Lady Bianca, Wendy DeWitt and John Lee Hooker, Jr. Light Up Blue Wing Festival IV
.PDF format

UPPER LAKE, Calif. – It has been this correspondent’s pleasure to witness the four season metamorphosis of the Blue Wing Blues Festival from a neighborhood musical gathering to a full-fledged, world-class entity.

There are larger festivals, of course, but if you are looking for upscale, intimate down-home funky blues, you will indeed find it at this event...

The Queen of Gospel Albertina Walker
Albertina Walker Interview in .PDF format

With a pronounced sense of urgency, we contacted the office of 80-year-old Queen of Gospel, Albertina Walker with an interview request. I expected perhaps a delicate octogenarian. Not so. When Ms. Walker took the line, it was literally charged with energy. She sounded like a woman halfher age. Befriended by Mahalia Jackson as a teenager, Ms. Walker founded the legendary gospel group, the Caravans, at age 22...

The Funky Transformation of Frederick Stewart
Frederick Stewart Interview in .PDF scan format

Let the Light Shine On
L.J. Reynolds Interview in .PDF scan format

Experiencing Buddy Guy live and in concert
Buddy Guy Article -04-27-2010 in .PDF format

As far as I know, Buddy Guy is the last Chess King standing. I refer of course to the glory days of the Blues wax kingdom that Phil and Leonard Chess built.

The brothers recorded scores of predominately Blues artists at their “Kingdom” until they sold it the GRT Corporation in 1969. Many of us are familiar with the peers that Buddy Guy cut his guitar teeth with; Muddy Waters, Howlin’ Wolf, Little Walter, Koko Taylor, Big Mama Thornton and Sonny Boy Williamson...

The Return of Graham Central Station
Larry Graham Article -04-18-2010 in .PDF format

It was another Good Friday for the Funk. I remember in about 1970 when Larry Graham premiered the original version of Graham Central Station at the long-gone Keystone Berkeley. It was an Easter weekend then as well. Mr. Graham must feel his element „round this time of year.

The main floor of the Regency Ballroom is near capacity at three minutes before show time on April 2. The balcony is sparse but starting to fill rapidly also. An exciting buzz fills the crowd...

Piano and bass dialogues with Rodney Franklin, Curtis Olson
Rodney Franklin, Curtis Olson -04-02-2010 in .PDF format

UPPER LAKE – Last Saturday, March 27, just before intermission at the Tallman Hotel’s Concert with Conversation featuring the prolific stylings of Jazz pianist Rodney Franklin and bassist/band leader Curtis Olson, I glanced around the room and noted some of the changing faces of Lake County.

The hotel’s Riffe's meeting room was slightly over the advertised 40-ticket limit. In that intimate setting was the enraptured countenances of music lovers, really into what Misters Franklin and Olsen were putting down...

3 Ways To Spend Your Bob Marley Birthday Weekend
Eddie Gale, Irma Thomas, Zakiya Hooker Articles -02-08-2010 in .PDF format

On Friday February 5, Delta Blues bloodline daughter Zakiya flew back in to the Bay Area from her other home in Georgia, just in time to make a rehearsal for her gig at San Francisco‟s Biscuits & Blues on Saturday, February 6. Jet lag notwithstanding, Ms. Hooker shined like the jewel she is. If she hadn‟t disclosed the jet lag factor to the audience, none would have been the wiser...

Remembering Mr. Soul
Sam Cooke Article -12-13-2009 in .PDF format

I remember hearing it announced on radio station KSOL AM 1450 Dec. 12, 1964, that Soul icon Sam Cooke had been shot to death the night before in Watts, Calif. I was on my way to school that morning and the surreal news that “Mr. Soul” was gone weighed heavily on my 14-year-old sense of teen angst.

Sam Cooke was the man. Many of us became hip to him, through his evolution from “matinée idol” gospel star to certified rock and roll pop/soul superstar status...

