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Quint Davis Gives Details of New Orleans Jazzfest 2006: After financial hardships, dislocations, and storm and flood damage to their site, the producers of the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival have announced details of the festival's post-Katrina return over two weekends in late April and early May. Contrary to organizers' initial fears in the months after Hurricane Katrina, the festival, known as Jazzfest, will be barely diminished, offering both big-name acts and even more local musicians. At a news conference at the Sheraton New Orleans Hotel, Quint Davis, the Jazzfest producer and director, said the festival this year will take place over six days -- April 28 to 30 and May 5 to 7 -- as opposed to its usual seven. One of the festival's main events will be a performance by Fats Domino, the kingpin of the city's R&B history, who was saved by rescue workers during the storm. Other noted performers include Dave Matthews, Keith Urban, Jimmy Buffett, Paul Simon, Bob Dylan, Allen Toussaint with Elvis Costello, and Yolanda Adams. The festival's core heritage elements - Southern Blues, R&B, Gospel, Cajun music, and Zydeco, brass bands, and Mardi Gras Indian bands - will be represented even more strongly than before, Mr. Davis said. The festival will be held at the Fairgrounds Race Course, in the Mid-City neighborhood of New Orleans, as it has been for 34 years. Even though much of the Mid-City neighborhood survived fairly well through Katrina, Mr. Davis explained, the roof and the ends of the grandstand building at the racetrack were torn off by the storm, and there was a great deal of water damage to the building. Restoring the electrical network to the area inside the racetrack oval alone, he said, cost hundreds of thousands of dollars. Most of the event's food vendors - a big draw for festivalgoers - are returning, despite tremendous hardships to their homes and businesses. And the local musicians themselves, spread all over the country, had to be tracked down by the festival's staff. Those musicians and bands will be back in force in Jazzfest 2006: about 330 of the 360 acts on this year's festival are local, Mr. Davis said, a slightly higher percentage than in past years. The list includes Irma Thomas, Buckwheat Zydeco, Rebirth Brass Band, Snooks Eaglin, Clarence Frogman Henry, Walter "Wolfman" Washington, Irvin Mayfield and the New Orleans Jazz Orchestra, Trombone Shorty, Big Chief Bo Dollis and the Wild Magnolias, Eddie Bo, Soul Rebels Brass Band, D. L. Menard, and others. Before 2005, the festival used almost no national advertising; word-of-mouth was strong enough. But now, to lure visitors back to the state, the festival will have a sizable advertising campaign, thanks to support from the Louisiana Office of Culture, Recreation and Tourism. Mr. Davis said the city would have almost double the usual number of hotel rooms available for this year's festival because of a drop in convention business this spring. Jazzfest is an important moneymaker for the city: about 400,000 people attended the festival last year, and Mr. Davis estimates that the festival generates $200 million to $300 million for New Orleans, second only to Mardi Gras in its local economic impact. (The Mardi Gras parade season this year has been slightly abbreviated with shorter routes.) "The festival is the ultimate musical benefit for a destitute city," Mr. Davis said. Sam Moore's New Rhino Release: Sam & Dave principal Sam Moore has inked a new deal with Rhino, the first release under which will be an in-progress album, Overnight Sensational. Due May 16, the project is not a duets album, but will feature guest appearances from a number of high-profile acts. And while the lineup is still not yet complete, Billboard.com has reported that Sting will be among the artists contributing. Moore will be covering material penned by Paul Carrack, Conway Twitty, Atlantic Records founder Ahmet Ertegun, Diane Warren, Bobby Womack, and Garth Brooks, whose "We Shall Be Free" is confirmed to be part of the Randy Jackson-produced project. Overnight Sensational will be Moore's first contemporary solo album. It follows 2002's Plenty Good Lovin', which was originally intended for release in 1970 but