May 9th & 10th - Fort Madison, IA
For tickets and details visit:  Simply The Blues Website

Friday May 9th

Magic Slim & The Teardrops

Eddie Turner

Leon Redbone

Louisiana Red

Second Skinny Blues Band

Saturday May 10th
Jason Ricci

Diunna Greenleaf

Zach Harmon

Shawn Kellerman

Trampled Under Foot

Alvin Jett

Rich Berry

Matt Wood & The Thunderbolts

www.slimsblues.com

Want to find out what is going on in Blues on the other side of the pond? Slim's Blues is one of  Britain's best hit blues webs. They provide information on Blues artists, CD reviews, audio clips, live music schedules and more. Stop in and check it out. Tell them the Blues Blast sent ya!

For more Blues links, CLICK HERE to visit the IllinoisBlues.com Links Page

Billy Gibson - DVD: Live at the North Atlantic Blues Festival (2007)
North Atlantic Blues Records
www.billygibson.com

6 songs; 57:16 minutes; Meritable

Style: Harmonica led, four-piece-backing blues band

Did you hear the one about the album reviewer who was mailed a CD to review, but it was blank with nary a song on it so he threw it away? That’s because it is a DVD, not a CD. OOPS! but a true story. To be fair to my friend and fellow writer, the label “DVD” does not appear on the disc itself and appears only once on the whole package (on the back), which has only scant liner notes.

Once in my player, it says “Dolby 5.1” surround sound, but I could only get two channel stereo to come out, which was high quality and sufficiently enjoyable. Subtitles are also not present. The concert was filmed in 2007, but that information is not on the package, only in an accompanying promotion page sent to reviewers. All the package says is “2005 Beale Street Entertainer of the Year,” which refers to Billy Gibson, but that can be misleading as to the performance date.

Well, never mind the package, it is the music we are after when we make a purchase, right? Here is a very enjoyable set filmed in the afternoon “during their first summer tour at the 2007 North Atlantic Blues Festival in Rockland, Maine.” The film crew and editor did a top notch job, and multiple camera angles and shots abound with some split screen effects.

Affectionately know as the “Prince of Beale Street (Memphis),” Gibson throws down one original song (the opening “Down Home”) and five covers across the gig, including Willie Nelson’s “Funny How Time Slips Away,” Eddie Taylor’s “Bad Boy,” and Mose Vinson’s “Tell it Like it Is” which becomes a medley with “Oh, Susanna,” Skip To My Lou,” “This Old Man (He Played One),” and “When The Saints Go Marching In.”

For a harmonica player, Billy is a little stingy with his playing. He shares harp extensively only in the first and last songs with smidgens in the others as he also sings lead vocals. We do get a needlessly-long drum solo mid way through “Bad Boy.”

Gibson prowls the front of the stage and has a great rapport with the audience members (especially the ladies) both down front as well as in the back. He plays some “Name That Tune” in the middle of one song by hitting just a few notes of familiar tunes like “Low Rider” and the theme from “The Flintstones.” Clearly in the groove, Gibson sheds his sports jacket by the third number. Adding to the fun are band members David Bowen – guitar, James Jackson – bass, Cedric Keel – drums, and special guest Charlie Wood – keyboards.

For the show closer, “Polk Salad Annie” Gibson announces, “This is where I play the harmonica as hard as I can and try to make myself pass out, y’all.” Indeed, he does a completely energized, kangaroo jumping, lip shredding performance that eventually has everyone on their feet. The resale value of that particular harp had to be nil following this blowout!

Fresh off April’s Bluzapalooza Tour in Iraq, Billy Gibson first picked up the harmonica at a very young age. “It was cheap and I could easily make sounds with it.” After high school, Gibson’s desire for learning and improving as a musician took him to Clarksdale, Mississippi, where he played with blues guitarist Johnnie Billington and drummer Bobby Little in Billington’s group The Midnighters.

Like many before him, Gibson eventually left Mississippi for Memphis. “Beale Street was my university of blues,” recalls Gibson, referring to the lessons learned as a Beale Street performer. “For a young musician, all you have to do is look and listen and you can learn so much.”

Gibson’s talent and commitment have not gone unrecognized. He received an endorsement from Hohner, his harmonica of choice in 1999. He has made guest appearances on national recording artists’ CDs including Deborah Coleman’s Soft Place To Fall (Blind Pig 2000) and Michael Burks’ I Smell Smoke (Alligator 2003). Around the same time, Gibson received a BA in music from the University of Memphis. He was a 2006 Blues Music Award nominee for Best New Artist Debut.

If you are not familiar with Billy Gibson, this disc is a great introduction to a young dynamo of a performer. Just remember to put it in your DVD player, not the CD slot.

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

For other reviews and interviews on our website CLICK HERE.

