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from IllinoisBlues.com

January 22, 2009           

Hey Blues Fans,

We are excited about the 25th International Blues Challenge (IBC) in a couple weeks. We can't wait.  We suggest you don't wait either if you want to attend one of the best Blues events anywhere!

The IBC will bring more than 180 Blues acts from 36 states and 9 countries, including Australia, Canada, Croatia, France, Israel, Italy, Norway, Poland and the United States to perform on Beale Street in Memphis February 5th to the 7th, 2009.  This is the largest gathering of Blues performers on the planet with 98 Bands, 64 Solo/Duet acts and 25 Youth Showcase acts scheduled to perform. And this doesn't even include at least 2 artists showcases tucked into the Beal Street clubs during the Challenge including the Roots & Blues Showcase presented by Blind Raccoon which features some great Blues artists like Super Chikan, Billy Gibson, Chris James & Patrick Rynn, Dave Fields, Jon Justice Band and many more.

Of course that is not all this great Blues gathering includes. The IBC also features other events happening at the same time. The "Keepin The Blues Alive" awards, Blues Publicity and Marketing Seminars and more. There are always Blues jams in several of the Beale Street clubs long into the night.  Bob Margolin holds a jam in the Rum Boogie on both Friday and Saturday after the IBC events end. Grab your guitar and come on down!

Don't miss the silver anniversary of this great Blues competition that promises to be one the best ever put on by the Blues Foundation. Blues Blast magazine will be there covering all the action and YOU should be there too! For more information CLICK HERE or see their ad below.

Blues Wanderings

The Wednesday Blues series put on by the River City Blues Society (RCBS) in Pekin, IL featured Central, Illinois favorite Robin Crowe this week. Robin with husband Tony Crowe on bass and guitar wizard Kurt Grey on lead guitar played two sets of music for a crowd of well over 100 fans and Blues society friends.

The Blues series put on by River City compliments the Blue Monday series sponsored by the Illinois Central Blues Club (ICBC) in Springfield, IL. Next week RCBS brings in Blues guitarist James Armstrong and ICBC is bringing in the Juke Joint Duo with Cedric Burnside and Lightnin Malcolm. It may be cold in Illinois but man the Blues is HOT! For more information on these great weekly shows see the Blues Society  news section below.

Blues Reviews and MORE!

Blues Reviews this week - James Walker reviews a new CD from Mitch Kashmar. Belinda Foster reviews a new CD  from Fatback Deluxe. Mike O'Cull reviews a new CD by Chick Willis.  Also, our good friends Mike and Nanci Livermore send us some pics from the 2009 Chicago Winter Blues Tour. Our Blues Video this week is a classic John Lee Hooker clip. All this and MORE! SCROLL DOWN!!!

Mitch Kashmar - Live at Labatt

Delta Groove Productions, Inc.

10 songs; 66:07; Suggested

Style: Electric Harmonica Blues, Harmonica Lead Electric Chicago Blues, West Coast Jazz- Blues

“Ethiopian spit-whistle, Mississippi saxophone, tin sandwich, mouth organ, harmonica, harp....” – call it what you will; it is one of the most celebrated instruments in the blues. The pantheon of great players is equally celebrated as true blues fans recognize the harmonica as one of the earliest instruments in the genre, dating in the US to the middle 1800s.

Among modern harp players, California’s Mitch Kashmar has earned a well deserved reputation as a master on both the diatonic and chromatic harmonicas, in addition to being a soulful vocalist. In this live set, the recipient of 2006 and 2007 Blues Music Award nominations is particularly entertaining on chromatic harp.

Mitch became curious about blues and live music as a teenager checking out local bands in Santa Barbara. By 1980, he formed his own group, The Pontiax, and performed throughout Southern California. Around the mid-80s, Mitch moved to Los Angeles, and The Pontiax recorded their first CD and soon went on the road touring throughout the US, Canada, Europe and the South Pacific. By 2000, Kashmar had gained acclaim as a solo artist, even touring with the funk-rock band War and appearing onstage alongside legendary British rocker Eric Burdon & War for a reunion concert held on April 21, 2008 at London's Royal Albert Hall.

This live CD is from Friday, August 24, 2007, when Kashmar performed at the 9th Annual Edmonton's Labatt Blues Festival in Canada. Joining Kashmar on this release are ex-Pontiax drummer Tom Lackner, bassist Steve Nelson, pianist Jimmy Calire, and former William Clarke guitarist John Marx. The live concert format allows Kashmar and the band to stretch out instrumentally, running all songs past the five minute mark. It is a fun program featuring fan favorites off his two critically acclaimed Delta Groove releases and additional material including “Lollipop Mama,” a tribute to the late great William Clarke.

