Sunday, February 21, 2010

Paul Butterfield & Mike Bloomfield

This session we will cover a couple of white Chicago blues artists who were both born in the early 1940s, who worked together in the 1960s creating some groundbreaking modern electric blues and who died of drug overdoses in the 1980s. These two are harpist Paul Butterfield and guitarist Mike Bloomfield.

1 Born in Chicago – 1965 – PBBB – Tk 1 – 2.55

A year or so older than Charlie Musselwhite, Paul Butterfield was the first white harmonica player to develop a style original and powerful enough to place him amongst the true blues greats. It's impossible to underestimate the importance of the doors Butterfield opened: before he came to prominence, white American musicians treated the blues with cautious respect, afraid of coming off as inauthentic imitators of the black sound and style.

And Michael Bloomfield was one of America's first great white blues guitarists, His expressive, fluid solo lines and prodigious technique graced many other projects — most notably Bob Dylan's earliest electric forays.

Together, the two men cleared the way for white musicians to build upon blues tradition bringing electric Chicago blues to white audiences who'd previously considered acoustic Delta blues the only really genuine article. The initial recordings of the racially integrated first edition of the Paul Butterfield Blues Band — were eclectic, groundbreaking offerings that fused electric blues with rock & roll, psychedelia, jazz, and even Indian classical music.

Paul Butterfield was born December 17, 1942 in Chicago and grew in an integrated area on the city's South Side. His father, a lawyer, and mother, a painter, encouraged Butterfield's musical studies from a young age, and he took flute lessons up through high school. By this time, however, Butterfield was growing interested in the blues music of the South Side and began hitting the area blues clubs in 1957. Butterfield was inspired to take up guitar and harmonica, and he playing together on college campuses around the Midwest. Not long after starting college, he decided to focus all his musical energy on the harmonica, eventually dropping out to pursue music full-time.

Meanwhile, Michael Bernard Bloomfield was born July 28, 1943, into a well-off Jewish family on Chicago's North Side. A shy, awkward loner as a child, he became interested in music through the radio, which gave him a regular source for rockabilly, R&B, and blues. He received his first guitar at his bar mitzvah and he and his friends began sneaking out to hear electric blues in the South Side clubs. The young Bloomfield sometimes jumped on-stage to jam with the musicians - eventually gaining himself session work as a guitarist around the Chicago club scene.

In 1964, Bloomfield was discovered through this session work by producer John Hammond Senior, who signed him to CBS. However, several recordings from 1964 went unreleased as the label wasn't sure how to market a white American blues guitarist. Track from these sessions with harpist Charlie Musselwhite.

2 Feel So Good – July 1964 – Don’t Say – Tk 3 – start at 32 sec - 2.56

While this was going on, Butterfield and guitarist friend Elvin Bishop began making the rounds of the South Side's blues clubs, sitting in whenever they could. They were often the only whites present, but were accepted because of their enthusiasm and skill. In late 1964, the Paul Butterfield Blues Band was discovered by producer Paul Rothchild, and after adding lead guitarist Michael Bloomfield, they signed to Elektra and recorded several sessions for a debut album, the results of which were never released. (Rothchild was the house producer for Elektra, responsible for giving the Doors their distinctive sound and also worked with Janis Joplin and Arthur Lee’s Love).

In mid 1965, Butterfield and his band re-entered the studio for a second try at their debut album, but in the meantime, were booked to play that year's Newport Folk Festival. When Bob Dylan saw them play at an urban blues workshop during the festival, he asked them to back him for part of his own set later that evening. This became Dylan's infamous “plugged-in” performance where he was booed and called a traitor, but which shook the folk world. Bloomfield was also a prominent presence on Dylans classic Highway 61 Revisited, also released in 1965

The Paul Butterfield Blues Band eventually released their self-titled debut album later in 1965. The LP caused quite a stir among white blues fans who had never heard electric Chicago-style blues performed by anyone besides British blues-rock groups. Listen out for MBs slide work on this next track…

3 Look Over Yonder Wall – 1965 – PBBB – Tk 11 – 2.23

Butterfield was pushing to expand the band's sound, aided by Bloomfield's growing interest in Eastern music, especially Ravi Shankar. This interest manifested itself on their second album, 1966's East West. The title track was a lengthy instrumental incorporating blues, jazz, rock, psychedelic rock and raga; and it became their signature statement. We will play the last few minutes which feature some of MB’s guitar work.

4 East West – 1966 – East West – Tk 9 – 13.10 – start at 10.45??)

To put this period into perspective, 1966 was also the year that British harpist John Mayall released his own first great album – Bluesbreakers with EC, and we will talk more about this later.
Unfortunately, Mike Bloomfield left the band at the height of its success in 1967, and formed a new group called the Electric Flag. Guitarist Elvin Bishop moved into the lead guitar slot for the band's third album, 1967's The Resurrection of Pigboy Crabshaw (a reference to guitarist Bishop's nickname). This album marked the end of the Butterfield Band's best days;

5 One More Heartache – 1967 – Pigboy Crabshaw – Tk 1 – 3.20

Meanwhile, Bloomfield formed a new band called the Electric Flag which was supposed to build on the innovations of East-West and accordingly featured an expanded lineup complete with a horn section, which allowed the group to add soul music to their laundry list of influences. The Electric Flag debuted at the 1967 Monterey Pop Festival and issued a debut album, A Long Time Comin', in 1968. This track is from that album, with longtime Chicago friend Nick Gravenites on vocals.

6 Killing Floor – 1967 – Don’t Say – Tk 8 – 4.11

Unfortunately, the band was already disintegrating - rivalries, management problems and drug abuse — all took their toll. Bloomfield himself left the band he'd formed before their album was even released.

He next teamed up with organist Al Kooper, whom he'd played with in the Dylan band, (and who like MB had just been forced out of a band he had helped found – in this case Blood Sweat and Tears). Bloomfield, Kooper and Stephen Stills cut Super Session, a jam-oriented record that spotlighted Bloomfield’s own guitar skills on one half and those of Stephen Stills on the other.

Issued in 1968, it became the best-selling album of Bloomfield's career. Super Session's success led to a sequel, The Live Adventures of Mike Bloomfield and Al Kooper, which was recorded over three shows at the Fillmore West in 1968 and released the following year;

He also recorded another live album at the same venue called Live At Bill Graham’s Fillmore West in early 1969, this time with a full band and without Kooper, and we will leave MB with 4 minutes of great slide work from this album, again with Nick Gravenites on vocals.

7 It Takes Time – 1969 – Don’t Say – Tk 14 – 4.07

By this stage however Bloomfield, was growing disenchanted with commercial success, fame and touring and in 1970 at age 27, he effectively retired from high-profile activities.

He made a few albums in the 1970s but his best days were behind him – partly due no doubt to the alcoholism and heroin addiction which made him an unreliable concert presence and slowly cost him some of his longtime musical associations as well as his marriage. Eventually his addiction took its toll - on February 15, 1981, Bloomfield was found dead in his car of a drug overdose; he was only 37.

After Bloomfield left, Butterfield made two more albums, in 1968 and 1969 but they didn’t get the acclaim of his earlier work. His band was still popular enough though to make the bill at Woodstock, and he also took part in Muddy Waters dubbed Fathers and Sons album, which showcased the Chicago giant's influence on the new generation of bluesmen and greatly broadened his audience. Track from the 1969 album Keep on Moving

8 No Amount of Loving – 1969 – Keep On Moving – Tk 2 – 3.14

In 1971 Butterfield broke up his band and parted ways with Elektra and formed a new group which was eventually given the name Better Days. He released an album with that name in 1972. The group featured folk blues couple Geoff and Maria Muldaur who feature on this next track playing slide and fiddle respectively.

9 Baby Please Don’t Go – 1972 – Better Days – Tk 5 – 3.33

While it didn't quite match up to his earliest efforts, it did return him to critical favor. A follow-up, It All Comes Back, was released in 1973 to positive response, and in 1975 he backed Muddy Waters once again on The Woodstock Album, the last LP release ever on Chess.

Butterfield subsequently pursued a solo career, but with little success. By the early 1980s his health was in decline; years of heavy drinking were beginning to catch up to him - he also developed an addiction to heroin. He toured on a limited basis during the mid-'80s, and in 1986 released his final album. On May 4, 1987, Butterfield too died of a drug overdose; he was only 44 years old.

Champion Jack Dupree

We have previously introduced Roy Byrd in these sessions as one of the great NO pianists, and we have a few more to go. Another of the city’s greats was Champion Jack Dupree, although he really didn't spend much of his life in the Crescent City. Seeking an escape from a racist society, Dupree left New Orleans, first to the cities of the North and then abroad to Europe, only to return to his hometown in the twilight of his life to much fanfare and acceptance.

A formidable contender in the ring before he shifted his focus to pounding the piano instead, Champion Jack Dupree often injected his lyrics with a rowdy sense of down-home humor

1 My Woman Left Me – 1990 – Back Home in NO – Tk 6 – 3.08

William Thomas Dupree was born in July 1910 in New Orleans. Dupree was notoriously vague about his beginnings, claiming in some interviews that his parents died in a fire set by the Ku Klux Klan, at other times saying that the blaze was accidental. Whatever the circumstances, Dupree grew up in New Orleans' Colored Waifs' Home for Boys (Louis Armstrong also spent his formative years there). Learning his trade from a barrelhouse pianist named Willie "Drive 'em Down" Hall, he met another young pianist during this period by the name of Roy Byrd (later known as Professor Longhair) with whom he made an agreement to teach him how to sing in exchange for further lessons on the piano.

.Dupree left the Crescent City in 1930 for Chicago and then Detroit. While in Detroit, he was introduced to boxing legend Joe Louis, who rekindled the young man's interest in the sport and helped Dupree work his way into the ring. By 1935, he was boxing professionally. During his time as a boxer, Dupree fought in 107 bouts and even won the lightweight championship in Indiana. It also earned him the nickname of Champion Jack in the process.

