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Real Blues Festival of Orange County Founder Papa J In Concert@House of Blues

Real Blues Festival Of Orange County Founder

Papa J

In Concert@House Of Blues/Anaheim - Thur., February 23

<Hear Papa J Perform Live on KOCI 101.5 FM Sunday, Feb. 19>

(Anaheim, Calif) - Hey Orange County: It's a Real Blues Festival of Orange County "House Party" redux as festival founder/harpist-vocalist Papa J and Friends perform in concert at the House of Blues, 1530 S. Disneyland Dr. in Anaheim, Thursday, February 23 in the Voodoo Lounge. 9 p.m.-1 a.m. No cover. Info: (714) 328-9375 or www.papajandfriends.com.

Papa J performs live and is interviewed on "Dr. Barry's Traveling Blues Show" heard on Orange County's KOCI 101.5 FM this Sunday, February 19 at 1 p.m. Listen in as he talks about this year's Real Blues Festival Of Orange County (tentatively set for Sunday, August 5 at The Muckenthaler Cultural Center in Fullerton and more.

In other breaking news, the longtime performer is nominated in the "Best Americana, Blues or Roots Artist" category for the 2012 Los Angeles Music Awards.

Read recent reviews of Papa J and Friends latest release The Big Show by Southland Blues, Barrelhouse Blues, and BMans Blues Report below.

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PAPA J & FRIENDS RELEASE "THE BIG SHOW" - "As a group we tried to run the gambit of styles and feelings that are what make up the blues," says Papa J about the band's new 10-song disc. Some of the album's tracks in his own words.

"Checkin' Up On My Baby" - "a great Sonny Boy Williamson tune that I thought would be fun to do...it kind of shows how insecure musicians are."

"Dimples" - "a truly simple John Lee Hooker song, that reminds me of all the girls on the road."

"Laundromat Blues" - "Albert King for all you guys that worry if your woman is too clean...so sad, so true."

"Slip Stumble & Fall" - "at sixty-plus years of age I still say this every day: it's so easy to forget what got you here. God Bless the Blues."

"(Papa J's) "Checking Up On My Baby" is one of the best songs I've heard in a long time....the recording is good and the lead vocal is as smooth as can be."

BLUES PARTY CONNECTION

"Coming up on sixty years of age, Papa J still bounces on stage every night with the energy of a guy half his age. A showman by nature and musician by instinct Papa J's stage presence and energy is undeniably huge to anyone who's seen him perform. From his contagious smile to his gut wrenching blues he puts a thousand percent into making every performance mean something special to every person watching and it sure works on me." AMERICAN BLUES NEWS

Watch a live performance of the William Clarke song "Pawnshop Bound" by Papa J, Ray Goren, and Deacon Jones from last May's Real Blues Festival 2 below:

"Jeff "Papa J" Hudson was just one of the highlights of the day-long festival. Watching him and his band perform was simply witnessing musicians with a true passion for the blues. Papa J leaned into the microphone and gave raspy soulful vocals. He threw his hands out to his sides and shook his fingers to the rhythms in each song. Their band delivers the kind of music that enables you to soak up the joys of the South. It's these sounds and rhythms of the blues that make you want to close your eyes, lift your head up, and say "Mmhmm." OC MUSIC MAGAZINE

Bman's Exclusive Interview: Organizing A Blues Festival – Blues Or Bust

With all of the blues festivals and venues going on this season, I thought that I would talk with a number of Festival organizers to determine what makes a festival tick. One of the interviewees is coordinating her first venue so this will show views from upcoming planners to pure veterans.

LeeAnn Gibbons - First time promoter of Portland, Oregon's First Annual Winter Blues Fest

Kyle Deibler - President of the Phoenix Blues Society and organizer of Phoenix's Blues Blast Festival

Michael John - 7th Annual Simi Valley Blues Festival founder/promoter

Papa J - 3rd Annual Organizer/founder of Real Blues Festival of Orange County


Bman: I have been to Blues festivals near both coasts and in cities both north and south. First tell me, where does the seed money come from to support an endeavor like this?

LeeAnn: In my case, we had only 3 months to put this first year festival together, so we could not concentrate on the higher corporations, so we hit people we knew. Some of us owned business, and used those contacts, plus friends who back you up. We did a cold call list given to us from one of the charities, a lot of reluctance to give on your first year……
Been tough and trying to come up with your budget money does not always happen. So you have to calculate other sources in your festival to get your budget.

Kyle: Bman, funding is complicated with the current economy. A lot of state’s like Arizona have cut their arts funding to the bone so we all hope to garner sponsors as best we can. Obviously a beer sponsor is an important one and there are others as well but it’s all about building relationships in some very tough times.


Michael: Seed Money? What’s that? Lol… seriously you really have to start small and build from that. Saturday April 28th 2012 will be our 7th Annual Simi Valley Blues Festival. This event literally started in my back yard as a big party with five regional bands performing. In 2006 we made it official and had our inaugural festival at Oak Park in Simi Valley with a modest crowed of about 300 to 400 people. What’s different about our festival is that it is a non-profit event. Proceeds go to support charitable organizations and our staff are volunteers, other than the performing National Acts, no one is compensated for their time. In addition to working with a service non-profit club “Write4Hope” to help out with the logistics to start the first festival, I had to pull many favors, the bands that performed all donated their time, we had called on several companies to sponsor the festival to obtain cash donations and in-kind such as Fencing, sinks for the food vendors etc.. We charged a modest fee for food vendors and craft vendors who were able to make money and start a buzz about the event. We worked it out with the organization at the time which was selling beer to donated back a percentage of sales. Alcohol is a big money maker.

As we grow so do the sponsors.


Papa J: The first two that I set up were by the seat of my pants and I lost money. But I was determined to keeping it real so I guess it was ok. I also always have a charity attached so that young people hear the blues. We also actively seek sponsors, and it looks like we finally may have a couple of good ones for Real blues Festival 3 this year.

