To receive email from BLUES FESTIVAL E-GUIDE, add editor@bluesfestivaleguide.com to your safe sender list.
View as Web Page Subscribe Forward to a Friend
March 13, 2009
Volume 4 Issue 9



Special Announcements
CD or DVD Releases
News Flash
Record Label News
Blues Society News
House of Blues Radio Hour
Roots Blues Airplay Charts
Blues Festivals
About Us
BLUES ARTIST ON THE RISE WINNERS ANNOUNCED

We are pleased to announce the winners for this years "Blues Artist on the Rise" contest.This years contest was very difficult to judge as we had a ton of great bands enter from all parts of the world. In the full band catagory, C.J. Vaughn & Highway 58 took the top spot. This Nashville based band seems to be doing everything right in making a splash on the blues scene. Great songs, great arrangements and killer vocals make C.J Vaughn & Highway 58 a new force to be reckoned with.  

This years solo/duo winner is Tas Cru. Tas Cru is a singer/songwriter who's clever songwriting and superior musicianship make him one performer that you do not want to miss. Look for Tas to make a big move on the national blues scene this year.

We would like to thank all of the "Artist's" on the rise who entered this year as well as Sonic Bids .We could not do this without your help.

Gordon

BLUES ARTIST ON THE RISE WINNER: CJ VAUGHN & HIGHWAY 58 : : BAND DIVISION
Flashback!
It's 1991 and Ray Charles smiles from behind his black grand piano, tips his head back to drink from his Diet Pepsi can and croons, "You got the
right one, Baby, Uh huh!" At that moment a lightning bolt of soul hit a little boy from Michigan with a life-changing jolt and the music of CJ
Vaughn was born.

His influences are many; Allen Collay, The Meters, The Temptations, Jimi Hendrix, Jack Pearson, Dr. John and the late Rich Mullins to name a
few, But perhaps none more than the great Ray Charles!

You can hear Ray in CJ's vocals, his styling and most of all in his SOUL!

The soulful rendition of "Baby Blue", a CJ Vaughn original, and his version of the classic "Drown In My Own Tears" are the blending of these and other great influences in the music world.
A CJ Vaughn show will leave you on the edge of your seat wanting more. He will take you on a musical journey from blistering rock 'n roll to the softest jazz with the tightest dynamics and purest respect for the music.

The Music City Blues Society nominated him in 2005 for: Blues Guitarist, Blues Vocalist and Electric Blues Act of the year. He was selected unanimously by the judges of the Kentucky Blues Society to
represent them at The 2007 International Blues Challenge. He returned to "The IBC" in 2008 and 2009 with The Yesterday & Today Rhythm & Blues Society.

He has played at
Stevie Ray's Blues Bar (Louisville),
Buddy Guy's Legends (Chicago),
and BB King's Blues Club (Nashville & Memphis).

The Hard Rock Café in Memphis,
Sassy Ann's House Of Blues in Knoxville,
and Nashville's Bourbon Street Blues & Boogie Bar have all had CJ Vaughn on their stages and have had him back many times!
His fan base is growing, don't miss this show!

CJ Vaughn & Highway 58 is a versatile act from a power 3-piece to a larger show with B3, horns and percussion.
You can be sure that a CJ Vaughn show is worth bringing to your town.

One great veteran Nashville musician describes CJ Vaughn like this:
"He plays like Jimi Hendrix and sings like Ray Charles".
High praise but check out a CJ Vaughn show and you'll know that...
"You got the right one. Baby, Uh huh!"


Instrumentation
CJ Vaughn - Lead Vocals, Guitar, and Keyboards
Ron Vaughn - Bass Guitar
Don Kendrick - Drums & Percussion
Ross Lester - Percussion & Drums
Larry Van Loon - Keyboards

Discography
Check It Out - KYSOTI Records - 2009

Links
http://www.cjvaughn.com


BLUES ARTIST ON THE RISE WINNER: TAS CRU : : SOLO/DUO
Original blues from this edgy eccentric singer/songwriter have earned Tas Cru the attention of indsutry media. His latest CD, "gravi-Tas" earned heavy airplay on XM Radio's Bluesville as a "Pick to Click". (since April 20 thru July 27, 2008) The CD is featured in reviews (June/July 2008) in both of the nation's premiere blues magazines - Blues Revue and Living Blues and in the UK's BLUES MATTERS!

Tas has been dubbed "the 'master of the triple entendre." That is, his best songs go a step beyond the blues tradition of the double entendre - the literal and suggestive - to where meaning is more felt than understood.

