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TOY RUN 2005 - BIKERS FOR KIDS POKER RUN Pre-Registration Saturday - November 5th - 9am to 4pm at GA Motorsports 25/25/50 DRAWING - PRIZE DRAWING - LIVE AUCTION End with Lunch Buffet & Festivities at the Fairgrounds in Tulare Participation Donation: $25.00 includes Poker Run & Cruise, Buffet Lunch, T-Shirt, & Run Pin (first 1000 sign-in's). Bring New Toys - Help us fill the FED EX truck with toys for needy children. Questions: Call Jerry Martin (559) 735-0540 or Mary Dennis (559) 686-5277 DONATE NEW TOYS FOR NEEDY KIDS AT THE FOLLOWING LOCATION: |
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
THE BLUES GUITAR EXTRAVAGANZA The Sutter Street Café proudly presents The Blues Guitar Extravaganza Friday November 18, 2005 hosted by René Solis and the Studebaker Blues Band featuring René Solis, Jimmy Hartley, Mike Stewart, Laura Chavez, Rudy Parris, and Don Heflin. Stockton, CA - Captive Productions and The Sutter Street Café are proud to present several of the Bay Area's finest guitarists on stage together for one amazing show- René Solis and the Studebaker Blues Band will host this great night of guitar fireworks. René's playing style has often been described as powerful, raw, and emotional, as he pours his heart and soul into each and every note. As the bandleader of the highly popular band NiteCry, René's career has come full circle. In addition to being dynamite guitarist, he has also become a well-respected vocalist and songwriter. Over the years René has been a featured artist at countless festivals and nightclubs often sharing the stage with such giants as Albert King, Luther Tucker, Joe Louis Walker, Tommy Castro, Davey Pattison and many others. Adding a dose of burning Texas blues guitar will be the extraordinary guitarist Jimmy Hartley, along with rock solid drummer Mike Stewart who currently perform with the award winning Studebaker Blues Band. As the featured house band for the evening these two great musicians have played on many festivals and special events and are considered one of the most popular bands in the Central Valley. Jimmy's dynamic guitar playing has propelled the Studebaker's to new heights as he continues to amaze audiences everywhere with his note for note interpretations of the great Stevie Ray Vaughn and lightning fast country-blues riffs. One of the most aspiring blues players on the scene today is guitarist Laura Chavez, who plays with both emotion and technical ability beyond her years. Her talent was recognized in a blues guitar contest sponsored by Fender Guitars in which she was first runner-up out of 4200 entries. Laura is the now the featured guitarist in the Lara Price Band. Mixing seasoned performers and up-and-coming talent, this show will also feature the versatile guitarist Rudy Parris. Known for his energetic live performances, Rudy is able to combine Chicago blues, West Coast jump, country swing, and more with ease. Joining the Guitar Extravaganza for the first time will be the multi-talented Deja Blues bassist, Don Heflin. Often performing over 200 nights per year, together these two guys know how to show the audience a rocking good time. The grand finale will feature all of these great talents on stage together for an explosive "All Star" jam session. For more information about these amazing musicians visit their websites: Sutter Street Café |
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LOCAL FRESNO BAND GETS NATIONAL ATTENTION PRESS RELEASE Fresno native Russell Allen recently received the honor of being named Finalist by the Song of the Year www.songoftheyear.com songwriting contest. Song of the Year is an international songwriting contest supporting VH-1's Save the Music Foundation. The Song of the Year judges are some of the biggest names in music including many Grammy Award winners. Song of the Year is excited to recognize Russ and his band "Furious Slugs" for their exceptional songwriting ability for the song "Wrong Side". Russ competed against songwriters from all over the world for this honor. When asked what inspired the song, Russ commented that an old high school friend whose life took a very wrong turn, and she didn't even see 30 years old, was the key inspiration. Currently Russ is concentrating on his songwriting while hoping to see one of his songs used as a soundtrack in a film or on TV. You can find more information about Russ and Furious Slugs by visiting www.furiousslugs.com |
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BAKERSFIELD BLUES PRESERVATION SOCIETY FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Blues singer and pianist Nat Dove has accepted a position as Blues music professor in the Intensive English Language Center of California State University at Bakersfield. Classes will begin in the next fall session. Dove will teach many American and foreign students in a program entitled Blues Music in Perspective - The History of Blues Music in America. Dove has many years of experience teaching African-America musical arts around the world. He is a respected pioneer in Blues music education, and all music that owe its origin to the Blues, i.e. Jazz, Rock, Gospel and country and western, etc. This course is eleven (11) weeks duration and offer, an in-depth study into the origins of America's indigenous art form. Students will learn Blues history and culture, and more