Bman: I notice that some festivals (independent of size and metropolitan area) have more interesting talent than others. I’ve actually been to a 3 day festival in a major coastal city which had some great talent, yet the most interesting artists that I saw were hooked to a generator in the street outside of the venue. How do you set your line up and how do musicians get on your list?

LeeAnn: I take it all into consideration. Here in the NW we have such fabulous talent within our 2 states. Not everyone knows who the bands are, and there is several I still do not know, from street performers to big names. I like to mix it up! The purpose of my festival is to introduce those bands to the community, trying not to hurt the venues in anyway but to help them at all. I first start with a time slot with a pay scale. And ask various acts if they will play for that amount. Being the first year you have a very tight budget. You can wish for the moon, but when it comes around what you can pay some sacrifices have to be made. A lot of musicians, want to get there name out there, and are grateful for the exposure, whether it is a street performer, or a band just starting up. So why not bring in the street performers, and mix it up with the more popular bands. The people from the popular bands come in to listen to their favorites, and end up staying for the not so popular bands. I found even different band members will come for most of the day to check out someone they never heard of. Bottom line it is a win- win situation.




Kyle: Festival talent is all about the mix. The goal every year is to visit a few festivals to see new talent, listen to a wide variety of discs and network with other folks in your genre of choice to generate new ideas. Volunteering at the national level in Blues also exposes me to a number of great bands. We start with a budget and then stir the talent pot to see what comes up.

Michael: When I look at the acts for the lineup, I make sure to try and mix it up as much as possible while still bringing in some of the favorite National and regional artists. This year we went with only five bands because one of the main complaints I’ve heard was that the bands are not playing long enough. My band will open the festival with an hour set then the 2012 IBC Finalist The Delgado Brothers with Sherry Pruitt will perform for an hour. Coming on after the Delgado Brothers is the Legendary Walter Trout for a 75 minute set, there is no question Walter will set the place on fire, I am so excited to have him as part of our festival. Co Headliner Curtis Salgado with his soulful vocals and harmonica will be a sure crowd pleaser. Curtis is currently nominated for a Blues Music award for best Male vocalist for Blues and soul. Closing out the show is crowd favorite Tommy Castro, if you know the blues scene you know Castro, He is currently up for five Blues Music awards including the BB King Entertainer of the year award. This will be a show you will not want to miss. We have three national acts which you would normally pay $25.00 to $30.00 to see just one of them perform. Go to our website and purchase your presale ticket for only $25.00, tickets are $30.00 at the gate. This is a charity event, what better way to spend a Saturday afternoon listening to great music while making a difference in the lives of others. www.simiblues.org You look at this and might think this was a commercial for our festival, you’re right. I think in order to book a festival which will be enjoyed by everyone who attends, you have to mix it up, for example, I had more traditional blues last year and this year we are strong with the more contemporary side of the blues. It is my experience that you have to have passion and love for the music, for me. I live and breath our festival, this is not just an event for me it’s my love and it makes a difference in our community.

Papa J: Being in Calif. it’s a little harder. I tried to really get folks that played the Blues!! K.K. Martin, Alastair Green, maybe names that you don’t hear every day but people that can play. There’s also a great deal of competiton in the festivals market here in Southern California, with no fewer than 5 or 6 taking place each year, all within a three-month period of time. So that has an impact on the bottom line – that being, how many festivals people are willing to come out and spend their time and hard-earned money at.

Bman: Do you have a committee who determines who will be invited?

LeeAnn: Yes we do, with our committee of 10, we knew 164 bands. So we stuck our favorites in a hat and drew them out for the more popular time slots. Funny way of doing it, but it was a start. The single and duo’s made a list and researched them in a public place if playing to get a reaction of the public.

Kyle: As a group we generate a want list and then evaluate every act on cost, talent, contribution to the mix, etc.

Papa J: Me, myself and I, mostly. With help from my publicist, Doug Deutsch.


Michael: Not at this time, I have been the one who selects all the bands.

Bman: Are some artists more or less likely to travel to specific areas? I know some major talents who really don’t tour much and seem to only make the major venues. Do you think that this is due to a limited regional following versus the cost to bring them?

LeeAnn: Funny you mentioned this, some out of town bands are willing to work with you, because they want to get their name out there in your area, while others demand more and will not accept what you have to offer. Those bands forget how they started out, and someday they are not going to be quite as popular and need us smaller venues to give them exposure. There was one band, that we verbally agreed on the contract, but when I got it, was twice as much and accommodations were not good enough. For example they only stayed in La Quinta Hotels, and the Marriott was not good enough…. Scratch that band!

Kyle: Ronnie Earl for example only tours within a limited NE region by choice for health reasons. Life on the road is hard and routed gigs are tougher to come by with so many clubs closing, switching to local talent and cutting back on available days for acts to perform on. Very few clubs schedule Blues seven days a week anymore.

Papa J: I really have not had to deal with that part yet. I have thus far used local (Southern California) talent - and there is a great amount of that out here – for bringing in local blues fans. It’s really about cost. When you have to go through the booking agents its a lot more money. The bands and solo artists that play the Real Blues Festival all get paid pretty decent money each year – something that’s not very common in the SoCal Blues community at the present time.

Michael: This is a very interesting question, I will give you my take on this. Being located in Southern California we are blessed to have a lot of major talent in our own backyard both Regional and National. Let’s face it, the blues scene in Southern California is not in the best shape right now. There are not a lot of venues in which National Acts can come into town so that you can get an opportunity to see them up close. I think for some National acts its a combination of both following and cost, it really depends on the act, when they are touring they need to book multiple shows within the area to be able to cover costs.

Bman: Is there a book or template to putting one of these together or is it a secret diary that is handed down from the mentor to the young organizer?

LeeAnn: If there is, it would be a lot easier! Like “Building a Music Festival for Dummy’s” would be good!

Kyle: A number of organizations have published information helpful to the festival organizer. The Blues Foundation has a lot of festival resource information on their website. There are several conferences you can attend that will give you information and of course, having a senior mentor’s help is invaluable. But there’s no secret diary.