By 1940, he had enough of boxing and turned back to the piano He had been supplementing his income all along by playing part-time and his talent had earned him a reputation as a boogie master in the Midwest. Dupree had also attracted the attention of producer, Lester Melrose, and in 1940, Dupree made his recording debut for OKeh Records.

Dupree's 1940-1941 output for the Columbia subsidiary exhibited a strong New Orleans tinge despite the Chicago surroundings; and his driving "Junker's Blues" was later cleaned up as Fats Domino's 1949 debut, "The Fat Man."

2 Junker’s Blues – Blues Collection – Jan 1941 – Tk 8 – 2.41

In 1942, Dupree was drafted into the navy and was sent to the Pacific front where he worked as a cook. He was eventually captured by the Japanese and spent two years as a prisoner of war.

After the war ended, Dupree decided that the piano beat pugilism any old day. He spent most of his time in New York and quickly became a prolific recording artist, often in the company of Brownie McGhee. Contracts meant little; and like John Lee Hooker at about the same time, Dupree masqueraded as Brother Blues on Abbey, Lightnin' Jr. on Empire, and the truly imaginative Meat Head Johnson for Gotham and Apex. Here is a track from the immediate post war period, with Brownie McGhee on guitar.

3 How Long Blues - – Blues Collection – 1945 – Tk 15 – 2.39

King Records got hold of him in 1953 and held onto him through 1955 (the year he enjoyed his only R&B chart hit, the relaxed "Walking the Blues."). Dupree's King output rates with his very best; the romping "Mail Order Woman," "Let the Doorbell Ring," and "Big Leg Emma's" contrasting with the rural "Me and My Mule"

In 1958, he recorded what is considered by many to be his masterpiece, "Blues From The Gutter". This album recanted tales of prostitution, drug use and the shadier side of life altogether and included marvelous readings of "Stack-O-Lee," "Junker's Blues," and "Frankie & Johnny" beside the risqué "Nasty Boogie

4 Nasty Boogie – 1958 – Blues From The Gutter – Tk 5 – 3.06

Great album with excellent guitar and sax work on every track, backing Dupree’s piano. Next song …Listen out to Dupree telling us of the evils of drug addiction towards the end…….

5 Can’t Kick the Habit – 1958 – Blues From The Gutter – Tk 3 – 3.39

The prejudice and racism throughout the United States became too much and in late 1958, like others we have spoken about in these sessions, he decided to move to Europe. Over the next 32 years, he lived in Switzerland, France, England, Denmark and Germany. He also recorded a multitude of wonderful albums during this time for a long list of European labels.

In 1990, Champion Jack Dupree was talked into returning to the United States and his hometown to make an appearance at the famed New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival. It was his first visit to the city since 1954 and he was simply the sensation of the event. He agreed to stay long enough to record the critically acclaimed album, "Back Home In New Orleans", backed by an all-star lineup of NO greats and produced by Ron Levy. The recording showed to an American audience that even at the age of 79, Dupree still had the powerful vocals and stunning barrelhouse piano talent that so many had forgotten over the years.

6 When I’m Drinking – 1990 – Back Home In Chicago – Tk 1 – 3.24

Dupree made an encore performance at JazzFest in 1991 and also played the Chicago Blues Festival that same year. He returned to the studio one more time, in 1991, where he laid down the tracks for what eventually became his final releases, "Forever & Ever"and "One Last Time". Track from One Last Time

7 Drinking Wine Spo-Dee-O-Dee – 1991 – Portrait of a Champion – Tk 6 – 4.10

Champion Jack returned to his home in Hanover, Germany, where he died from complications of cancer on January 21, 1992.

Dupree was a fun-loving man despite the themes of his music and he left a large catalog of material. Champion Jack Dupree was posthumously honored by the Blues Foundation, receiving election into their Hall of Fame. He found success in a multitude of professions throughout his life: musician, boxer, cook and even as a painter towards the end..

Go out with another track from…….Listen out for the alto sax work

8 Stack O Lee – 1958 – Blues From The Gutter – Tk 10 – 3.56

Taj Mahal

Today we are going to cover one of the most prominent figures in late 20th century blues, and a regular visitor to Australia, who is in fact back here around Easter for the ECBRF - Taj Mahal. In a career that is now 45 years long, Taj, like another regular visitor Bob Brozman, has taken his initial interest in traditional blues music and extended it to include roots music styles from around the world — reggae, jazz, gospel, R&B, zydeco, West African, Latin, even Hawaiian.

Taj's interest in these wider forms was a precursor to the interests currently shown by other young bluesmen — artists like Keb' Mo', Guy Davis, Corey Harris and Alvin Youngblood Hart.

1 Mr Pitiful – 1996 – Senor Blues – Tk 13 – 2.56

Taj Mahal was born with the grand name of Henry St. Clair Fredericks in New York on May 17, 1942. His father a jazz pianist/composer/arranger of Jamaican descent, his mother a schoolteacher from South Carolina who sang gospel — the family moved to Springfield, MA, when he was quite young.

Early on he developed a particular interest in African music, and his parents also encouraged him to pursue music, starting him out with classical piano lessons before he moved on to the clarinet, trombone and harmonica.

When Henry was aged eleven his father was killed in an accident. His mother remarried, and at age 13 or 14 young Henry began messin with his stepfather’s guitar, receiving his first lessons from a neighbour who just happened to be the nephew of the famous bluesman Arthur "Big Boy" Crudup.

Henry loved the blues — both acoustic and electric but also received a solid tertiary education at the University of Massachusetts, where he studied animal husbandry, veterinary science and agronomy. Somewhere around 1959-61, he adopted the musical alias Taj Mahal (an idea that came to him in a dream) and formed Taj Mahal & the Elektras, which played around the area during the early '60s.

In 1964 at age 22, he moved to Santa Monica, California and formed The Rising Sons with fellow blues musician, 17yo Ry Cooder, landing a record deal with Columbia Records soon after.

They recorded 22 tracks in two sessions in late 1965 and 1966, of which only two were released on a single. An album was made, but stayed unreleased until 1992. Available from JB HiFi – good liner notes

Rev Gary Davis track

2 Candy Man – 6 Oct 1965 – Rising Sons – Tk 4 – 2.04

The band opened for numerous high-profile touring artists of the ‘60s, and Taj also mingled with touring blues legends, including Howlin' Wolf, Muddy Waters, Junior Wells, Buddy Guy, Lightnin' Hopkins and Sleepy John Estes

Along with Chicago based Paul Butterfield Blues Band, The Rising Sons group was one of the first interracial bands of the period – there are a lot of similarities with Taj’s early career and that of PB – both were born in 1942, were harpists, made their first recordings in 1965. The differences of course are that TM was Black, and west coast based, not Chicago, and PBs career descended into drugs and addictions before his death in 1987

The Rising Sons seemed to be going nowhere, and, frustrated, Mahal left the group but stayed on with Columbia as a solo artist. His self-titled debut was released in early 1968 and its stripped-down approach to vintage blues sounds made it unlike virtually anything else on the blues scene at the time.
Track from this album – featuring a then 21 yo Ryland P Cooder on rhythm guitar – Willie McTell number made famous by the Allman Bros a few years later
3 Statesboro Blues – 1968 – Taj Mahal– Tk 2 – 3.00

This album has come to be regarded as a classic of the '60s blues revival, as did its follow-up, Natch'l Blues which appeared in the same year

4 Good Morning Miss Brown – 1968 – Natchl’ Blues– Tk 1 – 3.17

The half-electric, half-acoustic double-LP set Giasnt Step followed in 1969 and those three records built Mahal's reputation as an authentic yet unique modern-day bluesman, gaining wide exposure and leading to collaborations or tours with a wide variety of prominent rockers and bluesmen. Two from this album – an electric number followed by an acoustic one.

5 Give your Woman What She Wants – 1969 – Giant Step – Tk 3 – 2.27

6 Fishin Blues – 1969 – Giant Step – Tk 21 – 3.05

Three years later - album 'Recycling the Blues & Other Related Stuff' (1972) - track with tuba accompaniment:

7 Cakewalk into Town – 1972 – Essential TM Disc 1 – Tk 16 – 2.33

During the early '70s, Taj’s recording material diversify. In 1974, he recorded his most reggae-heavy outing, Mo Roots. Track from this album, recorded in San Fran in 1974, featuring Wailers band member Aston Barret, not on bass but on piano, and Merry Clayton (best known for her work with MJ on Gimme Shelter) on backing vocals

8 Slave Driver – 1974 – Essential TM Disc 2 – Tk 2 – 2.44

Mahal recorded three albums 1977 but changing musical tastes meant decreasing interest in his work and he spent much of the '80s off record, moving to Hawaii where he formed The Hula Blues Band. Originally this was just a group of guys getting together for fishing and a good time, the band soon began performing regularly and touring. Miss John Hurt track from 1976

9 Satisfied n Tickled Too - 1976 – Essential TM Disc 2 – Tk 5 – fade out at 2.35

Mahal returned to the studio in 1987 and made a series of well-received children's albums, and other side projects, including a musical score for a play called Mule Bone. The play wasn’t a commercial success, but the album earned him a Grammy nomination in 1991. Track from that album, recorded in Hawaii...

10 Crossing - 1990 – Essential TM Disc 2 – Tk 8 – 2.33

The same year marked Mahal's full-fledged return to regular recording and touring, kicked off with the first of a series of great albums on the Private Music label. Track from Phantom Blues –released in 1996....

11 Lovin’ in my Baby’s Eyes – 1995 – Essential TM Disc 2 – Tk 13 – 2.43

In 1997, Mahal won a Grammy for Señor Blues, recorded the year before.

12 Irresistible You – 1996 – Senor Blues – Tk 3 – 3.14

Meanwhile, he undertook a number of small-label side projects that constituted some of his most ambitious forays into world music. 1999's Kulanjan was a duo performance with Malian kora player Toumani Diabate.

