Feb 24: Mark Hummel's 30th Annual Blues Harmonica Blowout with Magic Dick, Bob Welsh, John Nemeth, Sugar Ray Norcia, Anson Funderburgh, Bob Stroger, Aki Kumar, and Wes Starr
Tickets: https://secure.thefreight.org/12060/blues-harmonica-blowout-0224
Feb 25: Mark Hummel's 30th Annual Blues Harmonica Blowout with Magic Dick, Bob Welsh, John Nemeth, Sugar Ray Norcia, Anson Funderburgh, Bob Stroger, Aki Kumar, and Wes Starr
Tickets: https://secure.thefreight.org/12060/blues-harmonica-blowout-0225
Mark Hummel's Blues Harmonica Blowout(TM) started on a Sunday night in 1991 at Ashkenaz in Berkeley with four harmonica players - Rick Estrin, Mark, Dave Earl and Doug Jay. Each player performed a twenty to thirty minute set and everyone jammed together with Hummel's Blues Survivors as backup. Over the next five years it grew to become a multi venue event around California and included bigger names like William Clarke, Norton Buffalo and Paul DeLay. By the year 2000 the Blowout was headlining Yoshi's in Oakland as a four night show with Rod Piazza, Kim Wilson, Rick Estrin, James Harman and Billy Branch. These shows were recorded for Mountain Top Records.
Since then it's become a who's who of older and younger players, black, white, male and female, national and international. From icons like Snooky Pryor, Carey Bell, James Cotton, Charlie Musselwhite, John Mayall, John Hammond, Little Sonny, Lazy Lester, Billy Boy Arnold, Sam Myers, Corky Siegel, Magic Dick, Huey Lewis, Lee Oscar, Jerry Portnoy, Howard Levy and Paul Oscher to younger players like Sugar Ray Norcia, Jason Ricci, Son Of Dave, Aki Kumar, Curtis Salgado, Kenny Neal, RJ Mischo, Sugar Blue, Annie Raines, Carlos Del Junco, just to name a few.
The selection of guitarists has also been a stunner including Duke Robillard, Rusty Zinn, Bob Welsh, Little Charlie Baty, Anson Funderburgh, Jr. Watson, Billy Flynn, Steve Freund, Mike Keller and many more.
In 2013 the tribute to Little Walter Blowout was recorded for a CD on Blind Pig Records called Remembering Little Walter. This recording was nominated for a Grammy award and won two Blues Music Awards ( Album of the Year and Best Traditional Blues Recording).
Year after year Mark Hummel's Blues Harmonica Blowout(TM) continues to play festivals nationally and internationally as well as sold out venues coast to coast.
---------
Bluebird Records/RCA Victor was an offshoot label devoted to race records & jazz at an inexpensive price to record buyers. Glenn Miller, Artie Shaw, Rudy Vallee and Ozzie Nelson recorded releases for Bluebird/Victor alongside Tampa Red, Big Joe Williams, Big Bill Broonzy, John Lee "Sonny Boy" Williamson #1, Memphis Slim, Memphis Minnie, Lonnie Johnson, Roosevelt Sykes, Eddie Boyd, Big Maceo, Washboard Sam, Robert Nighthawk, Dr Clayton, Lil Green and Jazz Gillum. These 78 RPM records were distributed all over the U.S., and as a result the younger blues players, like Muddy Waters, Lowell Fulson, Little Walter, BB King, John Lee Hooker and other future icons got to hear their first blues recordings and build a repertoire. Though RCA was a much larger label, the records became eclipsed by smaller labels by late 1940s. Atlantic, Chess, Sun, RPM, King and other independents would rule the 1950s blues world while Bluebird/Victor blues records would fold by 1948. The stars of the 1950s independents would mine the material of the older RCA artists so that standards such as "It Hurts Me Too," "Good Morning Little Schoolgirl," "Worried Life Blues," "Why Don't You Do Right," "Key To The Highway," "Sweet Black Angel (later Sweet Little Angel)," "Love Me With A Feeling," "Don't You Lie To Me," "Early In The Morning," "Driving Wheel," and "Sweet Home Chicago" would never be credited to its originators over the decades since. These RCA artists started blues as a fashionable and classic African American art form and deserve their due.
2014 Grammy winning harp man Charlie Musselwhite, winner of a couple dozen Blues Music Awards, hails from Memphis by way of MIssissippi. Charlie learned firsthand from blues greats in both Memphis and later Chicago in his younger years. Taught by Will Shade, Big Joe Williams, Big Walter Horton, Johnny Young, Little Walter and Muddy Waters, Musselwhite was soon playing all over the Windy City. When Charlie moved to SF in 1968 he became a hippie hit on the national ballroom circuit. In the last 20 years CM has become a major star in the blues-rock world, appearing at the White House for Obama's Memphis Music Tribute, touring/recording w/Ben Harper, Five Blind Boys, Cindi Lauper, INXS, Bonnie Raitt and many more. Mussel's music has been featured in many major Hollywood blockbusters recently as well, BLACKSNAKE MOAN, INTO THE WILD and many others. Charlie's cd with Ben Harper "Get Up" won Charlie his first Grammy after 19 nominations. Musselwhite was also nominated for the award on "Remembering Little Walter."