importantly, discuss the political, economic and social conditions that were the impetus for this music. Blues music is the most important musical art form created in the 20th century. After spending many years conducting music clinics, workshops and master classes, as well as performing in concerts and music festivals all over the world, Dove chose Bakersfield, CA as the city to settle in, and now has formed the Bakersfield Blues Preservation Society, Inc., a nonprofit cooperation whose mission is to educate, preserve, and perpetuate this art form for future generations. Also, Dove teaches teachers to utilize this music as a learning tool. Music can make learning fun. Blues Music in Perspective - The History of Blues in America Levels 4, 5, 6 (1:00 pm - 2:00pm and 2:15 - 3:15pm) Tuesdays Blues Music is the perfect vehicle for understanding the historical, cultural and political atmosphere of the United States from the early 20th century to the present. Blues music was a vocal expression of rural African-Americans who found themselves voiceless and in need of a way to articulate and give meaning to their existence. The singers created music from a personal perspective that is cathartic for the singer and forms a camaraderie of kindred souls with the audience. This musical art form has, since its inception, influenced all music all over the world. Blues based music is the most popular music in the world today. It is America's classical music and its most exportable art form. Many aspects of the history and culture of the United States exist only though the storytelling and oral tradition of Blues music. This course will include audio and video clips of music as well as lectures and live performance-demonstrations by Nat Dove. The goal and objective of this course is to give the student an opportunity to experience the history and culture of the most important musical art form of the 20th century. Students will learn how this simple musical expression gave hope in the mist of despair and liberated the spirit of a people. Students attending will be able to compose and perform (sing and / or play) their own Blues song. Using the mathematical structures and language of blues, students will learn to create songs that speak to their personal lives, conditions, hopes and dreams. Students are invited to attend or participate in local Blues Brunch and Jam at: This is a real Blues Jam Session where real Blues musicians attend to perform and interact with each other. They exchange musical concepts and ideas. The public is given an opportunity to see and hear Blues music as it is being created by real Blues Musicians. |
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FRESNO FILMWORKS HOSTS BLUESWORKS PRESS RELEASE Fresno Filmworks, the nonprofit organization that has been bringing high quality independent and foreign films to Fresno for four years, and is working steadily to establishing full-time movie theater devoted to the best in cinema, is having a fundraiser devoted to the best in the blues. Sunday, October 16, 2005, at Fagan's Irish Pub, Fresno Filmworks will host Bluesworks with an all-star line up of legendary talent. Starting at 3 p.m. and going to 10 p.m., blues lovers can dance the night away to - Deja Blues Hosea Leavy is the last of the Old Time Blues musicians from Fresno's West Side. Originally from Arkansas, he's called Fresno home for 30 years. Primarily known as a guitarist who sings the blues, he is also a master of blues piano, bass, and drums. At 77, the West Side knows Hosea as "the Granddaddy of the Blues." In the early 1970's, Hosea had a hit record called "Cummins Prison Farm." To this day, blues bands in every local bar and country juke joint perform his songs. Hosea has been a recording artist under his own name on such labels as Soul Beat and Fedora. He's toured Europe four times and has played major blues festivals in the USA. When you see Hosea play the blues, relish the moment - he has "Blues Power" in his soul. Johnny "Da-Doo" Wilson is a blues "House-Rocker" and a big voiced "Soul Man". As a guitarist, he backed up some of the biggest names in the blues. Born in Mississippi, where as a youngster he knew B.B. (then "Riley") King and Little Milton, Da-Doo came to California in the early 1960's. Da-Doo has also recorded for the Fedora label and was a featured performer at the prestigious Blues Estafette festival in the Netherlands. Real blues singers are a rare breed these days, so don't be surprised when Da-Doo does his thing and starts the house to rockin', the men to hollerin' and the women to shakin' to the blues. Deja Blues, MoFo Party Band, and the A.C. Myles Band are all well-loved, hard-rockin' blues bands who've kept Fresnans up on their feet and dancing for a long time. Admission is $20. Fagan's Irish Pub is located at 2039 Kern Street next to the Fulton Mall. Tickets are available at the Tower Theater, The Movies, and at Fagans. Help support fine cinema in Fresno by celebrating Fresno's legendary blues artists! For more information, you can visit Fresno Filmworks at www.fresnofilmworks.org For more press release information, contact Bob Navarro of Fresno Filmworks at 559.452.0934 or bobrojo@earthlink.net |
