Each week I keep thinking that as the past weekend's events have passed, the newsletter will suddenly seem empty...but the news of new upcoming events just keeps rolling in. Today's edition continues that trend! First we want to congratulate, Cheryl Canfield, who is our winner of the set of tickets to the upcoming Robert Cray concert at the Walton Arts Center. Didn't win but still interested? Scroll down to the article below to find the link to purchase tickets. It is expected to be an amazing opportunity to hear this award winning musician. For the rest of the news, please take a moment and check out the new and updated articles below. Additionally, don't forget to scroll waaay to the bottom to keep an eye on the many "Mark Your Calendar" upcoming events.
Finally, don't forget to share with your blues musician friends about the Ozark Blues Society's 2022 Blues Challenge in Bentonville. Registration is underway and open until October 8th. Also found on our website is the information for those interested in submitting a qualifying CD for our 2022 Best Self Produced CD competition. Both opportunities represent the first step toward being chosen to represent Northwest Arkansas in Memphis at the 2023 International Blues Challenge. Read on below or visit our website www.ozarkbluessociety.org to learn more.
Do always remember, this is YOUR newsletter! Please send feedback or suggestions our way. You will find Sandy's email address below.
Congratulations to the winner of our drawing, Cheryl Canfield!
Thank you again to the Walton Arts Center for this amazing opportunity for our readers and members for providing these tickets. Didn't win but still interested in seeing Robert Cray? Read on for more information
and the link to tickets.
**********
From the Walton Arts Center
Who: The Robert Cray Band
Where: TheWalton Arts Center
When: September 27 at 7:00pm
“Robert Cray is not only making music, he’s making history,” writes Guitar Player Magazine. Since 1974, The Robert Cray Band has been touring and recording their unique groove, born from a love of soul, American roots, R&B, gospel, blues and rock ‘n’ roll. On his newest album, That’s What I Heard, Cray celebrates the music of Curtis Mayfield, Bobby “Blue” Bland, The Sensational Nightingales and more, alongside his own songs. “Funky, cool and bad,” is how the Blues Hall of Famer describes the Grammy(R)-nominated album, produced by longtime collaborator Steve Jordan, who adds, “I thought, if we could get this thing that Sam Cooke used to have, the kind of sound that early Sam Cooke records had, that we could pull this off.” Cray and Jordan go way back, having met during the making of the Chuck Berry documentary Hail! Hail! Rock ’n’ Roll in 1987. They started working together in 1999, when Jordan produced the Grammy-winning Take Your Shoes Off, and again on the recent Grammy-nominated LP Robert Cray & Hi Rhythm. That’s What I Heard is their sixth album. “Once you start working with Steve, it’s kind of hard to get away from him,” said Cray. “Robert is just a great person besides being extraordinary talent,” adds Jordan. “People gravitate to his guitar playing first, but I think he’s one of the best singers I’ve heard in my life. Not only because of his singing ability, but his interpretations. He’s such an honest soul in my opinion.” The Robert Cray Band has released more than 20 acclaimed albums, with five Grammy wins and millions of records sold worldwide. “The band continues with the same enthusiasm and joy in what we do, no matter the accolades,” says Cray. “Today is all that matters!” Cray’s band features Richard Cousins (bass), Dover Weinberg (keyboards), Terence F. Clark (drums), and Steve Jordan (drums, percussion).