Million Seller blues guitarist Elvin Bishop made his name in Chicago after getting a scholarship to Univ of Chicago in his late teens. Soon after moving from Tulsa, Elvin met harp man Paul Butterfield in the Southside blues joints they both frequented. They started the Paul Butterfield Blues Band together in 1964 and by 1966 they were recording for Electra Records and touring the U.S. Playing at Monterey Pop Fest, the Fillmore and other hippie ballrooms they became a scene changing band, backing Dylan when he went electric at Newport Folk Fest. By 1969 Elvin moved to SF, CA to start his own band, the Elvin Bishop Group. By the mid 70s Elvin signed with Capricorn Records and his career was rolling along just fine, touring the world and getting FM AirPlay. In 1976 Elvin and band recorded their biggest original hit at # 3 with "Fooled Around and Fell In Love" featuring an unknown Mickey Thomas( Jefferson Starship). Many international tours and TV appearances were to follow. Elvin has continued to tour and record ever since. Bishop's newest is 2014's Alligator release "Can't Even Do Wrong Right."
Billy Boy Arnold is a Chicago native who at 12 yrs old took harp lessons from John Lee "Sonny Boy" Williamson. Billy became a life long disciple the of the older harmonica icon. Arnold met Ellis McDaniel (aka Bo Diddley) as a teen along with teenage guitarist Jody Williams and the three started a band that recorded for Chess Records resulting in "I'm a Man" b/w "Bo Diddley". Arnold claims to have given Ellis his moniker after Leonard Chess wanted to change the name of the tune originally called "Hey Noxema", so Billy suggested the title "Bo Diddley" after a person he'd heard of with that moniker, who Billy thought had a funny, unusual name. After the 78 was released, it was titled "Bo Diddley" by Bo Diddley (instead of Ellis McDaniel). Arnold recorded for Vee Jay a little later under his own name, where he would record classic early R & B sides such as "I Wish You Would", "Rockinitus "," Prisoners Plea", "You Got Me Wrong", "Here's my Picture"and "Kissin at Midnight" featuring Jody Williams, Syl Johnson, Otis Spann & Earl Phillips. Billy's last two solo recordings on ElectroFi were both Tribute cds to two different Bluebird artists"Billy Boy sings Sonny Boy" and "Billy Boy sings Big Bill Broonzy", which both won major critical accolades. Last year Arnold was inducted into the Blues Hall of Fame, was nominated for a Grammy & won two Blues Awards for Blind Pig's "Remembering Little Walter".
Frontman extraordinaire, composer & harp blower Rick Estrin and guitarist Little Charlie Baty started Sacramento's Little Charlie & the Nightcats in mid 1970s, recorded nine albums for Alligator Records over their thirty two years together. They went on to become a major force on the West Coast blues scene, playing major venues & Fests all over the globe. In 2008 Baty retired from the band due to health issues. Estrin kept the band with a name change to Rick Estrin & the Nightcats by hiring Chris Kid Andersen and the band has released three more cds on Alligator including their newest" You Asked For It-LIVE". Rick could have been a stand up comic due to his oddball humor, crazed showmanship but underneath this exterior lurks a true dyed in the wool Bluesman. Muddy Waters said" You playing MY kinda blues, boy!!", back in the early 70s when Willie Dixon brought Rick to try out for the harp chair in Chicago. A mishap lead him to leave town right before Muddy offered the gig but that's how a Nitecat was born!
Baty started playing gigs again over the last few years, playing-recording w/Hummel, Blowouts and the Golden State Lone Star Revue( w/Hummel & Anson Funderburgh). Charlie's interest in jazz and gypsy jazz has taken his blues playing to new heights in recent years- his always "on a high wire" playing is truly one of a kind experience, Baty is considered by most other musicians one of the best of the best. Baty is one of the highlights on both harp & guitar on "Remembering Little Walter"cd. This is a rare opportunity to see these two old friends reunited.
Harp Blowout Producer, Grammy nominee, Blues Award winner, author, harp man Mark Hummel has had a banner year in 2014, after being Grammy nominated for his " Remembering Little Walter" cd he produced and performed on. It also won Best Blues CD & Blues Traditional Blues CD at Blues Music Awards in Memphis in 2014. Mark's book BIG ROAD BLUES:12 Bars on I-80, has been garnering rave reviews all around the U.S. , was nominated for best Independent Book release and his newest cd " The Hustle Is Really On" climbed to # 2 this year and stayed in the top five for four months in the Living Blues Radio Charts. Hummel's newest all star project with Guitar stars Anson Funderburgh and Little Charlie, plus boss rhythm section RW Grigsby & Wes Star was in full swing all summer across the U.S.( they also appear on the new Hummel cd). Hummel has been organizing the Blowouts for 24 years and has had ALL the major blues Harpsters!!
Underground harp legend Steve Guyger rarely gets to the West Coast from his hometown of Philadelphia, so this is truly a cause for celebration. He's bringing his former band mate from Jimmy Roger's band with him, Rich Yescalis( who doubles on guitar & harp). Together these two will make it very difficult to follow them as Rick Estrin remarks,"They'll definitely steal the damn show. Before, I was feeling like if I get ready, I could hold my own pretty good, now (except for Billy Boy) the rest of us might as well hang it up! You won't be sorry you hired these two!"
Both of these deep blues players are all through the Jimmy Rogers biography that just came out, BLUES ALL DAY LONG. Guyger has four solo CDs on Severn Records, has recorded and toured with John Primer, Louisiana Red, Paul Oscher, Dennis Gruendling and has toured worldwide. I'm betting Mark Hummel will have to follow them!