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BLUESMAN R. L. BURNSIDE DIES AT 78 NEW YORK - R. L. Burnside, one of the last, great Mississippi bluesmen, whose raw, country blues was discovered late in his life, has died. He was 78. Burnside died Thursday morning at the St. Francis Hospital in Memphis, Tenn. His health had been declining for some time, said Matthew Johnson, owner of Burnside's record label, Fat Possum. A sharecropper early in life, Burnside wasn't recorded until his 40s, and didn't become a professional musician until 1991, when he was signed by Fat Possum. Popular with younger acts like the Beastie Boys and Jon Spencer Blues Explosion, Burnside remained, as Johnson once said, "incorruptible because he just doesn't care." After the 1992 live album "Bad Luck City," Fat Possum released "Too Bad Jim" in 1994. Burnside's raw, John Lee Hooker-style, one-chord progression blues on songs like "Death Bell Blues" and "Shake 'Em on Down" received critical acclaim. He released over a dozen albums and toured worldwide, though he performed less after heart surgery in 1999. His last record was 2004's "A Bothered Mind". Burnside was born in the Mississippi Delta town of Harmontown on Nov. 23, 1926. He spent most of his life in the north Mississippi hills working as a sharecropper and fisherman. In the 1940s he moved to Chicago where he was taught how to play guitar by Mississippi Fred McDowell and later met Muddy Waters. But Burnside left the city after his father and two of his brothers were killed there. When Burnside moved back to Mississippi, he shot a man who he said was trying to run him off his home. He was convicted and served six months in jail before a plantation foreman got him out to work the cotton harvest. "It was between and the Lord, him dyin'", Burnside said of the murder in a 2002 New Yorker article. "I just shot him in the head." Burnside was first recorded in 1968 by folklorist George Mitchell. Though he played locally in Mississippi for decades, he didn't garner considerable attention until 1991. He was the first act signed to Fat Possum, a label that has since become famous for rejuvenating lost — or previously nonexistent — blues and country careers. "He was the essential Fat Possum artist," said Johnson, whose roster also includes Johnny Cash, the Black Keys, T-Model Ford and Solomon Burke. "He was just playing in Junior Kimbrough's club, not for a career, not for any of that. Just 'cause he wanted to. "He never really wanted a career, never said he did. We just sort of gave him one." Burnside never practiced and never "jumped through hoops" but had "a great attitude", Johnson added. Burnside is survived by his wife, Alice Mae, twelve children and numerous grandchildren. |
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5/28/05 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE **REVISED ARTIST LINE UP**
THE BLUES GUITAR EXTRAVAGANZA Featuring: René Solis, "Mighty" Mike Schermer, Ron Thompson and David Brown René Solis will host another great night of guitar fireworks. René's playing style has often been described as powerful, raw, and emotional, as he pours his soul into each and every note. As a member of the highly popular band NiteCry, René's career has come full circle. In addition to being dynamite guitarist, he has also become a well-respected vocalist and songwriter. Over the years René has been a featured artist at countless festivals and nightclubs often sharing the stage with such giants as Albert King, Luther Tucker, Joe Louis Walker, Tommy Castro, Davey Pattison (Gamma & Robin Trower) and many others. Joining the guitar extravaganza again will be guitarist extraordinaire "Mighty" Mike Schermer. Riding on top of a blues-wave this energetic young bluesman is dedicated to this classic American art form. Mike has toured and/or recorded with such artists as Angela Strehli, Charlie Musselwhite, Maria Muldaur, Howard Tate, and Tracy Nelson. In addition he was a co-founder of the popular roots music group The Soul Drivers. Often performing over 200 nights per year his amazing talent and "cut to the bone" tone have allowed him to share the stage with the likes of Bonnie Raitt, Elvin Bishop, Huey Lewis, Wille Dixon and countless others. Ron Thompson is a legendary blues guitarist who began his career in the rough and tumble world of East Bay nightclubs and bars in the early '70s. Reviewers say, "Thompson hits a stage like a tornado, playing peerless slide guitar, quicksilver electric leads, haunting harmonica, pounding piano, and room-filling National steel, all the while singing with obvious passion, and rarely stopping for breath. Fans leave a Thompson show both amazed and elated." Not many living blues musicians can say they have performed with and recorded for legends like Big Mama Thornton, Sonny Rhodes, Luther Tucker, Jimmy McCracklin, Pee Wee Crayton, Carla Thomas, School Boy Cleve, Percy Mayfield, Etta James, B.B. King, and Jimmy Reed. Ron Thompson has done just that! One of the most aspiring blues players on the scene today is guitarist David Brown. David grew up playing in bands with Stevie Ray in Dallas and Austin, and is featured in the SRV biography entitled "Soul To Soul". Thru the years, he has also played with notable musicians such as Doyle and Ronnie Bramhall, Marc Benno and ZuZu Bolin. As one of the founding members of "The Double D Blues Band", David's stinging tone and fine vocals are hotter than Texas asphalt in July! The featured house band for this event will consist of rock solid drummer Michael L Jiggetts, the fine keyboardist Dave Gorges and superb bassist Paul Logan. And as always the grand finale will feature all of these great talents on stage together for an explosive "All Star" jam session. Note: Kenny Neal will NOT be performing due to his current East Coast touring schedule. ** Tickets are $12.00 in advance and $14.00 at the door** For more information about these amazing guitarists visit: Produced by René Solis and Little Fox |