Tas Cru is a rough Quebecois rendering meaning - Raw Potato. Credit for the name goes to an avid young fan who admires Tas' raw-edged vocals and peeled-bare slide guitar. Given Tas' bent on bowing to his home region's Quebecois influence the moniker was not much of a stretch, especially since much of Tas' early career was spent playing Quebec's small cities and towns along the St. Lawrence river from Montreal to Riviere du Loup. Cru is currently based out of Albany, New York.

Tas Cru performs as a solo act or with a backing band. and has performed at festivals and clubs throughout the Mid South/West including shows in Kansas City, Tulsa, Little Rock, Memphis, and the Mississippi Delta. He has shared the stage with a growing list of well known blues artists that includes Buddy Guy, Shemekia Copeland, Willie Smith, Marva Wright, Mem Shannon, Kenny Neal, Jimmy Thackeray, Danny Kalb, Little Charlie and the Nightcats, Nora Jean Bruso, Albert Cummings, Bob Margolin and others. Also to his credit include frequent appearances at Ground Zero Blues Club and Cathead's Clarksdale Caravan Festival in Clarksdale, Mississippi and on Sunshine Sonny Payne's King Biscuit Radio program on station KFFA in Helena, Arkansas.

Tas' latest CD, gravi-Tas 2008, that editor Ken Bays at Blues Revue calls a "swirling, hypnotic blues blend," builds on the traditional flavor of his solo acoustic 2006 Biscuit, but thickened by the young power blues trio, the Slow Happy Boys, and seasoned with the keyboard work of longtime sideman, G.C. Lamson. The new CD is being received as well as Biscuit. It is getting airplay at a number of blues radio stations internationally including being acurrent "Pick to Cick" on XM Radio' Bluesville. The CD reviewed in the June/July 2008 issue of Blues Revue, Living Blues and BLUES MATTERS!. Blues Revue reviewer, Genevieve Williams writes, "Listening to gravi-Tas will create a strong desire to see Cru live . . ., the albumis a multi-course feast of the down-home variety: friendly, welcoming, and direct." Living Blues critic Dave Ruthenberg says . . . on intricate resonator finger-picking or some smoky electric slide, Cru scores consistently. With equal parts humor and solid musicianship, gravi-Tas is a fun ride???more of a tilt-a-whirl than a Sunday drive."

Biscuit continues to gain attention . Most recently(January, 2008) "Tired of Bluesmen Cryin'" and "One More Time" were featured on Dan Akroyd's House of Blues Radio Hours. In August 2007 the song, "Black and Poor in New Orleans" was selected by XM Radio's Bluesville for a special 2nd anniversary Katrina remembrance and featured alongside New Orleans artists Irma Thomas, Mem Shannon and Tab Benoit. "Black and Poor in New Orleans" made its debut at the Northeast Blues Society's Katrina Benefit Concert in November, 2005 in Albany, NY. The show raised monies to support New Orleans musicians whose careers and families had been devastated by the hurricane tragedy. To quote Don Wilcock, the concert promoter, "With that song, Tas Cru stole the show earning him the respect and admiration of fellow performers that included New Orleans artists Marva Wright, Kenny Neal and Mem Shannon..

Biscuit has earned very favorable reviews in the US and abroad : "A keeper. Fine resonator work both slide and fingerstyle supports an insightful batch of songs." (Tom Hyslop, Blues Revue) "Tas is a master of the triple entendre, adding dark sparkle and lusty luster to songs that span the spectrum from stark tragedy to delighted hilarity." (John Berbrich, 4th Coast Entertainment" "A solid work by an honest bluesman" (Andrew Baldwin - Blues Matters!) "His strong and enjoyable voice is a pleasure to listen to. The same goes with his slide guitar playing - very impressive. But he is a total package with clever lyrics and memorable songs too." (Przemek Draheim Radio Sfera - Torun, Poland). "Searing, screaming animal wails, mournful, pleading cries, notes that weep out before they blur into several others--this is the sound of Tas Cru playing slide on his resonator guitar, greasy slide blues licks that tap into the heart and emotion of a song, even when they sound eerily inhuman" - (Bryan Wilczak
Utica Life and Times)  

Instrumentation
Tas Cru -vocals, guitar, and harmonica 

Discography
Listed below are Blues recording projects only:

Tas Cru
"Biscuit" (2006)
"gravi-Tas" (2008)
"Gristle & Bone"(to be released early 2009)

Tas Cru w/ the Conrad Story Blues Band:
"Poutine" (2004)
"Obsession Road" (2007)

Links
http://www.tascru.com



Stax Records Revisit Roots Of The Hip-hop Generation
Every creative act, no matter how edgy and forward thinking, has some precedent. Even the most progressive artist, no matter how groundbreaking, cannot deny a connection to an earlier era of genius. In few places is this link more evident than in hip-hop, an art form built on musical artifacts and hooks from decades past, reconfigured and reinterpreted via contemporary recording and sampling technology.

