Showing posts with label blues. Show all posts
Showing posts with label blues. Show all posts
Saturday
HOUSE OF BLUES - SUNSET STRiP
In April of 1994, House of Blues in West Hollywood opened its doors and forever changed the landscape of Sunset Strip. At it’s opening week celebration the venue solidified its status as a world premier music venue with performances by James Brown, John Lee Hooker, Clarence "Gatemouth" Brown, and of course, Blues Brother Dan Aykroyd. On April 18th, 2009, this iconic symbol of music on the Strip will again imprint itself upon the live music scene with its 15th Anniversary event. Featuring legacy menu items, 15-year-old pricing on drink specials, night-of-show giveaways, and the music of Kenny Wayne Shepherd, this event promises to stand out in the club’s prodigious history.House of Blues Sunset may not be the oldest club on the strip, but no one can argue that it has built a rich and varied history in its 15 years. During construction, the new cedar paneled building was covered in tin that was shipped up on flatbed trucks from the site of the first cotton mill that Muddy Waters' worked for in Mississippi. There were also cartons filled with dirt from the old crossroads of Highway 61 and 49, which was promptly placed under the stage to enliven the area with the vibe of bluesmen past and present. The House of Blues is also the largest curator of Outsider Art; art that has been defined as primitive to untrained, art-brut and vernacular art. These unique pieces represent important themes to their artists: slavery, addiction and personal struggle as well as celebrating a passion for romance, music and familial bonds. The club features an 1100 capacity music hall, which has been graced by artists from almost every imaginable genre: Rock n' Roll, Punk, Alterative, Heavy Metal, Rap, Country, Hip-Hop, Rhythm and Blues, Rock en Español, Jazz, Zydeco, Folk, Electronica and many others.
To commemorate 15 years on the Strip, House of Blues Sunset has dusted off a menu from the opening of its renowned southern-inspired, 200-seat restaurant, and will be featuring select menu items at their original 1994 prices. Throughout the evening, drink specials will be offered at prices one could only find 15 years ago. In addition to the many prizes and giveaways, a raffle for a signed Kenny Wayne Shepherd signature Fender Stratocaster will take place. There will also be dancing featuring a live DJ.
American blues guitarist Kenny Wayne Shepherd will perform to help celebrate the club’s anniversary. Born in Louisiana, Shepherd gleaned the blues near the heart of its most vibrant culture, and soon proved to speak it fluently. His music has spent considerable time at the top of the charts, and he has sold millions of records. His name has been spoken in the same breath as greats like B.B. King, Eric Clapton, and Muddy Waters.
Tickets and dinner reservations can be made by calling the box office at (323) 848-5100. Tickets are also available here.
CHiCAGO BLUES FESTiVAL
The Mother of all Blues Fests, The Chicago Blues Festival has released their complete lineup. The fest runs June 12-14, 2009 in Grant Park in Downtown Chicago. Admission is free.
The festival lineup include more than 65 artists with 5 stages of music each day running from Noon to 9:30pm daily .
Friday, June 12, 2009 - Big Bill Morganfield and Mud Morganfield, Pinetop Perkins, Willie “Big Eyes” Smith, Andrew Jr. Boy Jones, Charlie Musselwhite, Mary Lane, Grana’ Louise, Charles Wsir Johnson, Eddie Taylor Jr., Donna Herula, Sam Lay, Shirley Johnson and Eddie C. Campbell.
Saturday, June 13, 2009 - Ray Allison, Lil Ed and the Blues Imperials, Lurrie Bell, Cyrus Hayes, Travis “Moonchild” Haddix, Jeremy Spencer, John Primer, Samuel James, Terry Harmonica Bean, Eden Brent, Little Dave Thompson, Walter Scott, Miss Peaches, Trudy Lynn and Bettye LaVette.
Sunday, June 14, 2009 - Lee Boys, Lou Pride and the Blues Disciples, Vernon Harrington and the Atomic Blues Band, Tre’ and the BlueKnights with Lady Kat, Ernest Lane and the Kings of Rhythm, Eden and John’s East River Band, Jerron “Blind Boy” Paxton, Dom Flemons, Ben Payton, Big Jack Johnson, David Honeyboy Edwards, Devil in a Woodpile, Grady Champion, Johnny Drummer and the Starlighters and Sharon Jones and the Dap Kings.
The festival lineup include more than 65 artists with 5 stages of music each day running from Noon to 9:30pm daily .
Here is a partial list of performers:
Friday, June 12, 2009 - Big Bill Morganfield and Mud Morganfield, Pinetop Perkins, Willie “Big Eyes” Smith, Andrew Jr. Boy Jones, Charlie Musselwhite, Mary Lane, Grana’ Louise, Charles Wsir Johnson, Eddie Taylor Jr., Donna Herula, Sam Lay, Shirley Johnson and Eddie C. Campbell.
Saturday, June 13, 2009 - Ray Allison, Lil Ed and the Blues Imperials, Lurrie Bell, Cyrus Hayes, Travis “Moonchild” Haddix, Jeremy Spencer, John Primer, Samuel James, Terry Harmonica Bean, Eden Brent, Little Dave Thompson, Walter Scott, Miss Peaches, Trudy Lynn and Bettye LaVette.
Sunday, June 14, 2009 - Lee Boys, Lou Pride and the Blues Disciples, Vernon Harrington and the Atomic Blues Band, Tre’ and the BlueKnights with Lady Kat, Ernest Lane and the Kings of Rhythm, Eden and John’s East River Band, Jerron “Blind Boy” Paxton, Dom Flemons, Ben Payton, Big Jack Johnson, David Honeyboy Edwards, Devil in a Woodpile, Grady Champion, Johnny Drummer and the Starlighters and Sharon Jones and the Dap Kings.
