Events In The Extended San Francisco Bay Area
by Maria Bainer
Another three months has rolled by, so let's check out what has been happening in the extended California Bay Area, regarding blues news. Several events happened, including a successful Blues Harmonica Blowout. Four too many blues people passed on. Producers readied themselves for the upcoming festival season. Blues musicians continued to entertain us. More CDs were issued. So let's delve a little deeper into the facts.
SUCCESSFUL BLUES HARMONICA BLOWOUTS 2002
Producer and performer, Mark Hummel, gave us another memorable blues harmonica festival in five locations in January. His eleventh annual blowout was scheduled into five venues in less than a week's time. Venues were widely scattered throughout Northern California from Santa Cruz and Modesto in the southern area, to Oakland, with two sold-out shows, to the northern areas of Santa Rosa and Chico. There was a nucleus of the same performers in each venue, which included: Snooky Pryor; Sam Myers; Annie Raines; Carlos Del Junco; and Mark Hummel & The Blues Survivors, with Mark blowing his harp and the band backing all the artists. Various other musicians sat in on a gig, including: pianist, Pinetop Perkins; harpist, Norton Buffalo; guitarists, John B. Sebastian, Rusty Zinn, and Ron Thompson; and vocalist, Maria Muldaur.
I really got the whole show in Santa Rosa. Carlos Del Junco has a reputation of being Canada's most highly touted harmonica virtuoso. He has won Hohner World Championship gold medals for both blues and jazz on diatonic harmonicas. He is the first harp player on the blowout shows that uses the overblow technique, which means playing in all keys on one diatonic harp. It was exciting to hear him blend all his notes and see him "caress" the harp as he played. His segment of the show was most enjoyable. Mark Hummel sounded better than ever with his strong, dynamic harp blowing. His band was impressive, especially with the terrific young guitarist, Charles Wheal, and his keyboardist. Annie Raines acquired the moniker, "James Cotton, Jr." from James Cotton himself, when he heard her blow her harp. She looked radiant and played several different styles of harp with soul and finesse, and also sang. She played with guitarist, Paul Rishell, and the acoustic duo is known as one of the premier country blues duos today. The two won the 2000 W.C. Handy Award for their acoustic blues album, "Moving To The Country."
It was great to concentrate on sixty-year old Sam Myers' harp blowing and vocals without his constant chain smoking. He is sincere and straight forward. His deep harp playing and his baritone vocals are most enjoyable. He is one of the top harp players of his generation, and played both drums and harp on Elmore James' records in the late fifties. His accomplice, Anson Funderburgh, added his slide guitar playing to the evening, as well as being backed by the Blues Survivors Band.
Snooky Pryor still sounds great at age 80! He won the Living Blues Award for best blues harmonica in 2001. He is considered by many to be the granddaddy of amplified Chicago blues harp, since he made records in the mid-forties by playing his harp through an amplifier. His harmonica blues were a bit slower and slightly more country sounding, but were still a vital force. His vocals were homespun and believable. Norton Buffalo, with his twenty-six years of harp blowing, rounded out the evening with his unique style of harp playing an d vocals.
The memorable evening ended with a large jam session of performers, including Sam Myers playing drums. So another great harmonica blowout came to an end. It is interesting to note that this 2000 event is now on Mountain Top Records on a CD called, "Blues Harp Meltdown." This CD was recorded live in Santa Cruz with Kim Wilson, Rick Estrin, Billy Branch, James Harman, Mark Hummel & The Blues Survivors, and many more.
OTHER EVENTS
Two of our musicians, Charlie Musselwhite and James Armstrong, joined nine other musicians and lots of blues lovers for a seven- day Legendary Rhythm and Blues Cruise the end of January. They stopped at three Caribbean ports. The organiser is a co-owner of the Grand Emporium in Kansas City and has changed the cruise name. If you are thinking of crusin' next year, check out their website at:
www.bluesin.tv or call them at 1-888-bluesin.
The ninth annual Evolution of the Blues Concert was held on Valentine's Day in Santa Rosa. The Ford Blues Band and Chris Cain, along with top-notch Sonoma County musicians playing gospel, blues and R&B, showcased the range of blues from roots to modern day.
SPECIAL PERFORMANCES
Tommy Castro, masterful guitarist and soulful singer, and one of the hottest acts on the West Coast scene, celebrated his tenth anniversary at Bimbos, a San Francisco venue, in February. Tommy has toured with the B.B.King show for two years, among other things. Tommy started out by playing in San Francisco every night, and passing the bucket for tips. He finds it a big relief not to have to pass the bucket, which "was an art in itself, " he says. Pianist and vocalist, Lady Bianca, opened his show.
Alvin Youngblood Hart, born in Oakland and now living in Memphis, returned to the Bay Area to perform some solo acoustic shows. He is self-taught, and mixes his eclectic musical styles and instruments with the traditional sound of the delta blues. Through his guitar, he made this traditional music form even more enjoyable by adding his personal expression and musical taste.
