BMA - Hours Remain To Cast Votes

Blues fans, and conceivably more so the artists, wait with anticipation for the announcement of the coveted Blues Music Awards. With less than 24 hours remaining to vote in the The Blues Foundation's 31st Blues Music Awards, members are encouraged to vote before Monday, March 1, 2010 at 07:59:59.  Non-current members may sign up and then vote.

What is one more vote?  Often the deciding factor.  Joe Whitmer, in a gentle nudge email reminder to procrastinating members, stated that in the past, categories had been decided by as little as 10 votes.  As The Blues Music Awards are  "Universally recognized as the highest honor given to Blues artists," many feel voting is not only a right, but a responsibility as well.

Those entries with the most votes in each of the following categories will be celebrating in Memphis on May 6.  Tickets are available through the website and are non-refundable.  It is, however, one of the best shows, a blues fan can see.  The true difficulty, is selecting just one in each category.

Acoustic Album of the Year

David Maxwell & Louisiana Red, You Got to Move

Maria Muldaur & her Garden of Joy, Good Time Music for Hard Times

Saffire-the Uppity Blues Women, Havin' The Last Word

Samuel James, For Rosa, Maeve and Noreen

Various Artists, Things About Comin' My Way - A Tribute to the music of the Mississippi Sheiks

Acoustic Artist of the Year

Annie Raines & Paul Rishell

Doug MacLeod

Guy Davis

Louisiana Red

Samuel James

Album of the Year

Duke Robillard's Jumpin' Blues Revue, Stomp! the Blues Tonight

Eddie C. Campbell, Tear This World Up

Joe Louis Walker, Between a Rock and the Blues

Louisiana Red & Little Victor's Juke Joint, Back to the Black Bayou

Various Artists, Chicago Blues A Living History

B.B. King Entertainer of the Year

Candye Kane

Magic Slim

Rick Estrin

Super Chikan

Taj Mahal

Tommy Castro

Band of the Year

Duke Robillard's Jumpin' Blues Revue

Nick Moss & the Flip Tops

Rick Estrin and the Nightcats

The Mannish Boys

Tommy Castro Band

Best New Artist Debut

Greg Nagy, Walk That Fine Thin Line

Joanne Shaw Taylor, White Sugar

Marquise Knox, Man Child

Monkey Junk, Tiger in your Tank

The California Honeydrops, Soul Tub!

Contemporary Blues Album of the Year

Candye Kane, Superhero

Joe Louis Walker, Between a Rock and the Blues

Rick Estrin and the Nightcats, Twisted

Ronnie Earl and the Broadcasters, Living in the Light

Tommy Castro, Hard Believer

Contemporary Blues Female Artist of the Year

Bettye LaVette

Candye Kane

Janiva Magness

Ruthie Foster

Shemekia Copeland

Contemporary Blues Male Artist of the Year

Derek Trucks

Joe Louis Walker

John Nemeth

Michael Burks

Tommy Castro

DVD

Delmark Records, It Ain't Over! Delmark Celebrates 55 Years of Blues, Live at Buddy Guy's Legends

Eagle Eye Media, Live at Montreux 1993 (B.B. King)

Jo Films & Roadside Productions, Hot Flash (Saffire - The Uppity Blues Women)

Mojo Rodeo Records, A Night in Woodstock (Paul Rishell and Annie Raines)

Vincent Productions, Down to the Crossroads Vol. 1 (George Thorogood & the Destroyers w/ Eddie Shaw)

Historical Album of the Year

Bear Family Records, Taking Care of Business (1956-1973) (Freddie King)

Chess, Authorized Bootleg (Muddy Waters)

Eagle Records, Essential Montreux (Gary Moore)

Hip-O Select, The Complete Chess Masters (1950-1967) (Little Walter)

Landslide Records, Sean's Blues (Sean Costello)

Instrumentalist-Bass

Bill Stuve

Bob Stroger

Larry Taylor

Mookie Brill

Patrick Rynn

Instrumentalist-Drums

Cedric Burnside

Jimi Bott

Kenny Smith

Sam Carr

Tony Braunagel

Instrumentalist-Guitar

Derek Trucks

Duke Robillard

Joe Louis Walker

Lurrie Bell

Ronnie Earl

Instrumentalist-Harmonica

Billy Branch

Jason Ricci

Kim Wilson

Mark Hummel

Rick Estrin

Instrumentalist-Horn

Al Basile

Big James Montgomery

Deanna Bogart

Eddie Shaw

Keith Crossan

Instrumentalist-Other

Buckwheat Zydeco (accordion)

