Welcome to BluesRow

EC will finish his world tour on August 3 in Moscow with his full band (including Derek Trucks).  Backing up will be the Robert Cray Band.  Sounds historic!  And it’s on my birthday; maybe someone will get me tickets.  Read about it here.

The Maxwell Street bluesman was shot in an armed robbery March 22, and is now paralyzed from the waist down.  It’s a severe blow for a piano player known for moving with the music.  He’s keeping his spirits up and hopes to be in a wheelchair and playing by the summer.  Read the Chicago Tribune article here.

They’re appearing in Fairless Hills, PA, Sunday, May 7. This article from www.allaboutjazz is a great review of their work and a helpful introduction if you’re not familiar with their music.

This press release announces almost $200,000 in grants to organizations and museums who have programs to keep the blues alive.

Interestingly, most of this money is from the proceeds from the film “Lightning in a Bottle”, a documentary on a concert at Radio City Music Hall celebrating the blues.  It has some great performances, though some of the performers are head-scratchers (David Johanssen?  Chuck D?).

This is a topic near and dear to my heart.

I love the blues.  But I hate cigarette smoke.  I must be allergic to it. So it’s torture to sit in a smoky blues club for several hours.  It’s a torture I’m willing to endure because I love the blues, but man, wouldn’t it be great if ….

I know several states/provinces/cities have outlawed smoking in public places (like clubs and pubs).  I’m just hoping it’s a law that comes to south central PA soon!

Here’s an interesting article on the BBC website about the smoking ban in Scotland, from the viewpoint of a smoker and a blues band member.

What do you think?

I’m just linking to this article because 1) some readers might live near New London and want to take in this show, and 2) the first paragraph ends with these two sentences: “He’s justifiably a Blues God – but sort of a Blues God we take for granted. Like the Ancients might presumably overlook, in their vast epistimology or Sun Lords and Moon Kings and Wheat Messengers and such, the occasional and lesser woodland deity lurking around.”

Um, ok. That Rick Koster has an imagination!

He’s quite an interesting guy, with thoughts on all kinds of music, ranging from his famous blues slide guitar in the Allman Brothers Band to touring with Eric Clapton to his fascination with Indian music. Read it here.

Great article from the Marietta (OH) Times on a Blues in the Schools program. Fruteland Jackson from Chicago spent two weeks with middle school students, teaching them how to play the blues. And the kids are going to put on a concert! With guitar, harp, bass, and vocals. Terrific program, both for the kids and the music. Check it out!

Hubert will headline the Ice River Blues Festival this weekend. The Festival is being held in conjunction with the Ice River Vintage Guitar Festival. Lots of guitar goodness. Details here.

Dublin City Council voted to honour Irish-born blues wizard Rory Gallagher with a life-size bronze replica of his familar Strat. The street has been officially renamed Rory Gallagher Corner. From the Irish Independent.

Fascinating article on the life and recent death of Ali Farke Toure, who REALLY goes back to the roots of the blues — all the way to Africa.

Titled 35 X 35, this new CD highlights many of Alligator’s featured artists in 35 cuts, starting with Hound Dog Taylor’s She’s Gone. Artists also include Son Seals, Albert Collins, Luther Allison, Koko Taylor, Buddy Guy, Professor Longhair, and more. Lots of “genuine houserockin’ music”! Get the details here.

Fifteen will be inducted into the Blues Hall of Fame, including James Cotton, Bobby Rush, and Roy Milton. Also inducted will be harp great Paul Butterfield. Check it out here.

From February 22, but a great article on the old-timers of the blues, with interviews: Robert Lockwood, Honeyboy Edwards, Pinetop Perkins, and Henry Townsend.  They talk about the music they love and what they see in its future.  After the jump.

As you probably know, Willie Kent had been battling cancer for a while now.  He succumbed to the disease on Thursday, March 2 in his home near Chicago.

Willie’s soulful singing, simple yet strong bass lines, and presence will be sorely missed.  On a personal note, I wanted so much to see him when I visited Chicago two weeks ago, and he was scheduled to play both just before and just after we left.  A true bluesman, he played right till the end.

A nice obituary from the Chicago Tribune is here.

…on Clapton’s summer European tour.  Starts on May 8 in Glasgow.  More details here.

Live at Montreaux 1986!  This DVD will be released by Eagle Rock Entertainment March 21.  Zowie.  Read the details here.

Title “Old New Ballads Blues”, it’s scheduled for release on May 2, April 24 in the UK.  On Eagle Records.  If you’re a fan, check out more details here.

Article on Howard County, MD’s most famous blues musician here.

A personal reflection on seeing BB.  His plea: “Don’t let a chance to see a legend pass by.”
After the jump.