| | | Dear John,
Well, the smoke's cleared, the dust's settled, the bills are paid, and it's on to Blues Blast '17. We think this year's show was one for the books and are in negotiations to present a huge party next year. I'll be able to post some news about performers soon.
We hated to say goodbye to Dave and Terri Saunders after Blues Blast. After five years on the board they decided they needed to spend more time with their grandkids and taking care of business. Both did a great job and promised to be around in case of emergency. Dave said he'd be at the park at 6 a.m. on Blues Blast Saturday, just like always. Thanks guys!
Our pal Dave Riley turns 100 this week and big doin's are planned at the RR this weekend. Dave, Bob and the guys rocked the house at Blues Blast.
Everybody rocked the house at Blues Blast. I still can't quit thinking about it. There were a few things we could have done differently but we live and learn.
Lots of stuff going on all over town so get out and enjoy this magnificent weather while you can. And show your support for the live music scene in the Valley of the Sun.
Have a week!
Sincerely, Jim Crawford
The Phoenix Blues Society |
 Joe B's Top 10
Joe Bonamassa loves the blues. It's the genre that jumped out at him as a child growing up in upstate New York. When his peers were lapping up the latest Van Halen offering, he was diving deep into the vast history of blues music. As he grew older he continued to absorb everything from the Chicago Chess Records era to the British Invasion to the Texas grit pioneered by Stevie Ray Vaughan. Bonamassa never stopped finding new joy in blues' various shades. Along the way, he established himself as one of his generation's most proficient and dazzling live blues guitarists. Yet even now, as the 37-year-old prepares to release his 11th studio album, the sweet-sounding, down-and-dirty Different Shades of Blue, Bonamassa still finds new elements of his musical heroes seeping their way into his own music. "To me, live records are what an artist is all about," he said when he called us up on a recent afternoon to reveal his 10 favorite blues albums, stopping every so often to noodle on his guitar. "It's where it's at." B.B. King, Blues Is King "It's when B.B. was at the lowest point in his career. He'd had a bus accident, got sued for $100,000, maybe more, so he couldn't get his band back. So he had a B3 player that played bass with the pedals and the Hammond, two horns, drums, and him. And it's just on fire. You can hear the sweat and toil in his voice and almost desperation. And it's one of the greatest live blues records ever recorded. B.B. has a tendency to make seminal live recordings." Jeff Beck, Truth "It got me into British blues. And it got a lot of people into British blues before people even knew what British blues was. I mean, Jeff Beck's Truth predates Zeppelin I. They were all trying to outdo each other. And that whole heavy metal, that heavy Les Paul sound was and is still very appealing to me." Free, Tons of Sobs "They were a blues band and were doing amped-up versions of what everyone else was doing in England. But they also had the song called 'All Right Now' and also songs like 'Walk in my Shadows,' 'Be My Friend,' 'The Mover.' Man, it's just a wonderful, wonderful record. They're the most underrated band and such a wonderful group of musicians." Rory Gallagher, Irish Tour 74 "You can see my affinity for live records. I love live records. This is a working-class guy that to me was a seminal Irish-blues album. He was just a working-class guy who looked like he'd just come out of a factory, had a Guinness, and went up onstage. Mostly that's what he did." Ry Cooder, Crossroads Original Soundtrack "His soundtrack work is great. And his records are great. But in particular the Crossroads soundtrack I think is his best work. I went down to the Crossroads in Rosedale, the real Crossroads, not that tourist trap in in Clarksdale. It was really a magical experience for me." The Allman Brothers Band, At Fillmore East "I'm the same way as the Allmans: I take old blues songs and redo them. And the Allmans were masters at that. They were masters at updating the Elmore James catalog and they also were writing some good original stuff. But At the Fillmore East, it really captured them at the height of their power." Albert King, Born Under a Bad Sign "I mean, 'Born Under a Bad Sign' was one of the greatest blues songs ever written. And it was a hit. It was actually more of a soul record than anything else. Albert is one of the kings, man. He's on fire!" Mike Bloomfield and Al Kooper, The Live Adventures of Mike Bloomfield and Al Kooper "Again, it's that live-record thing. They love to jam, they didn't have some A&R guy in the room going, 'Well, these songs have gotta be two minutes and 30 seconds for the radio.' They just jammed out however they wanted. It's some of the best Les Paul guitar sound you're ever gonna find. The singing was marginal: Al was never known for his vocal abilities and neither was Michael. But they were a really, really funky, great band." Freddie King, Burglar "This was during the Shelter Records years. It's all Leon Russell's ringers. It was the same kind of sound you would hear on Mad Dogs and Englishmen from Joe Cocker, which to me is also a seminal record." Chris Whitley, Dirt Floor "He was a one-man band. I opened up for him when he was just by himself. He had a wood block that had a kick drum sample and a dobro. And it was the loudest acoustic concert I'd ever heard. But it was also the most mesmerizing. I'd never seen anybody do that by themselves. It was the most intense 75 minutes I'd ever heard. And then he just walked off the stage like, 'Ah, I'm done.' The forgotten guy of that era who was to me leaps and bounds ahead of the late, great Jeff Buckley was Chris Whitley. He's criminally forgotten."