was shelved for more than three decades. Moore was featured last week during the Grammy salute to New Orleans, offering up a version of the late Wilson Pickett's "In the Midnight Hour" backed by such artists as Bruce Springsteen, the Edge, and Elvis Costello. Australian Blues Music Awards Winners Announced: The Chain Awards, Australia's Blues Music Award winners were announced in Goulburn, New South Wales, on February 9. It was a case of the young and the new with industry veteran Dutch Tilders taking home two gongs - Male Vocalist of the Year and Album of the Year and young Sydney-based guitar slinger PJ O'Brien, Song of the Year and New Talent Melbourne-based Blues and Roots record label, Black Market Music, left the award ceremony with wins in five out of the seven categories! The remainder of the festival was a showcase of the high standard of Blues music in Australia. Brian Fraser and his trio picked up Duo or Group of the Year while the Female Vocalist of the Year was taken out by Judi Pearce, from the Canberra band The Business. Producer of the Year went to Sydney's Jeff Cripps, his third win in the category. The awards night also saw performances from Kate Meehan & Skip Landy, The Business, Lloyd Spiegel, and Cripps' band, Mississippi Shakedown. The winners were: Song of the Year: "Beauty Queen" - PJ O'Brien (Black Market Music) Album of the Year: Mine and Some I Adopted - Dutch Tilders (Black Market Music) Female Vocalist of the Year: Judi Pearce "Don't Talk to My Daughter" (Independent) Best New Talent: PJ O'Brien "Beauty Queen" (Black Market Music) Male Vocalist of the Year: Dutch Tilders "Smoking Woman" (Black Market Music) Duo or Group of the Year: Brian Fraser Trio "Thredbo" (Black Market Music) Producer of the Year: Jeff Cripps (A Sharp Recording Studio) Massachusetts Names Taj Mahal State Blues Artist: Henry St. Claire Fredericks, better known to music fans as Taj Mahal, was designated the first "Official Blues Artist of the Commonwealth" by Governor Mitt Romney. The Governor signed a bill, presented by Senator Stephen J. Buoniconti, on February 9 to create this new title. Taj Mahal graduated from UMass Amherst in 1963 with an associate's degree in animal science from the Stockbridge School. During his time on campus his musical persona took shape. According to his website, tajblues.com, he played with a popular UMass party band called The Elektras, before moving to Los Angeles to pursue a career as a performer. "The Blues is a tone that puts me in contact with a lot of things, culturally, spiritually, cosmically," says Taj Mahal. A two-time Grammy winner, Taj Mahal's sound is a combination of many different influences. He combines Folk, Jazz, R&B, Zydeco, and Rock with the rhythms found in Caribbean, African, and Latin music. A self-taught musician, Taj Mahal plays multiple instruments and has performed with the likes of Muddy Waters, Junior Wells, Buddy Guy, Bessie Jones and Hammy Nixon, to name a few. Among his many influential recordings are: Taj Mahal (1967), The Natch'l Blues (1968), and Giant Step/De Old Folks at Home (1969). He won critical acclaim and his first Grammy for Señor Blues (1997). His second Grammy came with the album Shoutin' in Key (2000). Bluesville's Picks To Click: For The Week of February 18, 2006 Artist Album Label 1) John "Juke" Logan The Truth Will Rock You Mocombo Records 2) Slick Ballinger Mississippi Soul Oh Boy Records 3) Mannish Boys Live And In Demand Delta Groove 4) Julian Fauth Songs Of Vice And Sorrow Electro-Fi 5) Matt Schoefield Siftin' Through Ashes Nugene Records 6) Johnny Adams The Great Johnny Adams Blues Record Rounder Records 7) Mac Arnold Nothin' To Prove Plantation Productions 8) Super Chikan Chikan Supe Knockdown South Records 9) Terry Hanck Night Train TVR 10) Otis Rush All Your Love, I Miss Loving Delmark 11) Willie King Jukin' At Betties Freedom Creek 12) Harry Manx Mantras For Madmen Dog My Cat Records 13) Bob Brozman Blues Reflex Ruf Records 14) Larry McCray Live On Interstate 75 Magnolia Records 15) Ian Siegel Meat And Potatoes Nugene Records Above item courtesy of: Bluesville at Exit 74 on the XM Highway Sierra Blues Society's Ninth Birthday Party: The Sierra Blues Society is celebrating their ninth birthday! The Society has announced that the Bluegills