Blues News - November 1990

8/7/2019 Blues News - November 1990

http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/blues-news-november-1990 1/8

KANSASCITY

BLUESSOCIETYNOVEMBER 1990

Beale Street - "Mississippi Delta Source"

The Blues might not have been born on Beale Street, butthe blues did a lot of growing up there. The whole worldknows Beale Street in Memphis, Tennessee, as the main

street of the blues. The roster of blues people who have spent

time on Beale reads like an encyclopedia of the blues: Furryr----------, Lewis, Gus Cannon, Memphis Slim,YESTERDAY'S Laughing Charl ie Bruse, Yank Ra-

chel, Memphis Minnie, Sleepy JohnEstes, Roosevelt Sykes, Sonny BoyWilliamson, Booker White, AlbertKing, B.B. King, Bobby BlueBland, and the list goes on and on.

There is a saying around Mem-phis that the Mississippi Delta be-gins in the lobby of the PeabodyHotel, but for oppressed African-Americans trying to escape theonerous life of post-Reconstruction

plantations, Beale Street was a be-By Doyle M. Pace ginning. Blacks migrated in largenumbers from the small towns ofnorthern Mississippi and western

Tennessee. By 1900, blacks accounted for nearly one-half of thepopulation of Memphis. With the ex-field hands and sawmillworkers from the rural Delta came the country blues. Whenblended with the music of the string bands and brass marchingbands that were popular in Memphis in the late 19th century, theresul t was a rich sounding urban blues that brought musicians toBeale Street from allover.

In the mid-twenties, jug bands began to catch on in Memphis.This kind of musical group had been popular in other cities for

CONTINUED ON PAGE 2

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -INSIDE- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Yesterday's Blues 1Review: Joanna Connor 3Blues Notes: The Return of Mattie & Mae 4Record Review 5

Club Profile 6At the Jams 7Blues Lists-Clubs, Radio 8

BLUES NEWS •

1990 Blues Awards

~

e 11th Annual Blues Awards on September 15 at thetoric Peabody Hotel in Memphis, Tenn. was a memo-

able evening full of blues highlights.The Queen of the Blues, Koko Taylor made her Blues Awards

debut in style by picking up her lOth Handy for ContemporaryFemale Blues Artist Other blues stars who brought the audienceto their feet were Robert Jr. Lockwood, Charlie Musselwhite,

Ruth Brown, and classy Charles Brown dressed in a sequinedturquoise tuxedo.Blues great Buddy Guy, who won three Handys, especially

moved many when he dedicated his third Blues Instrumental-ist-Guitar Award to the late Stevie Ray Vaughan.

One blues legend, Albert King, who sat quietly smoking hispipe at a back table was surprisingly unrecognized during theawards.

1990 HANDY AWARD WINNERSBlues Song of the Year - "The Middle Aged Blues Boogie"; Gaye Ad-egbalola-Writer; Saffire-MusicianBlues Single of the Year - "BigLegWoman"/"CadillacBaby";SonnyRodgersandThe CatScratchers, Blue MoonContemporary BluesAlbum of the Year (U.S.)-John Lee Hooker, TheHealer, Chameleon RecordsTraditional Blues Album ofthe Year (U.S. or Foreign)-John Cephasand PhilWig·gins, Guitar Man, FlyingFish'Vintage or Reissue Albumof the Year (U.S.) - MuddyWaters, The Chess Box,ChessContemporary BluesAlbum of the Year (For-eign) - Magic Slim, Chi-cago Blues Session, Vol. 10,Wolf-LabelVintage or Reissue Albumof the Year (Forelgn)-Howlin' Wolf, Memphis Days,Bear Family-LabelContemporary FemaleBlues Artist - KokoTaylorContemporary Male BluesArtist - John Lee HookerTradit ional Female Blues Artist - Queen IdaTraditional Male Blues Artist - Sunnyland SlimBlues Vocalist of the Year - John Lee HookerBlues Instrumentalist of the Year - Guitar: Buddy GuyBlues Instrumentalist - Misc.: Charlie Musselwhite, harpBlues Band of the Year - Buddy Guy and His Chicago Blues BandEntertainer of the Year - Buddy Guy

Blues Entertainer of the Year,Buddy Guy at the Mississippi

Valley Blues Fest, in Davenport,Iowa, 7/90 Photo: Shirley Owens

KEEPING THE BLUES ALIVE AWARDSBlues Sponsor of the Year - Benson & Hedges

Blues Organization of the Year - BritishBluesConnectionBlues Club of the Year- Mort Cooperman, Lone Star Roadhouse, NYBlues Promoter of the Year - Harry Duncan, Slims San FranciscoBlues ManagerlAgent of the Year - Mike Kappus, Rosebud AgencyKeeping the Blues Alive in Education - BillyBranch, ChicagoKeeping the Blues Alive in Public Radio -Blues Stage, Producer Felix HernandezKeeping the Blues Alive in Broadcast - (LifetimeAchievement)Sonny Payne, King Biscui t TimeKeeping the Blues Alive through Preservation -Bob Koester, Delmark LabelKeeping the Blues Alive In Advertising -Nike, Inc., The Bo Diddley CommercialKeeping the Blues Alive in Journalism/Print -Robert Palmer, Collective Works