Track from this album

13 Queen Bee – 1999 – Essential TM Disc 2 – Tk 16 – fade out at 2.30

Taj is quoted as saying that this album "embodies his musical and cultural spirit arriving full circle." To him it was an experience that allowed him to reconnect with his African heritage.

In 2000, Taj released a second Grammy winning album, Shoutin' in Key. Let the man himself introduce this next track:

14 Stranger in my own Home Town – 2000 - Shoutin in Key – Tk 4 start at 4.52 – then go to Tk 5 - 2.55

Taj Mahal has said he prefers to do outdoor performances, saying: "The music was designed for people to move, and it's a bit difficult after a while to have people sitting like they're watching television. That's why I like to play outdoor festivals-because people will just dance.

His broad musical interests have led Taj into other side projects. He became a strong supporter of the Music Maker Relief Foundation in 1997, as a supporter, advisor and MMRF board member, as well as an artistic consultant and contributor to many of that label’s recordings

Taj Mahal has also brought together his two great passions: blues and sports fishing for the benefit of Music Maker, with The Fishin’ Blues Tournament held in Central America for the last eight years.

His wide interests are also evidenced by the links on his website to a large number of environmental websites, especially those devoted to protecting the world’s oceans – http://www.tajblues.com/

Taj is here in April for ECBRF but also doing shows in Sydney, Melbourne and Adelaide. In Syd and Melb they are double acts with BG, in Adelaide with EHB – you should try to see him at one of these gigs.

Finish off with a few minutes from an instrumental recorded in 1998 with Piedmont blues guitarist and singer Etta Baker. Etta was 85 when this recording was made

15 John Henry – 1998 – Essential TM Disc 2 – Tk 18 – 3.41

Monday, November 16, 2009

Bluesnews 15 Nov 2009

We are now in third gear, heading for the summer festival season, and there’s lots to get excited about. The lineup for the Easter ECBRF is already outstanding, with promises of a blockbuster announcement next Sunday. Charlie Parr will be playing at The Zoo and The Soundlounge in mid Jan, Sly and Robbie will be at the Ragamuffin festival in late Jan, and there is a bunch of other great stuff happening at Woodford and other places over Christmas and New Year.

We will try to get another of these out before Christmas, but if not, have a great one and get out amongst the music.

And don’t forget, you can see this newsletter on the net. Click here

Cheers

Mark Hipgrave
0418 556048


NEWS
RADIO/TV
FESTIVALS
REGULAR STUFF AND GIG GUIDES


NEWS

Norton Buffalo RIP

Last issue I gave you a link to an item on the NY Jazz and Blues website regarding a benefit being held in late Nov for harpist and regular Australian visitor Norton Buffalo.

It hasn't quite been two months since Buffalo came home from a concert feeling a little ill. What he thought was pneumonia was diagnosed as cancer, starting in his lower right lung and spreading through is body.

"It's a nasty little bugger," he said. He said there is some of it in his brain and it is grown a little. "I've been doing some chemo and (doctors) are talking about starting radiation next week, but I'm not sure."

Unfortunately Norton died on Fri 30 Oct.

‘Norton Buffalo, a harmonica virtuoso and “musician's musician” who played with many of the biggest names in the music business, died Friday following a brief battle with lung cancer.

Buffalo, 58, called Sonoma County home for decades, living with his family in a Glen Ellen farmhouse.

He died Friday afternoon at Feather River Hospital in Paradise, said friends. Buffalo and his wife, Lisa Flores, moved from Glen Ellen to Paradise, near Chico, about four years ago.

Buffalo's musical career took off in the 1970s when he played rock 'n' roll harmonica and sang harmony with the Steve Miller Band. He continued playing in the band until this past summer.’

Norton had visited Australia at least twice in the past 8 years, playing with Roy Rogers at the ECBRF. More here.


Jim Dickinson RIP

I was very sad to learn the other day that James Luther (Jim) Dickinson (father of Cody and Luther Dickinson of the North Mississippi Allstars) had died in mid August.

Jim Dickinson, who has died aged 67 of heart failure [on Aug 15], was a celebrated pianist and record producer in Memphis. He released several solo albums, but his greatest talent lay in helping other artists realise their potential, among them Aretha Franklin, the Rolling Stones, Ry Cooder and Bob Dylan.

Born in Little Rock, Arkansas, Dickinson moved with his family to Memphis in 1948. His mother played the piano at the local Baptist church and gave Jim his first lessons. As a teenager he learnt blues and boogie-woogie piano from Alec Tiel, a black "yard man" his family employed, and formed his first band, the Regents, in 1958. The group played Memphis bars and parties, with Dickinson soaking up all he heard in what was then America's number one music city.

Obits and related articles are here, here and here .


ARIA Award Nominees

This year, the ARIA Awards will be handed out on Thursday, November 26 at Sydney’s Acer Arena, and broadcast on Channel 9.

Nominees for the Best Blues and Roots Album are here.


Byron Bay Bluesfest – The Tyagarah Site Wasn’t Such a Sure Thing:

The ECBRF Organisors formalized the long anticipated shift to the new Tyagarah on 3 Aug with this announcement

However it seems the Byron Council did not actually vote on the Development Application for the Tyagara site until more than a month later, on 10 Sept, and after voting was split four all, it needed the casting vote of the Mayor Jan Barham to get the approval across the line and avoid an embarrassing backdown for festival owner Peter Noble. See local news reports here and here, and dissenting comments below:

‘But four councillors voted against the proposal, even with the changes suggested by Cr Tabart.

Cr Patrick Morrisey said the grounds were simply too flood-prone for such a large number of people and public access to the beach would be unfairly restricted by the festival.

“I think everyone agrees that it's flood prone,” he said.

“However, the applicants think they can get 20,000 people there and manage their safety in any flood event.”’

Conditions imposed by the council on the approval included:

‘reducing the number of daily festival-goers from the 20,000 that organisers had asked for to 17,500; to reduce the consent period from five years to three years; that paid representatives of the New South Wales Fire Brigade and SES be invited on site; strict noise restrictions be put in place; and that the entrance to Grays Lane east of Tanner Lane be restricted to residents and their guests for the duration of the festival.

Bluesfest will also be required to provide a social impact statement each year, and all security personnel must be fully accredited by festival management.

[Festival Owner] Mr Noble said there were a couple of conditions that he would have to ‘think about’.

“I am investing in a multi-million-dollar festival and to only get a three-year approval and to have to put in the necessary infrastructure for the site, well, that will take some thought,” he said.

“I’m not sure about a couple of these conditions which I have to say I am not really pleased with.”

The council’s 40 page Conditions of Consent also indicate that there will be no long encores from the acts that close out each evening, with the requirement that:

The event is to comply with the requirements of the EPA Industrial Noise Policy. All amplified music must cease by 12:00 midnight on each night of the festival ….

On the upside, punters can take comfort that:

The applicant shall provide Council with formal written agreement between East Coast Blues & Roots Music Festival Pty Ltd and the Cape Byron Pistol Club Inc. which provides a guarantee that no person will be placed at risk of injury by a projectile escaping the licensed shooting ranges located on the southern boundary of the property


ECBRF – Travel and Traffic

The ECBRF website used to say that the new Tyagarah site is 9km north of Byron Bay. They have now fessed up to 10KM. That may be true if you are a crow, but the festival site entry off the highway is actually 14 km by road from the centre of Byron Bay – The Beach Hotel. Mr Google calculates the driving time as 17 minutes, but that’s on a good day.

The Tyagarah Sustainable Community Allliance has made available on their website various traffic studies commissioned for the new festival site, and those interested can wade through them all.

A report commissioned by the Byron Ratepayers Association reviews the ECBRF’s own traffic studies and comments that private vehicle access to the site and carparking, especially in wet conditions, is likely to be a s***fight (as KRudd would say). It concludes:

From the viewpoint of traffic operations, traffic safety, acceptable parking provision and management, and sustainability, the proposal as outlined in the available documents … is unacceptable in terms of:

· potential hazard to the travelling public (particularly through traffic on the Pacific Highway);
· likely detrimental impacts on ease of local movement and access to existing local businesses;
· high potential for overflow of parking demands onto the nearby road system;
· an undue reliance on private car, rather than pedestrian and/or cycle, travel.

Notwithstanding all the above, the lineup will overwhelm all the potential negatives. Tickets are now on sale here


Press Articles – Various

2009 Blues Blast Music Awards Nominees & Winners, from About.com
Music puts the life back into your days and nights, from the Courier Mail
Ry and Lowe, from The Australian
Woodford festival struggles to cope with crowds, from the ABC
Torture songs spur a protest most vocal, from the Washington Post
Buddy Guy Checks Out Construction of His New Club, from Today’s Chicago Blues
The Lowe Down, from Rhythms (for those going next Sat night)
Luther Dixon Obit, from The Guardian
Geoffrey Gurrumul Yunupingu at the Empire, London W12, from Times Online
Kate Miller-Heidke – Curiouser, from Pop Matters
New Levels of Inclusion at Country Music Awards, from NY Times
The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame's Greatest Moments: Watch History Being Made, from Rolling Stone


RADIO/TV/YOU TUBE

The Daily Planet, Weekend Planet and Music Deli (ABC Radio National)

The Daily Planet website, the Weekend Planet website and The Music Deli website all have links to shows broadcast over the past few weeks.


Video Selections

Jim Dickinson on Having a Career in Production – this is a ‘must watch’
Only 18 Years Old – courtesy of ‘Shaky’ Shaun Bindley
Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Inductions, from Rolling Stone
Kitty, Daisy and Lewis
Roy Rogers & Norton Buffalo - Ain't no Bread in the Breadbox
Charlie Parr - 1922
Sly & Robbie – Answer Riddim


FESTIVALS

Queenscliffe Music Festival

Coming up on Nov 27, 28 & 29, at Queenscliff, Victoria..