And judging from the sounds of modern-day hip-hop, artists from Stax Records were prominent figures in those record collections. Stax, re-launched in 2007 as a division of Concord Music Group, offers a glimpse of hip-hop's roots with the release of The Soul of Hip Hop, Volume I, a collection of classic tracks from the '60s and '70s. The 14 songs featured in this first volume are just a few of the Stax gems that have since become sampling mainstays for some of the most prominent hip-hop artists of the past two decades - all of whom owe an incalculable debt to the label's rich legacy of soul, R&B and funk. The Soul of Hip Hop, Volume I will be available at all digital and retail outlets on March 31, 2009.

The compilation is a testament to the enormous influence of the Stax sound, energy and attitude on the entire hip-hop generation. The Soul of Hip Hop, Volume I features hits from Stax luminaries like Isaac Hayes, Booker T. & The MGs, The Emotions, The Bar-Kays, The Dramatics, Rufus Thomas, William Bell, David Porter and Little Milton. Since the '80s, these artists and their classic recordings featured here have become source material for rap and hip-hop artists and producers like Rakim, DJ HiTek, Cypress Hill, DJ Muggs, LL Cool J, Public Enemy, DJ Quik, Ice Cube, Notorious B.I.G., Wu-Tang Clan, RZA and so many more.

Apart from its undeniable influence on the hip-hop generation, Stax Records holds a pivotal place in American music history as one of the most popular soul music record labels of all time - second only to Motown in sales and influence, but first in gritty, raw, Southern-steeped soul music. In its heyday throughout the '60s and early '70s, Stax placed more than 167 hit songs on Billboard's Hot 100 pop charts as well as a staggering 243 hits on the R&B charts.

Stax Records continues to define the sound of beats in the world of hip-hop and popular music. No one could have ever predicted that decades after they closed their doors in Memphis, Stax Records would be opening the consciousness of an entirely new generation. The vintage tracks featured here truly represent The Soul of Hip-Hop.

TRACK LIST

1. 24-CARAT BLACK - "Ghetto: Misfortune's Wealth"
2. THE EMOTIONS - "Blind Alley"
3. BOOKER T. & THE MGs - "Melting Pot"
4. THE BAR-KAYS - "Humpin'"
5. THE DRAMATICS - "Get Up and Get Down"
6. ISAAC HAYES - "Hyperbolicsyllabicsesquedalymistic"
7. ISAAC HAYES - "Hung Up On My Baby"
8. DAVID PORTER - "I'm Afraid the Masquerade Is Over"
9. WENDY RENE - "After the Laughter (Comes Tears)"
10. CHARMELS - "As Long As I've Got You"
11. THE SWEET INSPIRATIONS - "Why Marry"
12. RUFUS THOMAS - "Do the Funky Penguin (Part 1)"
13. LITTLE MILTON - "Packed Up and Took My Mind"
14. WILLIAM BELL - "I Forgot To Be Your Lover"

JUS BLUES MUSIC FOUNDATION
The Jus Blues Music Foundation is proud to announce their Award show scheduled for August 5th - 9th in Memphis Tennessee. The Blues & Soul music community will decide who will be honored during the Jus` Blues Music Award Week. They will soon have a ballot out on the internet so that blues fans can vote for their favorite recording blues artist.

Awards categories include Best New Artist, Best Blues & Soul Radio DJ, Best Blues & Soul Song, Best Traditional Blues Artist and many more. The Foundation is also considering Blues & Soul music candidates to be honored at the "Night of the Living Legends" Dinner. Educational seminars' for artists, writers and management highlight the Technology Conference on August 6th & 7th. Information on the event(s) will be forthcoming and posted at- http://www.jusbluesmusicfoundation.org/and http://jusbluesmusic.com/
BLUES IN CUBA
La Esquina del Blues--The Blues Corner is a radio program of Blues music transmitting from Havana, Cuba on Habanaradio station. Narrated by Miguel de Oca, a Blues musician, is now transmitted to all by internet, making Blue history.

