Bman's Blues Report

"We Juke Up in Here" Blues Project Racks Up Acclaim as Filmmakers, Musicians Hit the Road for Screenings and Concerts New Film on Mississippi Juke Joints Enjoys Global Attention ( Clarksdale, MS ) – Since its world premiere in April, the new blues documentary “We Juke Up in Here” has earned rave reviews from audiences and critics alike. In the coming weeks, the film will enjoy an even higher profile as its filmmakers and featured musicians embark on a series of high-profile screenings and public performances in the United States and abroad. “We Juke Up in Here” tells the story of Mississippi’s once-thriving culture of down-home blues clubs known as juke joints. It is available in a deluxe two-disc collection (DVD with CD soundtrack) from www.wejukeupinhere.com and at quality record stores. “We Juke Up in Here” is a joint production of Broke & Hungry Records and Cat Head Delta Blues & Folk Art . In late August, the film’s creators and sev...

This is part 2 of a review of the incredible package that has been put out by Stolle and Konkel who earlier did M for Mississippi and Now We Juke Up In Here documentaries. The cd starts with the title track, We Juke Up In Here , performed by Big "A" and the Allstars . I mentioned during my review of the film that I could sit and listen to it for quite some time. The song has a Stax type sound and it's solid and it real. I love this track. Big "A" Anthony Sherrod commands the crowd with his vocals and music style. (I'm already preparing for something on him!) Rabbit in a Log is preformed by Louis "Gearshifter" Youngblood . This song has more of a rock a billy sound but watch out for that axe (solo) in the middle... woah! You Know I've Tried is performed by Lil' Poochie & Hezekiah Early . Lil' Poochie is a great vocalist and this is a terrific song to demonstrate his skills. Baby (Do Anything For Me) is performed by Terry "Ha...

I have been waiting for this for a long [explicative] time! Once you watch the film that will make a lot more sense. The film opens with just absolutely terrific intro music and the audio is superb and you are thinking.. I don't need no stinking film. Then it begins...Clarksdale, Mississippi and with Roger Stolle and Jeff Konkel dogging around with Red Paden, owner of Red's Lounge . Red is a "real" man and although most of what Red says is unintelligible, the film is captioned for your assistance. A quick tour around Red's place and then a trip out to the former Red's Wine Club, lets just say tin shed and rust. Red tells tales of running his club with huge parties and politics in the back woods towns. He's quite a character. It's funny to watch these guy broach the question of whether Red ever get's any "white folks" out to his place. He's obviously more comfortable answering than they are asking. The first live clip is Big "A...

New Film and Music Project Focuses on Mississippi’s Network of Surviving Juke Joints “We Juke Up in Here” is latest production from the makers of the award-winning 2008 film “M For Mississippi” (CLARKSDALE, MS) – A new film and music project being released this spring will pull back the curtain on Mississippi’s century-long tradition of down-home, quasi-legal blues clubs known as “juke joints.” “We Juke Up in Here: Mississippi’s Juke Joint Culture at the Crossroads” is being released in a deluxe two-disc collection with a DVD featuring the documentary along with exciting bonus features, and a CD soundtrack with music from the film plus additional recordings by the featured artists. A full-color pullout booklet includes insightful essays by the filmmakers along with extraordinary photos of the featured musicians, juke joints and proprietors. The two-disc collection currently is available at www.wejukeupinhere.com and will be rel...

Makers of Award-Winning 2008 Film “M For Mississippi” Return with New Documentary on Mississippi Juke Joints (CLARKSDALE, MS) – The hotly anticipated new blues film, “We Juke Up In Here: Mississippi’s Juke Joint Culture at the Crossroads” , ( www.wejukeupinhere.com ) will have its world premiere on Friday, April 13 at the Delta Cinema at 11 Third Street in Clarksdale, MS . The event is free and open to the public. The inaugural screening is being sponsored by Delta Music Experience ( www.amandagresham.com ). The event takes place as the kick-off to Juke Joint Festival weekend in Clarksdale ( www.jukejointfestival.com ). The film’s premiere kicks off at 5:30 p.m. on Friday, April 13 with a reception and meet-and-greet with the filmmakers in the lobby of the Delta Cinema. The reception will feature refreshments and live music by several artists featured in the film, including Elmo Williams , Hezekiah Early and Robert Lee “Lil’ Poochie” Watson . The film will scre...

(CLARKSDALE, MS)  In 2008, music producers Jeff Konkel and Roger Stolle took viewers on a road trip through the birthplace of the blues in the award-winning film “M For Mississippi.” Now the duo is set to return with a new film exploring what remains of the once-thriving tradition of juke joints in the Mississippi Delta. Filming concluded last week for “We Juke Up In Here: Mississippi’s Juke Joint Culture at the Crossroads.” The DVD/CD set will be released in April 2012 but is available now for pre-order at www.wejukeupinhere.com . “Great blues music can be enjoyed anywhere, whether it’s at a big outdoor festival or an upscale supper club. But we believe the best place to hear it is in a dimly lit juke filled with tough characters, treacherous women and lukewarm beer,” Konkel said. “This film aims to prove our point.” Production for “We Juke Up In Here” began in May and continued through the summer and fall. The project reunites Stolle and Konkel with their “M...