The Queenscliff Music Festival’s 2009 programme includes a huge array of acts. Joining The Original Wailers, Tim Finn, Little Birdy, Marcia Hines etc. with be the fantastic saltwater sounds of Broome’s The Pigram Brothers, the sublime blend of kora, virtuosic Indian tabla and slide guitar with Djan Djan (Jeff Lang, Mamadou Diabate, Bobby Singh), Festival favourites The Badloves, South Australia’s Leader Cheetah, Peter Combe, Grace Barbe from the Seychelles, Jimi Hocking, Howl, country swing super group The Junes, Blue Heat, Gun Street Girls, Black Market Rhythm Co, Bonjah and Matt Joe Gow & The Deadleaves.

Other news is that country music’s hottest female trio, The McClymonts, will perform live at The Queenscliff Music Festival for the first time this year as part of the Telstra Road to Tamworth national talent search on Saturday 28 November.


Australian Blues Music Festival

A few issues ago we mentioned that the changes that were happening with the festival, held in Goulburn, NSW every Feb.

The 2010 Festival, to be held from 11-14 February will feature predominately free shows across numerous pubs and clubs as well as the city's central Belmore Park and the Regional Conservatorium. There will be a number of higher profile acts, including The Backsliders, offering ticketed shows.

Unfortunately, the lineup for 2010, or at least those announced so far, does not include anyone from Qld…….


Blues on Broadbeach - 2010

The dates for the 2010 Blues on Broadbeach Music Festival have been officially announced. The eighth annual festival will be held from Thursday the 27th of May to Sunday the 30st of May.


The Bluestone Festival

Run by the Sleepy Hollow Blues Club, (near Geelong, Vic),

the festival runs over two days, starting on New Year’s Eve afternoon until the early hours of the morning, then most people camp overnight and rock on during New Years’ Day. With a well-stocked bar, hot and cold food, and merchandise stalls ensure that all attendees are well catered for.


Music By The Sea

The 8th Music By The Sea Festival (8-10 January, 2010, at Sandgate) presents quality music in three venues of the picturesque, bay side area of Sandgate in Brisbane’s north. It brings classical, folk, jazz, popular and world music by International, Australian, local professional and emerging artists.

Programed artists so far: Jeremy Eskenazi (concert pianist, France), Joe Chindamo, Oka, Ganga Giri, Linsey Pollak, Carnatic Jazz Experiment, Julia Sojka (violinist, Slovakia), Tomas Rojcek (concert pianist, Slovakia), Brisbane Chamber Orchestra, Seaside Symphony Orchestra, Michael Fix, Swing Manouche, Alesa Lajana, Shenzo Gregorio, Jook Joint Boys, Gerard Mapstone, Andrew Veivers, Anthony Garcia, Andre Reginato, Tim O'Brien, Colin Offord, Chris Finnen, Donald Hall, Sue Wighton, Ian Dodd, Fred Graham, Steve Cook, Kevin Higgins, Ewan MacKenzie, Velvet Cellar Cabaret, Drumming workshop, Festival Choir and more...


Thredbo Blues Festival

The initial lineup for the 2010 Thredbo Blues Festival (15-17 Jan) has been announced:

The program for 2010 reflects the great depth of talent and the heritage of Australian Blues reflected in its players, their songs and the sounds and textures they create. All these elements give us our unique Blues heritage, one which we celebrate every year at Thredbo and 2010 will be exceptional.

The lineup includes

The Black Schu Band, Chris Raggatt & The Heavy Mellows, Darren Jack Band, Ray Beadle Band, Gail Page Band, Don Hopkins and Rob Grosser, Kevin Borich Band, Blue Murder, Bondi Cigars, Fiona Boyes Band and Solo, Steve Edmonds Band, Phil Edgeley, Andy Cowan Band, Brian Fraser, Sugarcane Collins, Dai Pritchard Band, Chris Mawer Solo, Alison Penny Band, Phil Manning Solo. Chase the Sun



Sunset Sounds Festival

Back for its sophomore year after the inaugural sellout event in January, Sunset Sounds returns to the stunning Brisbane Botanical and City Gardens over January 6 and 7 to invoke a sumptuous soiree of summer delights.

Featuring: Yeah Yeah Yeah's (Usa); Moby (USA); Hilltop Hoods; Grizzly Bear (USA - First Ever Australian Shows); The Temper Trap; Xavier Rudd; Editors (UK); Sarah Blasko; Rodrigo Y Gabriela (Mexico); Seasick Steve (USA); Emiliana Torrini (Iceland); Kaki King (USA); Andrew Bird (USA); Yves Klein Blue; Lisa Mitchell; King Khan And The Shrines (Germany - First Ever Australian Shows); The John Steel Singers; Art Vs. Science And The Middle East. plus, loads more to be announced.


Woodford

The programme for this summer’s Woodford Folk Festival is now available.

Who’s on and where is a bit difficult no navigate but you can start looking here for the daily playing schedules, and here for the overall festival programme booklet in Real View format.

A quick look shows Fiona Boyes, Phil Manning, Dallas Frasca, Doc Spann, Mojo Webb, Mick Conway, Afro Dizzi Act, Grace Barbe, John Butler Trio, Blind Dog Donnie, Kaki King, Toni Childs, Bonjah, James Morrison, James Blundell, Mojo Juju, The Audreys and many others.

Festival tickets are available here

Festival Director Bill Hauritz was on the ABC TV and Radio this week (see link above), giving the festival fundraising campaign a plug.


Ragamuffin Festival

The festival is touring Australia and NZ, and passes through Brisbane on Sat 30 Jan:

Raggamuffin is a feast of the world's best reggae music - a day of live funk, dub, hip hop and soul.

Over the last two years, the overwhelming success of the reggae festival Raggamuffin, has enthralled fans across Australia and New Zealand.

For the third consecutive year, Raggamuffin is set to take summer stages by storm.

Free your gnarly dreadlocks and release your rasta spirit because Australia's biggest reggae music festival Raggamuffin is about to blaze its way through Rotorua, Perth, Sydney, Brisbane and Melbourne!

This year continues to delight as Raggamuffin 2010 brings together reggae's finest for your enjoyment, including Wyclef Jean - Shaggy - Julian Marley -Blue King Brown - Sly & Robbie - Steel Pulse - Sean Kingston - House Of Shem

Tsunami mag has a good summary of the festival here.


The Blue Mountains Music Festival of Folk, Roots & Blues

March 12, 13, 14 2010 will see the Blue Mountains celebrate this internationally respected event for the fifteenth time. The years have been a huge parade of exceptional music. And now there’s a lot more to come.

In 2010 you will see Chris Smither, Uncle Earl, Josh White Jnr., John McCutcheon, The Pigram Brothers, Dougie McLean, Truckstop Honeymoon, Gregory Page, The White Top Mountaineers, Eleanor McEvoy, Kieran Halpin, Kerrianne Cox, The Kransky Sisters, Jeff Lang and Djan Djan, Bruce Mathiske, Emily Smith and Jamie McClennan, Michaelangelo and the Black Sea Gentlemen, Bob Malone, Kim Richey, Brian Kennedy, Genticorum, The Vince Jones Band, Glenn Cardier, Mojo Juju, Chris Wilson, The Blues Preachers, Gail Page Trio, Pat Drummond, Circus Solarus, Tom Richardson, The James Valentine Quartet, The Crooked Fiddle Band, Noriko Tadano, Nikki Madden, Kate Rowe, Claude Hay, Andrea Soler, Greg Borschmann’s Conversations and more to be confirmed.


Brunswick Music Festival

The 2010 Brunswick Music Festival (11-21 March) has again confirmed a top line up of international and Australian folk and roots artists. The international line up is truly as diverse and outstanding as we've ever had the pleasure to present. Now confirmed from the United States are Mary Gauthier, Uncle Earl, John McCutcheon, Chris Smither, Truckstop Honeymoon and The Whitetop Mountaineers; Canada is represented by Genticorum; from Scotland Eddi Reader, Emily Smith, Dougie Maclean; from just over the border the extraordinary Vin Garbutt, from Ireland Mairtin O'Connor Trio (with Cathal Hayden and Seamie O'Dowd), Paddy Keenan; from Athens we welcome back Brunswick favourites Apodimi Compania; and in a first for Brunswick, from Israel George Sam'an (oud and fiddle) Ensemble, traditional Arabic music and song from Galilee. And there are a few more in the pipeline.....

The Australian line up is promising to be just as diverse and challenging.
Archie Roach will perform songs from the early part of his career, songs from 1988, recorded by ABC Music Deli in that year and recently released by ABC Records. Read what Archie says about this period in his life and the songs reflecting such- http://www.myspace.com/archieroach We'll be squeezing those fantastic Pigram Brothers onto the Brunswick Town hall stage again, while the East Brunswick Club will host excellent local Brunswick acts who will be out in force featured among Melbourne's best roots acts. Hot Bluegrass and old time country, Americana, blues and swing will be featured strongly, representing the huge recent increase in interest in these styles of music among Melbourne musicians and audiences.


Port Fairy Folk Festival

The 34th Port Fairy Folk Festival (March 5-8) will announce its line-up mid November and four day passes go on sale. There will be 20 international acts and 80 national acts plus a fringe of supports - over 500 artists on 20 stages for 4 days.

Tickets are sold from our Booking Office by direct mail and not through other outlets. A booking brochure is mailed out around mid November. To purchase tickets complete the booking form on the brochure and mail back. Booking vouchers can be downloaded from Nov 18th.

Australia's "world famous" independent music festival presents major international and national folk artists during a four day festival of folk, country, celtic, blues, jazz, bluegrass, traditions, contemporary, singers, songwriters, acoustic rock and world roots music.

There are also sessions, choirs, theme concerts, workshops, classes and theatre. The festival magically transforms the fishing village in a spirit of cultural celebration. This includes parades, fairs, markets, busking, children's events and street theatre in a Free Festival of the Streets along side five main concerts stages in the ticketed Arena.