The music and the musicians have transformed the Blues in our own lives. The broadcast offers the roots of the Blues to all Cubans on and off the island, as well as anyone on the planet interested in the propagation and promotion of Blues music. Artists such as Son House, Charlie Patton, John Lee Hooker, Taj Mahal are played. Even Tommy Castro!!! La Esquina del Blues is broadcase each Sunday at 9:00pm (Eastern Time). Requests, comments and criticisms are accepted. Contact Miquel at
www.laesquinadelblues.webs.com. There is a chatroom and also phone lines:011-53-7- 8615463 & 011-53-7-8649000. Feel free to contact Miguel at LAESQUINADELBLUES@YAHOO.COM
Delta/Eclecto Groove All-Star Blues Revue

On Friday, May 8th, the Delta/Eclecto Groove All-Star Blues Revue returns to the New Daisy Theater in Memphis, Tennessee – the venue where the concert series was originally established on May 12, 2006. This annual tradition which follows what is considered to be the blues’ biggest night of the year, The Blues Music Awards, has now blossomed into a bona fide blues lovers phenomenon with fans eagerly anticipating the announcement of the lineup each and every year. And despite our country’s difficult economic times, Delta Groove Music is out to prove once again that the value of the U.S. dollar is still intact!

To kick off this year’s event in true Hollywood fashion, Delta & Eclecto Groove Music proudly presents a special sneak preview screening of the brand new harmonica film documentary “Pocket Full of Soul.” Narrated by Huey Lewis, the film explores the mythos and evolution of the harmonica and the gifted musicians that inhabit its universe.

And after the screening it’ll be time to put your party hat on as Delta & Eclecto Groove Music unveil an evening of unprecedented proportions by featuring a colossal slice of our label’s roster and an authoritative education in the finer aspects of American Music.

For more info CLICK HERE 

Bluesfest Delivers Music Program To Thousands Of Area Students
OTTAWA- The Cisco Ottawa Bluesfest organization will launch the 11th edition of their long-standing Blues in the Schools program on Monday, March 2. The two-week residency program, which sees professional artists/educators visit 17 area schools this year, will run through March 13.

The program begins with a series of assembly-like presentations. A variety of musicians visit two schools per day, performing a total of 66 presentations over the course of four days. The following phase involves classroom-size core groups, with students enjoying a more formal workshop approach that typically includes song writing, singing, and exploring various instruments. The workshop phase culminates with students performing for their families, teachers and peers. Ultimately these students are offered an opportunity to perform at the Cisco Ottawa Bluesfest, during the festival's Blues in the Schools day.

Initiated in two Ottawa-area schools in 1999, Blues in the Schools has seen tremendous growth. This year, visiting artists/educators and local musicians will deliver the program to more than 7,000 students in Ottawa-area schools. "The intent of the program," says Bluesfest executive director, Mark Monahan," is to expose students from all backgrounds to music and to encourage them to use music as a positive outlet in dealing with the world around them."

For More: CLICK

New Generation Award Contest
The Robert Johnson Blues Foundation is now accepting entries for the 2009 New Generation Award Contest. The Gibson Guitar/ Robert Johnson New Generation Award will be presented to the year's most promising young blues musician, as determined by an elite panel of music industry professionals, from the entries received.

The contest is open to all young blues musicians at least 12 years of age, but no older than 18 years of age, as of May 09, 2009. Entries must be on VHS or DVD videotape and be postmarked by March 31, 2009 For complete rules and a downloadable application form please visit the Robert Johnson Blues Foundation website at www.robertjohnsonbluesfoundation.org or at Sonicbids.com

The winner of the New Generation Award will receive a Gibson "Robert Johnson" edition guitar, a Robert Johnson harmonica, a certificate signed by Claud Johnson (son of Robert Johnson) and an invitation to perform at the Robert Johnson Birthday Blast on May 9, 2009 with transportation and lodging for two provided by the Foundation. The Blues Jam is the spring festival sponsored by the Robert Johnson Blues Foundation will be held at Chataugua Park in Crystal Springs, Ms. Among this year's performers are Robert Johnson's grandson, Steven and the 2008 winner, Gabriel Lambirth.

The family and heirs of blues legend Robert Johnson provide services to all generations of blues artists and to preserve and perpetuate the rich heritage of Delta blues music through the the Robert Johnson Blues Foundation.

Robert Johnson, "King of the Delta Blues Singers", was born in Hazlehurst, MS in Copiah County, on May 8, 1911. Crystal Spring, MS is the sister city and host of the Robert Johnson Blues Foundation Spring Festival which commemorates the birth of the Mississippi blues legend. Johnson is one of the most admired and influential Delta blues artists despite his short life and the small number of recordings that he left. His songs, such as "Sweet Home Chicago", "Come on in My Kitchen", and "Crossroad Blues", are blues classics - played by thousands of blues artists and adapted by rock 'n' roll artists such as the Rolling Stones, Led Zeppelin and Eric Clapton.