Backing this mini blues fest is the best out there with bass RW Grigsby( Hummel, Golden State/Lone Star),drummer June Core(Musselwhite) & guitarist/piano man Robert Welsh( Elvin Bishop).
show less
Tickets: https://secure.thefreight.org/12060/blues-harmonica-blowout-0224
Feb 25: Mark Hummel's 30th Annual Blues Harmonica Blowout with Magic Dick, Bob Welsh, John Nemeth, Sugar Ray Norcia, Anson Funderburgh, Bob Stroger, Aki Kumar, and Wes Starr
Tickets: https://secure.thefreight.org/12060/blues-harmonica-blowout-0225
Mark Hummel's Blues Harmonica Blowout(TM) started on a Sunday night in 1991 at Ashkenaz in Berkeley with four harmonica players - Rick Estrin, Mark, Dave Earl and Doug Jay. Each player performed a twenty to thirty minute set and everyone jammed together with Hummel's Blues Survivors as backup. Over the next five years it grew to become a multi venue event around California and included bigger names like William Clarke, Norton Buffalo and Paul DeLay. By the year 2000 the Blowout was headlining Yoshi's in Oakland as a four night show with Rod Piazza, Kim Wilson, Rick Estrin, James Harman and Billy Branch. These shows were recorded for Mountain Top Records.
Since then it's become a who's who of older and younger players, black, white, male and female, national and international. From icons like Snooky Pryor, Carey Bell, James Cotton, Charlie Musselwhite, John Mayall, John Hammond, Little Sonny, Lazy Lester, Billy Boy Arnold, Sam Myers, Corky Siegel, Magic Dick, Huey Lewis, Lee Oscar, Jerry Portnoy, Howard Levy and Paul Oscher to younger players like Sugar Ray Norcia, Jason Ricci, Son Of Dave, Aki Kumar, Curtis Salgado, Kenny Neal, RJ Mischo, Sugar Blue, Annie Raines, Carlos Del Junco, just to name a few.
The selection of guitarists has also been a stunner including Duke Robillard, Rusty Zinn, Bob Welsh, Little Charlie Baty, Anson Funderburgh, Jr. Watson, Billy Flynn, Steve Freund, Mike Keller and many more.
In 2013 the tribute to Little Walter Blowout was recorded for a CD on Blind Pig Records called Remembering Little Walter. This recording was nominated for a Grammy award and won two Blues Music Awards ( Album of the Year and Best Traditional Blues Recording).
Year after year Mark Hummel's Blues Harmonica Blowout(TM) continues to play festivals nationally and internationally as well as sold out venues coast to coast.
---------
Bluebird Records/RCA Victor was an offshoot label devoted to race records & jazz at an inexpensive price to record buyers. Glenn Miller, Artie Shaw, Rudy Vallee and Ozzie Nelson recorded releases for Bluebird/Victor alongside Tampa Red, Big Joe Williams, Big Bill Broonzy, John Lee "Sonny Boy" Williamson #1, Memphis Slim, Memphis Minnie, Lonnie Johnson, Roosevelt Sykes, Eddie Boyd, Big Maceo, Washboard Sam, Robert Nighthawk, Dr Clayton, Lil Green and Jazz Gillum. These 78 RPM records were distributed all over the U.S., and as a result the younger blues players, like Muddy Waters, Lowell Fulson, Little Walter, BB King, John Lee Hooker and other future icons got to hear their first blues recordings and build a repertoire. Though RCA was a much larger label, the records became eclipsed by smaller labels by late 1940s. Atlantic, Chess, Sun, RPM, King and other independents would rule the 1950s blues world while Bluebird/Victor blues records would fold by 1948. The stars of the 1950s independents would mine the material of the older RCA artists so that standards such as "It Hurts Me Too," "Good Morning Little Schoolgirl," "Worried Life Blues," "Why Don't You Do Right," "Key To The Highway," "Sweet Black Angel (later Sweet Little Angel)," "Love Me With A Feeling," "Don't You Lie To Me," "Early In The Morning," "Driving Wheel," and "Sweet Home Chicago" would never be credited to its originators over the decades since. These RCA artists started blues as a fashionable and classic African American art form and deserve their due.
2014 Grammy winning harp man Charlie Musselwhite, winner of a couple dozen Blues Music Awards, hails from Memphis by way of MIssissippi. Charlie learned firsthand from blues greats in both Memphis and later Chicago in his younger years. Taught by Will Shade, Big Joe Williams, Big Walter Horton, Johnny Young, Little Walter and Muddy Waters, Musselwhite was soon playing all over the Windy City. When Charlie moved to SF in 1968 he became a hippie hit on the national ballroom circuit. In the last 20 years CM has become a major star in the blues-rock world, appearing at the White House for Obama's Memphis Music Tribute, touring/recording w/Ben Harper, Five Blind Boys, Cindi Lauper, INXS, Bonnie Raitt and many more. Mussel's music has been featured in many major Hollywood blockbusters recently as well, BLACKSNAKE MOAN, INTO THE WILD and many others. Charlie's cd with Ben Harper "Get Up" won Charlie his first Grammy after 19 nominations. Musselwhite was also nominated for the award on "Remembering Little Walter."