And Finally…..

If you are in Chicago in mid Dec, you can catch a host of good bands at the Chicago Bluegrass and Blues Festival.


REGULAR STUFF AND GIG GUIDES

Palmwoods Got The Blues –at the Palmwoods Hotel


On Sat November 21, Palmwoods Got The Blues settles in for another heapin’ helping of world class Blues talent, cold beer, great steaks and free courtesy buses

Young guns No Problem make a keenly anticipated return and after some high profile gigs this year, these talented teenagers are the perfect appetizer for the world class talent to follow.

Pete Cornelius was one of the highlights of the 2009 East Coast Blues & Roots festival at Byron Bay over Easter. So popular in fact that its taken until now for his schedule to free up enough for Pete to get on the plane and get his Gretsch and his talented self up to the Sunshine Coast to bring the Palmwoods stage alive once again. A fixture on national festival stages since his early teens, Pete is now an elder statesman of Australian blues despite still only being in his mid 20’s. Five acclaimed CD releases and numerous overseas tours all testament to the talent the Tassie tyro unleashes with his guitar in hand.

To add to the gumbo, possibly the only Australian blues artist capable of giving Pete Cornelius a run for his money, Mojo Webb also returns with his crack band tuned like V8 supercar and ready and raring to go. A Palmwoods regular, Mojo like Pete spends more and more time on planes and trains these days, traversing the country playing festivals and high profile gigs to an ever increasing fan base of increasingly feverish fans. The last time was crazy man! And this November is just another in a long line of amazing lineups presented by the Palmwoods Hotel

So to summarize:

· Sat Nov 21
· Mojo Webb
· Pete Cornelius & The Devilles
· No Problem
· 5.30pm, Free entry

(Unfortunately, Sat 21 Nov is also the night Ry Cooder plays the Entertainment Centre in Brisbane, with Nick Lowe).


Mick Hadley’s R&B Rave-Up

After 45 years in the Brisbane Music Scene – Mick is taking his white sneakers, Zimmer frame and his harp to the beach and cruising on the Coastal groove



Venues have come and gone since the heady days of 1963 when he infiltrated the Impacts. Mick is going out with a bang! Although the spirit and the voice are willing, the plectrum of time has weathered the visage of this ageing front man and the snake hips (Go-Set 1965) are seizing up. Its now time to move on.

So, if you vaguely remember the Primitive, The Red Orb, Foco, Bishop Island, the Sound Machine, Uncles, Cloudland, Adam and Eaves, the Open Door, The Manly Hotel, The Lands Office, the Doghouse, the Castle Hotel, The Queens Arms, Festival Hall, The Aussie Nash, The Waterloo Hotel, the Boo, the Jubilee Hotel and the wonderful suburban dance halls that flourished in the 60s and 70s please join us for a farewell R&B rave up!

The Morningside Fats Blues Band will kick off the night and the rest of Mick’s bands will follow. The finale will be an all star line up of old friends. Those taking part so far are Craig Claxton, Glen Muirhead, Kevin Howard, Keith Megson, Steve Perry, ‘Wal’ Parker, Terry Eaves, Mark Doherty, Paul Renton, Karen Anderson, Bridget O'Donohue, Tim Gaze plus more to come!

This will be Mick’s last chance to say thanks to everyone who has grooved to The Impacts (1963 to 1964); The Purple Hearts (1964 to 1967); Coloured Balls (1967 to 1971); Leroy; Razzle; Monkey Business; The Shakers (1972 to 1983); The Last Shout (1984 to 1988); The Shakers II (1989 to 2001); and The Atomic Boogie Band(2003 to 2009).

Mick’s R&B Rave Up at the Jubilee Hotel 2nd Jan 2010 from 4pm. $10.00 at the Door ----- Old musos never die - they just go from bar to bar.


At the X&Y Bar

Fri 13 Nov Wagons (with Texas Tea) [support acts for Justin Townes Earle a few weeks ago]


At Joes Waterhole, Eumundi

Look out for:

· Fri 13 Nov Geoff Achison
· Sat 14 Nov Afro Dizzi Act plus The Toothfaeries
· Sat 28 Nov The Gin Club
· Sat 19 Dec Archie Roach


At The Zoo
· Sat 21 Nov G Love & Special Sauce (USA)
· Fri 27 Nov The Gin Club
· Thurs 3 Dec Afro Dizzi Act
· Fri 4 Dec Rock and Roll Burlesque Show
· Wed 9 Dec Heavy Trash (feat Jon Spencer)
· Sat 16 Jan Charlie Parr

And a wildcard pick, try Kitty, Daisy and Lewis on Sun 13 Dec


At The Soundlounge, Currumbin

Lots of good stuff ….

· 13 Nov: Afro Dizzi Act & Tijuana Cartel
· 20 Nov: Black Market Rhythm Co & Rapids
· 27 Nov: Simone White -USA & Georgia Potter
· 04 Dec: Bobby Flynn & Jenny Biddle
· 15 Jan: Charlie Parr


At The Hi Fi Bar

These all look good

· Wed 18 Nov G Love & Special Sauce (USA)
· Sat 21 Nov Blue King Brown
· Thurs 26 Nov Salmonella Dub (NZ)
· Thurs 3 Dec Tiki Taane (NZ)
· Fri 18 Dec Lucky Dube Celebration Tour


At The Tivoli

· Thurs 3 Dec Tim Finn
· Wed 9 Dec Royal Crown Revue – see here for an Undercover story
· Tues 12 Jan John Butler Trio


At The Powerhouse

· Thurs 26 Nov So Frenchy, So Chic
· Tue 19 - Wed 20 Jan Vieux Farka Touré


At The Judy

Fri 18 Dec Archie Roach


Lori Lee’s upcoming gigs:

· Sat Dec 5 (note new date) Rockabilly Xmas at the Holland Park Bowls Club

· West Texas Crude
· Men Into Space
· DJ Lori Lee
· plus the All Star Rockers with Dangerous Dan, Jon Flynn and Leapin' Lawrie

Saturday, November 7, 2009

Bluesnews 28 Oct 2009

Oct 28 2009

I held this newsletter over a few days so I could pick up the first artist announcement for next Easter’s ECBRF, and the programme launch for the Xmas Woodford Folk Festival. Usually the Woodford Festival lineup precedes the first ECBRF announcement by a few weeks, but this year, they both came out today.

And, let me tell you, the ECBRF lineup announcement in particular is well worth getting excited about. See details below

Don’t forget, you can see this newsletter on the net. Click here

Cheers

Mark Hipgrave
0418 556048


NEWS
RADIO/TV
FESTIVALS
REGULAR STUFF AND GIG GUIDES


NEWS

Ownership Changes at the East Coast Blues and Rockabilly Festival, and a Move to Batemans Bay

The Narooma News reports on Oct 26:

The Great Southern Blues & Rockabilly Festival is one of New South Wales' favourite music festivals, and its growth over its first 14 years has been significant. Festival Director Neil Mumme from Instep Management Group on Monday announced an exciting new chapter in the event's history.

Leading Australian promoter Michael Chugg and the team at Chugg Entertainment will come on board as partners in 2010, working with Neil Mumme to ensure the continued growth of this great event including movement to a new site, which will bring great potential for the expansion of the festival.

For the past 12 months, Neil and his team have been reviewing every aspect of the festival and exploring the best way forward for the event. Chugg Entertainment became a clear choice as a business partner due to their many years of touring international artists, and experience in producing some of Australia's greatest music festivals and special events.

More here.


Byron Bay Bluesfest – First Artist Announcements for Easter 2010:

Yep, pretty, pretty good


The next Bluesfest era beginsnow in Tyagarah!
Dear Mark,
October 28th 2009 - The first round of artists to perform at the 21st Anniversary Bluesfest has today been announced! Australia's most awarded and internationally renowned festival officially begins a new era (and with any luck another excellent 21 years) with the purchase and move to its permanent new home for the 2010 event - the Tyagarah Tea Tree farm just off the Pacific Highway, 10 minutes north of Byron Bay.
Bluesfest 2010 takes place over Easter from Thursday April 1 through to Monday April 5, 2010. The first artist announcement includes a massive array of the best local and international blues, roots, folk, soul, and world artists - with an emphasis on some of the best guitar players of all time.
The first Bluesfest announcement for 2010 includes:


Tickets are now on sale here






Rockwiz to Visit SEQ

Very popular SBS music show RocKwiz is on the move, early in 2010:

Dugald is breaking the RocKwiz team out of the confines of the Gershwin Room and bumping them into a Live Australian Tour!

Tickets go on sale to the general public on Thursday 29th October at 9am. SEQ dates are:

Tues 23rd March QPAC Concert Hall, Brisbane
Fri 26th March Nambour Civic Centre, Nambour
Sat 27th March Empire Theatre, Toowoomba


If you have never seen it, it’s like the ABC’s Spick and Specks but better…….:

‘Julia Zemiro and Brian Nankervis host Australia’s premier music trivia quiz show recorded live in St Kilda’s hallowed Gershwin Room, deep in the bosom of the legendary Esplanade Hotel.

Each episode of RocKwiz gob smacks its audience with two mystery musical maestros. Four extremely lucky punters from the audience, having survived the preliminary ‘death match’, have little time to bask in the honour before said maestros storm the stage for epic solo performances. No one is unsure of the incredible stakes (bragging rights) when Brian unleashes Julia on the stage and the two teams are pitted against each other in six rounds of fearsome music trivia!

And just when you think this is too much entertainment for even the most jaded viewer we ice the cake and astound you with entirely live music! That’s right. The RocKwiz Orkestra of Peter ‘Lucky’ Luscombe, James ‘maestro’ Black and Mark ‘felt-tipped’ Ferrie, not only perform every lick of melody, every cliché of genre, every chop of tune, but, in an orgy of genuflection, they bring the stars to the show’s musical climax with the legendary, ARIA award winning, duets.’