The Pat Bianchi Triowill perform as part of the Northwest Arkansas Jazz Society’ (NAJS) and KUAF’s Summer Jazz Concert Series on Saturday, September 24 at the Roots HQ on the Fayetteville Square. Joining Bianchi (jazz organ) is Colin Stranahan (drums) and Paul Bollenback (guitar). Tickets are available at: digjazz.com/events. The 23rdseason of the Summer Jazz Concert Series concludes with famed jazz organist Pat Bianchi live in concert. Two-time Grammy®-nominated organist Pat Bianchi is one of the most in-demand organists today. His command of the instrument, harmonic prowess, rhythmic intensity and versatility are rivaled by few. Voted best Jazz Organist in the 2019 NYC Hot House readers’ poll as well as winner of Downbeat’s 2016 critics poll, Bianchi’s deep knowledge of jazz organ history continues to inform his own voice. Bianchi is a self-described disciple of the Hammond B3 organ legend, Joey DeFrancesco. DeFrancesco passed away last month at the age of 51. Bianchi will program music that pays tribute to both DeFrancesco and Doctor Lonnie Smith for his NW Arkansas concert. Bianchi will be performing alongside Colin Stranahan (drums) and Paul Bollenback (guitar). The Northwest Arkansas Jazz Society is a community leader in presenting world-class jazz performances in Northwest Arkansas. Their mission is to present, preserve, promote, and celebrate the great American art form known as jazz through education, concert presentation, and artist promotion. They seek to find innovative ways to engage with new and diverse audiences and keep jazz alive and well. Learn more at digjazz.com.
Brews and BluesHappy Hour with
D K Harrell
Have a drink, make new connections, and listen to one of the best up-and-coming blues musicians, DK Harrell!
Date and time
Location
The Pryor Center 1 East Center Street Room 270 Fayetteville, AR 72701
*******
Join us Friday, September 30th for a special music-themed networking happy hour with the Music Education Initiative (MEI). We'll provide drinks and hear from MEI's Executive Director and Co-Founder Orson Weems on their mission to engage, educate, and elevate the next generation of professionals in music and entertainment. We'll also enjoy a performance by the Jus Blues Music Foundation's "2022 King of the Blues" award recipient DK Harrell -
one of the best up-and-coming blues musicians of the 21st century.
If you're a musician, music-enthusiast,
or just curious about what a replica
of a Delta Blues juke joint is doing
in the middle of the Pryor Center in downtown Fayetteville, this event is for you! Networking event is open to all,
but participants ages 21+ must
register and show legal ID to receive free drink voucher.
About the Music Education Initiative
The Music Education Initiative brings together students of all ages and music educators with experienced professionals from the music industry. Our unique perspective focuses on musical education in the interest of creating new writing, recording, and performing artists by exposing students to career paths in music at an early age. The overall program is designed to become an essential part of a community's music and entertainment environment with the intention of elevating the music industry.
About DK Harrell
D'Kieran "DK" Harrell was born on April 24, 1998 in Ruston, Louisiana. From the beginning, DK was surrounded by the music of the absolute greats of Blues, R&B, Soul, and Gospel provided mostly by his mother Christal and his grandfather. At age13, he got his first guitar and began to teach himself how to play and sound like all of his heroes, which happened to be the greatest blues guitarists of all time: BB King, Albert King, Freddie King, The King of the Blues. DK's particular obsession with BB King's style and technique has since manifested into his ability to nail the tone and licks of the King with incredible accuracy.
Celebration of Life
for drummer
Randy Reese
Many of us knew the smiling presence and good heart of this wonderful man. Please consider joining his family and friends on Saturday, October 1 at 4:00pm at the Meteor Guitar Gallery in Bentonville.
His daughter, Amy Honecker, shares: We’re throwing a big party to celebrate the amazing life of Randy Reese. Good music, food trucks, and BYOB! Come help us celebrate the human that he was and feel his love as we remember the impact he had on all of our lives.
Sign Up Now!
Ozark Blues Society
Blues Challenge Registration
Registrations are coming in and now is the time to jump over to our website and enter. To find out more, visit www.ozarkbluessociety.org and click on the 2022 Blues Challenge menu tab. There you will find all the information about the event as well as the registration link. Do remember the band member processing the registration needs to be an active member of Ozark Blues Society.