Papa J: I am learning as I write this answer. I just saw that the big “Blues” festivals were booking rock acts and still calling themselves blues festivals. You really have to keep your ear to the ground so to speak, and be aware of who is popular, drawing well, etc. These all factor into the equation of who we decide to book each year.

Michael: Well, I don’t have one but I could just give you a little advise. The old saying “ A little Kindness goes a long way” is very true. Be a people person, surround yourself with good people that are not only into the music but really want to help. Always think of ways of getting the community involved, make your event their fund raiser by giving them a return on tickets they sell. There are many service clubs and organization that are looking for events to get involved in.

Bman: What’s the toughest thing that you have to deal with?

LeeAnn: Budget! If you don’t get the sponsorship, you depend on ticket sales. That is the nerve breaking part. Many sleepless nights on this one.

Kyle: We’ve been blessed to have great artist relationships and very few problems. The hardest thing we’ve had to deal with is a band deciding to un-pack their back line & set it up when they indicated in their rider that they we would use our back line. This caused a serious time delay that we hadn’t planned for and it set the headliner’s start time back, which wasn’t cool. That won’t happen again.

Papa J: To tell you the truth it’s the love of the blues, or I wouldn’t be doing this. I also think that it is important to pass down what little I can to the younger people. There was no Blues at the Grammy Awards – well, at least not that was visible. The act that received the Blues Grammy (Tedeschi-Trucks Band) wasn’t even listed in the L.A. Times with the other winners on the Monday following the Grammys – amazing!

Michael: There is not one set thing; you will run into bumps in the road during planning, day before set up, and the day of. It’s how you handle them. Last year I would have to say it was the weather, we had very strong winds which blew our vendors tents over and our bathrooms. We had people in place to address the issue and came up with a solution, with that and a prayer we started the show a little late but it was still a success.

Bman: How do you get a bellwether on who your audience wants to see?

LeeAnn: You look for that person that has high respect in the area, one that doesn’t get into too much trouble, but is happy and loves what they do!


Kyle: Our audience looks forward to whoever we bring because they know they will see a great show. But we have society members who will e-mail act suggestions and we consider those.

Papa J: Since I use local acts I try to see who can bring there people and go from there. I have used a couple of acts twice because they helped draw. But of course, this whole process is a work in progress!

Michael: By mixing it up keeps everyone happy, the line up I have this year with our National Acts have all won multiple awards for their talents and are nominated this year for Blues Music Awards (BMA). I also receive emails from festival fans with suggestions and ideas which I read every single one of them.

Bman: If money were no object, what would this year’s lineup be and why?

LeeAnn: For my first year, I would not change my lineup! I was very fortunate to have the best around the area, offer to be part of my festival this year. Next year, I would love to bring in a couple more bands out of town.

Kyle: Buddy Guy – his last disc was absolutely brilliant. The Tedeschi-Trucks Band just won the Grammy for Blues. Bettye Lavette is an artist we’ve had who is still fantastic. Kenny Wayne Shephard – amazing guitar and his current disc is killer. And Ruthie Foster – Ruthie with her band is just dynamite.

Papa J: I would still keep the festival small like it is, but it would be cool to have Taj (Mahal), B.B. (King), maybe Bonnie (Raitt),a guy you have probably not heard of, Stoney B, and of course Papa J & Friends.


Michael: Hmm… it would have to be a week long festival, there are just so many great artists out there.

Bman: Is there a goal to make each festival better than the last or to try to make it similar to control unknowns? Is ticket price point a big factor?

LeeAnn: My goal every year will be to bring more people come out and enjoy Music! It is The world of music that makes the world goes around, whether it is hardships, relationships, entrepreneur, and emotions of everyday life. Give back to a charity. It is a great heartwarming to see smiling faces when you put on an event. That strives me to make it better, for all of you, that is my thrill.
The other is listening to what the people want. What can I do, to make their few hours memorable! Yes ticket is a factor, you want it cheap enough so EVERYONE can enjoy no matter what the income is.

Kyle: We just try every year to provide a great day of music to our audience. Ticket Price is a factor in that we want to make it affordable for everyone to attend. We’ve produced enough shows that the unknowns are very few if any.

Papa J: Yes the goal is to have a better experience for everyone. In this economy I try to keep things down so that everyone can enjoy a day without a lot of pay. Trying to keep it not a big festival experience. For us it’s all about the community.

Michael: Yes, ticket price is always a factor. Folks want to come to the festival but by the time they purchase tickets for their family they already have a major investment. With the purchase of food and drink it could get expensive. We have always made it a point to make our festival family friendly by keeping the cost down, this year presale tickets are only $25.00 (that’s $5.00 per band) and $30.00 at the gate. Children 7 and under are free with paying adult and 8–12 only $5.00.

Bman: What’s the single most important thing that my readers can do to help you make your next festival more enjoyable?

LeeAnn: Any feedback of good and bad experiences would be taken in too deep consideration. You can learn with other peoples experiences.

Kyle: Just come out and support our efforts. We work very hard to provide a great event and are known far & wide on the back end for our artist hospitality, etc.

Papa J: Please help keep the blues alive !! Support your local Blues Festivals.
Keep a eye out for the Real Blues Festival of Orange County III coming this August, 2012. We plan on some big surprises with regards to the bands lineup, but we can’t say exactly what they are yet till confirmed!

Michael: Bring low back chairs so that everyone can enjoy the event behind you, this year if you have high back chairs attendees will be direct towards the back and sides to insure everyone has a nice visual of our stage.

Bman: Thanks to each one of you for your time. Good luck with your festivals!

Howard Jones launches new radio series on Absolute 80s

TICKETS ON SALE 10:00 GMT
FRIDAY 2ND DECEMBER 2011

National Credit Card Hotline: 0844 477 2000
Book Online: www.ticketweb.co.uk

Howard Jones will embark on a nationwide UK tour on Wednesday 11th April at the O2 Academy Bristol. This will be the first time that Howard will perform his first two studio albums Human’s Lib and Dream Into Action back to back, live in their entirety, on a full-scale nationwide UK tour.