Million Seller blues guitarist Elvin Bishop made his name in Chicago after getting a scholarship to Univ of Chicago in his late teens. Soon after moving from Tulsa, Elvin met harp man Paul Butterfield in the Southside blues joints they both frequented. They started the Paul Butterfield Blues Band together in 1964 and by 1966 they were recording for Electra Records and touring the U.S. Playing at Monterey Pop Fest, the Fillmore and other hippie ballrooms they became a scene changing band, backing Dylan when he went electric at Newport Folk Fest. By 1969 Elvin moved to SF, CA to start his own band, the Elvin Bishop Group. By the mid 70s Elvin signed with Capricorn Records and his career was rolling along just fine, touring the world and getting FM AirPlay. In 1976 Elvin and band recorded their biggest original hit at # 3 with "Fooled Around and Fell In Love" featuring an unknown Mickey Thomas( Jefferson Starship). Many international tours and TV appearances were to follow. Elvin has continued to tour and record ever since. Bishop's newest is 2014's Alligator release "Can't Even Do Wrong Right."
Billy Boy Arnold is a Chicago native who at 12 yrs old took harp lessons from John Lee "Sonny Boy" Williamson. Billy became a life long disciple the of the older harmonica icon. Arnold met Ellis McDaniel (aka Bo Diddley) as a teen along with teenage guitarist Jody Williams and the three started a band that recorded for Chess Records resulting in "I'm a Man" b/w "Bo Diddley". Arnold claims to have given Ellis his moniker after Leonard Chess wanted to change the name of the tune originally called "Hey Noxema", so Billy suggested the title "Bo Diddley" after a person he'd heard of with that moniker, who Billy thought had a funny, unusual name. After the 78 was released, it was titled "Bo Diddley" by Bo Diddley (instead of Ellis McDaniel). Arnold recorded for Vee Jay a little later under his own name, where he would record classic early R & B sides such as "I Wish You Would", "Rockinitus "," Prisoners Plea", "You Got Me Wrong", "Here's my Picture"and "Kissin at Midnight" featuring Jody Williams, Syl Johnson, Otis Spann & Earl Phillips. Billy's last two solo recordings on ElectroFi were both Tribute cds to two different Bluebird artists"Billy Boy sings Sonny Boy" and "Billy Boy sings Big Bill Broonzy", which both won major critical accolades. Last year Arnold was inducted into the Blues Hall of Fame, was nominated for a Grammy & won two Blues Awards for Blind Pig's "Remembering Little Walter".
Frontman extraordinaire, composer & harp blower Rick Estrin and guitarist Little Charlie Baty started Sacramento's Little Charlie & the Nightcats in mid 1970s, recorded nine albums for Alligator Records over their thirty two years together. They went on to become a major force on the West Coast blues scene, playing major venues & Fests all over the globe. In 2008 Baty retired from the band due to health issues. Estrin kept the band with a name change to Rick Estrin & the Nightcats by hiring Chris Kid Andersen and the band has released three more cds on Alligator including their newest" You Asked For It-LIVE". Rick could have been a stand up comic due to his oddball humor, crazed showmanship but underneath this exterior lurks a true dyed in the wool Bluesman. Muddy Waters said" You playing MY kinda blues, boy!!", back in the early 70s when Willie Dixon brought Rick to try out for the harp chair in Chicago. A mishap lead him to leave town right before Muddy offered the gig but that's how a Nitecat was born!
Baty started playing gigs again over the last few years, playing-recording w/Hummel, Blowouts and the Golden State Lone Star Revue( w/Hummel & Anson Funderburgh). Charlie's interest in jazz and gypsy jazz has taken his blues playing to new heights in recent years- his always "on a high wire" playing is truly one of a kind experience, Baty is considered by most other musicians one of the best of the best. Baty is one of the highlights on both harp & guitar on "Remembering Little Walter"cd. This is a rare opportunity to see these two old friends reunited.
Harp Blowout Producer, Grammy nominee, Blues Award winner, author, harp man Mark Hummel has had a banner year in 2014, after being Grammy nominated for his " Remembering Little Walter" cd he produced and performed on. It also won Best Blues CD & Blues Traditional Blues CD at Blues Music Awards in Memphis in 2014. Mark's book BIG ROAD BLUES:12 Bars on I-80, has been garnering rave reviews all around the U.S. , was nominated for best Independent Book release and his newest cd " The Hustle Is Really On" climbed to # 2 this year and stayed in the top five for four months in the Living Blues Radio Charts. Hummel's newest all star project with Guitar stars Anson Funderburgh and Little Charlie, plus boss rhythm section RW Grigsby & Wes Star was in full swing all summer across the U.S.( they also appear on the new Hummel cd). Hummel has been organizing the Blowouts for 24 years and has had ALL the major blues Harpsters!!
Underground harp legend Steve Guyger rarely gets to the West Coast from his hometown of Philadelphia, so this is truly a cause for celebration. He's bringing his former band mate from Jimmy Roger's band with him, Rich Yescalis( who doubles on guitar & harp). Together these two will make it very difficult to follow them as Rick Estrin remarks,"They'll definitely steal the damn show. Before, I was feeling like if I get ready, I could hold my own pretty good, now (except for Billy Boy) the rest of us might as well hang it up! You won't be sorry you hired these two!"
Both of these deep blues players are all through the Jimmy Rogers biography that just came out, BLUES ALL DAY LONG. Guyger has four solo CDs on Severn Records, has recorded and toured with John Primer, Louisiana Red, Paul Oscher, Dennis Gruendling and has toured worldwide. I'm betting Mark Hummel will have to follow them!
Backing this mini blues fest is the best out there with bass RW Grigsby( Hummel, Golden State/Lone Star),drummer June Core(Musselwhite) & guitarist/piano man Robert Welsh( Elvin Bishop).