"YESTERDAY'S BLUES" FROM PAGE 1

several years. Louisville was especially well known for its jugbands, which were really just string bands with a jug being usedin place of a bass fiddle. By the time they were recorded in the20's, the Louisvi lle bands had added trombones, trumpets, andsaxophones. With the addit ion of horns, the resul ting music wasnot much different from Dixieland jazz.

On the other hand, the Memphis jug bands started out as blues

oriented bands that featured the harmonica, kazoo, and, some-times, fiddle, instead of horns. The first jug band in Memphis toget popular was put together by a medicine show performer bythe name of Will Shade, Shade, also called Son Brimmer becausehe was raised by his grandmother Annie Brimmer, was born inMemphis in 1889. He learned his fITStguitar chords from a BealeStreet musician called "Hucklebones." Later, as a teenager,Shade apprenticed himself to a guitar player, Tee Wee Black-man, who taught him to play the blues. Shade started his profes-sional career by playing in the Beale Street joints and frequentlytouring with travelling medicine shows.

Will Shade had gotten the notion to start a jug band fromhearing the recordings of the Dixieland Jug Blowers, and whena spontaneous jam session with a jug blower called "Lionhouse"drew an enthusiastic crowd, Shade 's mind was made up. He soonput together his first group and aptly name it, "The Memphis JugBand." Shade played harmonica, Will Weldon (from KansasCity) played guitar, Ben Ramey was on kazoo, and "Lionhouse"blew the jug. The Memphis Jug Band rapidly caught on and soonhad a big following.

Their fITSt records were made for Ralph Peer of the VictorRecording Company in 1927. These recordings extended thegroup's popularity well beyond Memphis. They toured exten-sively, and, for a while, two groups had to be formed to keep upwith al l their bookings. There was a constant change of person-

The Kansas City Blues News is published monthly by theKansas City Blues Society, Inc. Articles, reviews, band calendardates, and items of interest must be submitted by the 20th of each

month, and become the property of the Society.Founding Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Roger NaberEditor Shirley OwensContributing Writer Carolyn WickerTypesetting/Layout Matt QuinnBoard of Directors and Officers

Chairperson Shirley OwensPresident Roger NaberVice-President .............•....•..... Suzanne ColbertVice-President Patrick FlemingtonSecretary Pam JacksonTreasurer Jon LoweMembership Chairperson Marcie RyanDirector Daisy LujanDirector .....•........................... KennyTaylorDirector . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Provine HatchDirector Scott MackeyDirector Joyce Mourning

The Kansas City Blues Society, a Missouri not-for-profit corpora-tion was formed for the sole purpose of promoting and preservingvarious styles of blues music. Founded in December of 1980, theKansas City Blues Society presents: monthly jam sessions, variouslocal and national groups in concert, and our main presentation -The Kansas Ci ty Blues and Heri tage Festival . Members receive thenewsletter, discounts on SOCiety events and discounts on purchasesat certain participat ing businesses. Annual dues are $10 per personor $15 per family and $50 per Corporate Membership. To join theSociety send your name, address, phone number and dues to:Kansas City Blues Society, P.O. Box 32131, Kansas Ci ty, Missouri64111.

2 • NOV EMBE R 1990

nel, and over the years a great many musicians, including FurryLewis, Jab Jones, and Laughing Charlie Bruse performed withthe Memphis Jug Band. They played a variety of musical styles,including waltzes and dance tunes, minstrel show numbers, andfolksongs, but whatever they did had a bluesy sound. The Mem-phis Jug Band continued to tour and record for several years unti ltheir popularity began to wane during the Depression. Theyfinally disbanded in the late thirties.

The popularity of the Memphis Jug Band resulted in several

other groups starting up, but probably the best of them all wasGus Cannon's Jug Stompers. Gus Cannon's parents were ex-slaves who had become sharecroppers on a plantation near RedBank, Mississippi, when Gus was born in 1883. There were tenboys in the family, all of whom played some kind of instrument .Young Gus did his part on a banjo he made himself from a breadpan and coon hide. Even though he learned to play other instru-ments, Cannon was one of the few blues performers who contin-ued to play the banjo, often using the bott leneck slide techniqueof the Delta guitar players. When he was on the medicine showcircuit, he was billed as "Banjo Joe," a name that stayed withCannon throughout his career.