Mud Angels

A Bolt From The Blue

 www.mudangels.com

www.myspace.com/mudangelsmusic

 "A wealth of vocal & guitar melodies, performed by front woman Laura "Torch" England and guitarist Kenny Cobb." - Blues Blast Magazine

To Purchase this CD CLICK HERE

To read the Blues Blast CD review CLICK HERE

http://www.live365.com/stations/topblues?play

"TOPBLUES" Internet Radio is a Live365.com station. Some folks report having technical difficulties getting stations at Live365.com to play correctly especially in MS Internet Explorer version7. It worked fine for us in all other web browsers except IE 7. Terry O' offers an especially fine selection of Blues so after much discussion we decided to have you try this one.

In addition to this fine streaming Blues radio station, Live365.com has stations listed in music genres for Acoustic Blues, Contemporary Blues, Delta Blues, Cajun/Zydeco, Chicago Blues, Country Blues and Electric Blues. So give this a try and send us your feedback if this works for you. Enjoy.  Tell them the Blues Blast sent ya!

Check out other great Blues Music Streams Click HERE

 Other IMPORTANT News   Help Save the music! CLICK HERE to Keep Blues Radio Alive!

17th Annual

Pocono Blues Festival

July 25 - 27, 2008

Big Boulder Ski Area

Lake Harmony, PA

570-722-0100

Root Doctor, Teeny Tucker, Lil' Dave Thompson, Joey Gilmore, The Kinsey Report, Sharrie Williams, Michael Burks, Nappy Brown, Kenny Neal, Sugar Pie DeSanto, Jimmy McCracklin,  Michael Roach, Johnny Mars, Byther Smith, The Holmes Brothers, Lurrie Bell, Ronnie Baker Brooks, Bobby Rush, Eric Bibb, Geno Delafose

Festival Website Click Here

Theodis Ealey

Friday May 16th, 2008

Excalibur Lounge
2205 Washington St. Peoria, IL

For more info Call 309 637-2200

Hey Blues Fans!

I am a freelance web designer and a big fan of the Blues as well. I make Blues band websites, artist/solo/duo sites, and professional Myspace layouts.  One of my 2007 customers was IllinoisBlues.com which is now one of the internet's largest Blues communities. 

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I don't talk your ear off about different programming languages or features.  I focus on the best possible website for you and your website visitors.  Most websites packages are around $250.00 and starter sites are $199.00. If you are in need of a new website, a re-design of an existing site, or a professional myspace presence, please contact me at 309-642-9052 or at: nate@ClickstarUSA.com  - Nate Kieser

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I definitely realize it's the Blues, so while running this ad for the next few weeks, I am offering working Blues musicians a complete website design AND a professional Myspace layout, BOTH for $400.00.  My portfolio is located at: www.ClickstarUSA.com.

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Live Blues reviews by Chicago Blues editor Lordy

Blues Beat: Chicago (Photos by August Lord)

Lordy's Excellent Chicago Blues Adventure (Part Two - Saturday Night)

We continue our typical blues odyssey here in Chicago,the capital of the blues. Last weekend we spent the Friday night part of our adventure going from Moe Joe’s southwest of the city center, to the 8700 Room of The Carriage Greens Country Club and finally to The Harlem Avenue Lounge in Berwyn.

 What do you know? It’s now Saturday and as sure as night follows day, I'm picking you all up in my little Jetta to drag you around with me tonight for round two. Starting from the Southwest side again, we get to Vino Tinto in Oak Lawn early enough to get some seats. Melissa and Sara are the young sisters that run this wine bar. Not to worry, you can still have your beer and I can still have my shot.

Melissa has hosted Marty Sammon before, but has never had the pleasure of seeing him play with tonight’s partner the Arkansas Razorback, Doug McDonald. Mike Krystol will also join in tonight on congas. There is some magic when Marty and Doug play together. Here is yet another cd for you. It is Live at Oratio's from the nineties. Even back then a very young Sammon and Doug (with Krystol on bass) were amazing. I stopped here so you can hear and see Buddy Guy’s piano man Marty Sammon while he’s in town. To get to hear the legendary McDonald at the same time is a special moment. Sure, I’ll drink to that. I don’t know when you’re coming back to town, so keep your eye out for a cd of Marty Sammon and Tom Holland which is due out soon. I had the pleasure of sitting in on the recording session and there were some goose bump moments for sure. Mike produced it so there is a great chance he digitized the goose bumps. Wow, it’s 11:45 already.

We’re now heading into the city limits, to North Halstead. It’s after midnight but the heavy traffic, bicycles and pedestrians would have you believing it was 6:00 PM. DePaul University is in the neighborhood so it is a cross between Beale Street and a college campus (with coeds of course). This guy will take our car in front of Kingston Mines and we will walk south a few hundred feet to B.L.U.E.S. on Halsted.

This is not a nightclub. This is a bar. The long narrow room has a small stage in the back with Nellie “Tiger” Travis and her guys on it. Tiger is inciting a riot with her legion of fans. Fortunately, the bartender lady sees us coming and has my medicine ready. Give some kind of signal for your beer, because I’m not even going to try to yell an order for you. We get to the stage just as the set is over. Nellie and her stash of CDs are immediately circled by her fans. Nellie waves but if you want a CD, you’re on your own. In the room behind the stage there are a host of local musicians either done with their gigs or between sets from another venue. I agree, they are a friendly bunch of guys. I can introduce you to Nellie’s son the drummer and Ron Hicks the music director and keyboard man but the others have bolted for the outside where they can grab a quick smoke.