Feb 24: Mark Hummel's 30th Annual Blues Harmonica Blowout with Magic Dick, Bob Welsh, John Nemeth, Sugar Ray Norcia, Anson Funderburgh, Bob Stroger, Aki Kumar, and Wes Starr
Tickets: https://secure.thefreight.org/12060/blues-harmonica-blowout-0224
Feb 25: Mark Hummel's 30th Annual Blues Harmonica Blowout with Magic Dick, Bob Welsh, John Nemeth, Sugar Ray Norcia, Anson Funderburgh, Bob Stroger, Aki Kumar, and Wes Starr
Tickets: https://secure.thefreight.org/12060/blues-harmonica-blowout-0225
Mark Hummel's Blues Harmonica Blowout(TM) started on a Sunday night in 1991 at Ashkenaz in Berkeley with four harmonica players - Rick Estrin, Mark, Dave Earl and Doug Jay. Each player performed a twenty to thirty minute set and everyone jammed together with Hummel's Blues Survivors as backup. Over the next five years it grew to become a multi venue event around California and included bigger names like William Clarke, Norton Buffalo and Paul DeLay. By the year 2000 the Blowout was headlining Yoshi's in Oakland as a four night show with Rod Piazza, Kim Wilson, Rick Estrin, James Harman and Billy Branch. These shows were recorded for Mountain Top Records.
Since then it's become a who's who of older and younger players, black, white, male and female, national and international. From icons like Snooky Pryor, Carey Bell, James Cotton, Charlie Musselwhite, John Mayall, John Hammond, Little Sonny, Lazy Lester, Billy Boy Arnold, Sam Myers, Corky Siegel, Magic Dick, Huey Lewis, Lee Oscar, Jerry Portnoy, Howard Levy and Paul Oscher to younger players like Sugar Ray Norcia, Jason Ricci, Son Of Dave, Aki Kumar, Curtis Salgado, Kenny Neal, RJ Mischo, Sugar Blue, Annie Raines, Carlos Del Junco, just to name a few.
The selection of guitarists has also been a stunner including Duke Robillard, Rusty Zinn, Bob Welsh, Little Charlie Baty, Anson Funderburgh, Jr. Watson, Billy Flynn, Steve Freund, Mike Keller and many more.
In 2013 the tribute to Little Walter Blowout was recorded for a CD on Blind Pig Records called Remembering Little Walter. This recording was nominated for a Grammy award and won two Blues Music Awards ( Album of the Year and Best Traditional Blues Recording).
Year after year Mark Hummel's Blues Harmonica Blowout(TM) continues to play festivals nationally and internationally as well as sold out venues coast to coast.
---------
Bluebird Records/RCA Victor was an offshoot label devoted to race records & jazz at an inexpensive price to record buyers. Glenn Miller, Artie Shaw, Rudy Vallee and Ozzie Nelson recorded releases for Bluebird/Victor alongside Tampa Red, Big Joe Williams, Big Bill Broonzy, John Lee "Sonny Boy" Williamson #1, Memphis Slim, Memphis Minnie, Lonnie Johnson, Roosevelt Sykes, Eddie Boyd, Big Maceo, Washboard Sam, Robert Nighthawk, Dr Clayton, Lil Green and Jazz Gillum. These 78 RPM records were distributed all over the U.S., and as a result the younger blues players, like Muddy Waters, Lowell Fulson, Little Walter, BB King, John Lee Hooker and other future icons got to hear their first blues recordings and build a repertoire. Though RCA was a much larger label, the records became eclipsed by smaller labels by late 1940s. Atlantic, Chess, Sun, RPM, King and other independents would rule the 1950s blues world while Bluebird/Victor blues records would fold by 1948. The stars of the 1950s independents would mine the material of the older RCA artists so that standards such as "It Hurts Me Too," "Good Morning Little Schoolgirl," "Worried Life Blues," "Why Don't You Do Right," "Key To The Highway," "Sweet Black Angel (later Sweet Little Angel)," "Love Me With A Feeling," "Don't You Lie To Me," "Early In The Morning," "Driving Wheel," and "Sweet Home Chicago" would never be credited to its originators over the decades since. These RCA artists started blues as a fashionable and classic African American art form and deserve their due.
2014 Grammy winning harp man Charlie Musselwhite, winner of a couple dozen Blues Music Awards, hails from Memphis by way of MIssissippi. Charlie learned firsthand from blues greats in both Memphis and later Chicago in his younger years. Taught by Will Shade, Big Joe Williams, Big Walter Horton, Johnny Young, Little Walter and Muddy Waters, Musselwhite was soon playing all over the Windy City. When Charlie moved to SF in 1968 he became a hippie hit on the national ballroom circuit. In the last 20 years CM has become a major star in the blues-rock world, appearing at the White House for Obama's Memphis Music Tribute, touring/recording w/Ben Harper, Five Blind Boys, Cindi Lauper, INXS, Bonnie Raitt and many more. Mussel's music has been featured in many major Hollywood blockbusters recently as well, BLACKSNAKE MOAN, INTO THE WILD and many others. Charlie's cd with Ben Harper "Get Up" won Charlie his first Grammy after 19 nominations. Musselwhite was also nominated for the award on "Remembering Little Walter."