Gus Cannon worked at a variety of laboring jobs and onlyplayed music part-time unti l he was past 30 years of age. In 1914,

he started working with Dr. W.B. Miller's Medicine Show, andhe stayed with the medicine show circuit for the next six years,touring throughout the South and Midwest with several differentshows. Cannon made Memphis his home base when he wasn'ttouring and soon became a regular member of the Beale Streetblues scene.

The success of the Memphis Jug Band's recordings broughtRalph Peer back toMemphis looking for another jug band. Somesteered him to Gus Cannon. Cannon got together Noah Lewisand Ashley Thomas, musicians he had known and played within Ripley, Tennessee. With Lewis playing harmonica, Thomason guitar, and Cannon blowing the jug and playing the banjo,they recorded four sides for Victor in January of 1928. The groupwas name the Jug Stompers. The syncopated banjo sounds ofcountry dance tunes combined with a strong bluesy harmonicamade the Jug Stompers an immediate hit. Although the groupswas together for two years, their recordings, especially thosemade after guitar and banjo player Hosea Woods joined thegroup, are considered the best jug band cuts ever made.

After the Jug Stompers disbanded in 1930, the members fa_ded_back into obscurity. Gus Cannon continued to live in Memphis,occasionally playing, but mostly making his living outside ofmusic. In the early 1960's, the Rooftop Singers, a pop folk group,recorded "Walk Right In," a rollicking nonsense song composedby Cannon in 1910. The Rooftop Singers' recording reached thetop of the charts and brought a renewed interest in Cannon in hisfinal years.

In 1962,1 interviewed Gus Cannon in Memphis. We talked

about his good fortune from royalty checks and new recordingcontracts. He was pleased but somewhat skeptical of his newfound fame. His part ing words to me were, "I sti ll do yard work."

Sources:1. William Barlow, Looking Up at Down.

Philadelphia: Temple University Press, 1989.2. Samuel Charters, "Gus Cannon - And the Story of

'Walk Right In'," Sing Out, Vol. 13, #2, April-May 1963.3. Margaret McKee and Fred Chisenhall, Beale Black and

Blue. Baton Rouge, La.: Louisiana State Univ. Press, 1981.4. Paul Oliver, The Story of the Blues. Philadelphia: Chilton, 1974.



Caught in the Act: Joanna Connorby Lure Bear

Ifever there was a woman for whom tough is the perfectadjective, it's Joanna Connor. With strong voice and blister-ing guitar, Connor tore it up at Nightmoves on Friday,

October 12. It was Connor's second trip to the Northland's bluescenter in 1990 and theSRO crowd knew

what to expect.They weren't dis-appointed.

From the time shestraps on her Les Pauland the playing starts,it's Connor's stage. Ithas been said herstyle is a combinationof blues, rock, funk,and R & B. In perfor-mance that translatesto beat-driven musicwith popping bass

lines, thick guitars,soulful vocals, and ablues edge sharpenough to cut your-self on.

Connor's band of Joanna Connor Photo by the Bear

Stan Mixon on bass,B.l. Jones on drums and Anthony Palmer on guitar is a first classoutfit that serves as the perfect backdrop to Connor's clear voiceand driving guitar. Gary Riley on alto sax has joined the entou-rage. White is a wailer who fits in well.

Connor was quick to display what an exceptional slide playershe is on a rocking version of "He's Mine." Even if slide wereall she did, Connor would have only a small crowd of equals.This is a major league talent.

The show included some songs from her forthcoming secondalbum as well as an assortment from her strong debut.

One of the highlights of the night came when Connor calledup Little Hatch up to join the band in an uptempo boogie to closeout the first set. Hatch ripped off an outstanding opening solofollowed by Connor's vocal. Hatch followed with more of histrademark down-and-dirty harp work then took a couple of vocalchoruses. That set up Connor's solo. If there remained anyonewho didn't know it by then, this solo cleared two things up: 1)This woman knows her axe, 2) she knows how to boogie. Palmershowed his command of the guitar as well. The difference in histone and styl ing serves as a perfect compliment to Connor's plusboth of these players know how to comp when someone else isdoing the solo honors.

White showed that one of the beauties of the much under-uti-lized alto sax is that, in the right hands, it came be such ascreamer. Mixon and Jones each took their turn before Connor'svocal closed out the piece. A superb li ttle jam at no extra charge.