The set opens upbeat with “I Got No Reason,” one of three Kashmar originals, and it instantly defines the swinging West Coast sound. He keeps stoking the fire with “Dirty Deal,” another Kashmar original that has the audience audibly grooving along.

Humorously dedicating the third cut to his “ex,” Mitch tweets his way into a slow version of Lou Donaldson and Leon Spencer’s “Whiskey Drinkin' Woman.” Mitch’s emotive vocals explain that she is so bad that she “puts whiskey in her beer” and “whiskey in her whiskey.” The narrator lovers her, but she’d “pawn my wedding ring” for another shot! John Marx’s guitar solo really shines here.

Track five is where Mitch switches to chromatic harp and the West Coast magic kicks in on the nine minute plus, jazz-tinged “Song For My Father,” that features some deft bass work and band interplay highlighted by Kashmar’s scales.

Kashmar next pays tribute to Muddy Waters on “Sugar Sweet” and Jimmy Rogers in the seven minute workout “You're The One.”

A short intro regarding the Southern California harmonica “style of our own” and “good old buddy” William Clarke precedes Mitch's up tempo romp on “Lollipop Mama.”

Mitch’s own CD title track, “Wake Up and Worry” smoothly swings as it deals with bad economic conditions like, “... it doesn’t take a mathematician to see I owe more than I can pay.”

“Castle Rock,” a song Mitch credits having learned from playing with guitarist John Marx closes the set. If there was an encore, it sadly did not make it on the album.

Many will advocate that blues is best heard live. The crowds and cold beer may be missing, but this CD goes a long way supporting that argument!

Reviewer James “Skyy Dobro” Walker is a noted Blues writer, DJ and Blues Blast contributor. His weekly radio show “Friends of the Blues” can be heard each Thursday from 4:30 – 6:00pm on WKCC 91.1 FM in Kankakee, IL

For other reviews and interviews on our website CLICK HERE.

John Lee Hooker - Boom Boom from 1966

We found a great classic video of the legendary John Lee Hooker.

Hooker was born near Clarksdale, Mississippi on August 22, 1917. By 1940 he had moved to Detroit and began a career that spanned more that 50 years. In 1948  "Boogie Chillun." became his first number-one jukebox hit and sold over a million copies. 

His credits include 4 Grammy awards, induction into the Rock n' Roll Hall Of Fame in 1991 and, in 1997, a star in the Hollywood Walk Of Fame. He went on to become one of the most influential Blues musicians of all time. By the time of his death in 2001 he had toured all over the world, headlining festivals and inspiring generations of Blues artists and fans.

This video is a 1966 clip of him doing his classic song, Boom Boom. To see the video, click the play button below.

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To visit the official John Lee Hooker website CLICK HERE

For other videos on our website CLICK HERE.

www.myspace.com/vestapolitans

To read a review of this CD, CLICK HERE

Fatback Deluxe - Rat Now

Recorded in the Lions Den, Tucker, GA

www.myspace.com/fatbackdeluxe

www.fatbackdeluxe.com

12 tracks; 44 minutes 17 seconds; Suggested

Styles: Chicago-Texas-Swing Blues, and West Coast Jump with guitar, bass, drums and harp

They say ‘don’t judge a book by its cover’, but when did I start listening to what they say? Hey, I expected (or should I say suspected) something good. The ‘cover’ in this case is the 1930s-40s period picture of a country watering hole and bbq joint on the Fatback Deluxe Rat Now CD. You see a country watering hole like this and know there’s gotta be something good inside, so you go in. And that’s exactly what happens when this vintage photo cover begs you to open up the CD pack, take out the CD and plug it in. The joint was rockin!

The players: Ira Malkin on vocals and harp, Chris Kramer on electric guitar, Ben Gettys on Upright Bass, Pete Maier on Drums and additional musician Matt Wauchope on piano and organ. There are 5 originals all written by guitarist Chris Kramer and 8 covers including those by Magic Sam, Buddy Guy, BBKing, Dave Bartholomew & Fats Domino and Johnny Guitar Watson.

I also noted the recording was dedicated to the memory of the late great Sean Costello. After checking out Fatback Deluxe’s Myspace page, I understood why. There were photos of Sean Costello sitting in with them at Northside Tavern in Atlanta. From what I could see in the photos, this must have been one hot jam that night.

Ira has an incredibly soulful voice and delivery. When you can listen to a CD, close your eyes and feel like the singer is in the same blues room as you’re in, singing directly to you, now that’s real. His voice is seasoned, rich and strong and I bet he can really cut lose like a Little Richard or James Brown whenever he takes a hankering to do so. And his harp playing is true blues--musically and emotionally moving.