Million Seller blues guitarist Elvin Bishop made his name in Chicago after getting a scholarship to Univ of Chicago in his late teens. Soon after moving from Tulsa, Elvin met harp man Paul Butterfield in the Southside blues joints they both frequented. They started the Paul Butterfield Blues Band together in 1964 and by 1966 they were recording for Electra Records and touring the U.S. Playing at Monterey Pop Fest, the Fillmore and other hippie ballrooms they became a scene changing band, backing Dylan when he went electric at Newport Folk Fest. By 1969 Elvin moved to SF, CA to start his own band, the Elvin Bishop Group. By the mid 70s Elvin signed with Capricorn Records and his career was rolling along just fine, touring the world and getting FM AirPlay. In 1976 Elvin and band recorded their biggest original hit at # 3 with "Fooled Around and Fell In Love" featuring an unknown Mickey Thomas( Jefferson Starship). Many international tours and TV appearances were to follow. Elvin has continued to tour and record ever since. Bishop's newest is 2014's Alligator release "Can't Even Do Wrong Right."
Billy Boy Arnold is a Chicago native who at 12 yrs old took harp lessons from John Lee "Sonny Boy" Williamson. Billy became a life long disciple the of the older harmonica icon. Arnold met Ellis McDaniel (aka Bo Diddley) as a teen along with teenage guitarist Jody Williams and the three started a band that recorded for Chess Records resulting in "I'm a Man" b/w "Bo Diddley". Arnold claims to have given Ellis his moniker after Leonard Chess wanted to change the name of the tune originally called "Hey Noxema", so Billy suggested the title "Bo Diddley" after a person he'd heard of with that moniker, who Billy thought had a funny, unusual name. After the 78 was released, it was titled "Bo Diddley" by Bo Diddley (instead of Ellis McDaniel). Arnold recorded for Vee Jay a little later under his own name, where he would record classic early R & B sides such as "I Wish You Would", "Rockinitus "," Prisoners Plea", "You Got Me Wrong", "Here's my Picture"and "Kissin at Midnight" featuring Jody Williams, Syl Johnson, Otis Spann & Earl Phillips. Billy's last two solo recordings on ElectroFi were both Tribute cds to two different Bluebird artists"Billy Boy sings Sonny Boy" and "Billy Boy sings Big Bill Broonzy", which both won major critical accolades. Last year Arnold was inducted into the Blues Hall of Fame, was nominated for a Grammy & won two Blues Awards for Blind Pig's "Remembering Little Walter".
Frontman extraordinaire, composer & harp blower Rick Estrin and guitarist Little Charlie Baty started Sacramento's Little Charlie & the Nightcats in mid 1970s, recorded nine albums for Alligator Records over their thirty two years together. They went on to become a major force on the West Coast blues scene, playing major venues & Fests all over the globe. In 2008 Baty retired from the band due to health issues. Estrin kept the band with a name change to Rick Estrin & the Nightcats by hiring Chris Kid Andersen and the band has released three more cds on Alligator including their newest" You Asked For It-LIVE". Rick could have been a stand up comic due to his oddball humor, crazed showmanship but underneath this exterior lurks a true dyed in the wool Bluesman. Muddy Waters said" You playing MY kinda blues, boy!!", back in the early 70s when Willie Dixon brought Rick to try out for the harp chair in Chicago. A mishap lead him to leave town right before Muddy offered the gig but that's how a Nitecat was born!
Baty started playing gigs again over the last few years, playing-recording w/Hummel, Blowouts and the Golden State Lone Star Revue( w/Hummel & Anson Funderburgh). Charlie's interest in jazz and gypsy jazz has taken his blues playing to new heights in recent years- his always "on a high wire" playing is truly one of a kind experience, Baty is considered by most other musicians one of the best of the best. Baty is one of the highlights on both harp & guitar on "Remembering Little Walter"cd. This is a rare opportunity to see these two old friends reunited.
Harp Blowout Producer, Grammy nominee, Blues Award winner, author, harp man Mark Hummel has had a banner year in 2014, after being Grammy nominated for his " Remembering Little Walter" cd he produced and performed on. It also won Best Blues CD & Blues Traditional Blues CD at Blues Music Awards in Memphis in 2014. Mark's book BIG ROAD BLUES:12 Bars on I-80, has been garnering rave reviews all around the U.S. , was nominated for best Independent Book release and his newest cd " The Hustle Is Really On" climbed to # 2 this year and stayed in the top five for four months in the Living Blues Radio Charts. Hummel's newest all star project with Guitar stars Anson Funderburgh and Little Charlie, plus boss rhythm section RW Grigsby & Wes Star was in full swing all summer across the U.S.( they also appear on the new Hummel cd). Hummel has been organizing the Blowouts for 24 years and has had ALL the major blues Harpsters!!
Underground harp legend Steve Guyger rarely gets to the West Coast from his hometown of Philadelphia, so this is truly a cause for celebration. He's bringing his former band mate from Jimmy Roger's band with him, Rich Yescalis( who doubles on guitar & harp). Together these two will make it very difficult to follow them as Rick Estrin remarks,"They'll definitely steal the damn show. Before, I was feeling like if I get ready, I could hold my own pretty good, now (except for Billy Boy) the rest of us might as well hang it up! You won't be sorry you hired these two!"
Both of these deep blues players are all through the Jimmy Rogers biography that just came out, BLUES ALL DAY LONG. Guyger has four solo CDs on Severn Records, has recorded and toured with John Primer, Louisiana Red, Paul Oscher, Dennis Gruendling and has toured worldwide. I'm betting Mark Hummel will have to follow them!