Robert Johnson was a gifted singer, guitarist and songwriter whose life story is wrapped in mystery and legend. Only two photographs are known to exist of him and he recorded only 29 songs before his death in 1938 at the age of 27. Many of his contemporaries believed that he met the Devil at a lonely crossroads at midnight and made a deal to sell his soul in return for becoming the greatest blues musician of all time. More likely, he was blessed with enormous talent and spent a lot of time learning from other blues masters and honing his skills. He achieved some success and fame from recordings and performances during his life and was scheduled to perform at the first "Spirituals to Swing" concert at Carnegie Hall when he died. Although his burial place remains uncertain, it is generally accepted that his death was not accidental. Johnson was poisoned by a jealous husband (or girlfriend) while performing at a juke joint near Greenwood, Mississippi and died on August 16, 1938.

Johnson's music lives on through his recordings, which were first released as a compilation by Columbia Records in the 1960's. In 1990 a complete two-CD box set of all his recordings (every take of every song) was released and over a million sets were sold. His music also lives on through the many blues musicians alive today - old and young, throughout the United States and around the world.

The Robert Johnson Blues Foundation hopes to ensure that Robert Johnson's legacy and the delta blues heritage continue into the future by recognizing and assisting young blues musicians through the New Generation Award.

Off Key Economy Won't Hit Sour Notes At SXSW Music 2009
While everyone is talking about the economy and speculating on how it will effect business, the South by Southwest (SXSW) Music Conference and Festival will suspend the rules for one long weekend where nothing will mute the music.
 
The 2009 SXSW Music Conference held at the Austin Convention Center will feature over 70 panel discussions, interviews, demo listening sessions and the SXSW mentor program and quickies sessions.
 
The SXSW Trade Show Exhibition, also in the convention center, will host an array of events and exhibitors. The three day music trade show which will be held this year from Wednesday, March 18 - Friday, March 20 offers a opportunity for the performing bands and thousands of other industry professionals to meet in one-on-one scenarios and exchange information. 
 
 
The SXSW Music Festival, which spans five nights, will present 1900 musical acts on 88 stages in venues ranging from the most intimate clubs to the outdoor stage located at Auditorium Shores. The music starts on Wednesday, March 18 and runs through Sunday, March 22.
 
Helping to kick off the SXSW Music Festival is the Twenty-seventh Annual Austin Music Awards at the Austin Music Hall on Wednesday, March 18 at 7:55 p.m. sharp. This year's show features Ruthie Foster, Carolyn Wonderland,and "A Tribute to Doug Sahm" with Shawn Sahm, Augie Meyers and Alejandro Escovedo.
 
Blues artists particpating in the 2009 SXSW include:
 
Classie Ballou - Lake Charles LA
Chris Bergson - Brooklyn NY  
Callers - Brooklyn NY  
Gary Clark Jr - Austin TX 
Murali Coryell - Boiceville NY 
Guy Davis - New York NY  
John Fairhurst - Manchester UK-ENGLAND 
The Fumes - Sydney NSW 
Kara Grainger  -Sydney NSW 
Hill Country Revue - Memphis TN 
Hillstomp - Portland OR   
The Juggs - Brooklyn NY   
Knuckle Yummy - Austin TX   
Little Miss Higgins  -Nokomis SK  
Shawn David McMillen - Austin TX   
The Perpetrators - Winnipeg MB   
Reverend Peyton's Big Damn Band - Nashville IN 
Rev KM Williams & The Amazing Trainreck - Dallas TX  
Paul "Lil Buck" Senegal - Lafayette LA  
Chris Smither - Boston MA  
The Tallest Man On Earth - Karlstad SWEDEN   
J. Tillman - Seattle WA   
Jonathan Tyler & the Northern Lights - Dallas TX   
Seth Walker - Austin TX  
Little Joe Washington - Houston TX 
Carolyn Wonderland - Austin TX 
SACRAMENTO BLUES SOCIETY
The Sacramento Blues Society is holding the first fundraiser to raise money for the "Gene Chambers Emergency Musicians Fund".

This fund is named in the honor of our 2008 Sacramaento Blues Society's Hall of Fame inductee Mr. Gene Chambers. Mr. Chambers was a longtime Sacramento Blues musician, teacher and mentor to many and had always cared deeply about the blues scene and blues musicians around our area.