The Main St. Rhythm Devils opened the show with a goodset. The band's medium tempo tunes, such "She's Into Some-thing," allow pianist lim Beisman, guitarist Steve Andrew andharpist Mark Montgomery to strut out some nice licks. Beismanisparticularly adept at this form. Montgomery sometimes soundsas if he gets paid for the notes he doesn't play, a style especiallyeffective in his slow blues work. Dave Turney, drums and bassistJoe Whitfield provided support throughout. 0

BAR-B-Q'The B's Are Buzzin' At B.B. 'sf"

...Lindsay Shannon, Proprietor

esWhite Bread

orBun

Pit Smo e Bee, Ham or Tur eyRegular-$3.25 • Triple Decker-$4.95

Pit Smoked Sausage-$3.25Ham & Cheese-$3.25Grilled Cheese-$1.95

Grilled Peanut Butter & Jelly-$1.95

IDINNERS IFull Slab, plus two side orders-$13.25Half Slab, plus one side order - $7.95

Rib Tips,plus B.B.'s Batter Fries - $4.95

Pit Smoke ChickenHalf, plus two side orders - $4.25

Quarter - $2.95

Pit Smoked Sausage,plus B.B.'s Batter Fries $4.95

Side Orders

Slaw, Batter Fries, Potato SaladPit Beans - $1.00

Dinner Salad - $1.95 • Cheesecake - $1.95

Coffee-$0.75 • Pop & Ice Tea - $1.00

Bottled Beer - Pabst - $1.50; Bud, Busch,Miller Draft & Ute, Coors &

Sharp non-alcohol - $1.75; Michelob- $2.00Heineken & LaBatis - $2.25

I Full Bar Service I

BLUES NEWS •



insty-prints plus®

"We're Back!""Golly, gee whiz, Mae!""Boy howdy, Mattie!"Yes folks, we're back. So much for two years in a cave! Sure -

a down deep, indepth Blues experiment! Who was this Blues LogicExperimental League anyway? They told us two girls in a cave withnothing but CD's and neon beer signs could find the true meaningof Blues????

Well, we found the true meaning of the Blues and we're back totell you about it because

WE MISS THE PERSONAL CONTACT!!(and that's what we missed the most.. .M & M) We're out, thank

you Blues god, just in time for the King Biscuit Festival and theHandy Awards. (How handy was it? Reeeel Handy ...M & M)

TIME FOR VACATIONThe fishing for Blues stories was excellent and we reeled them

inhook (Thanks, John Lee), line(We heard some reely good ones),and sinker (We wouldn't touch that one with a ten foot pole. ..M &M).

Dressed in bib overal ls AlbertKing chased us down in his golfcart and finally caught us in Helena, Arkansas backstage at the KingBiscuit Fest.

He was wearing his fishing clothes as he confided to us that isgoing to retire in January. "Sure, sure, sure," said Bruce Iglauer,owner of Alligator records when he heard the news. Albert said heplans to spend time fishing and eating soul food cooked by Annie,Robert Jr. Lockwood's wife. (we reely cook, too, Albert. We'rehooked. Hardy har har...M & M).

After Bluesing out with Anson and the Rockets, (Matt McCabewas sporting his new wife on his arm ...M & M), Sam Myers,Pinetop Perkins, Kim Wilson, Duke Robillard, Jimmy Rogers,Levan Helm, John Hammond, James Cotton, old pal LittleMilton and his Little Angels (notus...M & M), Charlie Musselwh-ite and more of our very best friends who just happen to be big bossBlues stars, we hit Helena's hot spots. (We did the crawl - Iiter-ally...M& M).

Jumpin' Johnny in from Nawlins cast his spell on us. We were

in his charge (He didn't know what he was in for...M & M) andheaded for the Holiday Inn-Lounge, that is, where wemet our wildBlues friends (you know who you are...M & M) for cocktails and ahot Blues jam with the Unknown Blues Band. (We weren't un-known in Helena after that night ..M & M).

We left Jumpin' Johnny, who has a new album on Ichabancalled Dr. Feelgood, (We know why itscalled that...M& M) jumpin'like a bass at feeding time and headed for the Club Nouveau whereJames E. "Gone for Good" Morgan had us jivin' like fish out ofwater. (Two reeeigone chicks. We know why James wasn't wearing

a shirt on the fest stage the next day. Do you? It was gone forgood...M& M).

Following the fest the next night, old chum Albert King whiskedus back to Memphis in his 1990white Lincoln Towncar.

TWO KINGS &TWO QUEENS BUM IT ON BEALE ST.

The next day Albert picked us up for the Awards show. Whiledriving down Beale St., he reminisced about his younger days inMemphis with the other king. (We were the queens because we're

from a long Bluesblood line...M & M)."Me and Elvis, before we knew anything, we used to walk up

and down Beale St. eating bologna sandwiches and crackers out ofa sack. All of Beale St. was owned by black businesses," Bluesboy,our pal AI gleamed with his golden smile.

As we turned the corner and arrived atThe Peabody, Albert took his regularparking spot right in front and commented,"I helped build this hotel." (Must have aBlues foundation ...M & M).

