All news BLUES!
All
news BLUES!
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Blues Blast Newsletter |
June 20, 2007 |
News, Live Blues Show Links AND MUCH MORE at Bottom! - Scroll Down!
Hey Blues fans,
We are getting into the heavy Summer Blues season. In the Central US this weekend brings the Alpena Blues Festival in Alpena, Michigan, the Washington St. Jazz & Blues Festival in Springfield, Illinois, the Bear Creek Blues Festival in Slater, Missouri and the 5th Annual Madison Blues Picnic in Madison, Wisconsin. If you cant find some live Blues this weekend, you aren't trying!
Use IllinoisBlues.com to plan all your summer Blues Fest travels. For a complete list of Live blues music see the very bottom of this email newsletter or CLICK HERE to go directly to the IllinoisBlues.com list of Live Blues Music.
New to IllinoisBlues.com?
Click a link for more Blues content! Reviews Links Audio Interviews Photos Blues Radio
Click HERE
to advertise your blues shows or event on
IllinoisBlues.com for FREE!
Click HERE
for Central US Blues shows list.
Blues Links of the Week
This week we feature a couple cool Blues harmonica links
The Blues Harp Page
http://www.bluesharp.ca
A website
devoted to the history and lore of the Blues Harmonica. Harp lessons,
videos, music and a great list of harmonica links.
HarpTown
http://www.shermandoucette.com/museum/index.htm
A virtual harmonica museum with
photos of antique and collectable harmonicas hosted by blues harmonica
player/singer Sherman "Tank" Doucette.
Click HERE to visit the IllinoisBlues.com Links Page
If you know of a COOL Blues link, please send it to info@illinoisblues.com
Featured Blues Artists:
The most original new band on the
market!! Three Female Saxophone Players!!
Steve Arvey and The Saxtelles to perform at
Taste Of Chicago July 2nd and
Prairie Dog Blues
Festival July 28th
Powered by Three Female Saxophone Players and Australian Powerhouse
Guitarist Pete Cornelius and Inspired by Rockabilly, Swing, Jazz,
Blues, New Orleans and 50's rock these musical combinations create a
great sound. This music is sure to please many people of any age
bracket. Steve has put together a great group of musicians to
provide not only great music but a great stage show.
Pete Cornelius is on tour with the Saxtelles this summer. Pete is
one of the great new guitar players from Australia. If you like Jr
Watson, Nick Curran, Alex Schultz or Rick Holstrum you will love
Pete Cornelius.
"Having Pete Cornelius playing with this band this Summer has
brought this group to a whole new dimension" Steve Arvey
Steve Arvey has been a mainstay on the Chicago Blues Scene for many
years touring around the World.
http://www.myspace.com/stevearveyandthesaxtelles
Cindy has a new CD Mighty Mighty coming out July 6th
Don't Miss the CD release party July
6th In Peoria, IL on the Downtown Riverfront CEFCU Stage
6V6 - 8:00
Nick Boetcher - 9:15
South Side Cindy & The Slip-Tones - 10:30
Admission is just $7 to hear 3 GREAT Central Illinois bands!
Visit South Side Cindy & The Slip Tones'
website
http://www.thesliptones.com
Blues Radio - Streaming Link of the Week
WEVL -
http://www.wevl.org
Public radio in Memphis, Tennessee.
Click Here to listen.
The Best of the BEST Blues Radio Streams is.....
Tune In! TURN IT UP LOUD!
To Hear GREAT GLT blues 24X7 Click HERE
Check out other great Blues Music Streams Click HERE
Other IMPORTANT News Help Save the music! Click HERE to Keep Blues Radio Alive!
WANT ADS
Video Producer wanted in Central Illinois
Looking for a good video production person to work on a project for some Blues artists. This is not a high paying gig but it could develop into something great! Please send an email with your name, experience, equipment if any and phone contact to: info@illinoisblues.com
Drummer seeks band
Experienced Blues drummer seeks working Blues band in Central Illinois. Call Tim at 309 678-4260.
Place Your Blues Want Ad for Free
Place your WANT AD here for FREE. Buy or sell, musicians wanted, gigs wanted etc. Limit 500 words. One ad per week will be randomly selected to appear in the Blues Blast.
Send your ad submission to info@illinoisblues.com to be consider for next weeks Blues Blast.
Blues Review of the Week!