Gene Chambers Emergency Musicians Fund Jam

Jam Host: Tim Noxon Rockin' Blues Band
Sunday, March 29, 2009
Powerhouse Pub
614 Sutter Street
Folsom, CA 95630
(916) 355-8586
3:00 PM. to 6:30 PM.
Age 21 Years & Older
Donations Gratefully Accepted 
For more: CLICK

A WORD FROM CD BABY
In our fifth year as a digital distributor, we're proud to say that no one has as many partners as we do - or more experience in the digital music domain. But this is no time to get complacent. While we've developed strong partnerships with all the major players (including iTunes, Rhapsody, eMusic, and Amazon), we're constantly on the lookout for new a la carte and subscription-based stores that offer downloads, ringtones, streams, and new music formats that haven't even been dreamed up yet. After all, the unknown website of today could be the iTunes of tomorrow, and we want to make sure our artists get in on the ground floor.

New Digital Partner: Spotify

With this in mind, CD Baby is thrilled to announce our partnership with a hip, new company called Spotify. Spotify is a limited download and stream-on-demand service that can currently get your music to fans in the UK, France, and Spain (though they're actively trying to go worldwide). They also facilitate playlist sharing between users and their site is entirely web-based, so users don't need to download any extra, pesky software.

Listeners can use Spotify in one of three ways:
1. Free ad-supported version*
2. A 24-hour all-access/no-advertising pass which costs 1 euro or pound
3. A premium subscription, all-access/no-advertising, 10 pounds a month

*CD Baby artists will be paid for ALL activity on Spotify, including the "free" ad-supported plays. But you don't have to pay us a dime to get your music delivered to them. Your initial submission fee gets you hooked up with all our digital partners, past, present, and future!

These are exciting times for all of us here at the Baby and we're working harder than ever before to improve the look, feel, and functionality of our site for artists and customers. We're all looking forward to the big re-launch coming this summer, and over the next few months we will be giving you occasional sneak peaks of some of the cool changes we're working on, so that you can give us feedback.


The whole site is being redesigned from top to bottom, starting with the CD Baby logo. For more: CLICK

We plan to roll out the new logo mid-year, along with the site redesign

Sincerely,
Brian Felsen
CD Baby President

THIRSTY EAR FESTIVAL

SW Roots Music & the SF Reporter present the 10th annual
THIRSTY EAR FESTIVAL
June 12-14, 2009 at Eaves Movie Ranch, Santa Fe


Featuring BELA FLECK & TOUMANI DIABATE, and dozens more blues, folk, bluegrass, alt-country, roots rock & world music artists on 3 stages all weekend long. Plus camping, kids' activities, local microbrews & wine, local food and arts & crafts, educational demonstrations, sustainable energy exhibits & more.

New Mexico's premier roots music festival has moved to June! Thirsty Ear is now the first major festival of the summer season. Lineup, tickets and schedule will be announced in coming weeks. Please take moment to sign up fortheir email newsletter to get the latest on the fest. Tickets will go on sale March 15 and their will bemore artist announcements in the coming days.

New at the fest this year: a GREEN VILLAGE featuring a mix of green and sustainable businesses and non-profit organizations. Green Village is free to the public and will be placed for maximum visibility just outside the festival entrance. If you are a green organization and would like to participate, please contact Deena Klein, 505-319-1131.

Fore more: CLICK 

The Orlando Lindy Exchange

The Orlando Lindy Exchange is part of an international network of dance enthusiasts that will be hosting an event March 20 ~ 22 in Orlando. One highlight of the weekend will be the 1:00 a.m. to 5:00 a.m. late night blues cabaret at the Whirl and Twirl Dance Hall featuring the SOUL REBEL BLUES band.

You don't want to miss this unique opportunity to transport yourself across time and space to the juke joints of the Deep South for a night of authentic live blues and sensual blues dancing. These dancers are committed to keeping this traditional genre of dance alive and, as a result, are introducing a whole new generation to blues music.

 The SOUL REBEL BLUES band is new collaboration comprised of four dedicated and experienced musicians who will groove you and move you. Soulful lead singer and blues harmonica player Desi Kane hails from the Treasure Coast Blues Alliance. Orlando's own Shaun Rounds will play a smokin' lead guitar and Barry Williams will be on funky bass. Byrd will play drums. To mix things up, Shaun will sing some of his favorites and Desi will play drums so that Byrd can take center stage to sing a song or two. With such versatility and a custom designed repertoire of medium slow to slow tempo blues classics, this will be a late night of blues and blues dancing to remember.

 The event is open to the public for a $10 donation at the door. Please visit http://www.orlx.org/for more information and directions.  

Support Alive Entertainment
Z Showz must go on!