To see the complete lineup and schedule with links to the artist biographies CLICK HERE.
Tuesday
Road House
Arguably one of the most recognized blues-rock guitarist of the early 90's and beloved around the world, Jeff Healey passed away in a Toronto hospital today after a long bout with cancer. He was 41.Blinded at birth with a rare form of cancer, retinoblastoma, Healey began playing guitar at age three developing the unique style of playing the guitar flat on his lap. Though known primarily as a guitarist, Healey also played trumpet and clarinet proficiently.
Healey burst on the scene after his appearance as leader of a bar band and a integral part of the movie soundtrack in the Patrick Swayze movie "Road House." The movie along with the single would garner a Best Instrumental Grammy Award and propel Jeff Healey and his trio, The Jeff Healey Band" into Canada's highest honor, the Juno Award, for Entertainer of the Year for 1990.
With the turn of the century, Healey found himself also turning pages. Healey always had loved and preferred the early jazz of the twenties through the forties. He had been sitting in with jazz bands around Toronto since the beginning of his career so his next move made perfect sense with the formation of The Jeff Healey Jazz Wizards and the release of three jazz CD's on Stony Plain Records.
Healey, a family man, a husband and a father of two, preferred to stay home in Canada whenever he could while remaining active in the local music scene hosting multiple jazz-oriented radio shows for Canada's CBC and playing live around the Toronto area.
Healey was on the verge of releasing his first rock-blues album in almost ten years, Mess of Blues, which is being released in Europe on March 20, and in Canada and the U.S. on April 22. The album was the result of a joint agreement between the German label, Ruf Records, and Stony Plain, the independent Edmonton based label that released his jazz cd's.
Early last year, Healey underwent surgery to remove cancerous tissue from his legs, and later from both lungs. Aggressive radiation treatments and chemotherapy ultimately failed to halt the spread of the disease.
Despite bis battles with cancer, he continued to tour with both his jazz group and his blues based band. He was set to tour Germany and the U.K. and be a special guest on the BBC's famed Jools Holland Show in April.
Jeff Healey will always be remembered by his audiences and by his musicians for his abilities, his wry sense of humor and playfulness. Healey was a unique musician who bridged completely different genres with ease and a masterful assurance.....
With the turn of the century, Healey found himself also turning pages. Healey always had loved and preferred the early jazz of the twenties through the forties. He had been sitting in with jazz bands around Toronto since the beginning of his career so his next move made perfect sense with the formation of The Jeff Healey Jazz Wizards and the release of three jazz CD's on Stony Plain Records.
Healey, a family man, a husband and a father of two, preferred to stay home in Canada whenever he could while remaining active in the local music scene hosting multiple jazz-oriented radio shows for Canada's CBC and playing live around the Toronto area.
Healey was on the verge of releasing his first rock-blues album in almost ten years, Mess of Blues, which is being released in Europe on March 20, and in Canada and the U.S. on April 22. The album was the result of a joint agreement between the German label, Ruf Records, and Stony Plain, the independent Edmonton based label that released his jazz cd's.
Early last year, Healey underwent surgery to remove cancerous tissue from his legs, and later from both lungs. Aggressive radiation treatments and chemotherapy ultimately failed to halt the spread of the disease.
Despite bis battles with cancer, he continued to tour with both his jazz group and his blues based band. He was set to tour Germany and the U.K. and be a special guest on the BBC's famed Jools Holland Show in April.
Jeff Healey will always be remembered by his audiences and by his musicians for his abilities, his wry sense of humor and playfulness. Healey was a unique musician who bridged completely different genres with ease and a masterful assurance.....
Friday
Coming to America
Born in Malmsbury in central Victoria, Geoff Achison discovered Eric Clapton at age age nineteen, and his life has never been the same. He moved to Melbourne in the late 1980's to pursue his dream of being a bluesman.Geoff formed a friendship with Bob Sedergreen during this period and played for a while with the Bluesbusters. He then put his newly found experience to use by forming the band Just Blues, which gigged around Melbourne for the next two years eventually gaining the needed choice support gig for Roy Buchanan.
In 1989, Geoff met Dutch Tilders, and shortly thereafter joined Dutch in his band, the Blues Club. Staying with them until 1994, when he left to pursue a solo career. He is now considered by many to be one of the finest guitarist in Australia.
Geoff was the first guitarist ever from outside the U.S. to receive an endorsement from
Gibson Guitars.
Thursday
Calvin Owens
On a sad note, legendary blues bandleader and trumpeter Calvin Owens passed away today at age 78.Launching his career in the early fifties as B.B. Kings's bandleader, Owens was a fixture of the Houston music scene for over fifty years. Along the way Owens developed talent as a A/R rep for Peacock Recording Studios, was a songwriter/arranger and established himself as a premier session player.
Owens picked up a Grammy in his second stint as B.B.King's bandleader during the early eighties and soon after gained critical acclaim for his solo album "Ain't Gonna Be Yo Dog No Mo".
Showcasing his boundless versatility Owens had recently collaborated with Evelyn Rubio on the Spanish album "La Mujer Que Canta Blues" and helped in recording and arranging the soon to be released country album, "Young at Heart" with Willie Nelson and Ray Price.
I for one will surely miss the passing of this great American music legend.....
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)