will be hosting their Ninth Birthday Party Blues Jam & Goodtimes at Milestone Saloon located at 2968 Hwy. 49 in Cool, California, on Sunday February 19, starting at 1 p.m. and going till about 6 p.m. The Bluegills are a collection of some Central Valley Blues regulars, including guitarist/keyboardist Johnny "Moondog" Lee, guitarist Dave Baldwin, Ralph Sima on bassist and vocals, and drummer John Newby. If you play Blues and have a band, come on down and they will you in on a couple of tunes right after the host band opens up the festivities. But please help out by using the host band's equipment (no complete kit changes). As always, individual artists are encouraged to come out for the jam. You never know who you might end up playing with! So head on down to Milestone Saloon, 2968 Hwy. 49 to Cool, California, on Sunday, February 19. As always, admission is FREE! But donations are gratefully accepted. For further information call the Milestone Saloon at 530/889-1768, or contact the Sierra Blues Society at 530/268-9166 or visit their website at www.sierrabluessociety.org. U.K. Fans Shut Down Online Ticket Agency: A British ticket agency that provoked anger from many music fans has been shut down by the government. Getmetickets.net gained notoriety after customers complained that they paid high prices to get into sold-out shows, but their tickets never showed up. The company appeared to sell more tickets than it could supply its customers on a regular basis. The Department of Trade and Industry wound up the company in the public interest on February 2. Getmetickets.net became the most popular unauthorized ticket resale agency after being investigated by BBC watchdog programs twice, according to the news service. It offered highly sought after tickets to sold-out concerts, festivals, sports events, and theatre shows at severely marked up prices. The BBC reports that prices had risen as high as £1,777 for the Rolling Stones when the site was taken offline. Musicians and fans alike attacked the site after it gained a reputation for only delivering tickets at the last minute or not at all, including Sir Cliff Richard calling it "a terrible rip-off." The Department of Trade and Industry has ordered that the site should distribute tickets that had already been purchased, but if any of the tickets were not legitimate, the company could not make exchanges or refunds for them. The closure comes three months after concert, theatre, and sports promoters in the country called for ticket resale agencies to be made illegal. BigDaddy Benefit For The Lighthouse Mission: Tailgator's Sports Bar and BigDaddy & The Bulldogs will host a benefit for The Lighthouse Mission, at 232 East Main Street in Patchogue, New York, on Saturday February 18 from 8 p.m. to 2 a.m. Non-perishable food items and monetary donations will be accepted, and there will be a raffle with all the proceeds going to the mission. Fourteen years ago the street ministry began by handing out ten bologna and cheese sandwiches to the hungry; today they feed over 1,000 people a week, with poverty on Long Island on the rise. For more info, go to lighthouse. Meanwhile, Karl "BigDaddy" Reamer and his Sizzlin' Saturday Night Open Mic & Jam is a local good-time legend, and the featured band at the benefit will be Killer Joe & The Lido Soul Revue. Have a ball by helping the hungry! Central Iowa Blues Society Winter Bash: The Hotel Fort Des Moines Ballrooms and Chequers Lounge will heat up on February 18 when the Central Iowa Blues Society presents ten acts on five stages plus an After Hours Jam. Wristbands for the event are $10.00 in advance; tickets are available at the Hotel Fort Des Moines and Blues on Grand now. The price will be $12 on February 18th. Participants will include the 2005 Iowa Blues Challenge Solo winner and 2006 International Blues Challenge Finalist Joe Price, Lady Blue featuring Tina Haase-Findlay, Detroit's Blues outfit Johnny Bassett & the Blues Insurgents, Oklahoma's Watermelon Slim & the Workers, and the Quad City's John Resch & the Detroit Blues, winners of the 2001 Iowa Blues Challenge. More acts include Des Moines' Just Bus, Harmonica Red & the New Heard, two-time Kansas City Blues Society Blues Challenge winner Ron Teamer & Smokin' Guns, and Iowa's own 2005 