This week we feature a CD review by Blues writer Ben Cox
Alex
Wilson - Tell Me Why
www.alexwilsonband.com
www.myspace.com/alexwilsonband
Running Time 46:28
“They have a wide mix of sounds,” says BMA-winning harmonica wizard Charlie Musselwhite of the debut disc of Alex Wilson. Wilson’s broad range and styles hits you in the chest as well as between the ears with this new release. Not akin to many newcomers, Wilson’s mixture and blend of genre and style keeps you on the edge of your seat, wondering what he’s going to do next. Blending rock, jazz, and ultimately blues Wilson shows maturity beyond his 20-something demeanor. You, however, if you knew him would expect nothing less. Wilson’s family has a long blood line of outstanding musicians. I’ll leave you to do the research and let this disc speak for itself.
From Track 1’s “I Like to Play,” rocks us off with some good ole blues rock that isn’t boring and isn’t another stick in the fire of blues-rock warble. It borders on Albert Collins’ shuffle at times to Johnny Winter blitz. Then, Wilson, effortlessly shifts pace easily to a jazzy-shuffle on “Come Back Baby” and then rollicks easily into one of the apt and not-oft covered “Rockinitis” of Billy Boy Arnold fame, with a searing harmonica nothing short of Arnold’s finesse from Madison Slim, one of the many fine-tuned musicians in Wilson’s backing band.
“Take It Easy Babe” finds itself rooted in the Chief sides of Magic Sam, but the band and the voice is all Wilson’s, not giving a tired reading of a master he later conveys again in a rare cover of “Lookin’ Good on track nine of the disc. However, Wilson shifts the pacing of the song near the middle dropping off a solo reminiscent of “Tin Pan Alley” by SRV and with the smoothest and reverb-drenched turnarounds of a younger Luther Allison.
“I Wish I Had My Baby Back” sounds like it was recorded in a back room at a bar in Chicago somewhere. Again, Madison Slim turns in a great backing harmonica track and the rollicking rhythm guitar sounds like it’s straight from the book of Jimmy Rogers.
“When We Get So Close” seems to be the only misplaced track on the disc, as it borders on camp with the overdubbed vocals that tries to pull from early 50s doo-wop and R&B of the Drifters. Yet, it comes off as weak and tired. The sound of the track, however, would’ve worked better as an instrumental track. “The Moon Is Shinin” sounds its ripped from the nasty edge of an Elmore James tune, lacking Elmo’s slide, but still with full punch of the band. Note again Madison Slim’s great harp layering and phrasing that gives the guitar and bass the punch it needs to fill out the sound on this track.
“Sacred and Untrue” rings a little out of a rollicking barrelhouse feel with great piano and a Stray Cats’-esque riff and Jim Lihan’s unplugged harmonica adding the phrasing. Again, tracks like this scattered throughout the disc display Wilson’s depth of musical taste and aptitude.
The great parts of this is coupled in Wilson’s great songwriting skills (he writes every track but 2 out of 11 on the disc), his great backing band that’s not over-the-top or flashy, and his guitar playing which also rides the same boat as the band’s, the vocals are in tune, on time, and surprisingly soulful at times, and the never-a-dull-moment switch-on-a-dime style of the tracks make this noteworthy for a newcomer to the scene of blues. And as Charlie Musselwhite writes on the back of the disc’s sleeve, “Not just another blues band.” By Ben Cox - 3.5 out 5 ranking
Available from www.alexwilsonband.com for $14.99 with a PayPal account
Click HERE for More Blues CD reviews
IllinoisBlues.com also features a Live Blues review on our website by James “Skyy Dobro” Walker , noted Blues writer and IllinoisBlues.com contributor. James reviews the Blues On The Fox Festival in Aurora, IL. There are some great pictures of the action by Susan Walker. To go directly to the review CLICK HERE
To submit a live performance or CD review please contact: info@illinoisblues.com
Blues Society News
The Illinois Central Blues Club
presents... Washington Street Jazz & Blues Festival
Saturday June 23, 2007- Downtown Springfield, Illinois Washington Street - between 5th & 6th Streets
6:00 Craig Russo & the Latin Jazz Project
7:00 The Sofa Kings
8:00 Jazz by Footprints
9:00 Lowdown Blues Band
10:00 Roger Kimball & The Funky Music Department
11:00 Dawn O’Keefe Williams
BBS is presenting
The Nothin But The Blues
Festival July 20 & 21 in Bloomington, IL
We are in need of 45 volunteers to help is every aspect of running this event.