MOWHAWK VALLEY BLUES SOCIETY

MOWHAWK VALLEY BLUES SOCIETY


NEWS FROM VIZZTONE
VizzTone proudly welcomes THREE exciting new artists to their growing family - Shane Dwight, Big Bill Morganfield, and Christine Santelli!!

SHANE DWIGHT is truly a 21st-century American Roots artist. His emotive songwriting crosses over from Blues and R&B to Country and Mainstream Rock with originality and authority. In fact, Shane's fiery talent is so big and bright right now that ONE CD just isn't enough to represent him - Shane will be releasing TWO brand new CDs on June 23. Shane Dwight / Plays the Blues contains 10 original tracks (with guest appearances by VizzTone cohorts Bob Margolin and Richard Rosenblatt), and Gimme Back My Money features some of Shane's songs that cross over into Rock, Country, R&B, and Americana. Shane's previous recordings have been played on over 200 radio stations worldwide, and these two new CDs should open some brand new doors.

In the past few years Shane and his have band built a rapidly-growing fan base with their many live appearances, including: the Monterey Blues Festival, Oklahoma Blues Festival, Fire on the Mountain Festival, Reno Blues & Brews Festival, Portland Waterfront Festival, San Francisco Jazz Festival, California Blues Festival, Florida "Springing the Blues" Festival, Central Valley Blues Festival, San Jose Comcast Jazz Festival, the Redwood Coast Jazz Festival and the Legendary Blues Cruise.

 www.myspace.com/shanedwightband
 

BIG BILL MORGANFIELD is the son of McKinley Morganfield (Muddy Waters) and has emerged in the past few years as one of the top young blues talents in America. Bill's 1999 debut was met with a W.C. Handy (Blues Music) Award for "Best New Artist Debut," as well as an avalanche of praise in the press: the New York Post hailed is as "one of the most impressive debuts to break in a number of years," Guitar Player declared, "Big Bill is a singer/songwriter who surely would have made Muddy smile." In praise of a subsequent release, Entertainment Weekly stated, "Chicago blues is a powerful force in the right hands, which, in this case belong to the son of Muddy Waters. The comparisons are inevitable, but the big man is up to the challenge." Bill's new CD, "Born Lover" will be released this Spring through the VizzTone label group. CD co-producer (and Muddy Waters Band alumnus) Bob Margolin writes, "Big Bill Morganfield's Born Lover reveals and celebrates his journey and progress as a Blues artist... I find that Bill still honors his father with deep Chicago Blues. He also tells his own stories with original songs, a wide variety of style, and fiery slide guitar. Bill's singing has taken an exciting leap forward in both power and nuance. It's a thrill to hear Bill fulfill."

 http://www.bigbillmorganfield.net/

CHRISTINE SANTELLI has been a legendary presence in the blues and roots singer-songwriter underground since the mid-90's. Firmly establishing herself in the NYC music scene that spawned the likes of Joan Osborne and Jimmy Vivino, she was voted "Blues Artist of the Year (Deserving Wider Recognition)" in Downbeat Magazine's 46th annual critic's poll. She crossed the Atlantic to perform triumphant shows in Paris, Madrid and Moscow, which were later released as live recordings. International touring continued with many trips to South Africa, Norway, Germany and Switzerland, and included an acclaimed performance at the Montreux Jazz Festival. Back in the USA, Christine's 2002 CD, Season of a Child (co-produced by Popa Chubby) garnered further raves. On Any Better Time (release date 3/17/09), Christine brings her signature style and unmistakeable grit-and-soul vocals to thirteen brand new original songs, produced by Dave Gross. In an early review, The Daily Freeman's Dave Malachowski declares, "Santelli really comes into her own with this release, and it couldn't be at any better time."

 www.christinesantelli.com

and in more VizzTone news...

GINA SICILIA is a finalist in the Blues category of the International Songwriting Competion,
with her song "I Pray Most Every Day."

Fore more info: http://www.vizztone.com/



back to top


BAY AREA BLUES SOCIETY

WHO: Bay Area Blues Society and the City of Oakland

WHAT: West Coast Blues Hall of Fame & Awards Show 2009

WHERE: Hilton Oakland Airport

One Hegenberger Road
Oakland, Ca 94621

WHEN: Sunday - March 29, 2009 6:00 to 10:00 p.m. - Awards Show 10:00 to 11:00 p.m. - After Party

WHY: To support the Bay Area Blues Society's ongoing programs and notably, the "Blues in the Schools" Program which uses local blues musicians to teach the history of the Blues to young students and provide instruction on the playing of musical instruments. The West Coast Blues Hall of Fame & Awards Show honors blues, jazz and gospel artists for their contributions to the art form called Blues and to celebrate Black History Month. This year's inductees will cover a very broad array of greats who helped to keep blues alive.