We arrived at the star studded Bluesaffair in true Blues M & M form, waitingwith baited breath for the groove scene tocommence.

"Looky there!! Its Little Bobby"Blues in the Night" Porter (The nighttime is always the right time, Bobby, ex- Albert King puck-cept at the Bon Ton Cafe ...M & M). And ers up for M & M.who is that woman with him? It must bethe reee! Linda Lou - the one the song's about. (We know whichsongs are written about us...M & M).

ATTENTIONLittle Bobby Porter's Pyramid Beer Can Building

Seminar has been postponed until next year on our 5thanniversary -location to be announced later. (Pleasecome, take pictures and wear red socks. We'll provide therefreshment ...M & M.)

Kim Wilson's presence at the Handy's was missed,but he and Duke Robillard sent us a Blues fax saying

they were back in Austin recording the Fabulous Thunderbirds'new album. (We missed your sexy ways, Kim ...M & M.)

BONNIE BLUSHES - SHE REEEL YRAITTS

Blues gal, Bonnie Raitt, who accepted John Lee Hooker'sawards, told us she was so happy to be back at the home of the Blues.She confided that Buddy Guy, Mr. 1990Handy Entertainer, Instru-mental ist and Blues Band of the Year, knew things about her pastand she hopes he will never tel l anyone. (After hearing the scoop,we'll never tell either. Could try bribing us though...M & M.)

Win With Great Printing Plus Prizes!Downtown

2006 Broadway(816) ~74-8211

Mldtown/PlazaIWestport3509 Broadway(816) 753-1616

Northtown2012 Swift

(816) 842-7172

4 • NOVEMBER 199 0



Blues Happens at

Z : ~ ~ ~ : ~ : ! l i : : ~ !AII ·€ f I · • .~ ~1~ · : . "~ . :r " .~t - S · ~5110 N.E. V,VlOft Rd. l~..... ,... ~~;.:r..Kansas City, MO . :.. .; ;...,

Join Us Every Saturday (3-7 PM) forLittle Hatch & : The Houserockers Jam

Monday is Import Night • Wednesday is Open Jam Night (l0-2)featuring The 39th St. Blues Band • Bands Play 9:30-1:30

Friday and Saturday Nights

"Coldest Beer Nortlt of tl te River" - Lindsay Shannon

We will tellyou that Albert King used toforce her to get onstageand sing when she was eighteen. Koko Taylor, 10-time Handywinner, before leaving for Chicago, said she was glad to see Bonnieagain, too.

Even with a bomb threat halfway through the show (we didn'tknow we had any enemies ...M & M), we continued on our merryway - party, party, party to the Award Winner's Blues Jam. JeffWeidman ran the show like an old Blues bro pro. For energy he ateM&M's to keep up his strength. (Sugar sweet. M-m-m-m-m ...M &M).

WIGGED OUT WOMENBefore returning to KC, we went looking for Sonny Boy

Williamson's grave near Jackson, Tennessee. Lo and Behold! Wehad flipped our wigs in Memphis (you knew that already, dearreaders ...M & M), so stopped by Jackson's local wig shop fordirections to the grave.

Surprise, surprise!! Behind the counter was big Blues momma,Denise LaSalle, fresh off the road. Wigs and glamour are her parttime love, she confessed, and then happily told us the way.

We got to the grave at dusk and felt the vibes (were we on theNew Madrid fault?? ...M & M) and soon were KC bound ( ...andgagged. It was fun...M & M).

Well, dear readers,no more Blues caveexperiments for us.We're FREE, FREE,our Christmas wish

FREE, but also very ex-pensive. Stay tuned for·

next month's re-port when weprint

so you, fans of

As Sunnyland Slim saysgoing on stage, "Well, we've go togo and feed the hogs."Love and kisses, Mattie and Mae

P.S. Send news, Blues tidbits, out-right gossip, money, airline tickets,records, tapes, CD's, bait, lures,tackle, survival kits, and goodkarma to: Mattie and Mae, KCBlues Society, P.O. Box 3213Kansas City, MO 64111.

Family Style:The Vaughan Brothers

byLM. Smith

This is one of the most anticipated recent releases. Beingthe first recorded collaborat ion of two celebrated brotherguitarists was one very good reason for the anticipation.

Add in the recent untimely death of Stevie Ray and there is notonly anticipation, but also great expectation.

Unfortunately this is not a great album. It is a good one andone well worth having for more than simply historical reasons.

Perhaps the problem is best ex-s,'L 'EU E Splained by the album itself. Thefirst sounds you hear are "just rolland I'll feel something." Thealbum has the sound of somethingthat was put together in the studio;a project put together between realprojects. None of the songs are out-

standing, though none are particularly bad either."Hard to Be," "Long Way from Home," and "Telephone

Song" are typical Stevie Ray tunes. A lot of drive with goodguitar and vocal hooks. However, they also display the fact thateven guitar masters can have an off day.