If you would like to volunteer please contact J. Balmer @(309) 287-9421 to claim
your position ASAP or email J Balmer at
jbalmer@a5.com
Call for Band Entries For The ICBC Blues Challenge August 25, 2007
The Illinois Central Blues Club in Springfield, IL will be conducting its first Annual Blues Challenge during the Old Capitol Blues & Barbeque, August 25, 2007 beginning at noon. The winner of the challenge will receive $500 in travel monies to represent the Club at the Blues Foundation International Blues Challenge in Memphis, TN during February 2008. Bands interested in competing in the Challenge should go to the Illinois Central Blues Club’s website at http://www.icbluesclub.org for contest rules and forms, or they can be requested by contacting markredmiston@msn.com or call 217-622-0340. PERFORMERS FROM ANY STATE OR AREA ARE WELCOME TO COMPETE!
At least one member of the band must be a member of the Illinois Central Blues Club. Applicants can join ICBC by contacting Mark at the above email address and phone. Applicants should submit photos, band biography, a cassette tape or CD of the band’s music. Quality of recording/picture is not considered in selecting and only the first 3 songs will be considered. Entries must be accompanied by a $10 entry fee. Entry fee will be returned if your band is not selected to compete in the August 25th competition. ENTRIES MUST BE POSTMARKED BY JUNE 30, 2007
Central Iowa Blues Society - 2007 Solo/Duo Iowa Blues Challenge
Preliminary rounds - Des Moines, August 16,
2007 & Davenport August 17, 2007
Finals - September 2, 2007 At Blues on Grand
Prizes include cash, travel expenses, as well as performance opportunities plus
the winners will compete at the Blues Foundation International Blues Challenge
in Memphis, TN during February 2008.
Information and applications are available from
the Central Iowa Blues Society at (515) 225-6638
and our website www.cibs.org The
deadline is July 16, 2007.
Madison Blues Society - Blues Picnic June 23, 2007
Madison Blues Society and Vera Court Neighborhood Center will host this year’s Blues Picnic on Saturday, June 23, 2007 at Madison’s Warner Park. This free public festival will feature a performance by Vera Court’s blues kids followed by a fantastic line-up of popular local and regional blues bands. Anticipated attendance at this year’s Picnic will be several thousand people. Event details follow:
What: 5th Annual Blues Picnic, hosted by
Madison Blues Society
When: Saturday, June 23, 2007, 11:00 AM – 9:00 PM
Where: Warner Park in Madison, WI
Tickets: Free and open to the public
Bands: Vera Court Blues Kids, Queenie & The Bluecats, Sue DaBaco & Wise Fools,
Charles Walker Blues Band, Livin' Will, Tate & 008 Band, and Bobby Bryan & The
Original Downtown Players More Info:
www.madisonbluessociety.com
Send your Society's BIG news or Press Release to:
info@illinoisblues.com
to be considered for next week
Featured Blues Events
2007 IH Mississippi Valley Blues
Festival
CLICK HERE
for complete schedule with performance times
Friday June 29th
Damon Fowler
Group
Albert
Cummings
Chubby
Carrier & the Bayou Swamp Band
Robert
Randolph & the Family Band
Robert Belfour
Paul Oscher
Big
Bill Morganfield
Nappy Brown Bob Margolin
Willie “Big Eyes” Smith
Mookie Brill
Saturday June 30th
Kelly Richey
Jason Ricci
and New Blood Big James & the
Chicago Playboys
The Jackie
Payne and Steve Edmonson Band Blues harp blowout featuring
Mark Hummel James Harman
Paul Oscher
Bad Luck
City featuring Matt Woods and Michael Swanger
Jimmy
“Duck” Holmes
Alberta Adams & RJ’s Rhythm Rockers with CeeCee Collins
Ari Brown Quartet
Watermelon
Slim
Trudy Lynn with
The Chicago Rhythm & Blues Kings
Sunday July 1st
Dona Oxford
Tom
Principato
Ruby Wilson
Little
Charlie & the Nightcats
Drink Small “The Blues Doctor”
Dave
MacKenzie
Bruce Katz Henry Gray &
the Cats
Festival website http://www.mvbs.org
Jack Daniels & Beamish Irish Stout presents...