Gerry Hundt (mandolin)

Johnny Sansone (accordion)

Otis Taylor (banjo)

Rich Del Grosso (mandolin)

Pinetop Perkins Piano Player

Bruce Katz

David Maxwell

Eden Brent

Henry Butler

Henry Gray

Rock Blues Album of the Year

Derek Trucks Band, Already Free

Jason Ricci & New Blood, Done with the Devil

Jim Suhler & Monkey Beat, Tijuana Bible

Mike Zito, Pearl River

Tinsley Ellis, Speak No Evil

Song of the Year

Cyril Neville & Mike Zito, 'Pearl River' (Pearl River--Mike Zito)

James Johnson , 'Fred's Dollar Store' (Chikadelic--Super Chikan)

Joe Louis Walker, 'I'm Tide' (Between a Rock and the Blues--Joe Louis Walker)

John Hahn & Oliver Wood, 'Never Going Back to Memphis' (Never Going Back--Shemekia Copeland)

Vyasa Dodson, 'At Least I'm Not With You' (At Least I'm Not With You--The Insomniacs)

Soul Blues Album of the Year

Charles Wilson, Troubled Child

Darrell Nulisch, Just for You

Johnny Rawls, Ace Of Spades

Latimore, All About the Rhythm and the Blues

Mighty Sam McClain, Betcha Didn't Know

Soul Blues Female Artist of the Year

Barbara Carr

Denise LaSalle

Irma Thomas

Shirley Brown

Sista Monica Parker

Soul Blues Male Artist of the Year

Curtis Salgado

Darrell Nulisch

Jackie Payne

Johnny Rawls

Latimore

Traditional Blues Album of the Year

John Primer, All Original

Johnnie Bassett, The Gentleman is Back

Louisiana Red & Little Victor's Juke Joint, Back to the Black Bayou

Super Chikan, Chikadelic

Various Artists, Chicago Blues A Living History

Traditional Blues Female Artist of the Year

Ann Rabson

Debbie Davies

Fiona Boyes

Shirley Johnson

Zora Young

Traditional Blues Male Artist of the Year

Duke Robillard

John Primer

Johnnie Bassett

Louisiana Red

Super Chikan

Chicago Bluegrass & Blues Festival

This Saturday, a musical extravaganza unlike any other will take place at the historical Chicago site, The Congress Theater on North Milwaukee.

Thirteen hours of live music will be provided by twenty-five highly talented, extremely diverse and mostly local bands.

Included in the line up is this year's three time Grammy nominated Bela Fleck. Bela is no stranger to Grammy's having garnered six in the past, and nominated for many more. One of The Blues Foundation's 2009 IBC competitors, The Alex Wilson Band is scheduled to perform at 3:20 pm. Eddy "The Chief" Clearwater, another local blues favorite is also on the schedule for 4:30pm.

Tickets are $35 in advance through the website. Children are welcome, and those 12 and under are free. Not surprising for this genre, partial proceeds will be donated to two children's charities, Saving Tiny Hearts and Prevent Child Abuse America.

Another 501(C)3, Rock The Earth, will provide a cell phone recycling opportunity at their table.  Several contests and give-aways are offered through the main website.

Additionally, unique holiday shopping opportunities abound for those who appreciate roots music, including a limited edition Chicago Bluegrass and Blues Festival T-shirt for $10. Approximately 50 vendors and organizations will be on the premise.

Attendees are encouraged to bring an instrument for informal jam sessions and a camping chair.

Chicago's Exceptional Finalist's

Sitting in Buddy Guy's darkened blues club, Legends, while enjoying the Big Bayou Blue Plate and checking my notes, various conversations drifted past. It was the night of the IBC regional finals. Only three of the eleven acts would be making the trip to Beale Street in January, including the single youth entry.  They were to be judged by an impressive list of "Who's Who in Blues," albeit all male, on "Talent, Vocal, Blues Content, Stage Presence and Originality" according to The Blues Foundation.


Several hours later, I came away with three observations:

• First, anyone from Chicago can be proud of the quality of talented artists that stepped on stage;  
• Second, at the risk of sounding sophomoric, after the initial disappointment for those who wouldn't compete, came the realization that the success, was not about who performed best with such close votes on that particular evening; 
• And, third, I can't imagine not writing about them in the near future.  There were no losers in Legends, at least that performed. The musicians who played on stage are not the future of Chicago Blues.  They are indeed the present.