"White Boots" and "Good Texan" allows Jimmie to displayhis vocal prowess as well as his guitar skills. Jimmie's voice isgood but lacks a real dist inctive quali ty.

The best tunes on the album are the instrumentals. MD/FW"features a good hook and a strong final chorus. "Hillbill ies fromOuterspace" has Jimmie doing some nice steel work whilegetting an organ sound. Stevie Ray's solo starts strong butweakens in the second chorus. "Baboom/Mama Said" is a funk-oriented tune with Stevie Ray turning his best work on the album.Brothers is the typical blues-jam-to-fil l-out-the-album, Withthese two talented guitarists that could have been a great way toclose. But both players suffer breakdowns in the middle of theirsolos, almost coming to a halt .

"Tick- Tock" was the first released single and has been gettingair play on local rock'n'roll stations and a video on MTV. It's aballad extolling the virtues of peace and brotherhood. It 's a nicetune and deserves to be the single, which is another commentaryon the overal l qual ity of the album.

This was a promising idea that didn't quite live up to itspotential. But you can't stop wondering what the VaughanBrothers could have done if they would've had another chance.

ON VINYL

FR ID AY, N OV EMBE R 2* Gary "BB" Coleman *S ATU RDAY, N OV EMBE R 3

39th Street Blues BandFR ID AY, N OV EMBE R 9Dan Doran Band

S ATU RDAY, N OV EMBE R 1 0Abb Locke

FRI. & S AT" N OVE MB ER 1 6& 17Lonnie Ray & The All StarsFRI. & S AT., N OV EMBE R 23& 24

The BendersFR ID AY, N OV EMBE R 3 0* Little Frankie Lee *

Special Guest-Curly "Barefoot" Miller

BLUES NEWS •



English's-New Home of Downtown Blues

Good news to those blues fanatics that live and/or workdowntown. There's a new place at 1101 Walnut called

"English's." Located beneath the========= Mercantile Bank, the "Home of the

Downtown Blues" was where thiswriter found herself on October 19,laid back, listening to the coolsounds of Horace Washington.

by Carolyn Wicker Open for only 12 weeks, Danaand Doug English started booking

--------- live music Thursdays and Fridays.They don't open on Saturdays, but that may change in December.Happy hour is from 4 to 7 pm, then live music from 7 to 11 pmon those two evenings. The small capacity (about 75) gives it areal intimate atmosphere. Cover is only $2.00 with a greatNovember line up. Willie Matthews, Ida McBeth, and LittleHatch are some of the acts scheduled to appear.

"We're going to try a jam Thursdays alternating The DanDoran Band and Blvd. Big Band," says Dana. "So come downto get down." (And don't forget your axe.) To find the place,follow the neon sign, which can be seen right at the corner of

11th Street and Walnut. The escalator will take you down underto this cozy place. Enjoy some of Kansas City's finest whilesipping on your favorite drink. Oh, and bring you appetites. Theyhave a fine menu, too.

CLUB

PROFILES

6 • NOVEMBER 1990

Pore Richard's JamsSpeaking of fine menus, do you wanna get out of town for a

change? Need to visit our state capital (at least for us Kansans)?Pore Richard's in Topeka has joined the ranks of clubs bringingin the blues. This fine establishment has been serving a greatmenu there for years. With a recent death, and a load of financialproblems, they decided toutilize their downstairs lounge and turnit into a blues club. They have had nothing but success.

They started booking bands just this past summer. The Dan

Doran Band started them out right. Among some of the otherpeople featured to date are the Blues Notions, Glen Patrik andFriends, and even Little Hatch. An invitation from my buddy"Trashmouth" prompted this wri ter to check the club out again.So, on October 20th, I'm happy to report the place was packed.

The Blues Notions had some visitors to sit in with them.Annetta "Cotton Candy" Washington was in the audience; so inthe second set, she got up and sang a few tunes. She really gotthe crowd down and dirty. The audience liked her so well, shereturned at the begirming of the third set. After Trashmouth gotback up and sang "Early One Morning" with her, Bill Thomasannounced that another friend was there. (Someone in the audi-ence yelled, "too many friends," but is it possible to have "toomany friends?") That's when Glen Patrik poured his heart and

soul into Fenton Robinson's "You Don't Know What Love Is."Pore Richard's is only an hour's drive away. Check out their

ad in the Blues News and drive on out to see some great talenthappening in Kansas' state capital. While you're there, say hi toChas, who manages the place and is responsible for i ts transfor-mation into one of the area's fine blues clubs. 0

7 2 3 0 W . 7 5 th S t . • O v e r la n d P a r(9 1 3) 2 36 -6 211

~ 5 « 1 1 4 4 1 1 - S'~ p.,. r-12 -~fIIId, 7~ ~ ~

N ovem ber B lues C alendar



Blues Deluxe at the G.E.