Human's Lib was first released on March 17th 1984. The album peaked at number 1 in the UK charts and spent 57 weeks in the top 40. The album includes the hit singles What Is Love?, New Song, Pearl In The Shell and Hide & Seek (the song Howard performed at Live Aid).

Dream Into Action followed, featuring the hit singles Like To Get To Know You Well, Things Can Only Get Better, Look Mama, Life In One Day and the US number 1 No One Is To Blame.

Howard will perform both albums in full at every show accompanied by Robbie Bronnimann on keyboards and sequencing and Jonathan Atkinson on electronic percussion. The show combines retro synths with cutting edge technology combined with live visuals.

Tickets for what promises to be an unforgettable tour of ground-breaking, classic electronic pop, will go on sale to the general public on Friday 2nd December at 10am by booking online from www.ticketweb.co.uk or calling the 24 hour ticket hotline 0844 477 2000.

Fans that can’t wait for the general ticket on-sale date on Friday December 2nd will be able to take advantage of a special “Ticket Pre-sale” with Absolute 80’s radio at 10am on Wednesday 30th November via the following web links – www.absolute80s.com and www.absoluteradio.co.uk/tickets.

New radio series “Electronic 80s with Howard Jones” on Absolute 80s Radio

To coincide with the tour announcement, Howard will present an exclusive weekly four-part radio series Electronic 80s with Howard Jones on Absolute Radio 80's. The first show will air at 8pm on Sunday December 4th on Absolute 80s which can be heard on DAB, Freesat, Virgin Media, Sky, via the Absolute 80s smartphone app available for iPhone, Android, Windows Phone 7 and Blackberry as well as the online Radio player at www.absolute80s.com.

The radio show will see Howard playing and talking about his favourite electronic pop songs from the decade including classic singles from the likes of Eurythmics, the Human League and Tears For Fears to name a few.

Click here for further info about the series – www.absolute80s.com.

The tour dovetails the release of a 2-disc live DVD Howard Jones: Human’s Lib & Dream Into Action Live at The indigO2. The DVD was originally filmed on 6th November 2010 at the indigO2 in London where Howard performed his multi-platinum albums Human’s Lib and Dream Into Action live in their entirety for the first time. The DVD, packed with additional interviews and features packaged in a specially designed slipcase and individually autographed and numbered, can be ordered from http://shop.howardjones.com or www.amazon.co.uk

National Credit Card Hotline: 0844 477 2000
Book Online: www.ticketweb.co.uk

Agency & CC Bookings subject to a fee

Wednesday 11th April 2012
O2 Academy Bristol
General Admission: £20.00 Advance, £22.50 on the door
Box Office: 0844 477 2000
Book Online: www.o2academybristol.co.uk
Venue Address: Frogmore Street, Bristol, BS1 5NA

Thursday 12th April 2012
O2 Academy Sheffield
General Admission: £20.00
Box Office: 0844 477 2000
Book Online: www.o2academysheffield.co.uk
Venue Address: 37-43 Arundel Gate, Sheffield, S1 1DE

Friday 13th April 2012
O2 Academy Liverpool
General Admission: £20.00
Box Office: 0844 477 2000
Book Online: www.o2academyliverpool.co.uk
Venue Address: 11-13 Hotham Street, Liverpool, L3 5UF

Saturday 14th April 2012
O2 Academy Birmingham
General Admission: £20.00
Box Office: 0844 477 2000
Book Online: www.o2academybirmingham.co.uk
Venue Address: 16-18 Horsefair, Birmingham, B1 1DB

Tuesday 17th April 2012
O2 Academy Newcastle
General Admission: £20.00
Box Office: 0844 477 2000
Book Online: www.o2academynewcastle.co.uk
Venue Address: Westgate Road, Newcastle Upon Tyne, NE1 1SW

Wednesday 18th April 2012
O2 ABC Glasgow
General Admission: £20.00
Box Office: 0844 477 2000
Book Online: www.o2abcglasgow.co.uk
Venue Address: 330 Sauchiehall St, Glasgow, G2 3JB

Friday 20th April 2012
O2 Academy Bournemouth
General Admission: £20.00
Box Office: 0844 477 2000
Book Online: www.o2academybournemouth.co.uk
Venue Address: 570 Christchurch Road, Boscombe, Bournemouth, BH1 4BH

Saturday 21st April 2012
O2 Shepherds Bush Empire, London
General Admission: £22.50 / £50.00 VIP Package *
Box Office: 0844 477 2000
Book Online: www.o2shepherdsbushempire.co.uk
Venue Address: Shepherd's Bush Green, London, W12 8TT

* VIP tickets for the London O2 Shepherd’s Bush Empire concert includes
a free double CD of the show recorded at indigO2 in 2010 along with
an after show party and souvenir laminate.

HOWARD JONES - BIOGRAPHY

Howard Jones played his 2011 two-album show at the Sandy Amphitheatre in Salt Lake City on 9th July 2011. The promoters were hoping for 1500 ticket sales but it turned out to be a complete sellout with 2,750 tickets sold and 300 turned away. He encored with the Killers’ ‘Human’ as a tribute to Salt Lake’s Brandon Flowers who had apparently been in line for a Howard Jones in-store signing back in the nineties.

On 3rd September, Howard drew the biggest audience of the 2011 season to the Fremont Street Experience in Las Vegas.

It was in 1983 that Howard Jones first burst upon the contemporary music scene with his very English song-writing and pioneering synthesizers.

Anyone who was around in the mid to late eighties will remember those high energy gigs and his first two albums Human’s Lib and Dream into Action. They lived in the higher reaches of the album charts in the UK, USA, Germany, Italy, Sweden, Canada, Australia and many other countries in the 1984-86 period and the hits kept coming ... New Song, What is Love?, Pearl in the Shell, Hide and Seek,(which he performed at Live Aid in 1985), Like to Get to Know You Well, Look Mama, Things Can only Get Better, Everlasting Love and the quintessential No One is To Blame, which reached No.1 in the US.