Eighteen extraordinary artists will be inducted into the West Coast Blues Hall of Fame and the Bob Geddins Lifetime Achievement Award will be presented to the artist who has most influenced a generation of musicians. General Category Awards will be given to the best: blues singer of the year, blues guitar of the year, blues  drummer of the year, etc. This years show will induct notables as Bobby Freeman, Larry Graham, Belva Davis, Steve Miller, Pete Escovedo, Lu Vason, Opal Nations, Don Robey, Nate James, Ed Howard, Art Lassiter, Ephesian Church of God In Christ, Bobby Webb, James Levi, Billy Pigrum, Vernon & Jewell, Lunnell, and Carl "Good Rockin" Robinson. The Bob Geddins Lifetime Achievement Awards will be presented to Eleanor Boswell-Raine (Globe Newspaper) and Carolyn Crawford (U.C. Berkeley Oral History Department). We are happy to announce our new venue, the beautiful Hilton at the Oakland Airport which includes plenty of parking.

TICKETS; $30 in advance; $35 at the door - After Party Included Highsierratickets.com

 


back to top


SOUL REVIVAL:





 

    Soul music is having a revival, and the Radio Hour is happy to participate. The program shares soul stirrers old and new, from Sam and Dave, Otis Redding, and Arthur Conley, to so-called Nu-Soul artists like Sharon Jones and the Dap-Kings, James Hunter, and Ryan Shaw. Also: new artists Treasa Lavesseur and comeback king Curtis Salgado. And much more. There's also a chance for you win a copy of JJ Cale's new CD, ROLL ON. This week's Blues Breaker is a hefty chunk of new mojo from Big Shanty.
      
 visit www.TheBluesMobile.com
                    for times and stations in your area



Click on festival name to click through to festival website.
14th Annual Blue Mountains Music Festival

Friday-Sunday, March 13-15, 2009

Katoomba, New South Wales, Australia
www.bmff.org.au
1-800-651-322

Bonita Blues Festival

Saturday, March 14, 2009

The Blues, Jazz & Folk Music Society
Bonita Springs, Florida, U.S.
www.bonitablues.com
239-947-0715

Blues Blizzard

Saturday, March 14, 2009

West Hartford, Connecticut , U.S.
www.ctblues.org
860-292-6112

St. John Blues Festival

Wednesday-Sunday, March 18-22, 2009

St. John, U.S. Virgin Islands
www.stjohnbluesfestival.com
340-643-6475

19th Annual River City Blues Festival

Friday-Saturday, March 20-21, 2009

The Blues, Jazz & Folk Music Society
Marietta, Ohio, U.S.
www.bjfm.org
304-295-4323

Tampa Bay Blues Festival

Friday-Sunday, March 20-22, 2009

St. Petersburg, Florida, U.S.
www.tampabaybluesfest.com
727-502-5000

Five Towns College Blues Festival

Friday, March 21, 2009

Dix Hills, New York, U.S.
www.dhpac.org/BLUES.htm
631-656-2148

First State BluesFest

Friday-Saturday, March 27-28, 2009
Dover, Delaware, U.S.
www.demusic.org
302-672-7022

3rd Blues & Arts Fiesta

Saturday, March 28, 2009
Presented by SF Lions Club & Mexico Living Guide
San Felipe Ball StadiumSan Felipe Baja California Mexico
www.bluesandarts.com
1-800-576-0919 Ex.5

Jasper's "Blue's on the Marsh"

Saturday, March 28, 2009
Ridgeland, South Carolina, U.S.
www.instituteatpalmkey.com
843.726.3277

Blues Cafe'

Saturday, March 28, 2009

Wausau, Wisconsin, U.S.
Website
715-536-7600

Springing the Blues

Friday-Sunday, April 3-5, 2009

Jacksonville Beach, Florida, U.S.
www.springingtheblues.com
904-465-2426

Djurs Bluesland

Saturday , April 4, 2009

Hornslet, Jylland, Denmark
www.djursbluesland.dk
+45 8665 2400

Bowl Full Of Blues

Saturday , April 4, 2009

Plano, Texas, U.S.
website
972-941-5611

back to top

 
BLUES FESTIVAL E-GUIDE • PO Box 50635 • Reno, NV 89513
Subscribe | Unsubscribe | Send to a Friend | Preferences | Report Spam
Powered by MyNewsletterBuilder