Music Maker artist: Carolina Blues and Gospel - Shelton Powe - New Release Review

I just received a copy of Carolina Blues and Gospel, the new release by Shelton Powe. Shelton is a real Blues Man having been raised in a music family and spending a lot of his youth deeply consumed by the blues scene of Atlanta. This 13 track release has the sincerity of early blues recordings having not been tainted my modern technology. Powe plays guitar and harp as well as sings on the tracks. There it is ...stripped down to it's pure nakedness. Powe knows every finger picking accent note and uses this knowledge and feel to effectively sting the bottom of his tunes with just the right amount of juice. The recording opens with Stranger Blues and the finger picking technique along with the choice of guitars is perfect. The effectiveness of properly placed bass accents placed on this particular instrument are excellent. Vestopol, a classic blues instrumental is very well done. Powe has just the touch to deliver the authentic feel of the tune as it was written. Diving Duck Blues is played on slide guitar and Powe's voice is right on for this tune in coordination with the slide echo of the melody. Powe has a strong command of the country slide technique and this again sounds very authentic. One Monkey Don't Stop The Show is a favorite of mine. A traditional song, Powe sings it acapella with field hollers and harmonica. I love it! Down On Me, another traditional tune done with just vocal and harmonica, is very effective. Buckdancer's Choice is strictly instrumental and Powe shows his finger picking acuity. You can easily see how the blues is a blend of European folk tunes and of course the root in Africa. John Henry is played with the melody on slide guitar and Powe echoing the melody on vocals. This is such an honest recording it is a pleasure to listen to. Gypsy Woman is a cool song with vocal over the drone of the bass of this particular instrument (guitar) which has just the perfect acoustic for raw blues. Powe of course plays excellent finger picked melody as well, but it is the sound of the guitar itself that is captivating in some cases. The recording is concluded with This Little Light of Mine, ...Powe doing a number with Drink Small on vocal and guitar. It is a great conclusion to a truly simple and honest blues recording.

If you like what I’m doing, Like ---Bman’s Blues Report--- Facebook Page! I’m looking for great talent and trying to grow the audience for your favorites band! -  ”LIKE”

Shelton Powe's album available now - and don't miss out on Capitol Blues!

Don't miss out on Capitol Blues in DC! MMRF artists Ironing Board Sam, Captain Luke, Big Ron Hunter, and Shelton Powe will be at Clyde's of Gallery Place to rock out from 7pm to 10pm on March 27th. You'll want to make sure you see this show! Tickets are $100 and include beer and wine, hors d'oeuvres, and an awesome evening of blues! Proceeds from the event will directly benefit the elderly and impoverished Blues musicians throughout the South who are served by Music Maker. Buy your tickets here - don't wait, they're selling fast! Leyla McCalla returns to NC March 23rd! Don't miss Leyla McCalla withCary Morin, opening for Celtic band Lunasa at The ArtsCenter in Carrboro on March 23rd! Leyla's sultry vocals and rhythmically lilting cello will be complimented by Cary's guitar, ensuring a memorable evening for the audience. Don't wait, get your tickets today! Photo of the week Jerry "Boogie" McCain by Gregg Roth Quick Links: Website Merch Music Shelton Powe's album available now! MMRF artist Shelton Powe has released his first album, Carolina Blues and Gospel, and it's now available for purchase! The album melds together the fresh and the traditional, combining intricate melodies with a feel of spontaneity. Born in 1957 in Charlotte, N.C., Powe grew up on the tent revival circuit, surrounded by a family of Gospel musicians. The music he learned from his family still heavily inspires him, but his style and delivery are all his own. Check out tracks from the album on Shelton's page - or go to the Music Maker store to order! Listen: Robert Belfour - Black Mattie Diggin': Matt tells us about "Black Mattie" Robert "Wolfman" Belfour haunts me. It couldn't have been more than two years ago that I drove up Western Mississippi's Highway 61 into Clarksdale. I had never heard of Wolfman or listened to his style of Hill Country finger-picking before, but after a couple of hours with the guys at Cat Head Folk Art & Blues I had Wolfman's rhythmic, mournful "Black Mattie" stuck in my head and developed a permanent fascination with North Mississippi Hill Country blues. Robert "Wolfman" Belfour was born in the town of Red Banks, Mississippi, in 1940. His style of acoustic picking centers around repetitive, driving bass lines, open tunings, minimal chord changes, and deep, clear vocal refrains. He's percussive without using percussion. And as a drummer, that really hooked me. Check out Wolfman's version of "Black Mattie" above. Just see how long it takes for your foot to start stomping. -- Matt Matt Dailey, a Music Maker intern, hails from N.J. and is a graduate student of Library Science at the University of North Carolina Chapel Hill.