And the muti-talent doesn’t stop there. Chris Kramer provides the perfect match of talent on electric guitar, strategically laying down each note with just the right amount of gusto, tempo and beat whether they’re playing the early tunes of a Magic Sam or boogie woogie blues. With his song writing talent, guitar licks and Ira’s voice and harp talent, these two are a great match up. And of course, there’s got to be a nice tight pocket to showcase front talent; and there is exactly that with Ben Gettys and Pete Maier on bass and drums.

The Track 1 version of Sam Maghett’s (“Magic Sam”) “You Belong To Me” dishes up some great guitar licks, organ, and soulful early rock R&B. Chris Kramer’s original “Mercy” falls right in place on Track 2 with an up tempo swinging beat that most anyone would want to get up and dance to. “Sitting on the Boat Dock” is the catchy Sonny Thompson song that Ira sings with conviction. Chris lends his own with a great guitar solo. Magic Sam’s back with Track 4’s “She Belongs To Me” – more of the great stylings of both Ira and Chris from vocals, to guitar to harp solos.

Track 5 is “Country Boy (Running Wild)”, a Dave Bartholomew and Antoine “Fats” Domino early boogie woogie beat reminiscent of the ‘50’s era west coast beach rock sounds.

“The Sun Shines Down” is Track 6, another Chris Kramer original sung from the heart by Ira; again the theme’s pretty much the same through out on all the tracks—great vocals and harp by Ira, followed by great guitar solos by Chris all within a cohesive veteran traditional blues music pocket. Track 7 “Jump With You” is a Riley “B.B.King” tune that had everyone who was in the room while I was playing Rat Now ‘a foot tappin and slappin’. And following “BB” on Track 8 is another great song, a Buddy Guy original, “She Suits Me To A Tee”. The title track “Rat Now” is Track 9, a Johnny Guitar Watson original. Ira paints a vocal portrait of a man’s painful lament as he’s blues jonesing for his woman. Next is Johnny’s “Looking Back”—performed with a fun early beach boys rocking groove. The final three tracks are “Darkness Falls”, “Steel Blade Fan”—a Chris Kramer original—and Track 13 “Gawjook Boogie”, a fast jumping blues boogie with more great Ira harp and vocals.

Had I randomly stumbled on this act one night in a blues club, not knowing who they were, I would think it’s my lucky night. I would stick around until last call and lights on. Thank goodness now we don’t have to hope for random ‘good band’ luck to strike—support this group and take in one of their shows as I plan to do. Minimally, go on-line and buy their CD. It’ll make a great blues addition to your collection. All I know is that it’s a good thing these guys are just a couple hours drive away from my South Carolina town…I may be laying down some tracks to Atlanta real soon.

Belinda Foster is a Columnist and Contributing Writer for Greenville SC Magazine “Industry Mag” and former manager of Mac Arnold & Plate Full O’Blues. She currently books blues-rock-jam musicians and is a devoted promoter and supporter of live blues root music and history, making frequent trips to “The Crossroads” and Clarksdale Mississippi, birthplace of the blues. Her column “The Upstate Blues Report can be found on line at www.industrymag.net

For other reviews and interviews on our website CLICK HERE.

Chick Willis - The Don Of The Blues

CDS Records

www.chickwillis.com

Chick Willis is an old-school blues and R&B performer whose career goes all the way back to the 1950?s and who has worked with many notable artists, including Elmore James. He released a few semi-obscure singles on his own as a bandleader until striking pay dirt with his infamous 1972 hit "Stoop Down Baby" which has sold somewhere in the neighborhood of three million copies to date. That hit set Willis on his course as a master of risqué or "blue'" material, which he still continues to record.

His latest CD release, The Don Of The Blues, features cuts like "Bootie Call", "Your Cat Is Killing My Dog", 'Undercover Hootchie', and "Big Leg Woman", leaving no doubt as to what is on Willis' mind. Underneath all the innuendo, however, is a solid singer and guitarist.  Willis is a bit more R&B than straight up blues here and he fronts an excellent band. It is obvious he is still capable of rocking any house in the world, even after many decades in the business.

It is a shame that despite a long musical life and great talent Willis hasn't attained the name recognition of performers like Buddy Guy and B.B. King. The adult-oriented material he specializes in is much tougher to get airplay with. The fact that the modern blues audience seems to favor more straight-ahead material than Willis' smoother R&B sounds doesn't help. Still, Willis is a national treasure

Willis just keeps moving forward and doing things his way and that is great news for those of us who are hip to what he does. If you get a chance to catch him in your town or at a festival, make the most of it. You may find Willis' smoother flavor quite appealing..