Marva Wright

You may recall an earlier notice about NO blues singer and regular visitor Marva Wright. Marva was hospitalized in June following a stroke. Her daughter wrote earlier this month:

Hello everyone,

My name is Gerry and I'm the oldest daughter of Marva Wright.

I want to thank all of you for your prayers, emails, calls as well as get well wishes to my mother. Just recently I read all of your email to her and she cried because she didn't know so many people cared about her. I also want to apologize to all of you for taking so long to reply to your email. I have been and is still taking care of my mother both inside the hospital as well as home, I moved her and her husband Tony with me and my family while they were both in the hospital for they would've needed someone to take care of them.

The day mama was being transferred to Touro's rehabilitaion, her husband Tony fell just before she was transferred and he was hospitalized for 3 days, just imagine my running back and forth to both hospitals. I am taking good care of my mother and her husband.

My mother came home August 27, 2009 after being in the hospital since June 6, 2009 after suffereing from a severe stroke, she also had other health issues, as a result from the stroke she is immobile on the right side of her body and requires 24 hour care., as a result from the stroke she has slurred speech, in which that is coming back as well, she can't remember people by name but remember them by face, that is improving as well. I returned back to work only to have to leave work again because on September 12, 2009 she was hospitalized again because while at dialysis (is now a permanent dialysis patient) she had a seizure in which she never had before in her life, she returned home on September 16th and is doing remarkably well. There was a feeding tube placed in her adomen while she was in the hospital because she couldn't eat, but on last Friday October 9th the peg was remeoved! My mother is getting better slowly but surely and at the rate she's going with her therapy we are sure that she will one day return to doing the thing's she once enjoyed! Things are looking up for my mother.

Thank you all so much for all of your support, prayers and just everything, we the family of Marva
really do appreciate everything you've done.

God Bless You All,


International Blues Challenge

Around this time every year the Melbourne and Sydney blues clubs hold their Performer of the Year contests, to select a representative to go to the.

The Melbourne Blues Appreciation Society had its selection contest for the International Blues Challenge, (IBC, to be held in Memphis in late Jan 2010) on Sun 25 Oct.

The winner was Dan Dinnen

Singer/songwriter, guitar fingerpicker and blues harp wailer Dan Dinnen plays soulful, solo-acoustic blues with a feel and style that harks back to the 30’s and 40’s. Dan has played gigs from Byron Bay to Tasmania and was an MBAS Blues Performer of the Year Finalist in 2007. He’s supported the likes of Chris Wilson, and as a side-man on guitar and harmonica has accompanied some of Melbourne’s finest players including folk-roots singer Kavisha Mazzella.

During 2009 Dan has played the famous Blues Train in Queenscliff, appeared on the bill for the Echuca Winter Blues Festival, and has performed some electric blues gigs as frontman for Bluez Deluxe.

At the 2008 Port Fairy Folk Festival, Dan played blues harp with Kavisha Mazzella at some of her shows, including the Gospel Blues Theme Concert where he had the thrill of playing and singing harmonies with the amazing Ruthie Foster (USA) and Melbourne's own Suzannah Espie, whilst headline international bluesmen Guy Davis and Hans Theessink held court.

Dan also plays 20’s and 30’s style Blues with the Heather Stewart Trio - Heather Stewart, Vocals & Fiddle and Danny McKenna, Drums. The trio played at the 2008 Broadbeach Blues Festival where they were also the backing band for Jimi Hocking's Blue Mandolin gigs and were invited back to Broadbeach 2009.
Dan Dinnen - website: www.dandinnen.com


The Delta Blues

This US based blog delves deeply into a lot of arcane but sometimes very interesting Mississippi Delta blues history. It’s worth a look every now and again to see what they have dug up. Recent topics include

· An American Roots Music Timeline
· Charley Patton Census Records
· NEW Robert Johnson Census Records
· “Blind WIllie” McTell aka Georgia Sam: A Profile
· Robert Curtis Smith: A New Old Bluesman
· Robert Johnson Recording Set Up and Location
· The Emmett Till Murder
· Who is Willie Brown, from the song "Crossroads"?


Press Articles – Various

This is Rosanne Cash’s Patsy Cline record, from The Punch
Brandi Carlile, from Head Butler
The Rolling Stones Have the Cocksucker Blues, from flavorwire
Nashville Bluesman Johnny Jones, RIP, from About.com
Eleventh Annual Native American Music Award Winners Announced on Oct 3
Norton Buffalo Benefit, from NY Blues and Jazz
Out of the Swamp, Dripping With Both Wildness and Cool – JJ Grey Review, from NY Times
Woodstock: A Moment of Muddy Grace, also from NY Times
Blues Blast awards show lives up to magazine's name, from Chicago Sun Times
and a Listing of Nominees for The Blues Blast Awards, from Illinois Blues
Saltwater Band's Fab Two a Deadly combination, from TheAustralian
Deadly Award Winners for 2009
Jeff Lang Interview, from Time Off


RADIO/TV/YOU TUBE

The Daily Planet, Weekend Planet and Music Deli (ABC Radio National)

The Daily Planet website, the Weekend Planet website and The Music Deli website all have links to shows broadcast over the past few weeks.


Video Selections

A lift from Bob Corritore’s newsletter

Sunnyland Slim on YouTube! Please enjoy this stellar performance by a true blues piano master. Sunnyland Slim was a crucial figure in the development of Chicago Blues and even introduced Muddy Waters to the Chess Brothers! Sunnyland is shown alone at the piano, and his deeply rooted style is really highlighted on the song "You Put That Thing On Me". To see this clip click here

Joe Bonamassa on the Jools Holland show


And finally, my little attempt at humour ……..

Larry David’s reaction on seeing the Bluesfest first artist announcement


FESTIVALS

Island Vibe Festival

This annual event will be held again on North Stradbroke Island from 30 Oct to 1 Nov.

Each year Island Vibe attracts people the world over to gather and enjoy a diverse line up of great reggae, roots, dub, soul, world music and dancehall, whilst cultural dancers, circus performers and visual artists display their talents. As well as hosting a smashing array of international and national acts, a sizeable chunk of the program is dedicated to showcasing the fantastic emerging acts of South East Queensland and the South Pacific. The program this year is expanding to include more Island themed workshops and forums in a dedicated Island Rhythm space


Grassroots Music Festival

8 Ball Aitken is again organizing the Grass Roots Music Festival at the Mount-Coot-tha Botanical Gardens from 11 am to 5 pm on Sunday, November 8th

This is a very special event that Bird and I organise each year. It has grown from a small gathering to a major event, generously sponsored by the Brisbane City Council.

The artist line-up for the event includes 8 Ball Aitken & His Band, Lou Bradley, Mark Easton, Monkey & The Fish, Victoria Baillie, Katrina Burgoyne, Claire Whiting and Brendan Leggatt & Hobo Instinct.

This year’s event has a strong country and alt.country influence, along with original blues, roots, and indigenous music. The free, family-friendly event offers regional residents the opportunity to frolic in the springtime sunshine, enjoying the beauty of the mountain-top botanical gardens at their best. The event has become a Queensland institution which celebrates the diverse offerings of original roots musicians in one of the region’s most picturesque settings.

For those in Brisbane, we hope to see you there… be sure to bring a picnic, hat and sunscreen!


Sunset Sounds Festival

It’s a long way off, still, but:

Back for its sophomore year after the inaugural sellout event in January, SUNSET SOUNDS returns to the stunning Brisbane Botanical and City Gardens over January 6 and 7 to invoke a sumptuous soiree of summer delights.

Featuring: Yeah Yeah Yeah's (Usa); Moby (USA); Hilltop Hoods; Grizzly Bear (USA - First Ever Australian Shows); The Temper Trap; Xavier Rudd; Editors (UK); Sarah Blasko; Rodrigo Y Gabriela (Mexico); Seasick Steve (Usa); Emiliana Torrini (Iceland); Kaki King (USA); Andrew Bird (USA); Yves Klein Blue; Lisa Mitchell; King Khan And The Shrines (Germany - First Ever Australian Shows); The John Steel Singers; Art Vs. Science And The Middle East. plus, loads more to be announced.

Seasick Steve was a huge hit at the ECBRF visit earlier this year. More about this next tour here


Woodford Tickets and Program Launch

The programme for this summer’s Woodford Folk Festival was also launched today (28 Oct).

Who’s on and where is a bit difficult no navigate but you can start looking here for the daily playing schedules, and here for the overall festival programme booklet in Real View format.

A quick look shows Fiona Boyes, Phil Manning, Dallas Frasca, Doc Spann, Mojo Webb, Mick Conway, Afro Dizzi Act, Grace Barbe, John Butler Trio, Blind Dog Donnie, Kaki King, Toni Childs, Bonjah, James Morrison, James Blundell, The Audreys and many others.

Festival tickets are available here


REGULAR STUFF AND GIG GUIDES

Palmwoods Got The Blues –at the Palmwoods Hotel

“October was hot but November is going to be hotter”. That’s the advice from staff and bands alike to the punters who have been lapping up the blues and roots talent at the Palmwoods hotel every month

Kicking of the November blues & roots lineup, The Delta Monarchs make their Palmwoods debut on Sat November 7. A new band on the SE Qld scene, the Monarchs are already creating waves and are looking to Palmwoods as a perfect tuneup for their Woodford debut.

And then on Sat November 21, Palmwoods Got The Blues settles in for another heapin’ helping of world class Blues talent, cold beer, great steaks and free courtesy buses

Young guns No Problem make a keenly anticipated return and after some high profile gigs this year, these talented teenagers are the perfect appetizer for the world class talent to follow.

Pete Cornelius was one of the highlights of the 2009 East Coast Blues & Roots festival at Byron Bay over Easter. So popular in fact that its taken until now for his schedule to free up enough for Pete to get on the plane and get his Gretsch and his talented self up to the Sunshine Coast to bring the Palmwoods stage alive once again. A fixture on national festival stages since his early teens, Pete is now an elder statesman of Australian blues despite still only being in his mid 20’s. Five acclaimed CD releases and numerous overseas tours all testament to the talent the Tassie tyro unleashes with his guitar in hand.