MARK HUMMEL'S BLUES HARMONICA BLOWOUT
Friday June 29th, 2007
Location:
Best Western Ashland House
201 Ashland Ave, Morton, IL
309 266-6919
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Blue Bella
Recording Artist's
Kilborn Alley Blues Band
Russell Miller & 6V6
To see Festival Poster Click Here
Nothin' But The Blues Festival
July 20th and 21st, 2007
The Sale Barn -
2027
S Main St
Bloomington, Illinois *
Directions
*
CLICK
HERE
for
Festival Website
CLICK HERE For Tickets or further Info
Friday July 20th
Gates Open at 5:00 pm
6:00 pm Rooster Alley
7:00 pm Doña Oxford
8:15 pm John
Primer and the Real Deal Blues Band
9:30 pm Blues
Caravan 2007 "The Guitar Women"
**Sue Foley -
Debra Coleman
- Roxanne Potvin*"
Saturday
July 21st
Gates Open at NOON
1:30 pm TBA
2:45 pm Central Illinois Blues Challenge
Winner
4:45 pm TBA
6:00 pm Big Ray and Chicago's Most
Wanted
7:30 pm
Tab Benoit
9:00 pm
C.J. Chenier
FOR THE KIDS
1:00 - 4:00 pm Kids Face Painting
1:00 - 4:00 pm The Unique Twist
The only Blues festival in the Midwest
held on an island in the middle of the Mississippi River!
July 27th & 28th, 2007
Prairie du Chien, Wisconsin on St. Feriole Island
Click HERE for Complete Schedule
Friday, July 27, 2007
The Tom Hunter Band -
Shannon Curfman
-
Alvin Jett &
Phat noiZ -
Tab
Benoit
Plus Big Daddy Cade & The Blues
Masters
Saturday, July 28, 2007
Everett Smithson Band -
Kevin "B.F." Burt & the Instigators
-
Mark Sallings & the Famous Unknowns
Steve Arvey & The Saxtelles -
Lil' Ed & The Blues Imperials
Anthony Gomes
Plus
Pete Cornelius
(from
Australia)
Festival Website www.prairiedogblues.com
Miller Lite
Spoon River
Blues Festival
JULY 28, 2007 - NOON TO MOON
INGERSOLL COUNTRY MANOR
Route 78 N. Just North Of Canton, IL
Featuring:
Steve the Harp & the Blues Deacons
Mojo Street Teams
Do you enjoy listening to Blues CD's and telling others about how great they were? Do you go to live Blues shows and want to share the great music you hear? Want to help "Keep The Blues Alive" in YOUR backyard?
IllinoisBlues.com is looking to find a few good Blues folk for our new Mojo Street Teams. We are seeking Blues news, reviews, photos, interviews, videos and commentary to share on our site with other Blues fans everywhere. Our street teams will help promote Blues in YOUR backyard by letting the world know about events in YOUR area.
If you are a Blues fan, photo journalist, writer, musician or just a plain ole Joe, please email us today at info@illinoisblues.com to volunteer for the Blues!
Live Blues Calendar
Performance dates were submitted by Musicians, Club Owners, Blues Societies and Blues festivals.
IllinoisBlues.com is not responsible for errors or omissions.
|
CLICK HERE - for the Latest Complete Blues Calendar on our website at: IllinoisBlues.com. |
or click a state to see Blues shows by State
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Submit your blues performances for FREE at: http://www.illinoisblues.com/submitnews.htm
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Click Here to become
llinoisBlues.com covers Blues all over the US - NOT just in Illinois!
You can post your festivals and performance dates on our website for FREE at:
http://www.illinoisblues.com/submitnews.htm
If you list your performance dates they will go
to thousands of Blues fans in the next Blues Blast emails. They will also be
listed on the Blues Shows page at
http://www.illinoisblues.com/bluesshows.htm
IllinoisBlues.com also offers paid/sponsored advertising for Festivals and
Club Owners, Recording Companies and Performers selling their own music or
performances. We can put your Blues advertisement on our homepage at:
http://www.illinoisblues.com either as a sponsored event or as a
featured event, product, recording or merchandise .
We have a very large and growing email list of Blues Fans, Musicians, Club
Owners, Blues Societies and Festival Promoters all over the Central US. We send
out weekly Blues Blasts of Blues events and news. With paid advertising we
can feature your event or product in these emails. Our website is new and is growing fast.
We are getting an enormous amount of visitors and hits. Our rates are very
reasonable.
Kick your MOJO into
High Gear
Contact us
Today!
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P.O. Box 721
Pekin, Illinois 61555
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IllinoisBlues.com
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