Upcoming Shows: Click here for more info on upcoming events 3/23 - Leyla McCalla - The ArtsCenter, Carrboro, N.C. 3/27 - Ironing Board Sam, Captain Luke, Big Ron Hunter, Shelton Powe - Capitol Blues Night, D.C. 3/29 - Ironing Board Sam - Art with a Heart, Washington D.C. 4/13 - SOOTS 6th Annual Blues Review featuring John Dee Holeman, Tad Walters, & Justin Robinson & the Mary Annettes 4/14 - Big Ron Hunter - North Dakota Museum of Art 4/27 - Guitar Lightnin' Lee, Leyla McCalla - New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival 4/28 - Carolina Chocolate Drops - New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival 4/29 - Ironing Board Sam - New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival Music Maker Relief Foundation, Inc. helps the true pioneers and forgotten heroes of Southern music gain recognition and meet their day to day needs. We present these musical traditions to the world so American culture will flourish and be preserved for future generations.

MUSIC MAKER RELEASES SHELTON POWE'S CAROLINA BLUES AND GOSPEL

HILLSBOROUGH, N.C. - Music Maker Relief Foundation is excited to announce the release of Shelton Powe's first album, Carolina Blues and Gospel. The 14 tracks on Carolina Blues and Gospel are a blend of fresh and traditional, combining intricate melodies with a feel of spontaneity. The album will be available March 13, 2012, on iTunes and through the Music Maker online store.



Born in 1957 in Charlotte, N.C., Powe grew up on the tent revival circuit, surrounded by a family of Gospel musicians. Early on, he absorbed the influence of legends on the Atlanta blues scene including Cora Mae Bryant, Neal Pattman, Cootie Stark and Frank Edward, collecting a wide range of lyrics and melodies along the way.



Listen to "Diving Duck Blues" from the ablum here: http://www.musicmaker.org/jukebox/2055



Powe, a self-taught musician who now plays the Piedmont finger-style guitar, calls his music "old style country picking." He has had the opportunity to play on several Atlanta radio shows and at various festivals and events in the Southeast, and recently recorded a Blues documentary with Jim Ransome and Music Maker president Tim Duffy.



Tim Duffy said of Powe, "Shelton Powe carries on the tradition of Carolina Blues and Gospel with deep authenticity. His style and delivery are all his own, as he woos audiences with nuances and intricacies that recall Curley Weaver. "



Powe joined the MMRF family in 1997, which has enabled him to perform at a number of venues and festivals throughout North Carolina, including the Eddy Pub, St. Anne's Chapel and Event Center, the Lincoln Cultural Center, Shakori Hills Grasroots Festival and Warehouse Blues.

Shelton's tour dates:
3/3: Rev's Coffeehouse, High Point, N.C.
3/10: St. Anne's Chapel and Event Center, Tarboro, N.C.
3/27: Capitol Blues Night, Washington D.C.




About Music Maker Relief Foundation:

Music Maker Relief Foundation, Inc. is a tax exempt, public charity under IRS code 501(c)3. Music Maker aims to keep our Southern culture vital by directly supporting senior (over 55) American roots musicians in need, expanding their professional careers, and assisting Next Generation artists in the development of their professional careers. Since the organization's founding in 1994, Music Maker has assisted hundreds of musicians who represent the traditions of Blues, Gospel, Old-Time String Band, Jazz and more. Music Maker's programs ensure the talents of these cultural treasures are accessible so that our rich musical heritage can be shared with the world and preserved for future generations.

Morning Train - Shelton Powe

Shelton Powe was born in Charlotte, North Carolina and raised by a family of gifted instrumentalists, singers and dancers. In keeping with family tradition, his mother would give young Shelton gifts of harmonicas and guitars at Christmas with the hopes of awakening a dormant musical aptitude to no avail.

It wasn’t until the deaths of his mother and father in the late 1980s that Shelton became reacquainted with the rhythms and melodies of the old songs his parents used to sing. Picking up the guitar as a tribute to his deceased mother, Shelton set out to learn old-time blues and gospel the way he remembered it from his childhood. Living in Georgia, he immersed himself in the blues scene of Atlanta and soon found what he was looking for. Listening to him sing and play in the Piedmont finger-style guitar tradition of his parents and elders, you find yourself back at the wellspring of the Carolina Blues tradition. His honest delivery is captivating.
A self-taught musician playing the "old style country picking” as he calls it, he has been privileged to play at various venues including Georgia Tech’s WREK’s “Friday Night Fish Fry”, WRFG’s “Good Morning Blues” as well as “Old Time Gospel” and 1280 AM Atlanta. He was also invited to perform at the Charlotte Folk Society. Shelton’s success does not end here though; he recently recorded a Blues documentary with both Tim Duffy of Music Maker and Jim Ransome. He has made several appearances at Hungry Ear Coffeehouse events and attended many “Giving It Back” festivals created by Mudcat. He has also played alongside Carlos “Breeze” Kings, Ross Pead, “Slim Fatz” Eddie Tigner, Mudcat, Bill Sheffield, “Little Brother” and Cora Mae Bryant.
The following were performing partners and friends of Shelton’s who have passed on to Blues heaven: Frank Edwards, Cootie Stark, Neal Pattman, and Sean Costello
Shelton currently resides in Charlotte, North Carolina.