Blues Challenge winner, The Mercury Brothers. The Mercury Brothers also reached the Finals of the 2006 International Blues Challenge. The After Hours Jam kicks off at 1 a.m. with Jonny & the Rectifiers hosting, and food will still be served during the Jam. All musicians are welcome to sign up and join in. The Hotel Fort Des Moines is offering special BluesFest rates for the night. Call (515) 243-1161 or (800) 798-9191 to reserve your rooms. Be sure to mention that you are going to be there for the BluesFest to receive your special rate. For more information call (515) 225-6638, (515) 830-4213 or go to iowablues. Delta Music Experience On The Columbia River: While New Orleans rebuilds, the Delta Music Experience keeps the Big Easy Beat and the image of the Crescent City alive by sharing the sound and the spirit. You can still get aboard DME's Inaugural Pacific Northwest Riverboat Adventure, "NOLA/NW Mardi Gras on the Columbia River," March 18-21 from Portland, Oregon. Plus on March 17 there's a St Patrick's Day celebration at the Embassy Suites. Artists, scholars, and historians on the cruise will include Charles Neville, Ann Rabson, Doyle Bramhall, Chubby Carrier and the Bayou Swamp Band, Troy "Trombone Shorty" Andrews and Orleans Ave, Charmaine Neville, Michael "Hawkeye" Herman, Dick Waterman, Chip Eagle, and other guests. There is much more; for more info go to deltamusic. To book tickets call 253-857-2136 or 504-524-2583. 2006 Blues Music Award Poster: The original artwork for the 2006 Blues Music Awards poster has been completed. The 30 x 40 oil painting by Michael Maness is based on a photo of Li'l Arthur Williams by BluesWax contributing photographer Dusty Scott. Maness has generously donated the painting to The Blues Foundation. It was displayed publicly for the first time January 28 at the 2006 Keeping the Blues Alive Awards. Maness' story is too incredible to summarize here so please visit his site for all the details and to check out his virtual gallery. artbympm.com, dustyblues.com, and vividpix.com. The Iowa Blues Challenge Open For Entries: Each year the combination of three Iowa Blues societies hold the Iowa Blues Challenge to determine who will represent the state at the The Blues Foundations' International Blues Challenge. The Central Iowa Blues Society, the Mississippi Valley Blues Society, and the Lizard Creek Blues Society are now accepting applications for the 2006 Iowa Blues Challenge. Winners will compete for a prize package that totals over $5,000, as well as performance opportunities at local, regional, and international paid gigs, plus The International Blues Challenge in Memphis, Tennessee. The deadline to enter is March 3. Information and applications are available at 515-225-6638 or at www.cibs.org. Above item courtesy of: Central Iowa Blues Society Sierra Blues Society Hosts Charlie Musselwhite: The Sierra Blues Society will be partnering with the PowerHouse Pub on February 26 at 9:00 p.m., bringing to town W.C. Handy Award winner Charlie Musselwhite. Located in historical Old Town Folsom, California, at 614 Sutter Street, the Pub has been brewing up first rate Blues entertainment for several years and it's been about three years since Charlie last played there! Admission for this evening with the legendary Charlie Musselwhite is $20 for general and $10 for Blues society members. For further information call the PowerHouse Pub at 916/355-8586, the Sierra Blues Society at 530/268-9166, or checkout the websites at www.powerhousepub.com or www.sierrabluessociety.org. HART Funds For Blues Musicians: In 2001, the The Blues Foundation established the HART (Handy Artists Relief Trust) Fund to provide an earmarked fund through which The Blues Foundation provides assistance to Blues artists in need. The Foundation has set up this fund to provide relief to blues musicians and their families in financial need due to medical problems. Funds provided from the HART Fund must be dedicated 100% to artist relief efforts. Disbursements began in 2003. Over the years, major support for the HART Fund has come from The Rosebud Agency. Thanks to The Rosebud Agency, a portion of the proceeds from tours by their nominated artists have been donated to The HART Fund. Other contributions have come from members and other