To add to the gumbo, possibly the only Australian blues artist capable of giving Pete Cornelius a run for his money, Mojo Webb also returns with his crack band tuned like V8 supercar and ready and raring to go. A Palmwoods regular, Mojo like Pete spends more and more time on planes and trains these days, traversing the country playing festivals and high profile gigs to an ever increasing fan base of increasingly feverish fans. The last time was crazy man! And this November is just another in a long line of amazing lineups presented by the Palmwoods Hotel

So to summarize:

· Sat Nov 7
· Delta Monarchs
· 8pm, Free entry

· Sat Nov 21
· Mojo Webb
· Pete Cornelius & The Devilles
· No Problem
· 5.30pm, Free entry

(Unfortunately, Sat 21 Nov is also the night the great Ry Cooder plays the Entertainment Centre in Brisbane, with Nick Lowe).


Matt Aitchison, one of the founders of the hugely successful Sunshine Coast band OKA
will be performing at the Verrierdale Hall (near Eumundi – look it up, I had to) on 7 Nov, with Tijuana Cartel.

This should be a great night.


At the X&Y Bar

Fri 30 Oct Jaimi Faulkner
Fri 13 Nov Wagons (with Texas Tea) [support acts for Justin Townes Earle a few weeks ago]


At The Troubadour

Check their new website for lots of interesting shows coming up. If you were intrigued by the recent Angie Hart piece on Sat in The Weekend Australian, you can catch her here at The Troubadour on 5 Nov.


At Joes Waterhole, Eumundi

Look out for:

· Sun 1 Nov Jeff Lang
· Fri 13 Nov Geoff Achison
· Sat 14 Nov Afro Dizzi Act plus The Toothfaeries


At The Zoo

· Sat 31 Oct Jeff Lang
· Thurs 3 Dec Afro Dizzi Act
· Fri 4 Dec Rock and Roll Burlesque Show
· Wed 9 Dec Heavy Trash (feat Jon Spencer)


At The Soundlounge, Currumbin

Lots of good stuff ….

· 13 Nov: Afro Dizzi Act & Tijuana Cartel
· 20 Nov: Black Market Rhythm Co & Rapids
· 27 Nov: Simone White -USA & Georgia Potter
· 04 Dec: Bobby Flynn & Jenny Biddle


At The Hi Fi Bar

These all look good

· Wed 18 Nov G Love & Special Sauce (USA)
· Sat 21 Nov Blue King Brown
· Thurs 26 Nov Salmonella Dub (NZ)
· Thurs 3 Dec Tiki Taane (NZ)
· Frid 18 Dec Lucky Dube Celebration Tour



At The Tivoli

· Fri 13 Nov diesel
· Thurs 3 Dec Tim Finn
· Wed 9 Dec Royal Crown Revue


Lori Lee’s upcoming gigs:

· Sat Dec 5 Rockabilly Xmas Party at the Holland Park Bowls Club

Tuesday, October 13, 2009

Bluesnews 11 Oct 2009



Oct 11 2009

Hello again. After a long break (since early July) we are back again.

My main excuse Miss, is that I was overseas for a fair bit of the gap, and since returning in late Sept, have been struggling a bit to get back into it, recognizing that lots has happened which needs some coverage. But I cannot delay any longer, so here goes:

But first another rant about patronage at gigs. It is still woeful, and the inevitable will happen if patrons don’t get out amongst it. Frinstance:

Although I wasn’t there, I heard that attendances at the Sunshine Coast Blues Fest (in early Sept) were very poor (again). There was nothing wrong with the lineup, so who is to blame?

Last Tues I went to the newly opened X&Y Bar in the Valley (opposite the new Cloudlands - it was the Bellino family’s famous Pinocchio’s Restaurant, made notorious in the Fitzgerald Inquiry) where Seychelles born, Perth based Grace Barbe and her band put on a great afro Kreol/Reggae show to an audience of about a dozen lucky people. She didn’t seem to mind, but I felt bad for her. She might not bother coming back if that’s the best Brisbane can do. (She did say though that she will be returning to the Woodford Fest again this summer)

Justin Townes Earle played The Zoo last Friday, giving a show that easily justified Brian Wise’s comment in Rhythms (following JTE’s tour last year) that “I have seen the future of country music and it is Justin Townes Earle.” There was a respectable crowd there (thank goodness) but the event wasn’t sold out. It should have been. (He was supported by Melbourne band Wagons who were worth the entrance price on their own – think Johhny Cash meets Nick Cave meets Tom Waits, see more here.)

Finally, Arthur Elliot wrote to me this week that:

I should let you know that I won't be presenting 'Sidestream' after 30/11/09. I don't even know if the programme will continue with another host. After 17 years of my presenting the programme, the current Board of this station [99.7FM] in their wisdom has set all presenters (not just me) impossible targets which I haven't met, so I'll be removed as a punitive measure. That will be it for me.

There are still some bright spots – Mrs Rockabilly, Lori Lee can generally sell out every venue she books through a dedicated fan base and her great newsletter, and the Blues Assoc’n of SEQ birthday party at the Jubilee last Saturday night was well attended, but all too often, visiting blues and roots artists play to half empty venues.

Brisbane has aspirations of being Australia’s second city in a few years, but the way things are going, there will be no live blues/roots music anywhere - we are a long way behind the vibrant blues ‘n roots music scene in Melbourne.

Don’t forget, you can see this newsletter on the net. Click here

Cheers

Mark Hipgrave
0418 556048


NEWS
RADIO/TV
FESTIVALS
REGULAR STUFF AND GIG GUIDES


NEWS

There have been a few significant deaths in the past three months:

Sam Carr, Drummer

Sam Carr, a drummer who was considered an anchor of the Delta blues scene, died Monday 21 Sept. He was 83

The cause was congestive heart failure, said John Andrews, director of Century Funeral Home in Clarksdale, Miss.

Mr. Carr had a reputation as one of the best blues drummers in the country, but he made his living in the Mississippi Delta where he was raised.

At various times, he had backed major performers like Sonny Boy Williamson II and Buddy Guy.

Mr. Carr’s father was Robert Nighthawk, a 1930s blues guitarist and vocalist who made the song “Sweet Black Angel” famous. Early in his career Mr. Carr often played with his father.

Sam appeared at ECBF a few years ago with his band the Delta Jukes.

More from the NY Times here.


Shelby Singleton

Shelby Singleton, a maverick country music mogul and talent scout who launched the careers of Roger Miller and Ray Stevens before resuscitating the fabled Sun Records label to give new life to recordings by 1950s Sun discoveries including Johnny Cash and Jerry Lee Lewis, has died. He was 77. More from the LA Times here


Guitar legend Les Paul dies at age 94

Les Paul, who invented the solid-body electric guitar later wielded by a legion of rock 'n' roll greats, died Thursday of complications from pneumonia. He was 94.

According to Gibson Guitar, Paul died at White Plains Hospital. His family and friends were by his side.

As an inventor, Paul also helped bring about the rise of rock 'n' roll with multitrack recording, which enables artists to record different instruments at different times, sing harmony with themselves, and then carefully balance the tracks in the finished recording.

The use of electric guitar gained popularity in the mid-to-late 1940s, and then exploded with the advent of rock in the mid-'50s. More from NOLA.com here


The new Byron Bay Bluesfest home, and Some Lineup Hints for Easter 2010:

A press release from mid Sept tells us that:

The securing of a permanent home for Bluesfest has been a burning ambition of [festival owner] Peter Noble. He said: “With this long anticipated move we are able to give not only our countless thousands of faithful fans, but also the wonderful galaxy of performing artists who keep returning to grace our festival - a deeper sense of home, heart and belonging”.

While the former site at Byron Bay’s Belongil Fields helped create an important plank of the folklore of Bluesfest’s growing reputation, Peter Noble believes that the Tyagarah Tea Tree Farm home will add several new dimensions to Australia’s most awarded music festival.

Bought in 2007, the long established Tea Tree farm is six times larger than the Belongil Field site. It is an operational agricultural and livestock farm.

Byron Bay Council have given a three year approval for the festival to be staged at Tyagarah Tea Tree Farm. Work is well under way by the Bluesfest team to prepare for the 21 Birthday event – with facilities and space for 6,250 campers and up to 17,500 daily visitors.

Peter Noble is promising for 2010 to more than match the legendary array of class performers who have graced the Bluesfest stage over its 20 year history. He has been travelling the world re-uniting with his peers and friends at the world’s premier music events.

Details of the line up are a couple of months away from being made public, but Peter has let slip that fans should – among other things - look forward to a “Guitar Lover’s Festival from Hell.” He has also hinted at an evening entitled “a taste of Classic Rock” and, of course some of the best blues available anywhere in the world.

Peter’s final word: “Bluesfest is known and respected around the world. I hear that feedback in all my travels. It explains why we can attract the best artists time after time. A North American date or a trip to Europe is easy for any of them. But to commit to the long haul to Australia and give so much of their time – that’s commitment.

“We in turn treat them with the respect they deserve. And they know that Bluesfest audiences will give them the credit they are due. The fans recognise the creative talent we put on that stage and they come to listen to some of the best blues, jazz and world music that can be found anywhere.”

Earlybird tickets are now on sale here


Blue Monday returns – as Bluesday Tuesday

After a break of a few months, The Colonel - Mark Doherty’s jam sessions have returned – on Tuesday nights to the hotel formerly known as Alliance Hotel, 320 Liechhardt St, Spring Hill (enter via the door on Boundary St).

I went along to the kickoff night on 22 Sept – lots of great music – from 7.30pm

And if you can’t make it there on Tuesdays, you can catch Mojo Webb at the same venue most Friday evenings.

