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9th
Annual Pocono
Blues Festival
The
Pocono Blues Festival has built a reputation for assembling some of the
finest of the "real deal" blues players from all over the
country. This year's festival showed no drop off in quality and I can
honestly say I didn't see anyone who was less than stellar- and I made
sure to see them all!
Rain threatened to spoil the weekend but held off long enough so things
weren't really effected. As always the beautiful surroundings, well
organized stages and a crowd that never seemed to large make the Pocono's
a very comfortable experience. The way the three stages are timed there's
always time to see everyone plus if you keep your eyes open you'll find
musicians strolling around comfortably among an enthusiastic but well
mannered crowd. Near the first stage Magic Slim was sitting on a couch
signing autographs, James Cotton could be seen checking out Johnnie
Bassett's show and non-performers like Jerry Ricks and Lonnie Shields were
just hanging out enjoying the action.
Ronnie
Baker Brooks (Lonnie's son) got things off to a high energy start with his
rocking brand of blues. On stage two Sam
Taylor, lead guitarist and vocalist and son of saxophonist,
Sam "The Man"
Taylor, put on a great set with his six piece band. Sam
put across a fine set of searing soulful blues.
I
made sure to get over to the main stage to see singer Barbara Carr who
took her brand of chitlin' circuit southern blues and turned the main
stage into and old fashioned juke joint. Carr ripped it up on her well
known staples like "Bone Me Like You Own Me" and
"Footprints On The Ceiling."
Over on stage two soul singer Charles Walker was decked out in a
flaming red suit as he launched into sizzling soul numbers like
"99,000 Watts Of Soul Power" and the down right dirty "Tthe
Monkey Song." Johnny
Jones came
strolling out next laying down powerful versions of
songs like
"Don't
Throw Your
Love
On Me So Strong" and "I Was Raised On The Blues" ( the
title
of
his recent CD).
Back over at the main stage Willie Kent & The Gents took over
featuring the powerhouse vocals of Pat Scott and The Sweetheart of the
Blues- Bonnie Lee. An excellent set of high energy Chicago blues.
John Mooney cut loose later in the afternoon with a blistering clinic on
Delta blues (he learned first hand from Son House) and some fine stylings
from his home town of New Orleans. Special mention goes to congo player Al "Uganda" Roberts who simply cooked.
The headliner for the first night was The Lone Star Shootout featuring
Phillip Walker, Long John Hunter and Lonnie Brooks. They started by coming
on one by one and finishing with all three hamming it up on stage.
Highlights included "You're Playing Hooky" and the jumping
"Boogie Rambler" both off the Lone Star Shootout record.
Day two opened with some much need gospel salvation from the fabulous
Holmes Brothers who could sing the phone book and make it sound soulful.
Stage two featured two great showmen in Bobby "DC" Parker and
Arthur Adams. Adams attacked his guitar playing like a man possessed as
sweat streamed off his bald head. Not content to stay on stage he took a
ladder into the crowd leaving the place in a frenzy. Bobby Parker must
have been to the same tailor as he donned an identical white suit as Adams
and like Adams put on a fiery display of soulful vocals and guitar
pyrotechnics. The only thing more amazing than his playing was his wig
which had to be seen to be believed!
Certainly
one of the highlights was the Detroit blues revue featuring Johnny Bassett
and his Insurgents with vocalists Joe Weaver and the queen of Detroit
blues Alberta Adams. Belying
her advanced years Adams belted the blues convincingly on "Say Baby
Say" (on her new CD) and others as did Joe Weaver who has a new disc
out as well. Weaver was obviously delighted with the attention after being
out of the music business for a while.
As for
headliners Rod Piazza And James Cotton didn't disappoint. Despite steady
rain Piazza was on fire supported by Miss Honey's boogie-woogie piano and
some tremendous West Coast guitar from Rick L.A. Holmes. James Cotton was
masterful on harp with a band that featured Raful Neal Jr. laying down
some great slide guitar, Dave Maxwell on piano and Darrell Nulisch taking
the vocal chores.
There was also
plenty of highlights in the small tent: Rooster artist Super Chickan
sounded great on his unique brand of blues particularly on the romping
"I'm A Big Boy Now" where he proved he could indeed "yodel
like them white boys." New rooster artist Willie King sizzled with
his style of raw, juke joint blues that sounded like it came straight out
of the Alabama backwoods. George Stancell, who made his debut last year
with one of the year's best records, proved he's the real deal on a
solid set of soul and blues. Also in the tent were fine sets by Piedmont
bluesmen Cephas & Wiggins and rising star Eric Bibb.
There's plenty
of blues festivals out there but in all regards the Poconos is a tough act
to follow. For more information
call 1-800-468-2442 or go to the website at
www.big2resorts.com
(Jeff Harris)
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