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BLUES & BREWS FOR THE ARTS Momma says, "Take it outside, boys" - The Merced County Arts Council's annual Blues & Brews fund-raiser for the arts, that is. Considered by many to be the ultimate Central Valley "happy hour", Blues & Brews has been presented for the past nine years to a packed house in the Multicultural Arts Center. To accommodate the usually high demand for tickets, the party is being moved outside between the Arts and Civic Centers to the more spacious Arts Alley under the warm evening sky of Friday, June 24th. Blues fan fun seekers will be greeted with a refreshing bounty of specialty beers and a no-host bar when gates open at 6pm. Appetites will be satisfied with a tasty array of gourmet pizzas available till 9pm. Once everyone's whistles are wetted, New York blues guitarist Steve Johnson and Those BOBtones will jump to the Arts Alley Stage 7:30 - 11:00. Since moving east with his guitars in 1982, Steve "Mouse" Johnson has built a solid reputation on stages with Paul Butterfield, Johnny Copeland, Paul Schaeffer, Albert Collins, Little Jimmy King, Jaco Pastorious, Little Mike, Popa Chubby, Big Ed Sullivan, Jon Paris, Bill Perry, Michael Hill and most New York Blues players. Johnson's '62 Stratocaster's killer tone paved the way for five CDs for Virgin Records - most of which have already been re-released on his new Dixiefrog label. His two most recent recordings, Blues from the Road House, Live at the Great Notch and the brand new BLUESTOONS, have been racking up heavy air play on blues broadcasts here and in Europe. The past year has also seen a Johnson tune aired on NBC's "Ed" and his theme song/title track contribution for the Discovery Channel's special honoring the 10th anniversary of Jessie James' West Coast Choppers, as well as cuts on "Monster Garage" soundtracks. Johnson, a Merced BOBtones original, will be joined by keyboard wizard Bradley Barnett who toured with Merle Haggard before settling in the S.F. Bay Area; bass player Sparky Gehres of Mike Hammar & The Nails; dynamic blues harp-man Michael "The Professor" Boykin; and party host Billy Taylor on dusty '64 vintage Slingerland drums. Special guests will share the stage with Those BOBtones. This event is as much a reunion of old friends as it is a fund-raiser for the Arts Council's ARTREE - a county wide youth arts in education program. Admission is $15.00. Tickets are available in Merced at Yosemite Floral in the Raley's Shopping Center, Kissin' Kouzins in the Bear Creek Galeria, and the Multicultural Arts Center at 645 W. Main Street. For information and c redit card purchases call (209) 388-1090 or visit www.artsmerced.org |
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THE FAIR OAKS BLUES & MORE FESTIVAL Date: Saturday, June 18, 2005 Fair Oaks, CA -- The organizers of Blues in the Park, the Fair Oaks Blues & More Festival, today announced their line-up for the June 18, 2005 fundraising event. "We surveyed the Blues lovers of Sacramento and past attendees to discover who they would like to see," said Matson Breakey, organizer of the event. "We got overwhelming interest in bringing Chris Cain to the Sacramento region, a talent not seen here recently. We also found there was great interest in Daniel Castro and Aaron King returning from last year -- So we made it happen!" This year's line-up also includes an interesting twist with Shana Morrison, the talented daughter of Van Morrison, billed open up for Chris Cain. "Van had a great blues history, so we think Shana will bring some great music and good entertainment to the fest," Matson said. The times of the line-up will go as follows: |
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MOONLIGHT MADNESS AT THE MADERA FAIRGROUNDS Welcome to Moonlight Madness, our fundraising event for the youth projects of our community. The evening food will be catered by Gus's catering of Madera. Our menu will be Tri-Tip and chicken parmesan, you get both. Also rice pilaf, Gus's special green beans, salad, bread and cheesecake for dessert. We will have a live band featuring Grammy nominated Ron Thompson and the Resistors, best Blues in the Valley! There will also be dancing under the stars. We will have a premium bar, professional bartenders and cocktail waitresses. There will also be blended margaritas, a tequila bar, four premium kinds of keg beer and a cigar bar. During the evening, there will be a Live and Silent auction and other fun games and raffle drawings. We are expecting 800 people to attend this fun event and last year was a total sell out, so get your tickets early! We have 80 tables of 10 people to a table to sell; first tables sold get best front tables to the band. Tables of 10 are $225.00 or $25.00 a ticket. If you do not want the dinner but want to have all the fun everybody else is having, you can pay at the door a $10.00 cover charge. You can send a check or money order payable to the Madera Breakfast Lions for tickets or tables to P.O. Box 1198, Madera, CA 93637. We will reserve tickets at the door on request. Purchase your tickets from any Breakfast Lion member, or call our Hotline at 559-673-5466, our Website at www.lionsmlm.com or call one of our members for information or tickets, John 559-474-0868, David 559-903-1821, Richard 559-363-7653 or Gary 559-474-2647. Remember all monies raised from this event, I mean every penny goes to the youth projects of our community. We will be excepting Visa or MasterCard for all event functions. High powered Tom Morgan will be our Master of Ceremony for the evening, so be ready to have a ball! If you can help, we would appreciate any donation that you could give to help our event give back to the kids. Thank you for your consideration. |