donors, as well as specific benefit events. Requests for funding should be made in the form of a request letter (or e-mail), supported by documentation, demonstrating the financial and medical need of the proposed recipient. Donations to or applications for funding should be addressed to: The Blues Foundation 49 Union Avenue Memphis, TN 38103 Blues Music Awards Voting Still Open: The 2006 Blues Music Awards will be held Thursday, May 11, at the Memphis Cook Convention Center in Memphis, Tennessee, and you have a say in who wins! To vote for your favorite go to blues.org. You must be a member of the Blues Foundation to register your vote so if you're not already, join today and submit your vote! Voting ends at 11:59:59 on Tuesday, February 28, don't delay...vote today! Women's Blues Revue News: The Brock Centre for the Arts at Brock University in St. Catherines, Ontario, will present The Women's Blues Revue on Wednesday March 8 at 7:30 p.m. Then on Saturday March 11 The Women's Blues Revue will perform at The Oakville Centre for the Performing Arts in Oakville, Ontario, at 8:00 p.m. So you have two chances to get down and celebrate International Women's Day with some of the hottest female Blues musicians in Canada. Serena Ryder, Rita Chiarelli, Susie Vinnick, Margaret Stowe, Michelle Josef, Sarah McElcheran, Colleen Allen, Carrie Chesnutt, and Lily Sazz will combine their amazing musical talents for a rockin' evening that will be sure to make audiences feel the Blues. The show will be held at Brock University's Sean O'Sullivan Theatre. For more information, check out the Toronto Blues Society's website. Above item courtesy of: Toronto Blues Society International Songwriting Competition People's Choice: The International Songwriting Competition has announced its 2005 finalists. ISC received almost 15,000 entries from 80 countries, and the finalists selected represent 1.4% of the total number of entries. The 2005 ISC will yield a total of 50 winners from 16 musical categories who will share in over $150,000 in cash and merchandise. Judges for the 2005 competition include, apart from executives from Alligator, New West, Concord, Putamayo, and other labels and entertainment groups, musicians such as Tom Waits, Loretta Lynn, LeAnn Rimes, Amy Ray (Indigo Girls) , Sonny Rollins, John Scofield, Charlie Musselwhite, and several more. Among the Blues finalists are Blues Foundation Board member and 2006 Blues Music Award nominee Paul Oscher and recent Handy nominees EG Kight and Tom Horner. The finalists in the Blues category are: "Baby, I Am Your Crime" Richard Coburn Albrightsville, PA "Blackjack" Papa George London, England "Déjà Vu All Over Again" Keith Dunn Rotterdam, Netherlands "I'm Good To Go" Rick Fines Peterborough ON, Canada "Leave It Gone" Mojo Stu (Mitch Goldfarb) Thorndale PA "Missing You" Lene Strøyer Sørensen Værløse, Denmark "Move A Little Faster" Andy Logan Nashville TN "Old Fashioned Guy" Jody C. Getz Cleveland OH "Poor Man Blues" Paul Oscher Santa Monica CA "Someone To Hold" Sam Taylor Islandia NY "Southern Comfort" EG Kight & Tom Horner Dublin GA "Way Down Homeless Blues" Steve Romig Ivanhoe East, VIC, Australia During February members of the public can take part in the 2005 People's Voice - online voting that allows you to hear and vote for your favorite. The winner of the People's Voice is in addition to, and separate from, the regular winners, who are selected by the ISC judges. People's Voice is judged solely by public vote. The Peoples Voice winner will receive over $1,500 in prizes. Visit ISC to listen to the 2005 ISC finalists' songs and cast your vote. You can vote once a day! Winners (including the People's Voice winner) will be announced in March, 2006. Mr Cee Publishes Book About Stevie Ray Vaughan: Cutter Brandenburg was 20 years old when he walked into a bar and saw a 15-year-old, skinny, white boy playing guitar and thought, "This is not your everyday guitar player!" The kid was Stevie Ray Vaughan. They quickly became best friends; anywhere Stevie played, Brandenburg was there to help him along the way with several bands in Dallas and Austin. At first he knew nothing about the music business, learning the ropes by touring the world with bands like Johnny Winter, ZZ Top, Tom Petty, Andy Gibb, Ian