Backing this mini blues fest is the best out there with bass RW Grigsby( Hummel, Golden State/Lone Star),drummer June Core(Musselwhite) & guitarist/piano man Robert Welsh( Elvin Bishop).
read more
Tickets: https://secure.thefreight.org/12060/blues-harmonica-blowout-0224
Feb 25: Mark Hummel's 30th Annual Blues Harmonica Blowout with Magic Dick, Bob Welsh, John Nemeth, Sugar Ray Norcia, Anson Funderburgh, Bob Stroger, Aki Kumar, and Wes Starr
Tickets: https://secure.thefreight.org/12060/blues-harmonica-blowout-0225
Mark Hummel's Blues Harmonica Blowout(TM) started on a Sunday night in 1991 at Ashkenaz in Berkeley with four harmonica players - Rick Estrin, Mark, Dave Earl and Doug Jay. Each player performed a twenty to thirty minute set and everyone jammed together with Hummel's Blues Survivors as backup. Over the next five years it grew to become a multi venue event around California and included bigger names like William Clarke, Norton Buffalo and Paul DeLay. By the year 2000 the Blowout was headlining Yoshi's in Oakland as a four night show with Rod Piazza, Kim Wilson, Rick Estrin, James Harman and Billy Branch. These shows were recorded for Mountain Top Records.
Since then it's become a who's who of older and younger players, black, white, male and female, national and international. From icons like Snooky Pryor, Carey Bell, James Cotton, Charlie Musselwhite, John Mayall, John Hammond, Little Sonny, Lazy Lester, Billy Boy Arnold, Sam Myers, Corky Siegel, Magic Dick, Huey Lewis, Lee Oscar, Jerry Portnoy, Howard Levy and Paul Oscher to younger players like Sugar Ray Norcia, Jason Ricci, Son Of Dave, Aki Kumar, Curtis Salgado, Kenny Neal, RJ Mischo, Sugar Blue, Annie Raines, Carlos Del Junco, just to name a few.
The selection of guitarists has also been a stunner including Duke Robillard, Rusty Zinn, Bob Welsh, Little Charlie Baty, Anson Funderburgh, Jr. Watson, Billy Flynn, Steve Freund, Mike Keller and many more.
In 2013 the tribute to Little Walter Blowout was recorded for a CD on Blind Pig Records called Remembering Little Walter. This recording was nominated for a Grammy award and won two Blues Music Awards ( Album of the Year and Best Traditional Blues Recording).
Year after year Mark Hummel's Blues Harmonica Blowout(TM) continues to play festivals nationally and internationally as well as sold out venues coast to coast.
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Bluebird Records/RCA Victor was an offshoot label devoted to race records & jazz at an inexpensive price to record buyers. Glenn Miller, Artie Shaw, Rudy Vallee and Ozzie Nelson recorded releases for Bluebird/Victor alongside Tampa Red, Big Joe Williams, Big Bill Broonzy, John Lee "Sonny Boy" Williamson #1, Memphis Slim, Memphis Minnie, Lonnie Johnson, Roosevelt Sykes, Eddie Boyd, Big Maceo, Washboard Sam, Robert Nighthawk, Dr Clayton, Lil Green and Jazz Gillum. These 78 RPM records were distributed all over the U.S., and as a result the younger blues players, like Muddy Waters, Lowell Fulson, Little Walter, BB King, John Lee Hooker and other future icons got to hear their first blues recordings and build a repertoire. Though RCA was a much larger label, the records became eclipsed by smaller labels by late 1940s. Atlantic, Chess, Sun, RPM, King and other independents would rule the 1950s blues world while Bluebird/Victor blues records would fold by 1948. The stars of the 1950s independents would mine the material of the older RCA artists so that standards such as "It Hurts Me Too," "Good Morning Little Schoolgirl," "Worried Life Blues," "Why Don't You Do Right," "Key To The Highway," "Sweet Black Angel (later Sweet Little Angel)," "Love Me With A Feeling," "Don't You Lie To Me," "Early In The Morning," "Driving Wheel," and "Sweet Home Chicago" would never be credited to its originators over the decades since. These RCA artists started blues as a fashionable and classic African American art form and deserve their due.
2014 Grammy winning harp man Charlie Musselwhite, winner of a couple dozen Blues Music Awards, hails from Memphis by way of MIssissippi. Charlie learned firsthand from blues greats in both Memphis and later Chicago in his younger years. Taught by Will Shade, Big Joe Williams, Big Walter Horton, Johnny Young, Little Walter and Muddy Waters, Musselwhite was soon playing all over the Windy City. When Charlie moved to SF in 1968 he became a hippie hit on the national ballroom circuit. In the last 20 years CM has become a major star in the blues-rock world, appearing at the White House for Obama's Memphis Music Tribute, touring/recording w/Ben Harper, Five Blind Boys, Cindi Lauper, INXS, Bonnie Raitt and many more. Mussel's music has been featured in many major Hollywood blockbusters recently as well, BLACKSNAKE MOAN, INTO THE WILD and many others. Charlie's cd with Ben Harper "Get Up" won Charlie his first Grammy after 19 nominations. Musselwhite was also nominated for the award on "Remembering Little Walter."