And speaking of Mark and Mojo, they are off to the Queenstown Jazz Festival, in NZ later this month – Mark will be as there as part of Mike Frost and The Icemen lineup, who are now regulars at this fest.


Changes at the Australian Blues Music Festival – Goulburn NSW

Jenny Falconer Acting Tourism Manager for the Goulburn Mulwaree Council, and who has run this festival for the past many years writes:

Dear Australian Blues Music Festival supporter,

We would like to advise you that Goulburn Mulwaree Council recently resolved to outsource the running of the Australian Blues Music Festival for the next five years (2010-2014). Council has selected their preferred applicant for the management of the Festival and negotiations to finalise the agreement are now underway.

The festival website explains further ….

Festival owners, Goulburn Mulwaree Council, recently took the decision to outsource the running of the event, awarding it to Goulburn-based entertainment promotors, Laing Entertainment.

The 2010 Festival, to be held from 11-14 February will feature predominately free shows across numerous pubs and clubs as well as the city's central Belmore Park and the Regional Conservatorium. There will be a number of higher profile acts, including The Backsliders, offering ticketed shows.


International Blues Challenge

Around this time every year the Melbourne and Sydney blues clubs hold their Performer of the Year contests, to select a representative to go to the IBC, to be held in Memphis in late Jan 2010.

The Sydney Blues Society Performer of the Year Contest Was held at the Harp Hotel in Tempe on Saturday, 26th September, with entrants:

· Flare Gun (Winners of the Bidgee Blues Competition)
· Steve Innes & Bill Gunter (Sydney)
· Alison Penney & The Moneymakers (Sydney/Canberra)
· Buddy Knox Band (Tamworth)
· The Dizzies (Sydney)

and the winner was …………Alison Penney & The Moneymakers

The Melbourne Blues Appreciation Society is having its own selection contest on Sun 25 Oct, with entrants:

· Wild Dog Blues,
· Tom Richardson – Eddy Boyle Duo,
· Stackfull,
· Mr Black & Blues,
· Ash Dilorenzo ,
· Pete Walsh,
· Dan Dinnen,
· Dave Diprose.


Jeff Lang – New Album and Tour

Jeff Lang’s new album Chimeradour features as the cover story in the latest issue of Rhythms magazine, and also got a great review from Tony Hillier in The Weekend Australian. Jeff his visiting soon to promote it – see details below.


Press Articles – Various

There’s lots of interesting stuff here….

Pinetop Perkins 96 Birthday, from The Missourian
Woodstock Concerts Undercover Lovers , from NY Daily News
Leonard Cohen – No More Hallelujah Please, from Rolling Stone
Chicago Blues Guide’s Tribute to Koko Taylor
The Hottest 100 For the Slightly Elderly, from The Punch
Allen Klein Dies, from Undercover
Alex “Easy Baby” Randle Dies, from Blues Historian
Justin Townes Earle Preview, from the SMH, and an Interview from OurBrisbane
Marie Knight, Rich-Voiced Gospel Singer, Dies at 89, from NY Times
Jesse Fortune, veteran Chicago blues singer, dies at 79, from Chicago Blues Guide
Crappest 100: the worst songs of all time, from The Punch
Peter Tosh, on Head Butler
The Original Blues Festival Guide (all around the world it seems)
Glastonbury 2010 sells out in 24 hours, from The Guardian
Fleetwood Mac at the Parken Stadium, Copenhagen, from TimesOnline
A Whole Lot of Beatles Stuff, from TimesOnline
Bluesman who recorded as Freddy Robinson dies, from Yahoo News
Brian Matthew - the man who championed skiffle, from New Statesman
Woodstock: A Moment of Muddy Grace, from NY Times
Iconic Rock Photos, from Rolling Stone
Mary Travers of Peter, Paul and Mary dies at age 72, from NOLA.com
'Chapel of Love' co-writer Ellie Greenwich dies at 68, also from NOLA.com
Michael Jackson’s Mask of Metaphor, from NY Review of Books


RADIO/TV/YOU TUBE

The Daily Planet, Weekend Planet and Music Deli (ABC Radio National)

The Daily Planet website, the Weekend Planet website and The Music Deli website all have links to shows broadcast over the past few weeks.



Video Selections

Pinetop Perkins at his 95th Birthday (last year)
John Lee Hooker – Boom Boom Solo
Justin Townes Earle – The Good Life
Wagons


And finally…a novelty act…

The Golden Age of Video


FESTIVALS

Island Vibe Festival

This annual event will be held again on North Stradbroke Island from 30 Oct to 1 Nov.

Each year Island Vibe attracts people the world over to gather and enjoy a diverse line up of great reggae, roots, dub, soul, world music and dancehall, whilst cultural dancers, circus performers and visual artists display their talents. As well as hosting a smashing array of international and national acts, a sizeable chunk of the program is dedicated to showcasing the fantastic emerging acts of South East Queensland and the South Pacific. The program this year is expanding to include more Island themed workshops and forums in a dedicated Island Rhythm space


Caloundra Music Festival – 22-25 Oct

The third annual Caloundra Music Festival will be held over the weekend of 22 - 25 October. This not for profit family-friendly community event celebrates the environment, cultural achievements and community pride of the Caloundra area. The beautiful Kings Beach and surrounds will come alive to the sounds of a diverse line-up of entertainment featuring the best of the Australian music industry as well as famous international artists. A colourful street parade, roving performers, beach-side carnival, buskers, free children's entertainment and a stroll in The Village complete the experience.

There is a good blues and roots lineup, which leads me onto another hobbyhorse. As I have said once before here, this festival has the potential to take on the big blues/roots/rockabilly festivals down south. Here’s my three point plan:

Caloundra Council (the festival promoters) get together with the Arts Council Sunshine Coast (the promoters of the September Sunshine Coast Blues Festival) and merge the SCBF into the CMF.

Shift the combined event so that it falls on the weekend immediately before or after the Great Southern Blues and Rockabilly Festival (held at Narooma NSW on their Labour Day weekend in early Oct) so that the international acts who visit the GSB&R fest can stay around and play the other (with a few Syd/Melb gigs in between)

Shift Queensland’s June Queen’s Birthday holiday to the same late Sept/early October weekend. This gets a run in the press every year, and was mentioned again last week. – it seems the Govt and Opposition are both in favour – see this article from 2007.

We would then have a great blues – roots – rockabilly festival on the Sunshine Coast over a long weekend in late Sept or early October. Not bad eh?


Woodford Tickets and Program Launch

The programme for this summer’s Woodford festival will be launched on Sat 24 Oct. Festival tickets are available here


REGULAR STUFF AND GIG GUIDES

Palmwoods Got The Blues –at the Palmwoods Hotel

When Palmwoods Got The Blues kicks into overdrive again on Sat Oct 17, the lineup will feature two of the pub’s favourite acts and a new lineup for one of Australia’s most accomplished bluesmen.

Asa Broomhall will open the show with a rare solo appearance. In recent times, Asa has been rocking out with the Asa Broomhall band but the opportunity to have him play a solo show couldn’t be missed. The new album “Revelry Road” has been receiving rave reviews and Asa has been on the road constantly with his own shows and opening for Diesel

Natural Ball are up next. Top notch exponents of the classic Chicago Blues era, expect material by Junior Wells, Big Walter Horton and Magic Sam played with fire, verve and enthusiasm driven by a love and passion for the music that spawned rock & roll

When James T first visited Australia with Canned Heat, that legendary band he fronted for 15 years, little did he know that ultimately, he would return to settle here, raise a family and raise the bar for music fans with his wonderfully original blues songwriting, whiskey soaked vocals, note perfect guitar wrangling and down in the alley harmonica. From the mid 90’s through the early part of this decade James toured Australia with James T & the Last Volunteers. As he ventures to Palmwoods for the first time, James will be bringing his new band The Tomahawks, a new cd full of great original songs and that wonderful James T groove that has taken him on numerous tours around the world with the worlds most legendary blues and boogie band, play every top festival in Australia and helped to put a new glide in the stride for real music fans across the country

It kicks off at 5.30pm, free entry


A Day on The Green

SE Qld looks like it has got the rough end of the pineapple (again?) with only one ADOTG concert this summer, and not such a great lineup anyway.

We get The B52's·The ProclaimersMental As Anything and DJ Grand Master Baitz at Sirromet Winery on Sun 22 Nov – details here. Other states get, for example Madeleine Peyroux ad Diana Krall.


At the X&Y Bar

· Fri 30 Oct Jaimi Faulkner


At The Troubadour

Check their new website for lots of interesting shows coming up. If you were intrigued by the Angie Hart piece on Sat in The Weekend Australian, you can catch her here at The Troubadour on 5 Nov.


At Joes Waterhole, Eumundi

Look out for:

· Sat 17 Oct – David Bridie and George Telek
· Sun 1 Nov – Jeff Lang


And at The Judy.

Micheline Van Hautem – on Sat 17 Oct looks interesting


At The Zoo

· Sat 31 Oct - Jeff Lang


At The Soundlounge, Currumbin

Lots of good stuff ….

· 16 Oct: Chase The Sun & Marshall and the Fro
· 23 Oct: Jeff Lang & w/ Jill Barber launching her album,
· 13 Nov: Afro Dizzi Act & Tijuana Cartel
· 20 Nov: Black Market Rhythm Co & Rapids
· 27 Nov: Simone White -USA & Georgia Potter
· 04 Dec: Bobby Flynn & Jenny Biddle


At The Tivoli

Also with a new website …..

· Sat 17 Oct The Gangsters Ball
· Fri 13 Nov diesel
· Thurs 3 Dec Tim Finn
· Wed 9 Dec Royal Crown Revue


Lori Lee’s upcoming gigs:

· Sat Oct 24 Rockabilly Bop at the Holland Park Bowls Club
· Sat Dec 5 Lori Lees Rockabilly Xmas Party also at the HPBC

If you didn’t get to Greazefest this year (with USA rockabilly star Marti Brom as headliner) you can see what you missed here.