Three acts competed in the solo/duo category, each with a vastly different style from each other.  First up was Southsider Diamond Jim Greene, who demonstrated his wonderful storytelling in the tradition of fine Delta Masters.  Watching him play his guitars, I became acutely aware of my ignorance, and wondered how I had missed such a talent. I will go see him again.  And again.  And you should too.


Nigel Mack, was also impressive, managing to play harmonica and guitar at the same time, and maintain an engaging stage presence.  He did well with Willie Dixon and Robert Johnson as well as his own original song which will be on his upcoming CD, Chicago Bound.  That will make the Christmas list here. Originally from Canada, Nigel has been in the area since 2003.  He, too, is on the must see list.


Last, Matt Hendricks with Bill Curtiss on drums, gave an outstandingly solid  performance.  I usually can place a dialect, but not his.  His song Crawdaddy and If You See Me were clearly marks of exceptional songwriting talent.  A modest man, he told the crowd after accepting the award, "I'll make you proud in Memphis."  I suspect he will do just that.  You can spend New Year's Eve with him at Legends, if you want to see him sooner.


I found myself wishing we could send three.


As if deciding between those apples and oranges wasn't hard enough, the bands were even more diverse.   The $15 cover charge, which goes to help defray costs to the winners, was well worth the chance to see all of the performers.


First up was Dave Herrero.  It was my first time seeing him, and I liked what I saw.  Dave had excellent crowd involvement and the air of a true entertainer.  Not only did the words, playful and fun describe him, so did, savvy and intuitive.  I nearly spit out my sweet tea however, when he educated the crowd on his ethnic composition.  I love a musician who can make me laugh.  Dave has a couple other things going for him as well.  Uncle Felix on the bass, a drummer whose name I didn't catch, and a new CD.  Add another to the shopping list.  You can catch his Austin to Chicago CD on cdbaby.com.  It is described as "A vintage Texas blues sound with a modern twist."  But go see him live, you won't be sorry.


Next was Linsey Alexander delivering an interesting set. He is cut from a similar cloth to many of my personal favorites, I enjoyed the set, up until the last song and comment.  He ended it doing a cover of The Marshall Tucker Band's "Can't You See?" because there were so many "Caucasion faces in the crowd."  I have to ask, if my skin had been darker, would we have got a better song?  It certainly isn't one that's listed on his CDs.  But, I really can't hold one song choice against him, at least for long.  I would hire him, if I could afford him.


Toronzo Cannon was, well I can't reprint my notes, because I used a word that gets censored a lot.  But let's just say, he was fricking fantastic. Four members, all energetic, original music, worked the crowd. He is at Blue Chicago on November 27 and 28 with Big Time Sarah.  Start a new black friday tradition, his CD My Woman,should fit any blues lover's christmas stocking. 


The Alex Wilson Band was one of the most exciting surprises of the night. Matthew and Marc Wilson along with Alex, delivered true "Red, Hot, Smokin' Blues" and yet there was something completely fresh including original songwriting.  I had the sense of a new voice in blues, one that would appeal not to just those of the blues rock fervor, but to those of the next generation of blues fans. Look for the "The Moon is Shining" from their Tell Me Why CD. If you want to catch them in Chicago, check them out on 12/12/09 at the Bluegrass and Blues Festival according to their website.  


Rockin' Johnny added yet another dimension of blues with a style that blended from folk blues to rockabilly and back. The words "Modern King of the Chicago Westside Blues Guitar" have been coined on such sites as Myspace.  Johnny had two CD releases in the late 1990's - Man's Temptation and Straight Out Of Chicago. I want to see him in six months, my guess is, he will be better than he was before taking a break from the scene.

Chainsaw Dupont put on a great show, one that most didn't mind waiting for.  He is a long time Chicago favorite. Chainsaw has four CD's out on CDBaby, with more coming.  He performed Flame of Love from his Ghost Kings of Beale St 2007 CD.  That one made the list as well.  See him at www.chainsawdupont.com 


The woman of the night, was Grana Louise.  At 56, dressed to the nines, she tossed her shoes early on, and belted out blues as only a true "Mojo Mama" can.  Her song, Big Fat Daddy, from her Generations CD brought smiles and laughs to the crowd.  Grana also managed to evoke crowd participation, as she moved into an acapella number.  She has the ability to wander into soul and gospel territory and back to ribald blues women.  Just like the city she will represent,she is diverse, larger than life, and one suspects, has a big heart.




Who will be found to be the best unsigned blues band at the 26th International Blues Challenge?  The band, that garners the most votes, based upon who plays the best from Jan. 20 - 23 in Memphis.




jrh 11/09