Our Challenge will take place at the Meteor Guitar Gallery in Bentonville, AR, on October 22, 2022. Registration is now open and continues through October 8, 2022. Registration is open to blues bands and solo/duo artists that reside within 250 miles of Bentonville, Arkansas. For more information, visit:www.ozarkbluessociety.org
Mark Your Calendar
Music Moves is gearing up for their signature fundraising event - Good News & The Blues which will be held on October 16 at the Fayetteville Town Center. The event will feature the Blind Boys of Alabama and a catered meal.
Seating is limited at this event. Tickets available at MUSICMOVESAR.COM
Good News & The Blues featured artists the Blind Boys of Alabama are recognized worldwide as living legends of Gospel music. Celebrated by The National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) and The Recording Academy/GRAMMYs with Lifetime Achievement Awards, inducted into the Gospel Music Hall of Fame, and winners of five GRAMMY® Awards, they have attained the highest levels of achievement in a career that spans over 70 years. The Blind Boys are known for crossing multiple musical boundaries with their remarkable interpretations of everything from traditional Gospel favorites to contemporary spiritual material by songwriters such as Eric Clapton, Prince and Tom Waits. They have appeared on recordings with many artists, including Lou Reed, Peter Gabriel, Bonnie Raitt, Willie Nelson, Aaron Neville, Susan Tedeschi, Ben Harper, Patty Griffin and Taj Mahal with career that has both defined the sound of the American South and pushed it forward from the 20th century into the 21st.
In addition to the musicians, the Blind Boys membership consists of Jimmy “Jimster” Carter, Ricky McKinnie, Rev. Julius Love, newest singer Sterling Glass, and Music Director/Guitarist Joey Williams.
Good News & The Blues will be hosted by Helena Gadison and Randy Coleman. Doors open at 5pm; tickets are available at https://www.musicmovesar.com/goodnews/. For information about purchasing tables, please contact info@musicmovesar.com.
We Love Your Support!
Ozark Blues Society
on Amazon Smile
Just this week, our board president, Liz Lottmann, reminded our board to make sure we were selecting Ozark Blues Society when we shop on Amazon. At that moment, I realized that since I regularly shop on the app, I was missing out on this option.
Good News! The AmazonSmile option is available on the app and
the set up is simple!
It is a one time set up to participate.
Here are the steps:
1) Open and log in (if necessary) to your Amazon Shopping App.
2) Find and click on the set of menu lines found near the cart icon.
3) Find and select the topic, "Gifting and Charity"
4) Scroll down, if needed, to find and select AmazonSmile on the list
5) If you have already selected Ozark Blues Society of Northwest Arkansas on the web based version, it should appear at the top of the page. Click the "on button" to turn on AmazonSmile in the app.
Do note that the app requires you to renew your choice of using Amazon Smile in the app 2x a year.
Thank You so much for your support!
Join Us!
At Our Next
Board Meeting
OBS Members Are Always Invited to the General Sessions of our board meetings! The next meeting is scheduled for October 5th at the Holiday Inn in Springdale, AR. The General Session starts at 6:00pm. We meet in our "Blues Enclave" off of the main floor dining area.
If you aren't a member yet, visit our website to join us.
"The Generic Blues Show" hosted by Paul Kelso airs every Friday night at 9pm on KUAF 91.3FM
Rockin' Hog Radio presents "Sunday Morning Blues" from 8am to 10am every Sunday LINK
Get Involved with the Ozark Blues Society
Annual membership levels begin at $15 and give you so much in return, including meeting new friends while enjoying the best blues artists in the area. By being a member of The Ozark Blues Society of Northwest Arkansas, you are helping to support the Arts and to preserve the Original American Art Form known as The Blues.
Membership Benefits Include:
Weekly E-newsletter
Opportunities to win tickets to events
VIP seating at events (when available)
Discounts on OBS merchandise
Social networking – meeting other people who also love the blues
Opportunities to volunteer on OBS committees and at events
Ability to attend board meetings and vote on upcoming organizational issues and elections
The Pat Bianchi Trio