Now Howard Jones has re-mastered those first two classic albums ‘Human’s Lib’ and ‘Dream into Action’ and played them both live in their entirety for the first time on November 6th 2010 at the IndigO2 in London’s O2 Arena Complex. This two-album show is being repeated throughout 2011 and 2012 at selected venues. The re-mastered albums are available from www.howardjones.com. A special re-mastered box set of the 12” mixes was released in March 2011 and a DVD of the IndigO2 concert will be available soon.

A classically trained pianist, Jones applied his technique to the early synths particularly the Roland Juno 60, the Jupiter 8 and the Moog Prodigy. He also pioneered the classic Roland 808 drum machine and the Sequential Pro-One. In the early days he was triggering sequencers live on stage whilst playing and singing, something that no one had done before.

These days he still operates on the cutting edge of today’s technology and has been one of the leading exponents of the Roland Fantom G8 and the Roland V-piano. Many contemporary giants of the dance world have shown interest in working with Howard which has resulted in tracks such as ‘And do you Feel Scared?’ with Eric Prydz and ‘Into the Dark’ with Ferry Corsten.

Jones continues to tour extensively and will be playing multiple dates and festivals in 2012 with Robbie Bronnimann on live sequencing/sampling and effects using Ableton Live and various controllers, and Jonathan Atkinson on electronic drums.

Always one to take chances, Jones continues to write great songs inspired by his Buddhist beliefs as is evident on his latest studio album ‘Ordinary Heroes’ which features a string quartet on every track and one of the best Welsh male voice choirs in the world The Morriston on the song ‘Soon You’ll Go’.

2012 will mark the return of one of the true eighties icons and godfathers of modern electronic dance music in full electric mode. If you were too young the first time around it’ll be a chance to find out where all those beats and sounds came from, and if you were around it’ll bring all those memories flooding back.

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BLAST OFF - Nobel "Thin Man" Watts

Noble "Thin Man" Watts (February 17, 1926 – August 28, 2004) was an American blues, jump blues and rhythm and blues saxophonist. He primarily played tenor saxophone. Allmusic journalist Bill Dahl considered Watts "one of the most incendiary fire-breathing tenor sax honkers" of the 1950s.
Born in DeLand, Florida, Watts studied violin and trumpet in his youth, later switching to sax. He gained musical training at Florida A&M, where he played in the school's marching band with future saxophonist Cannonball Adderley. Hired to play with The Griffin Brothers after college, Watts began his professional career. During the 1950s, he would work with Lionel Hampton, Dinah Washington, Jerry Lee Lewis, Buddy Holly, Chuck Berry, the Everly Brothers, and others. He also appeared on American Bandstand with Johnny Mathis in 1957, and performed in the house band at a Harlem club owned by boxer Sugar Ray Robinson.

Watts's career would eventually decline by the mid-1960s. He played lounge music in parts of Florida before being "rediscovered" by record producer Bob Greenlee. He made a minor comeback in 1987, and worked for Greenlee's record label.

In 2004 Watts died of a combination of pneumonia and emphysema. He is survived by his wife June and daughter, Natalie Watts Brown.
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In The Middle Of The Night - Jimmie Vaughan & Lou Ann Barton

Lou Ann Barton (born February 17, 1954, Fort Worth, Texas, United States) is an American blues singer based, out of Austin, Texas since the 1970s.
In the early 1970s, she was a member of the Triple Threat Revue, with W. C. Clark and Stevie Ray Vaughan. She was a founding member of Vaughan's band Double Trouble, and did a stint with the jump blues band Roomful of Blues. During that time, in 1975, she joined up with W. C. Clark to form his W. C. Clark Blues Revue.

She recorded the album Old Enough for Asylum Records in 1982, a well-received recording that was co-produced by Jerry Wexler and Glenn Frey. Despite positive reviews, Old Enough did not sell well, and her tenure with Asylum Records was a short one. Barton recorded Forbidden Tones, a pop-oriented EP for Spindletop Records in 1986 that also failed to find a wide audience. Her next release was the 1989 album Read My Lips for the Austin-based Antone's Records, a triumphant return to her blues roots that featured inspired versions of songs made famous by Slim Harpo, Hank Ballard and Wanda Jackson, among others. Barton later collaborated with singers Marcia Ball and Angela Strehli on the release Dreams Come True (1990).

In 1990 Barton made an appearance on Austin City Limits with the W. C. Clark Blues Revue. The show was taped in celebration of Clark's 50th birthday. Other artists included Stevie Ray Vaughan, Jimmie Vaughn, and Kim Wilson of The Fabulous Thunderbirds

In 2001 she again appeared on Austin City Limits, as a guest of Double Trouble.

In 2006 she was a featured act at the Austin City Limits Music Festival.

As of 2011, she is touring with Jimmie Vaughan and the Tilt-a-Whirl Band.
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Another Night To Cry - Lonnie Johnson

Alonzo "Lonnie" Johnson (February 8, 1899 – June 16, 1970) was an American blues and jazz singer/guitarist and songwriter who pioneered the role of jazz guitar and is recognized as the first to play single-string guitar solos.[3] Johnson was not only one of the few black blues musicians invited to be 'guest featured' on a number of jazz recording sessions, he was also one of the only classic 1920's blues artists to have a revived a high-charting career after WWII.
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No Such Thing - J R Fibonacci Hunn

"I could care less what puppet sits on the throne of this empire. The one who controls the money supply controls the empire and I control the money supply!" Mayer Von Rothschild, paraphrased from what he apparently said back in the late 1700s

"Money- like US Dollar paper currency units- represent access to the actual energy to perform work. Oil IS a very concentrated form of the actual energy to perform work. Which do you really think is most important: the actual fuel itself or the paper contract financial instrument promise coupon that is possibly redeemable eventually for the actual fuel itself?" paraphrasing of Richard Heinberg
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Born and Livin' With The Blues - Brownie McGhee

Walter Brown ("Brownie") McGhee (November 30, 1915 - February 16, 1996) was a Piedmont blues singer and guitarist, best known for his collaborations with the harmonica player Sonny Terry
Brownie McGhee was born in Knoxville, Tennessee and grew up in Kingsport, Tennessee. As a child he had polio, which incapacitated his leg. His brother Granville "Sticks" or "Stick" McGhee was nicknamed for pushing young Brownie around in a cart. His father, George McGhee, was a factory worker known around University Avenue for playing guitar and singing. Brownie's uncle made him a guitar from a tin marshmallow box and a piece of board. McGhee spent much of his youth immersed in music, singing with local harmony group the Golden Voices Gospel Quartet and teaching himself to play guitar. A March of Dimes-funded leg operation enabled McGhee to walk.