Reviewer Mike O'Cull is a noted Chicago music writer and Blues Blast contributor. Visit his MySpace page at:

www.myspace.com/mikeocullmusic

For other reviews and interviews on our website CLICK HERE.

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The Magic City Blues Society - Birmingham, AL

The Magic City Blues Society is proud to present Lil Ed & the Blues Imperials on March 3, 2009 at the fabulous Workplay Theatre in Birmingham, Alabama. Tickets available for $10 and are available at www.magiccityblues.org or at Workplay at 205-380-4082.

River City Blues Society- Peoria, IL

The River City Blues Society's Wednesday Blues Series in Central, Illinois are early shows each Wednesday at 7:00pm, featuring the best traveling regional and National Blues musicians. The shows feature a budget priced cover charge of $3. The shows are held at the Dragon's Dome, 3401 Griffin Ave in Pekin, IL.

Shows scheduled are:  Jan 28 - James Armstrong, Feb 4 - Blind Dog Willie, Feb 11 - Bill Lupkin, Feb 18 - Sean Kellerman, Feb 25 - TBA, Mar 4 - Lil Dave Thompson, Mar 11 & 17- TBA, Mar 25 - Sally Weisenburg & The Famous Sidemen, Apr 1 - Reverend Raven & The Chain Smoking Alter Boys, Apr 8 - TBA, Apr 15 - Too Slim & The Tail Draggers 

Illinois Central Blues Club - Springfield, IL

Blue Mondays- Held at the Alamo 115 N 5th St, Springfield, IL (217) 523-1455 every Monday 8:30pm $2 cover Jan 26 - Juke Joint Duo / Cedric Burnside and Lightnin Malcolm, Feb 2 - Big Jeff Chapman, Feb 9 - Jim Suhler, Feb 16 - Shawn Kellerman, Feb 23 - Deak Harp

Mississippi Valley Blues Society - Davenport, IA

The Mississippi Valley Blues Society presents the Daddy Mack Blues Band, from Memphis, on Sunday, January 25 at Creekside Bar and Grill, 3303 N. Brady St. in Davenport. Show time is 5 to 8 p.m.; admission is $6, $5 for Mississippi Valley Blues Society members. For more information Contact: Karen McFarland, (563) 508-6596

Also Blues guitarist and educator T. J. Wheeler will conduct workshops at eight schools, one university, and the Putnam Museum for the week of February 2-6, during Black History month, as part of the Mississippi Valley Blues Society’s Blues in the Schools program. He will also conduct three FREE, open-to-the-public performances at the Bettendorf Family Museum on Monday Feb. 2 (6:00 p.m.), at Borders in Davenport on Tuesday Feb. 3 (7:00 p.m.), and at Mojo’s in the River Music Experience in Davenport on Wed. Feb. 4 (7:00 p.m.). For more information Contact: Karen McFarland, (563) 508-6596

Phoenix Blues Society - Phoenix, AZ

The Blues Blast 2009 will be held on Saturday, February 21st, 2009 at the Mesa Amphitheatre. The 20th anniversary of this Blues festival sponsored by the Phoenix Blues Society will start at 11:00 AM. Headlining the show is Janiva Magness. Other artists appearing at Blues Blast are: Omar & the Howlers, The Juke Joint Duo of Cedric Burnside & Lightnin' Malcolm, The Mikel - Meridith Band, Kathy Mabry, Kevin Casenhiser and a special Phoenix Blues Artist Showcase and Retrospective featuring many of the Valley's finest Blues Musicians. Here's a partial listing of the line-up: George Bowman, Bob Corritore, Terry "TD" Davis, Nancy Delessandro, Jim Dorholt, Brian Fahey, Jim Glass, Chuck Hall, Mario Moreno, Hans Olson, Big Pete Pearson, Jimmy Peyton, Johnny Rapp, Rochelle Raya, Paul Thomas, Scotty Spenner. For more info contact  info@phoenixblues.org or check out the website at http://www.phoenixblues.org/

Crossroads Blues Society - Rockford, IL

The Crossroads Blues Society along with Big Cities Lounge is proud to present Kim Wilson Tuesday, February 3, 2009, at 8:00 PM at Big Cities Lounge in Rockford. Appearing with Kim will be Doug Deming and Jewel Tones. Kim is best known for his work with the Fabulous Thunderbirds and was recently was called on to put the band together for the movie Cadillac Records and it was his harmonica that you heard throughout the film. His solo and T-Birds CDs have sold millions of copies over the last 30 years of performing and recording.

Tickets are $15 in advance, $18 at the door. Tickets can be purchased at Big Cities or from Steve Jones or Mark Thompson. Call 779-537-4006 or 414-416-1884 for tickets or information.