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MOSE ALLISON For over thirty years, since his earliest recordings in the late fifties through his most recent Grammy award-nominated Mose Chronicles, Live in London, Vol. 1, this premier songwriter, singer, and consumate pianist has remained one of America's most unique musical artists. His songs are a fusion of rustic blues and jazz, embellished with profound and often humorous lyrics. Through the years he has played and recorded with jazz greats such as Stan Getz, Al Cohn, Zoot Slims, and Gerry Mulligan, yet he is esteemed not only in the jazz world but also by a host of musicians in other genres that reads like a veritable "Who's Who" of musical luminaries. From bluesmen like Willie Dixon, Sonny Boy Williamson, and John Mayall to rockers such as Elvis Costello, The Kinks' Ray Davies, Van Morrison, and The Who's Pete Townsend, a multitude of musicians have cited Mose Allison as an indellible musical influence. "I don't know any musicians who don't love Mose Allison," Bonnie Raitt has said, "his appeal cuts across all musical boundaries. In the over twenty years I've been going to see him live, he's blown me away every time." |
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12TH ANNUAL AVILA BEACH BLUES FESTIVAL Robert Cray, Fabulous Thunderbirds, Sista Monica This is the 12th year for what has been a landmark Central Coast event, the Avila Beach Blues Festival. This year continues the tradition of the new "Beach Bowl", a natural amphitheater located at the Avila Beach Resort, tucked up into a small canyon on the property, with graded viewing (amphitheater style) and sweeping ocean views. Last year was the debut for this newest Central Coast venue and everyone loved it! With reserved theater-style and table seating and General Admission Lawn tickets available for sale, this will be an afternoon concert, gates open at noon and the show will start at 2PM and continue until sunset. In the style of any great outdoor amphitheater, you will be able to enjoy your favorite libation (full bar and premium beer and wine will be available for sale), snack (upgraded concert snacks available for purchase), watch world-class entertainment under the afternoon sky with your backdrop the Pacific Ocean. Tickets (Reserved $37.00, Lawn $26.00) will go on sale Friday, April 9th at 10AM at all VALLITIX outlets including Boo Boo Records in San Luis Obispo and Grover Beach, the Mustang Ticket Office on the Cal Poly Campus, at the Mid-State Fairgrounds Box Office in Paso Robles, the UCSB Box Office on the UCSB Campus and at Buffalo Records in Santa Barbara; on-line at www.vallitix.com or purchase by phone at 1-888-825-5484. All Ages. Rain or Shine. Please no outside food or beverages. No pets. Please send press requests to Bruce Howard at Otter Productions, Inc. |
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"YO MAMA'S GOT THE BLUES" MOTHERS DAY BLUES JAM & BBQ Dear Blues Lovers It's that time of the year again, when we celebrate just how we all got here. Yes, Mothers Day is just around the corner. Sunday, May 8 to be exact. This will be our 4th Annual "Yo Mama's Got The Blues" Blues Jam and BBQ event at Club Fred in Fresno. I know a lot of you can't wait. We serve up the best BBQ dinner plate and the killer blues jam. The dinner plate will have Tri-tip, Ribs, Chicken, Louisiana Creole Green Beans and Potato Salad. Our Master Chef Starky will again be serving up the best there is. The cost is only $20 for the show and dinner. If you just want to come for the show it is only $5. It all starts at 4pm to whenever? Dinner tickets must be purchased by Thursday, May 5, as this is a catered event and preparations must be made. You can get tickets from me (Don Heflin) at don@cvblues.org or at Club Fred in Fresno. This year we are again having our Dinner Ticket Raffle and yes the Grand Prize is Ron Thompson and His Resistors playing at your personal event at your home. Last year the winner invited about 50 the their friends and we really had a great time. We are also having our regular raffle and we need donations of gift certificates, or prizes. Please contact me on how to get involved. Last year we gave away, hair styling gift cert., gas cards, a cell phone, event tickets, CD's, portable CD player, etc. So if you're a band, promoter, business owner or would just like to purchase something to donate and would like to help out please let us know. Items can be sent to: |