October 11,1990, found the KCBS jammin' again at theGrand Emporium for our monthly jam session. This jamwas hosted by a band from Minneapolis, Minn. who call

themselves, Blues Deluxe. The base of this band has beentogether for almost six years. During two years before that , theyplayed back up for Muddy Waters' harp player, Mojo Buford.R.J. Mischo (harp, vocals), Jack Taylor (bass), Greg Scuck

(drums), and Dan===========- Schwalbe (guitar) fromBlues Deluxe put on a greatshow in that first set.

Second set: Time for thejammers! John Paul Drum

by Carolyn Wicker (harp) got up first, After hedid a few tunes, KC's own

----------- legendary Speedy Hugginssang a couple of notes, one of which not heard too often, "RollerBoy" by Joe Turner. George Solly (tenor sax) joined Speedy onstage.

I began to get a little concerned at this point, because not toomany local musicians seemed to show up. (Hey, guys, where

were you?!) Leonard Ladd did, but we didn't have any keys forhim to play. It just so happened, though, that Joanna Connor'sband decided to stop by. They were playing at Nightmoves thefollowing night, and were in the mood to jam. So, Tony Palmer(guitar), Brian Jones (drums), Stan Mixon (bass), and GaryRiley, Jr. (sax) took over the stage. Riley, by the way to youConnor fans, is a brand new addition. He's only 22 years old andhas been with Joanna one month.

Tom "Trashmouth" Baker followed soon after out surpriseguests. While he was still on stage, Rob Woodworth was asked L :;; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ;; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ;; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ;; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ;; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ;; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ;; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ;; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ;; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ;to play drums. James Harmon joined the audience, but wassaving his voice for the following night. The [mal jammer wasSufferin' Greg Taylor (guitar).

Though the musicians were few, the attendance was quite

good. The crowd kept the dance floor busy throughout theevening. As for Blues Deluxe, next time you're in Minneapolis,catch their jam every Monday night at Whiskey Junction.

Remember: November 8th is the next KCBS jam session withLitt le Hatch hosting. Bring your instruments, vocal chords, etc.and we'll see ya at the jams!

AT THEJAMS ...

GHAN I I_DR l B~...::~ ~ltJ, ~ p~~~ ?~ - 6 til- 1 p,m,

~ .O 'E M B E B S C H E

BLUES BIRTHDAYS

NOVEMBER 2 Mark Wenner (1946)3 Mojo Buford (1929)8 Bonnie Raitt (1949)

Gatemouth Moore (1913)11 Mose Allison (1927)13 John Hammond (1942)14 Carey Bell (1936)15 Anson Funderburgh (1954)16 Hubert Sumlin (1931)19 Chris Cain (1955)21 Mac Rebenack/Dr. John (1941)29 John Mayall (1933)

Keep the Blues Alive ...Support the KC Blues Society

'-

fJ d Ie 'd l- ~ ~ -E f ! e I I ffSat. 4 f6 7 p.•.

3 8 3ZM A I N* 93 ) - ) 9

with theTraffic Jam Blues Hour 4-5 pm

and on Tuesdays & Thursdayswith the Breakfast Club

7:30 - 9:00 am

BLUES NEWS •



Do Not Forward - Address Correction Requested -

Return Postage Guaranteed

KC BLUES JAMS

SUNDA Y JAMS • = JAMS - Bring your instruments• Au d~o rium B ar & G ill, 21 7 W. 14th , 421-8 48 3, fe atu rin g

Rick H end ricks & Th e H ~ & Ru n Ban d• E ip ic ure an L ou ng e & Re sta ura nt, 75 02 Tro os t, 3 33 -8 38 3• Th e Ro xy , 723 0 W. 75 th S tre et, 23 6-6211, fe atu rin g

Th e B lu es N otio ns , 8 :00 p .m . -12:00 p .m . (s ee a dv ert.)• U pto wn -Do wn & Dirty , 6508 Ma rtw ay , Mis sio n,K s 23 6- 53 00, D an Do ra n B an d

MONDA Y JAMS• B la yn ey 's , 415 Wes tp ort Ro ad , 5 61-3 747,10 p .m ., Th e 39th S I. Blu es Ba nd• C a ju n B is tro , 3 421 B ro adwa y, 5 61 -8 775• C ~ Light, 7425 Broadw ay, Blue Monday jam 8 pm - m idn igh t• Th e Fa bu lo us In fe rn o S how L ou ng e, 403 8 Tro os t Av en ue , 93 1-4000, S on ny