Funky forestage – and backstage – encounters
Music Article -12-06-2009 in .PDF format

Some of you know that my pre-formative years were spent growing up in a mildly astonishing suburban enclave known as Kelly Hill, nestled then in an unincorporated portion of Hayward in southern Alameda County.

There were a couple of venues in the vicinity of my neighborhood that were actually teenager friendly. One was the I.D.E.S. Hall in downtown Hayward. Amazingly, promoters were able to book some fairly big names for our teenaged concert going pleasure. The house band at the I.D.E.S. Hall was a very funky assemblage of cats who called themselves the Spyders...

Giving thanks
Bob Marley & The Wailers Article -11-24-2009 in .PDF format

In the biography of Bob Marley, “Catch A Fire,” penned by rock journalist Timothy White, it is written that on their first American tour in 1973, Reggae icon Bob Marley & The Wailers opened for Sly & The Family Stone.

Bob & The Wailers were thrown off the the tour almost immediately. They were stranded in Las Vegas where they were forced by circumstance to leave on foot, walking toward the fame and fortune that was, bit by bit, seemingly, slipping away from Sly (Sylvester Stewart)...

The evolutions of 'The King' and 'Mr. Excitement'
Sam Phillips, founder of Sun Records Article -11-16-2009 in .PDF format

“If I could just find me a white boy that can sang cullurd.” – Sam Phillips, founder of Sun Records.

“If I could find a white man who had the negro sound and the negro feel, I could make a billion dollars.” – Sam Phillips, founder of Sun Records.

Please join me for an excursion back through time to America, circa 1950, give or take a few.

You’ve of course noticed the two quotes that preface this piece, both attributed to Sam Phillips, founder of Sun Records. I present them here for your perusal because the quote seems to have evolved over the years.

The case I make refers to the first version which I read (probably in Jet magazine) when I was a legal teenager, compared with, or contrasted to, the second version which is seemingly how it is remembered today...

West Fest (What a trip)
West Fest Article -11-02-2009 in .PDF format

I had already decided to go and cover the event when I got a call from Howard Scott about a week before Oct. 25. Howard Scott is the guitarist for the Original Lowrider Band, four of whose members were founding members of the multi-platinum selling Southern California Latin funk band known as War. I have written in a prior column about why they no longer use the name. An additional famous link to their legacy is the fact that Jimi Hendrix sat in with them the last two nights of his life. Howard wanted to know if I was coming to West Fest as he insisted he had my name on the guest list.

I resisted his lure. “Howard, it’s a free event. I don’t need to be on a list.”

“You do if you want to be backstage,” he countered.

That sealed the deal. I hadn’t thought of that …

Blues Travel Log – On the road with the Sugar, part 4
Sugar Pie Desanto Article -10-26-2009 in .PDF format

… I‟m not tall like a model
I‟m just so high
but if you know how to use what you got
it doesn‟t matter „bout your size …
– Sugar Pie DeSanto

As I reported last week, I road managed the Sugar Pie DeSanto show into Minneapolis, Minn., for four shows, this past Oct. 12 and 13.

On Monday, Oct. 12, I was scheduled to call Ms. DeSanto‟s room for an 8 a.m. wake up, but my phone was ringing at 7:55 a.m. It was the Sugar. She hit‟s the ground running upon awakening, kinda like the way she takes the stage in performance, by storm.

Speaking of storms, outside in Minneapolis it was snowing. Now, your CyberSoulMan is not a big fan of snow, never has been, probably never will be. But those folks in Minneapolis have the cure. The Skyway allows you to walk for miles over the downtown area without having to go outside. The elements – snow, ice, hail, rain, sleet and the almighty hawk – can be totally avoided if one chooses...

Blues Travel Log – On the road with the Sugar, part 3
Sugar Pie Desanto Article -10-19-2009 in .PDF format

one day baby I’ll be in the blues hall of fame … Sugar Pie Desanto

The Queen of the West Coast Blues, Sugar Pie DeSanto, turned 74 years young this past Friday. Earlier in the week, on Oct. 12 and 13, she gigged at the Dakota Jazz Club & Restaurant in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Your CyberSoulMan was road manager for Madame DeSanto’s four-show excursion.