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MARIA MULDAUR AND HER RED HOT BLUESIANA BAND Thursday, April 21st, the Central Valley Blues Society and Eric Benson presents Maria Muldaur and her Red Hot Bluesiana Band coming to the Fat Cat Music House & Lounge. Following Maria is the band Rhythm Deluxe hosting an invitational Blues Jam. Maria is best known for her hit "Midnight At The Oasis" circa 1974 with guitarist Ry Coder that went Platinum. For the past 30 years she has developed into one of the finest Blues and Jazz vocalist performing today, touring and collaborating with many nationally known artists. She has worked with Ry Coder, Dr. John, Paul Butterfield, Lowell George, Linda Ronstadt, Stevie Wonder, James Booker, Benny Carter, J.J. Cale, Kenny Burell, Neville Brothers, Taj Mahal, Bonny Raitt and others. She commands a dizzying variety of styles, from down-home Blues, folk, Gospel and Jazz. She interprets the classics doing tributes to Peggy Lee to Southern Gospel, Tin Pan Alley, Chicago Blues with finesse, power and authority to make them her own. Her performances are inspiring, part revival, part sophistocated Jazz and part joyful sensuality with a well honed band that supports and drives her on. Maria was nominated "Traditional Blues female artist of the year 2005 W.C. Handy awards", and "Muldaur approaches her material with a jeweler's precision, cutting each tune scrupulously into a fine cut gem", San Francisco Chronicle. Visit Maria's web site: www.MariaMuldaur.com |
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PRESS RELEASE LAS VEGAS (March 14, 2005) - In sponsorship with the International House of Blues Foundation and the City of Las Vegas, The Southern Nevada Blues Association is proud to present the Las Vegas Centennial Blues Festival. This is a Las Vegas Centennial Celebration Sanctioned Event to Commemorate Las Vegas' 100th birthday. It shall be our way of honoring musicians who either live in Las Vegas or have contributed greatly to the city's blues heritage. The event will pay tribute to B.B. King, Little Milton, Ruth Brown, Albert Collins, Louis Jordan, and Joe Williams. Scheduled Performers: Invited guests include B.B. King, Ruth Brown, Little Milton, Gwendolyn Collins, Martha Jordan, Gillian Williams, Senator Bob Beers and Mayor Oscar Goodman. The Centennial blues celebration will be held from 12 noon to 6 pm on Sunday, April 17, 2005 at the Sammy Davis Jr. Festival Plaza in Lorenzi Park, located at 3333 W. Washington Ave. (between Rancho and Valley View), Las Vegas, 89107. General Admission is $5.00. Southern Nevada Blues Association and Guitar Society members $3.00 Children 12 and under are admitted free. No coolers or dogs allowed. For information call the SNBA Blues hotline at 702.812.3088 or go to either www.SNVBlues.org or LasVegasBluesFestivals.com Contact: |
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RENÉ SOLIS AND HIS BLUES GUITAR EXTRAVAGANZA René Solis and the Studebaker Blues Band featuring David Brown, Bill Clifton and Jimmy Hartley Captive Productions and The Sutter Street Café are proud to present several of the Central Valley's finest guitarists on stage together for one amazing show- René Solis and the Studebaker Blues Band will host this great night of guitar fireworks. René's playing style has often been described as powerful, raw, and emotional, as he pours his heart and soul into each and every note. As the bandleader of the highly popular band NiteCry, René's career has come full circle. In addition to being dynamite guitarist, he has also become a well-respected vocalist and songwriter. Over the years René has been a featured artist at countless festivals and nightclubs often sharing the stage with such giants as Albert King, Luther Tucker, Joe Louis Walker, Tommy Castro, Davey Pattison (Gamma & Robin Trower) and many others. Adding a dose of burning Texas blues guitar will be the extraordinary guitarist Jimmy Hartley, along with rock solid drummer Mike Stewart who currently performs with the award winning Studebaker Blues Band. As the featured house band for the evening, these two great musicians have played on many festivals and special events and are considered one of the most popular bands in the Central Valley. Jimmy's dynamic guitar playing has propelled the Studebaker's to new heights as he continues to amaze audiences everywhere with his note for note interpretations of the great Stevie Ray Vaughn and lightning fast country-blues riffs. One of the most aspiring blues players on the scene today is guitarist David Brown. David grew up playing in bands with Stevie Ray in Dallas and Austin, and is featured in the SRV biography entitled "Soul To Soul". Through the years, he has also played with notable musicians such as Doyle and Ronnie Bramhall, Marc Benno and ZuZu Bolin. As one of the founding members of "The Double D Blues Band", David's stinging tone and fine vocals are hotter than Texas asphalt in July! Mixing seasoned performers and up-and-coming talent, this show will also feature Bill Clifton, guitarist and founding member of the wildly popular Mofo Party Band. Known for his energetic live performances, Bill is able to combine Chicago blues, West Coast jump and swing with ease. Joining Bill on stage will be the multi-talented and former band mate John Crossen on bass guitar. Often performing over 200 nights per year, together these two guys know how to show the audience a rocking good time. The grand finale will feature all of these great talents on stage together for an explosive "All Star" jam session.