Hunter, and others. But he always came back to work with Vaughan. Now, 15 years after Stevie's untimely passing, Brandenburg is publishing a book about his life with Stevie and other unforgettable artists. The book is called You Can't Stop A Comet: My Friends And Buds, We've All Been Somewhere Twice. It is nearly 600 pages and is heavily illustrated with rare photos. The advance purchase price (until March 1) is $50; after publication it will be $60. Advance purchasers will receive a copy autographed with a personal note, a limited-edition CD of 25 bands that played at Brandenburg's Texas Music Hall & Wild West Cantina, and a limited pass for lifetime free access to his upcoming club in Austin, Texas. Shipping is $7; Texas residents add 8.25% sales tax. To order a copy go to MrCeeCutter or send check or money order to Cutter Brandenburg, PO Box 4826, Temple, TX 76505. Tab Benoit's Benefits For The Wetlands: Colorado's Grand County Blues Society will host a benefit for The Voice Of The Wetlands, Tab Benoit's organization to raise awareness of the coastal erosion of Southwest Louisiana. At Smokin' Moes in Winter Park, Colorado, February 28 will be Fat Tuesday with 20% of ticket sales going to VOW. The 2nd Annual Tab Benoit Golf Classic is scheduled for June 30 this year, also to help VOW. And on July 1 the Lousiana Allstars will headline the 4th annual Blues From The Top festival at SolVista in Granby, Colorado. There'll be a VOW Festival in Tab's hometown of Houma, Louisiana on October 1-2. For more info about VOW go to Benoit, click on "news" and scroll down. Bandana Blues News: This week's Bandana Blues with Beardo & Spinner #130, available via a free subscription Podcast, features a butt-load of uber-new Blues from Beardo and a shot of estrogen-laced Blues from Spinner. All playlists are now available at the website and embedded in each show file...another great concept. This week's Big Radio Show, another socially relevant podcast, and a link to the Bandana Blues Blog can be found at BandanaBlues.com We've got the Blues...want some? Guitar Workshop in Toronto: The Toronto Blues Society will be sponsoring a guitar workshop at Healey's in Toronto on Sunday February 26 from 2-6 p.m. The workshop will be hosted by Mr. Rick with Jack de Keyzer, Donna Lynn Day, and Joe Knight accompanied by a rhythm section of Michelle Josef on drums and Joe Burns on bass. Admission is $12 ($10 with TBS card). Healey's is at 178 Bathurst Street and their number is 416-703-5882. Above item courtesy of: Toronto Blues Society Columbus Blues Alliance Traditional Acoustic Festival: The Columbus Blues Alliance's 11th Annual Traditional Acoustic Blues Festival will be held on Saturday, February 25, at the Worthington Radisson Ballroom, 7007 North High Street, Worthington, Ohio. This year the L. Hoster Brewing Co. is a major sponsor, so the beer will be good! The music begins at 4 p.m. and there'll be eight acts on two stages, as well as a hotel bar jam at midnight. Paul Oscher and Slick Ballinger will be there, as well as all the best local talent. More info at Columbus. Columbus Traditional Blues Festival Announced: BluesWax is proud to sponsor the 11th Annual Traditional Blues Festival, presented by the Columbus Blues Alliance on Saturday, February 25. "The Blues Unplugged" will feature eight acts on three stages for ten hours, including 2005 W.C. Handy Blues Award Nominee Paul Oscher, plus Daniel "Slick" Ballinger with Blind Mississippi Morris, and Michael Hill & Colin John, as well as regional artists Mike Lenz, Biersdorff & Kolbe, Ray Fuller, Al Smyth, and Damian Knapp. Teeny Tucker will sing the National Anthem! Music will begin at 4 p.m. and will continue until midnight and there'll be an after-hours blues jam in the hotel bar from midnight until 2 a.m. A Blues Barbecue & Catfish dinner will be available from 5pm to 7pm. Musicians and local merchants will donate items for a silent auction fund-raiser. Visit the Blues Revue Magazine table for a reduced rate on subscriptions. There'll be a Blues photo display and sale from Columbus's premier Blues photographers, JT Lotozo and Eric Popp. The event will be held at the Radisson Hotel Ballroom, 7007 North High Street, Worthington Ohio. For more info and advance ticket sales please go to columbusblues.