At age 22, Brownie McGhee became a traveling musician, working in the Rabbit Foot Minstrels and befriending Blind Boy Fuller, whose guitar playing influenced him greatly. After Fuller's death in 1941, J. B. Long of Columbia Records had McGhee adopt his mentor's name, branding him "Blind Boy Fuller No. 2." By that time, McGhee was recording for Columbia's subsidiary Okeh Records in Chicago, but his real success came after he moved to New York in 1942, when he teamed up with Sonny Terry, whom he had known since 1939 when Sonny was Blind Boy Fuller's harmonica player. The pairing was an overnight success; as well as recording, they toured together until around 1980. As a duo, Sonny Terry and Brownie McGhee did most of their work from 1958 until 1980, spending 11 months of each year touring, and recording dozens of albums.

Despite their later fame as "pure" folk artists playing for white audiences, in the 1940s Terry and McGhee also attempted to be successful black recording performers, fronting a jump blues combo with honking saxophone and rolling piano, variously calling themselves "Brownie McGhee and his Jook House Rockers" or "Sonny Terry and his Buckshot Five," often with Champion Jack Dupree and Big Chief Ellis. They also appeared in the original Broadway productions of Finian's Rainbow and Cat on a Hot Tin Roof.

During the blues revival of the 1960s, Terry and McGhee were very popular on the concert and music festival circuits, occasionally adding new material but usually remaining faithful to their roots and their audience. With Sonny Terry, he appeared in the 1979 Steve Martin comedy The Jerk. In 1987, McGhee gave a small but memorable performance as ill-fated blues singer Toots Sweet in the supernatural thriller movie, Angel Heart. He appeared in a 1988 episode of "Family Ties" titled "The Blues Brother" in which he played fictional blues musician Eddie Dupre, as well as a 1989 episode of "Matlock" entitled "The Blues Singer."

Happy Traum, a former guitar student of Brownie's, edited a blues guitar instruction guide and songbook for him. Using a tape recorder, Traum had McGhee instruct and, between lessons, talk about his life and the blues. Guitar Styles of Brownie McGhee was published in New York in 1971. The autobiographical section features Brownie talking about growing up, his musical beginnings, and a history of the early blues period (1930s onward).

One of McGhee's final concert appearances was at the 1995 Chicago Blues Festival.

McGhee died from stomach cancer in February 1996 in Oakland, California at age 80; he missed his planned return trip to Australia.
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Lipstick Wonder Woman - Tyler Bryant

Tyler Bryant lives for music. Passionate about expressing himself and connecting with others through his songs and sounds, Tyler moved to Nashville from Honey Grove, TX when he was 17 to write songs and start a band. He has pushed the musical limits of guitar, vocals, and performance, and has captured the attention of the music scene with his spectacular talent and rare showmanship.

Tyler Bryant is a guitar prodigy who has shared the stage with Aerosmith, Heart, REO Speedwagon, Paul Simon, Jeff Beck, BB King, Pat Benatar, The Arc Angels, Vince Gill and many others. At age 15, Tyler won the Robert Johnson Blues Foundation’s New Generation Award, which recognized him as one of the most promising new artists on the music scene. He has also performed at Eric Clapton’s Crossroads Guitar Festival in Chicago, and was signed by Creative Artists Agency on the spot, after his first showcase in Nashville.

Tyler recalls a musical turning point at age 11, when he walked into a music store in Paris, Texas and heard 63-year old bluesman, Roosevelt Twitty, on guitar. “He was playing a Lightning Hopkins song,” Tyler says. “He was just sitting in the corner of Holly Bond’s Music store, and was singing and playing with such emotion that something translated deeply, and I wanted to understand. I knew I wanted to play. Whenever you hear someone with that much soul, when they really believe what they are playing, it’s so inspiring.”
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Blues for Robert - Krissy Matthews

Krissy Matthews, who is also half Norwegian was born 25th May 1992, and now at the rare age of 16, has already managed to do a lot of things a normal young teenager wouldn’t. Krissy’s father, Keith Matthews first got him up on stage at the age of three, but Krissy got his first electric guitar at the age of eight, and from then on it was an upwards spiral.

The band have performed in 12 different countries including England, Wales, Scotland, Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Holland, Belgium, Germany, France and Switzerland, and Portugal where Krissy performed to 15,000 people alongside Brazilian blues player Nuno Mindelis. Krissy has also performed live on stage with players such as Walter Trout, Jeff Healey and Devon Allman.

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Hoochie Coochie Mancunian

Hoochie Coochie Mancunian playing by the war memorial, Sunday 24th August,2008 - Colne Blues Festival
He stands in Manchester under an umberella and sings!
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Dynamite - Lee Bates & Billy Newton

Billy has a career spanning over 30 years. As a teenager he followed Sonny and Brownie around soaking up the sounds and learning from the master. Billy has lent his formidable harp playing skills to countless bands and duos over the years. Including; The Jellyroll Blues Band, the Acme Blues Band, Acme Blues Duo (with longtime musical partner Neil Dalton)and the hugely popular Scandalous Bachelors. Billy has played with and shared stages with many of the Blues world's finest... William Clarke, Little Charlie and the Nightcats, John Hammond, Steve Rye, Jo Anne Kelly and Steve Phillips to name a few.
Described by some as the "Bastard son of Jim Murray", Lee is one of the Northeast's finest slide guitarists. Playing the music of Son House, Bukka White, Fred McDowell and the like, Lee made his first on stage appearance aged eighteen with the legendary Brian Cookman. Since then Lee has gone on to appear with many of today's Blues greats, such as; Bob Brozman, Kent Du Chaine, Catfish Keith, Woody Mann as well as homegrown talent like; Ray Stubbs, The Hokum Hotshots and Steve Phillips. More recently Lee's signature slide-guitar featured on singer/songwriter Richard Dawson's debut album. From the Delta to Chicago, Ragtime and Shuffles Lee can play it all!
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Law Dog - How Askew