K e nn e r's B lu e s B an d• H urric an e,4048 Bro ad wa y, 75 3-08 84, K C B lu es B an d, 10 p m-2 a m

TUESDA Y JAMS• B la yn ey 's , 415 Westp ort Ro ad , 561-3747, Th e 39th SI. B lu es B an d• The Leve e, 43rd & Main , So nn y K en ne r Blu es Ba nd , 8 :30-12:30 p m• Th e P oin t, 917 Wes t 44th , 5 31-98 00, Lo nn ie Ra y Blu es Ba nd ,9 p m • 1:00 a m

WEDNESDA Y JAMS• E th a lo 's , 911DS P a rk e r, 764· 38 8 4• H erb 's , 727 C en tra l Av e, K an sa s C ity , K s, f ea tu rin g B lu es fo r Re nt, 8 ·11 p m

• The Levee , 43rd&Ma in , Th e 123 4 B an d, 8 :3 0- 12:3 0 pm• N ig htm ov es , 5110 N E Viv io n Rd , 45 2·43 93 , Blu e K nig hts , 8 -12 p m

THURSDA Y JAMS• Th e Tu ba , 3 33 S ou th we st B lv d a t Bro ad wa y, 471-6510, Mo P au l, 7:3 0 p m

SA TURDA Y JAMS• G ran d Em po riu m(see advert.),3832 Mai n, 5 31· 7557,

G ilb e rt 's S at urd a y B lu e s P a rty, 4· 7 pm• H arlin gs U ps ta irs , 3 941M ain , 53 1-03 03 , Dia na Ra y & Ric h Va n S an t, 2·6 p .m .• H & M Barbecue , 1715 N. 13th, K ansas C ~, K s, Abb Locke , 10 pm• MC 's L ou ng e, 5 709 Tro os t, 3 63 ·93 76, S atu rd ay & S un da y,

K in g Ale x a nd Th e U nto uc ha ble s, 4:00 ·8 :00 p .m .• N ig htm ov es , Little H atc h& th e H o us ero ck ers , 3 ·7 p .m .

OTHER CLUBS

o Bird land , 1600 E. 19th , 842-8463o Th e Bo ule v ar d B ea t, 3 20 S o ut hw e st B lv d ., 421 ·7207o Ch at ea u L ou n ge , 5 93 4 P ro sp e ct , 5 23 ·93 33o Eblon 's , 1601 E.18thStreet,221-6612o Engli sh' s , 1101 Wafnu t,221-8870o G ra n d Empo rium ,Frid a ys -L i11le H a tc h's H o us ep a rt y, 6- 8p .m .o J immy 's J ig g er 1 823 W. 3 9t h S t, 75 3· 2444o K ik i's B o nt on Mais o n, 1 51 5 We st po rt Ro a d, 93 1· 941 7o Qua ff Bu ff et& Sa loon , 1010 B ro adway, 471 ·1918o S a nt e Fe S alo o n, 444 We st po rt R d., 93 1· 13 63o S id e tr ac k s, 1 331 W.4O Highway, 229· 9455o S tr oud s Res ta u ra n t, 4 54 ·9 600, 333· 2132 , f ea tu ri ng Roy Sea rc yo Uptown-Down&Dir ty, 6508 Mar tway, M is s io n , K s . 236· 5300o Vis it or's , 5 541 Me rriam Dr, Merr iam , K s .

K a n s a s C it v B lu e s S o c ie tvec. Box 32131. Kansas City. MO 64111

Sa turda y, 8 to 11 p .m . - 'Blu es in the Nigh t"w ith Kyle Neuer .

Sa turda y, 8 p.m . to 1 a .m . - 'Sa tu rd ay N igh t Fish Fry"w ~h C hu ck H ad do ck

Da ily , 4:00 to 5:00 p .m . - 'Tra ffic J am "Tuesday &Th u rs da y, 7:3 0 t o 9:00 a .m .-

'B re ak fa st C lu b" w ~h Da ve C re ig hto nSunday, 7 to 10 p.m . - 'K ansas C ~ Blues Show "

w ~h U nd sa y S ha nn onMo nd ay ·Frid ay , 1 2 t o 1 p .m . - 'L un ch a t th e Old ie s"Saturda y, 3 to 5 pm - 'Blue s fo r Tw o" w ith J .S. MarshaB lu e s d a il y

BLUES RADIO

Willie MathewsLittle HatchBlvd. Big BandIda McBethTouch of ClassLobsterz

KANU-FM91.5

KCUR- FM 8 9.3

KKA-FM 90.1

KCFX -FM 1 01

KPRS -FM 103 .3KCXL-AMKIDZ-AM1Sl0

1-28-9151623

29-30

BULK RATEU.S. Postage Paid

Permit #3407Kansas City, MO

8 • NOVEMBER 1990

Documents

Blues News - November 1990