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| | Moved? Changed email addresses? Please let us know of any changes in your address, email, or phone number so we can keep you informed about the Blues community in Arizona. Email us at: info@phoenixblues.org or write to: Phoenix Blues Society P.O. Box 36874 Phoenix, Arizona 85067 |
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| | | | Out & About Tuesday, March 15 Hans Olson, 7 p.m. EVERY TUESDAY, The Hall, Scottsdale Wednesday, March 16 Sugar Thieves, 7 p.m., MIM, Phoenix Carvin Jones, 7 p.m., Culinary Dropout, Tempe Soulcatcher Duo, 6 p.m., Las Sendas Patio, Mesa Bad News Blues Band, Every Wed., 9:30 p.m., Chicago Bar, Tucson Thursday, March 17 Sugar Thieves, Yucca Tap Room, 10 p.m., Tempe Hans Olson, 6 p.m., Handlebar, Apache Junction Sugar Thieves Duo, 7 p.m., Camelback Inn Resort, Scottsdale Chuck Hall w/Herndon Bros, 7:30 p.m., Handlebar J, Scottsdale Carvin Jones, 8 p.m., Tilted Kilt, Tempe Friday, March 18 Sugar Thieves, 9 p.m., Rhythm Room, Phoenix Rocket 88s, 7:30 p.m., American Italian Club, Phoenix JC & The Juke Rockers, 7 p.m., Handlebar, Apache Junction Hoodoo Casters, 6 p.m., Desert Eagle Brewing Co., Mesa BluZona, 7 p.m., Sundance Park, Buckeye JPowers Band, 9 p.m., Dirty Pelican, Glendale Chuck Hall (acoustic), 6 p.m., Back Alley Bistro, Prescott Carvin Jones, 6 p.m., Hurrcane Grill, Surprise Blues Review Band, 11 a.m., Carefree Pavilion, Carefree Mojo Rats, 9 p.m., Steel Horse, Phoenix Acme Blues Band, 8 p.m., O'Connor's, Phoenix Paris James, 7 p.m., D'Vine Wine, Mesa Saturday, March 19 Dave Riley's Bday Bash, 9 p.m., Rhythm Room, Phoenix Hina Curri w/Dan Rutland, 6 p.m., Decantur Winery, DC Ranch Outback Blues Band, 9 p.m., Maverick, Phoenix Carvin Jones, 9 p.m., All American, Scottsdale Blues Review Band, 11 a.m., Carefree Pavilion, Carefree Blues Review Band, 7 p.m., Community Park, Goodyear Paris James, 7 p.m., D'Vine Wine, Chandler Sunday, March 20 Carvin Jones, 6 p.m., Desert Eagle Brewing Co., Mesa Blues Review Band, 11 a.m., Carefree Pavilion, Carefree Mojo Rats, 1:30 p.m., Hideaway, Cave Creek Two Flavor Blues, NOON, Copper Star, Phoenix Monday, March 21 Carvin Jones (acoustic), 6 p.m., Monastery, Mesa |
| WEEKLY JAMS Sunday Blooze Bar JAM w/Bill Tarsha & Rocket 88s, 6 p.m., Phoenix
Ray Ray & BluZone JAM, 5 p.m., Wild Willy's, Avondale Bourbon Jack's JAM w/Kody Herring, 6 p.m., Chandler
MONDAY Bam Bam & Badness Open JAM, 9 p.m., Char's, Phoenix
TUESDAY
Gypsy's Bluesday Night JAM, 7 p.m. Pho Cao, Tempe Bumpin' Bud's JAM, 7 p.m., Marc's, Glendale
WEDNESDAY Rocket 88s, 7 p.m., Chopper John's, Phoenix Tool Shed JAM Party, 7 p.m., El Dorado, Scottsdale THURSDAY Tool Shed JAM Party, 7 p.m., Steel Horse Saloon, Phoenix Jolie's Place JAM w/Adrenaline, 8 p.m., Chandler Brad's Place JAM, 7 p.m., Ahwatukee (Every other Week) |
| | GOT BLUES?
If you are a Blues musician, a group, or a club that features Blues music, and would like to be listed, please send your info to info@phoenixblues.org and we'll be happy to list your event in our weekly Out & About section of the newsletter
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