How Askew plays soulful contemporary blues, showcasing a natural guitar-playing talent honed over nearly a quarter of a century. Inspired at an early age by the power of pre-war blues giants like Big Bill Broonzy and Robert Johnson, his obsession with the guitar has seen him develop as a uniquely gifted slide and blues artist with technical and songwriting abilities that move beyond blues through bluegrass and early country music, psychedelic and southern rock, folk and world.

Originally from Workington in Cumbria in the North West of England, How moved to Newcastle upon Tyne to study Zoology and lives there still. He has played live both as a solo acoustic artist and with a band (Mondo) on and off over the last 15 years, building a reputation as a fine singer/songwriter and multi-instrumentalist.

In 2002, after a stint busking around Europe and playing bars and clubs in Florence, Italy, he produced and released a CD of original songs and instrumental music entitled ‘Thinking about changing my ways’. Described as “a wonderful concoction of old style blues, folky strums and some modern beats”, “an acoustic treasure” and “tunefully dark” (The GEN, 54), tracks have been played on folk and blues radio shows in the UK and abroad.
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I Know A Little Blue Bird - ZAC HARMON

Born and raised in the heart of Jackson, Mississippi, Zac Harmon is a true disciple of the music that emanated from the city’s historic Farish Street district, universally recognized as the home of such great blues legends like the late, great Elmore James.

While in high school and college, Harmon gigged as a guitarist for the likes of Z.Z. Hill, Dorothy Moore and Sam Myers. Relocating to L.A. in the early eighties, he worked as a studio musician and then established himself as a writer and producer, crafting songs for the likes of the O’Jays, Whispers, Karyn White, Alexander O'Neal and Black Uhuru.

Composing and performing music for a movie score, Harmon was compelled to pursue his longtime dream to return to his roots and record his first Blues project. The result was 2002’s Live at Babe & Ricky's Inn, an electrifying testimony to Mississippi Blues, which showcased the sound at its best and introduced Harmon as a true torchbearer for the “next generation of the Blues”. In 2004, with his then band, the Mid South Blues Revue, he won the Blues Foundation’s prestigious International Blues Challenge (IBC) title of “Best Unsigned Band".

That release was followed by The Blues According To Zacariah, which garnered major national airplay, including XM, Sirius and the American Blues Network. XM listeners voted Harmon “Best New Blues Artist” in the inaugural XM Nation Awards in 2005. In 2006, Harmon won the Blues Music Award for “Best New Artist Debut” for The Blues According to Zacariah. Later that year, he was featured in Blues Revue magazine, as one of the 10 artists that “…represent the future of the blues”.

2007 saw Harmon named to the Blues Foundation’s Board of Directors and entering into an endorsement deal with Category 5 Amplification. In 2008, he released Shot in the Kill Zone in Europe, recorded live at the Lionel Hampton Room in Paris. He then signed with the Northern Blues label for his third and much-anticipated U.S. album, From the Root that was released April 2009.

Harmon also marked his acting debut in ’09 with a major role in the independent feature film Black and Blue, which is to be released in 2010. Also, in 2009, he was honored for his career achievements in his beloved hometown at the Jackson Music Awards and weeks later in Nashville, the Jus’ Blues Music Foundation bestowed the “Little Milton” Guitar Award for “Outstanding Guitar Player” upon him.

Zac Harmon entertained U.S. troops in Iraq and Kuwait in 2008 as one the stars of Bluzapalooza and while headlining “The Pizza & Pyramid Tour” of Sicily, Italy and Cairo, Egypt in late 2009, Harmon and company made history with a rare performance at site of the Great Pyramid and the Sphinx, making the ensemble only the second Blues act to do so; Louis Armstrong being the first.

More recently, Zac was featured performer for the 2010 “Mississippi Celebrates its GRAMMY® Legacy” celebration, hosted by Mississippi Governor Haley Barbour, where he was presented with a Peavey Award by Peavey Electronics founder and CEO Hartley D. Peavey. The Peavey Award honors the state's many GRAMMY® winners and nominees as well as individuals who have played a significant role in developing and furthering Mississippi's musical heritage.

Zac Harmon continues to tour internationally as an ambassador for the Blues
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MBGY72RK29FM

An Intimate Evening With Suze Lanier-Bramlett" In Concert at M Bar

Multi-talented entertainer Suze Lanier-Bramlett, recently minted with a
"Female Vocalist of the Year" nomination for the 2012 Los Angeles Music
Awards, performs in concert at the fashionable M Bar, 1253 Vine Street,
Hollywood, Saturday, February 18. 8 p.m. $15. Info: (323) 856-0036 or
www.mbaronline.com.

Bramlett's latest CD is "Swamp Cabaret." Here's what the critics are saying:

"Swamp Cabaret is an interesting release and one that many will enjoy.
Favorite tracks are "You Don't Even Know My Name," a piano blues which
blooms into a full speed as it concludes and "If I Should Die Tonight," a
gospel like song which shows off not only Lanier-Bramlett's vocals but the
sax playing of Alfredo Ballesteros, and a great backing chorus. BMAN'S BLUES
REPORT

"I'm going out on a limb and saying that "Swamp Cabaret" will easily be the
most interesting and diversified CD I'll hear by one of the most
interesting and versatile performers I'll hear from. And surprisingly, it's
not all blues. Suze Lanier-Bramlett's "Swamp Cabaret" is exactly that -
swamp and cabaret music with some of everything in between thrown in." MARY
FOR MUSIC