Million Seller blues guitarist Elvin Bishop made his name in Chicago after getting a scholarship to Univ of Chicago in his late teens. Soon after moving from Tulsa, Elvin met harp man Paul Butterfield in the Southside blues joints they both frequented. They started the Paul Butterfield Blues Band together in 1964 and by 1966 they were recording for Electra Records and touring the U.S. Playing at Monterey Pop Fest, the Fillmore and other hippie ballrooms they became a scene changing band, backing Dylan when he went electric at Newport Folk Fest. By 1969 Elvin moved to SF, CA to start his own band, the Elvin Bishop Group. By the mid 70s Elvin signed with Capricorn Records and his career was rolling along just fine, touring the world and getting FM AirPlay. In 1976 Elvin and band recorded their biggest original hit at # 3 with "Fooled Around and Fell In Love" featuring an unknown Mickey Thomas( Jefferson Starship). Many international tours and TV appearances were to follow. Elvin has continued to tour and record ever since. Bishop's newest is 2014's Alligator release "Can't Even Do Wrong Right."
Billy Boy Arnold is a Chicago native who at 12 yrs old took harp lessons from John Lee "Sonny Boy" Williamson. Billy became a life long disciple the of the older harmonica icon. Arnold met Ellis McDaniel (aka Bo Diddley) as a teen along with teenage guitarist Jody Williams and the three started a band that recorded for Chess Records resulting in "I'm a Man" b/w "Bo Diddley". Arnold claims to have given Ellis his moniker after Leonard Chess wanted to change the name of the tune originally called "Hey Noxema", so Billy suggested the title "Bo Diddley" after a person he'd heard of with that moniker, who Billy thought had a funny, unusual name. After the 78 was released, it was titled "Bo Diddley" by Bo Diddley (instead of Ellis McDaniel). Arnold recorded for Vee Jay a little later under his own name, where he would record classic early R & B sides such as "I Wish You Would", "Rockinitus "," Prisoners Plea", "You Got Me Wrong", "Here's my Picture"and "Kissin at Midnight" featuring Jody Williams, Syl Johnson, Otis Spann & Earl Phillips. Billy's last two solo recordings on ElectroFi were both Tribute cds to two different Bluebird artists"Billy Boy sings Sonny Boy" and "Billy Boy sings Big Bill Broonzy", which both won major critical accolades. Last year Arnold was inducted into the Blues Hall of Fame, was nominated for a Grammy & won two Blues Awards for Blind Pig's "Remembering Little Walter".
Frontman extraordinaire, composer & harp blower Rick Estrin and guitarist Little Charlie Baty started Sacramento's Little Charlie & the Nightcats in mid 1970s, recorded nine albums for Alligator Records over their thirty two years together. They went on to become a major force on the West Coast blues scene, playing major venues & Fests all over the globe. In 2008 Baty retired from the band due to health issues. Estrin kept the band with a name change to Rick Estrin & the Nightcats by hiring Chris Kid Andersen and the band has released three more cds on Alligator including their newest" You Asked For It-LIVE". Rick could have been a stand up comic due to his oddball humor, crazed showmanship but underneath this exterior lurks a true dyed in the wool Bluesman. Muddy Waters said" You playing MY kinda blues, boy!!", back in the early 70s when Willie Dixon brought Rick to try out for the harp chair in Chicago. A mishap lead him to leave town right before Muddy offered the gig but that's how a Nitecat was born!
Baty started playing gigs again over the last few years, playing-recording w/Hummel, Blowouts and the Golden State Lone Star Revue( w/Hummel & Anson Funderburgh). Charlie's interest in jazz and gypsy jazz has taken his blues playing to new heights in recent years- his always "on a high wire" playing is truly one of a kind experience, Baty is considered by most other musicians one of the best of the best. Baty is one of the highlights on both harp & guitar on "Remembering Little Walter"cd. This is a rare opportunity to see these two old friends reunited.
Harp Blowout Producer, Grammy nominee, Blues Award winner, author, harp man Mark Hummel has had a banner year in 2014, after being Grammy nominated for his " Remembering Little Walter" cd he produced and performed on. It also won Best Blues CD & Blues Traditional Blues CD at Blues Music Awards in Memphis in 2014. Mark's book BIG ROAD BLUES:12 Bars on I-80, has been garnering rave reviews all around the U.S. , was nominated for best Independent Book release and his newest cd " The Hustle Is Really On" climbed to # 2 this year and stayed in the top five for four months in the Living Blues Radio Charts. Hummel's newest all star project with Guitar stars Anson Funderburgh and Little Charlie, plus boss rhythm section RW Grigsby & Wes Star was in full swing all summer across the U.S.( they also appear on the new Hummel cd). Hummel has been organizing the Blowouts for 24 years and has had ALL the major blues Harpsters!!
Underground harp legend Steve Guyger rarely gets to the West Coast from his hometown of Philadelphia, so this is truly a cause for celebration. He's bringing his former band mate from Jimmy Roger's band with him, Rich Yescalis( who doubles on guitar & harp). Together these two will make it very difficult to follow them as Rick Estrin remarks,"They'll definitely steal the damn show. Before, I was feeling like if I get ready, I could hold my own pretty good, now (except for Billy Boy) the rest of us might as well hang it up! You won't be sorry you hired these two!"
Both of these deep blues players are all through the Jimmy Rogers biography that just came out, BLUES ALL DAY LONG. Guyger has four solo CDs on Severn Records, has recorded and toured with John Primer, Louisiana Red, Paul Oscher, Dennis Gruendling and has toured worldwide. I'm betting Mark Hummel will have to follow them!
Backing this mini blues fest is the best out there with bass RW Grigsby( Hummel, Golden State/Lone Star),drummer June Core(Musselwhite) & guitarist/piano man Robert Welsh( Elvin Bishop).
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