For more information about these amazing musicians visit their websites: For tickets call 209-469-4781 |
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6TH ANNUAL "JT" BLUES MEMORIAL Guitarists TOUCH and DAVE BROWN are joined on this tribute to JOHN "JT" TORRES by CHUCK MALDONADO on organ/piano/harmonica, ISRAEL "Izzy" ALVARADO on bass, BUDDY WIGGINS on drums. Make no bones about it, this is a tribute in the truest sense of the word, some of the solos are even played note for note as transcribed from JT's versions. So if you are looking for an interpretation of the Blues's music along the lines of the best the Central Valley has to offer, then you'll have to look no further. The Family Scandal wants to preach the gospel of Blues as it was handed down by one of it's foremost apostle. We look forward to having another great JT Memorial Jam for jam we will, so bring your axe and join us in celebration of the Blues. Lots of special guests........... Contact Touch: 209-525-8247 |
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FILM IN REVIEW: LIGHTNING IN A BOTTLE Opens today in Manhattan and Los Angeles The essential ingredients for playing and singing the blues are "juice and pain". So says Bonnie Raitt near the end of the remarkable concert documentary "Lightning in a Bottle". By juice, Ms. Raitt doesn't necessarily mean booze but the raw life force (often booze-stoked) that surges through the music of the blues legends who gathered at Radio City Music Hall on Feb. 7, 2003, for a historic and joyous musical summit. The film, directed by Antoine Fuqua, weaves performances from that concert with snippets of the musicians rehearsing and swapping stories backstage, and old film clips of legends like Leadbelly, Muddy Waters and John Lee Hooker. The 30 performers in the concert (not counting a distinguished house band) include Ms. Raitt, Robert Cray, Solomon Burke, B. B. King and (surprisingly) Natalie Cole, who acquits herself without embarrassment. The film aspires to be an informal survey of the blues, with the songs arranged in a rough chronology. If the movie suggests a historical continuum, it sensibly doesn't allow its scholarship to cut into the performances. Most of all, "Lightning in a Bottle" illustrates how a 12-bar musical format that emerged out of the soil of the Deep South was bent and expanded as it traveled north and west and changed from an acoustic idiom into an electric one. Even now it speaks to the human condition in an elemental language stripped of the emotional camouflage of polite European culture. At its most compelling, it is synonymous with the hard lives of the (mostly male) singers and guitarists who invented and developed it. For all the sophistication it has acquired at the hands of guitar virtuosos, the most bravura finger-picking and slide techniques can't substitute for the spirit that propels it. "Lightning in a Bottle" offers many varieties of blues, from the raw Delta style of 89-year-old David 'Honeyboy' Edwards ("Gamblin' Man"), to the Texan swing of Clarence 'Gatemouth' Brown, to the preening, sexed-up, full-tilt blues rock of Steve Tyler and Joe Perry ("I'm a King Bee"). Through Buddy Guy, we discover his stylistic link between Muddy Waters and Jimi Hendrix. Mr. Burke, a papal presence, barks out a gospel-blues version of "Down in the Valley", which he recalls having to sing during a Ku Klux Klan picnic at which he found himself booked in the 1960's. Mr. King, the final soloist, performs "Sweet Sixteen". As the reigning master of the idiom, Mr. King sings in a rich, barking cry and still plays single-note riffs that have the sting of bitter tears. Others may convey more juice and more pain, but Mr. King radiates the majesty of a final authority. "Lightning in a Bottle" is rated PG-13 (Parents strongly cautioned). It contains rough language and rugged lyrics. Published: 10-22-2004, Late Edition - Final, Section E, Column 1, Page 13 |
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RANCHO PRODUCTIONS PRESENTS BLUES AT THE BARN Two big nights of really AWESOME blues. Friday's show will be $25 and Saturday's show will be $30 - both nights for $50. Here's the line-up: Michael Hill's Blues Mob Friday night - A New York blues legend. Has been featured on the cover of several guitar and blues player magazines. Colin John Band Friday night - British born, living in Cleveland, Colin tours England and Europe often. He plays acoustic blues and incredible electric guitar. Last year at Plaza Linda he rocked the place. You've never seen Plaza Linda like this - packed wall to wall and a line out the door. Colin John and Michael Hill play together often and have recorded together, lending their talent to each others' records. Each band will do it's own set and the last set will be an all out blues jam. This will be an incredible night. Phantom Blues Band Saturday night - Nothing else to say about these guys. They are in the studio now and will have a new record out by the time they play here. Taj Mahal's side men for Phantom Blues records, these guys will have all night Saturday to themselves. I can tell you that Mike Finnigan, Joe Sublette, Tony Braunagel and Johnny Schell can PLAY! Tickets: Do Re Mi Music in Carmel (831) 625-1229 |
