Bman's Blues Report

Bman: It's a real privilege to have the chance to talk with you. So you're on your way up to Eugene Oregon for the Far West Alliance Conference. Have you played that gig before? Joe: This is our first visit to Far West, but it won't be our last. We had a wonderful time. Attended a lot of workshops on topics like BMI and ASCAP, where to find gigs, and what promoters of venues are looking for. Then we had the opportunity to perform for the folks in this business that do concerts, festivals and book various venues. The best part though was meeting and getting to hear a lot of great musicians. Bman: I hear a lot of Hound Dog Taylor and Earl Hooker in your style. Who were your early influences? Joe: You have a good ear because when I was a teenager I saw Earl Hooker play in my home-town of Waterloo, IA. Waterloo was his home at the time. In the 1970's I was in a band called Mother Blues that warmed up Hound Dog Taylor and his band. Both Earl and Hound Dog had an incr...

Folk Alliance Region West (FAR-West), the western regional chapter of Folk Alliance International, fosters and promotes traditional, contemporary and multicultural folk music, dance and related performing arts in the western parts of North America. This area includes but is not limited to California, Oregon, Washington, Nevada, Arizona, Idaho, Hawaii, and Alaska. Our MISSION is to strengthen the ecology for folk music and build stronger artists, presenters and audiences. Our annual conference builds on that mission with a community and program that includes education, showcases, and networking. FAR-West seeks to strengthen and advance organizational and individual initiatives in folk music and dance through: Education -- To increase understanding of the rich variety, artistic value, cultural and historical significance, and continuing relevance of folk music and dance among educators, media and the general public. Networking -- To provide a bridge to and from folk music and d...

I love this album. The studio version has a bit more clarity as you might imagine... go figure. Here's Vintage Guitars take on it: Iowa may not be known as a blues mecca, but from the opening “Hornet’s Nest,” it’s clear that Waterloo native Joe Price is the real deal. He beats his National Steel with the kind of power associated with Bukka White, Big Joe Williams, or Mississippi Fred McDowell and sings in a style that is as lowdown as it needs to be without sounding at all affected. But even that impressive introduction doesn’t prepare the listener for the sheer rawness of the aptly titled instrumental “Joe’s Guitar Stomp.” .... his tone is just as raunchy and this solo shuffle (his foot-pounding the guitar’s only accompaniment) rocks just as hard and like everything on the album, it has a seat-of-your-pants, first-take feel.... Somewhere, Hound Dog Taylor is smiling. Get Facebook support for your favorite band or venue - click HERE