of California, Sanra Barbara branch is
nominee for the Blues Foundation's 2013 Blues I hosting a tribute to Muddy Waters and Howlin'
Music Award (BMA) as Traditional Blues Male , Wolf on March 12. featuring tile Pabulous
Artist of the Year, and his recent album, "Blues on /. Thunderbirds, James Cotton, Jody Williams and
Solid Ground," is nominated as Acoustic Album of Bob Margolin, followed by Taj Mahal and
44 Big City Rhythm & Blues Feb.-March 2013