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LIGHTNING IN A BOTTLE On February 7, 2003, renowned artists across multiple music genres and generations commandeered the stage at New York City's Radio City Music Hall to pay tribute to their common heritage and passion - the blues. Shared with thousands of fans in attendance, legendary performers from roots, rock, jazz and rap joined forces for a once-in-a-lifetime "Salute To The Blues" benefit concert whose proceeds went to musical education. Executive produced by Martin Scorsese, Paul G. Allen and Jody Patton, produced by Alex Gibney and directed by Antoine Fuqua, LIGHTNING IN A BOTTLE captures the night's magic and weaves a history of the blues through the juxtaposition of performances, backstage interviews, rehearsals and archival clips of some of the greatest names in American music, from blues royalty such as Buddy Guy and B.B. King, to their musical heirs ranging from John Fogerty and Bonnie Raitt to Mos Def and India.Arie. Featured Performers (in order of appearance): Archival Performances and Interviews: Call the Tower Theater for more info (559) 440-1561 or check out www.sonyclassics.com |
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PRESS RELEASE with GRAMMY WINNING STARS
Call venues for prices and showtimes JAMES COTTON is to Chicago Blues harmonica what BUDDY GUY is to the Chicago Blues guitar. The last of the Blues Harp titans, Cotton learned to play under Sonny Boy Williamson at age 8, cut records for Sun (pre-Elvis) in Memphis on his own and with Howlin Wolf in the early 1950s, then joined Muddy Water's band for ten years in 1956, where he recorded on Chess Records with Muddy, taking Little Walter's spot. You can almost call him a Forest Gump type figure in the world of Blues, always in the right place - right time. In 1966 he started his own band, which went on to become a hit on the rock curcuit. Cotton has recorded with everyone from Jimmy Vaughn, Johnny Winter, Kenny Wayne Sheppard, Steve Miller to Muddy, Wolf, Mike Bloomfield and many more. James has won two Grammy awards, for DEEP IN THE BLUES and HARP ATTACK. His newest CD is BABY, DON'T TEAR MY CLOTHES on Tel Arc, which features diverse guests like CJ Chenier, Marcia Ball, Dave Alvin and Doc Watson. CHARLIE MUSSELWHITE is responsible for bringing many fans their first taste of Blues harmonica. In the early 1960s Charlie and the late Paul Butterfield, along with a small group of white Blues players, were hanging out in South Side clubs in Chicago, learning from the masters like Johnny Young, Big Walter Horton, and Otis Spann. By 1967 Charlie had his own band and was riding a bluewave, playing pscyhdelic shows at the Fillmore, Matrix and Avalon Ballrooms in SF. Since the eighties he toured Autrailia with Mick Jagger, played on one of INXS's hits, plus recorded with Bonnie Raitt & Tom Waits. Musselwhite has always had a diverse musical palate, bringing in other genres to his Blues like jazz, Brazilian, Cuban, folk, country and roots over his last 5 albums. SANCTUARY is Charlie's newest CD on Real World Records. It features the FIVE BLIND BOYS OF ALABAMA and BEN HARPER. This is a stark, dark and forboding landscape of rootsy Blues and is garnering rave reviews worldwide. KIM WILSON is considered by many to be the new Boss of Blues Harmonica. Since starting the Fabulous Thunderbirds with Jimmie Vaughn in 1975, this Austin, Texas quartet took the Blues World by storm. By the eighties they had platinum records like TUFF ENOUGH, POWERFUL STUFF and WRAP IT UP, and were in rotation on MTV, even making it into Beevis and Butthead episodes. Vaughn left soon after but Kim has kept the name and a tight band ever since. Kim's gone on to do a string of great solo CDs over the last 10 years, his last two on MC Records. SMOKIN JOINT and LOOKIN FOR TROUBLE, both have been nominated for Handy awards, as Kim has, for Best Blues Harmonica. Wilson is one of those rare musicians who can sing and play with equal authority, chops, charisma, and subtlty, plus is a great songwriter and frontman. Nobody really wants to follow Kim onstage. MARK HUMMEL AND THE BLUES SURVIVORS just returned from a Scandinavian tour in Nov., released a Live CD on ElectroFi called BLOWIN MY HORN, plus recorded a Tribute to Muddy Waters with Johnny Dyer, Paul Oscher, and Rusty Zinn called ROLLIN FORK RIVISTED for Mountaintop Records. Mark has been organizing the Blowouts for 14 years now and continues to expand the event to bigger venues and festivals. The Blowouts have traveled to Nottoden Blues Fest in Norway, to King Biscuit Fest in Helena, AR, Syracuse, NY's NY R & B Fest, Maine's NORTH ATLANTIC BLUES Fest, to the Edmonton Blues Fest in Canada, blowing audiences away at all these events. Mark's been playing for 38 years and making a living at it since 1982. Hummel's got 12 CDs under his own name and many others he's recorded on. |