Show biz logistics are a trip. The age old adage that the show must go on is somewhat akin to death and taxes. In order to execute my duties as road manager, I had to leave home at 1:50 a.m. on Sunday, Oct. 11, for the three hour drive to Jim Moore’s (Ms. DeSanto’s manager) home in Oakland. I parked my car at Jim’s and we swung over to the House of Sugar, swooped her up and headed for San Francisco Airport. Did I mention that I had to place a wakeup call at 4 a.m. to the Queen? It was the only scheduled call on the trip that I made that she didn’t beat me to the punch and call me first...

Journey to Alice Coltrane (and other jazz musings)
Music Article -10-05-2009 in .PDF format

It‟s the beginning of football season. I think I‟ll go deep. Back through time to the days of yore. I was a yet a rock and roll baby, weaned on the flavor of rhythm and blues. Somewhere on an excursion between soul and funk, I discovered jazz. It wasn‟t like jazz was something foreign in our household. My Dad was into Count Basie, period. My Mom‟s tastes were more varied:. Jimmy Smith, Bruebeck, Witherspoon, early Marvin Gaye. I‟ve stated before that she turned me on to Koko Taylor and Sugar Pie DeSanto.

I remember when I was summoned wholeheartedly into the jazz realm. I was about 17 years old. I was in my room lying on my bed listening to the Silvertone AM/FM radio my Dad had given me. Somehow, I had it tuned to KJAZ, 92.7 I believe it was, emanating from Alameda...

Where have all the quarters gone?
Music Article -09-28-2009 in .PDF format

Good God! We are just about down to the last quarter of the year 2009.

This year is the anniversary of two very large cultural events in the lore of America. Motown, The Sound Of Young America as envisioned by Berry Gordy, was birthed in 1959. Woodstock, the epitome of all Rock & Roll music festivals, happened 10 years after in 1969, pun intended.

The first single that was released by Gordy’s fledgling Tamla label, the forerunner of the Motown imprint, was a naturally dancable ditty with vocals by the above mentioned Barrett Strong...

The 33rd annual Russian River Jazz and Blues Festival
Article -09-21-2009 in .PDF format

For the first time in 33 years, the Russian River Blues Festival and the Russian River Jazz Festival merged into one event. Prior to this year, the RR Blues Festival was presented for two days in June while the RR Jazz Fest was historically held in September, both in the resort town of Guerneville.

Two years ago the festivals were sold to Omega Events. In a paring down move related to the economy in general, Omega decided to shave a day from each festival and make it a one-weekend affair this year. Jazz on Saturday, Sept. 12; blues on Sunday, Sept. 13...

Festivals by the lake
Lake County festival scene Article -09-07-2009 in .PDF format

I am excited and impressed by the flurry around and interest in the Lake County Oldtime Bluegrass Festival next week at Anderson Marsh in Clearlake.

Don’t misinterpret my intent. I don’t know a whole lot about bluegrass. I do know that bluegrass combines elements from more than one culture which, in my mind, is a good thing. I am aware of folks like Lester Flatt, Earl Scruggs and Doc Watson. I also know a local picker, Patrick Ickes, whose band is playing at this year's event and I’m itching to hear them play. (Unfortunately, it won’t be at this year’s Bluegrass Festival.)...

The third annual Blue Wing Blues Festival, part two
Blue Wing Blues Festival Article -08-16-2009 in .PDF format

During the annual Blue Wing Blues Festival earlier this month, the Mighty Mike Schermer Band put on a great performance filled with a number of songs, then returned to the stage after a brief intermission for a second set. After a short instrumental jam, Lara Price returned to the stage with a rollicking version of the Randy Newman penned, “You Can Leave Your Hat On.”

Stretching out a little bit, Price then strapped on her guitar and gave the folks a tad of her musicianship. She modestly only considers herself a pianist but if you check out her recorded repertoire you will see that she plays drums as well...