MORE MUSICIANS VISIT AREA
This time the list of visiting musicians included: James Cotton (with several Bay Area musicians backing him for his West Coast Tour); Rick Holmstrom Band; Jimmy Thackery and the Drivers; Larry McCray; Debbie Davies; Phil Guy; Buddy Guy; Tab Benoit; Walter "Wolfman Washington; Kenny Neal Band; W.C. Clark; Maurice John Vaughn; Marvin Sease; Nina Storey; Corby Yates; Savoy Brown; Candye Kane; Pinetop Perkins; Hammersmith Blues Band; Kelly Joe Phelps Trio; John Hammond with Charlie Musselwhite; and Marcia Ball.
OTHER HAPPENINGS
There were several benefits held for Bay Area guitarist and vocalist, Johnny Nitro, who had open heart surgery and is now recovering. The funds went for his many medical expenses and helped defray expenses during his down-time recovery. Rumour has it that he will issue a CD, with guest artist, Freddie Roulette, when he is better.
The NARM Convention and Trade Show, featuring the Association for Independent Music, was held in March in San Francisco. There were educational panels, receptions for independent labels and retailers, and the Indie Awards Ceremony.
FOUR NORTHERN CALIFORNIA MUSICIANS PASS ON
Blues were a vital part of Phil Givant's life as the standing room only crowd testified at his memorial service in Sacramento in January. At the age of 66, Phil passed on due to congestive heart failure. He had an incredible knowledge of the blues, and hosted a blues show on a variety of radio stations for more than thirty years. He was the founder and promoter of the Sacramento Blues Festival for seventeen years, from 1976-1993. He brought many blues greats to his festival, including Buddy Guy, Muddy Waters, Charles Brown, Lowell Fulson, and a host of others such as Little Milton, who became one of his special friends. In fact, Milton sang "Wind Beneath My Wings" at his service. Phil's blues festival gained such respect within the blues community that Phil won the W.C. Handy Award for Blues Promoter of the Year in 1987. "His career was as a college (math) professor, but his calling was the blues," said his friend, Mick Martin, a blues musician and DJ. Phil's passing was a big loss to the blues community, and to many of his friends from all walks of life.
Oakland-based Lady Margaret sang and played the blues on a Hammond B-3 organ for forty years before she passed on in February from cancer. She was a strong performer that captured attention. In fact, when she opened a show for Denise LaSalle, Denise was so impressed that she came out to see who was playing. Often Lady Margaret's life resembled the blues she sang about. An hour-long documentary film is being made about her life, and is entitled, "Tell It Like It Is." This film was shot over a period of four years during a time of momentous changes in her life. For more information about this film, check out the website:
www.onyourfeetfilms.com
Another Sacramento-based pianist and vocalist, Rene "Fingers" Warren, died of natural causes in his sleep in March. He was fifty-four. He had played the blues as a professional for over twenty years, and had a gentle, subdued, night-club style the night I heard him. He had a warm personality, sense of humour, and love of the blues. He never got the break he deserved in the states, but gained fame during his year in Australia. He recorded his first CD, "A Long Way From Home," while there. His second CD, "The Shanghai Era: A Collection of Folk Blues," was recorded in California. Joe Murazzo, Mick Martin's drummer, died at age 48 from a heart attack while he was playing a gig in Sacramento. Previously, Joe had played with Les Paul, Jr. and Gregg Allman and many others. There are photos and memorial fund information online at:
www.mickmartinblues.com
UPCOMING FESTIVAL INFORMATION
Festival promoters are gearing up for the festival season. You might want to put dates and websites on your calendar. The two-day Santa Cruz Blues Festival, May 25 and 26, has their lineup and bio information already posted online at: www.santacruzbluesfestival.com. The California Blues Festival will be in Golden Gate Park in San Francisco on May 27. The Black Diamond Blues Festival will be in Pittsburg, California on May 25 & 26. Over 70 various musical acts will be at The Sacramento Heritage Festival on June 1 & 2. Their website is: www.sacheritagefest.com
San Francisco's Juneteenth Celebration is June 14 & 15. The Monterey Bay Blues Festival is June 21 - 23. They are online at: www.montereyblues.com Lineup and bio information is also online at: www.russianriverbluesfest.com for the Russian River Blues Festival, June 29 & 30.
If you are really planning ahead, the Long Beach Blues Festival is August 31 & September l. The San Francisco Blues Festival is September 28 and 29. Their website is: www.sfblues.com
The Bay Area Blues Society lists their various festivals and events online at:
www.geocities.com/hipwayblues/bayareabluessociety
CD NOTES
Little Charlie and the Nightcats have their eighth Alligator CD out which is called, "That's Big." Blind Pig's latest release is: Omar & The Howlers: "Big Delta." Craig Horton, guitarist and vocalist, has his first solo effort out called, "In My Spirit" on Big Daddy Records. Little Jonny and the Giants have their fifth album out called, "King Of Clubs." I think that about does it for now. I'll leave you with some thoughts that the late Phil Givant always closed his blues radio show with. "Remember that American music is at the root and heart of its cultural impact on the rest of the world and that the root of American music is America's black music. At the root of America's black music is the blues. And if you look at it that way and really understand it, you'll understand the historical and contemporary significance of the blues!"
(c) Maria Bainer March, 2002