Back up the street we go to The Kingston Mines. If you’re getting hungry they have Doc’s Rib Joint in back. On the smaller North stage we see Joanna Connor and her band. I’m not surprised that you have seen her before on a previous trip to the Holy land, because that girl is always playing somewhere and has a fan base to prove it. You look a little tired but just think! We have four more sets of music, between Joanna and the main stage tenants Big James & The Chicago Playboys.

Yes James is big isn’t he. He does missionary work as he brings his band and Chicago blues around the world. This six man ensemble is surely one of the tightest, most professional acts in town. His trademark trombone is down often enough to hear his wonderful singing voice. Speaking of singers, Mike Wheeler that tall guy on guitar, is for my money, one of the best voices you will hear. It’s a good thing I’m not a reviewer, because my overuse of superlatives for this rhythm section would get me fired. Cleo Cole on drums and Larry Williams on a dyslexic bass are a show in themselves. Goldie Blocker runs that hi tech rig on the far left. It looks like keyboards, wires, vocal synth and more wires. He sings as well.

The rest of the horn section is Charles Kimball on sax and vocals. They are all wearing big smiles and are moving in unison just like the crowd. By this time all the other musicians around town are done and have drifted in. That’s Magic Slim. There is R.J. Howson and etc. This time you decide to get the CD because the folks back home will not believe this band.

Some great writer said “You can never go home”. Some great bartenders have said “Don’t you ever go home?” Well yes I do, because I have to get you home. Our friend has our chariot at the curb waiting. On the way back home we try to list all great people from the blues community you met, and all the CDs you collected from Lil Brother Montgomery to Big James Montgomery. With the sun coming up, I start thinking more about breakfast than sleep. Well actually I never did think about sleep. There will be plenty of time for that after the music stops. I can’t wait to see some of the pictures we took, but alas, it’s day job time until next weekend. You came here a blues fan and you are now a blues fanatic.

CLICK HERE to visit Lordy's website at ChicagoBluesBeat.com

To see a Chicago Area list of upcoming events CLICK HERE

If you know of a Chicago Blues event or news, please send it to

The Code Blue Band

Tight at Midnight

Intensely energetic R&B, funk, and rockin' Blues

www.TheCodeBlueBand.com

www.myspace.com/ohiocodeblue

CLICK HERE to buy the CD

Steve Guyger - Radio Blues
Severn Records
www.steveguyger.com
Run Time 53:03

Steve Guyger’s accolades as one of the best harp players in the blues world for the last 30 years need no mention here. Hailing from the City of Brotherly Love, Guyger makes his home in the Northeast and tours regularly with his band the Excellos. On this disc, Guyger recreates the sounds he heard as a young boy on old time radio. Enlisting the talents of Johnny Moeller on guitar, Steve Gomes on bass, Robb Stupka on drums and Bill Heid on keys, the album’s sound is as pristine and polished as those old records Guyger listened to as a boy.

Guyger pennned 10 of the 14 tracks here demonstrating his deep knowledge of the tradition he was born of. From the rollicking shuffle of “You’re So Fine” to the blues ballad “Cool In the Evening,” Guyger’s supreme command over harp and vocals are brilliant. Without sounding like he’s a knock off another harmonica legend, Guyger’s licks and sounds are purely his own. Effortlessly switching between the higher demand of the chromatic harmonica (featured on “Blues Won’t Let Me Be”) and back to the more traditional 10-hole diatonic, Guyger gives you every sound imaginable from this little tin sandwich. Guyger’s voice is wonderfully slurred sounding like a mix between the belting of Elmore James, the sloppy Jimmy Reed and the gruff of Charlie Musselwhite or Paul Butterfield. He sings and fits in the mold he’s shooting for on each and every track on the disc. Moeller and company don’t play second fiddle either. While fitting in the mold for Guyger’s harmonica fronted band, Moeller and Heid’s leads aren’t greedy or yearning for attention here. They are in the pocket all the time and never stray.

Guyger’s got the bounce of early sixties R&B influenced rock and the fifties and sixties harmonica sounds of Chicago in the bag. If you need evidence, check out Guyger’s easy command of the Joe Liggins’ classic “Honeydripper” instrumental that anchors this album. With a foreword by Rick Estrin (one more outstanding harp player from the West coast), Guyger in Estrin’s words is a “guy you need to get hip to.” Still running high off of last year’s traditional acoustic release with Richard Ray Farrell, Guyger turns in another winning gem to continue his streak of great traditional blues. Visit Guyger on his Myspace:   http://www.myspace.com/steveguyger.

Ben Cox is a Blues Songwriter, Musician, DJ and Journalist.

For other reviews and interviews on our website CLICK HERE.

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