"I just heard Suze's interview. It turned out GREAT!! She's going to be on
a show with 3 other big stars in the music business. Should really be a
very nice show." THE SONGWRITERS WEBCAST

"love Suze! Wow man. Superstar. Awesome Dude. One of my all time favorite
horror movies is "The Hills Have Eyes." Cannot wait to have her on the
show!" BUDDHAMANS INTERNATIONAL EXPERIENCE

Suze Lanier-Bramlett, aka Susan Lanier, is an accomplished American actress
and recording artist. Born as Susan Jean Engledow, she left her native
Dallas, where she had started working both in the theatre and radio as a
teenager, and headed for New York City to attend New York University and to
continue her acting career. After appearing in numerous off Broadway
productions, TV commercials, and indie films, and giving birth to her son,
guitarist, Eric Dylan Thomas, she relocated to Los Angeles. She is best
known for her role in the original horror cult classic, The Hills Have
Eyes. In the 1980's she established herself as a singer-songwriter. Her new
album, "Swamp Cabaret" is influenced by her East Texas, Southern Blues
roots, and is both emotionally moving, as well as, hilarious with her
storytelling and personal perspective on society's ideals today.
Lanier-Bramlett is also no stranger to success on television. Her role as
John Travolta’s girlfriend, Bambi, on Welcome Back Kotter gained her
notoriety. She also starred as Sandi Chandler on the TV series Szysznyk
w/Ned Beatty, and was a series regular on Tony Orlando and Dawn's Rainbow
Hour doing stand-up and comedy sketches with the show's guests.
Lanier-Bramlett was originally cast as Chrissy in the hit sitcom Three’s
Company. She was also on the hit series Sha Na Na, performing sketches with
guest artists such as Chuck Berry, Freddie Prinz, and George Carlin, among
others. Lanier-Bramlett has had a variety of guest starring roles on such
hits shows as Happy Days, Phyllis, Barnaby Jones, Electra Woman and Dyna
Girl, Alice, Police Woman, Eight Is Enough, to name a few. She has also
recurred on the hit soap Days of Our Lives and on the Olsen twin's sitcom,
So Little Time.
She has worked extensively in theater both on and off Broadway. She got her
first big break being cast as Jeannie in the Broadway musical Hair.
Lanier-Bramlett also starred in Night of the Iguana with Richard
Chamberlain at the Ahmanson Theatre, and Last of The Honkie Tonk Angels
alongside Leslie Jordan (The Help). Lanier-Bramlett has also taken her
talent to the big screen. In addition to The Hills Have Eyes, she has
appeared in the films Her Life As a Man, Madame X, and a Man with Two
Lives. She most recently completed work on Area 51, a film directed by
Paranormal Activitiy’s, Oren Peli. Lanier-Bramlett can soon be seen in the
indie films, The House and Cut!.
A talented songwriter, she often collaborated with her late husband,
rock/blues legend, Delaney Bramlett, (co-writer of "Superstar" w/Leon
Russell, "Let It Rain" with Eric Clapton, to name a few). She has
co-written with many other well-known rock/blues artists over the years.
She formed her own roots blues band in the 80's and performed in the Los
Angeles club circuit integrating her music with her stand-up comedy.
Recently, Lanier-Bramlett released her first CD, “Swamp Cabaret”, which
serves as the soundtrack to her one-woman show of the same name that she
performs at various venues.
Lanier-Bramlett has spent plenty of time behind the camera, as well.
Lanier-Bramlett has worked as a producer, a director, and is a well-known
photographer, having had studios in Los Angeles, Dallas, and New York City.
She has photographed for magazines, book and album covers, and other
mediums worldwide. In addition to her accomplishments in nearly every facet
of the entertainment business, she is a passionate leader, supporting peace
and equal rights movements. Suze most recently lent her support to the NoH8
campaign.

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Sony Music in association with Capo Records and Legacy re-issue of Rory Gallagher- Irish Tour - Review

Third in the review of re - issue Rory Gallagher... Irish Tour. This is a recording that should be in every blues rock lovers library. It sounds as fresh as recorded yesterday and easily one of Gallagher's strongest recordings. This album came about as a result of the massive appeal of a concert filmed for television. It soon became apparent that the film deserved a larger audience and was released for the theater. This all came about during incredible turmoil in Belfast and most musicians wouldn't venture there. As this is a live recording, most of the songs have been released in studio form on other releases but never with such vigor! The recording opens with Cradle Rock and a series of pinched harmonics which have become synonymous with this recording. This track was first heard on the Tattoo'd Lady release but in a much more tame form. Rory is blazing with the slide right out of the chute! Next up is a Muddy Waters track, I Wonder Who and again Rory doesn't hold back and has some terrific pinched harmonics as well as the call and response associated with Chicago Blues. This track develops into a full on frontal attack with is guitar... WOW! third is Tattoo'd Lady of course from the Tattoo'd Lady release. This is a straight forward UK style blues rock track ... of course with a healthy share of Rory's excellent guitar technique and feel. Too Much Alcohol, a JB Hutto tune takes on more of a traditional delta feel only on Strat. There's also a real nice key solo in this track by Lou Martini. As The Crow Flies, a Tony Joe White tune is played on a National Resonator and is delivered in a modern but traditional fashion as only Rory could do. I will mention that Rory's harp playing on this track resembles Bob Dylan.
A Million Miles Away, another track from Tattoo'd Lady shows Gallagher's mastery of the guitar in so many ways. It is articulate, soulful and expressive ... just great!
Walk On Hot Coals, a true blues rocker is played with strong conviction and was surely a great centerpiece for the concert with extended instrumentals as only concert recordings have. Who's That Coming opens with Gallagher's trademark slide sound. Gallagher begins the track as a ditty and turns it into a full blown blues rock boogie. Back On My Stompin' Ground begins with a slide melody and the song builds from it. Gallagher again pulls out the stops and lets it fall where it may. Maritime, the final track on the recording is really only an outro sounding like a part of Santo and Johnny's Sleepwalk. Terrific ending to a terrific concert. You won't be disappointed!
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This is a slightly different version of the same tune: