Performance Schedule - Friday & Saturday
Sunday's Schedule - Click Here
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CORNBREAD HARRIS TRIO
James “Cornbread” Harris Sr. is an 83-year-old piano legend and a godfather of the Minneapolis sound, having taught Morris Day, the Time, and Prince. In the past 60 years, he has played nearly every venue in the Twin Cities and has shared the stage with many talented musicians, including Fats Domino, Jerry Lee Lewis, and Archie Bleyer. He also performed on Minneapolis’ first rock n’ roll record in 1955: “Hi-Ho Silver” with Augie Garcia. Cornbread is still going strong today with music that mingles the blues, jazz, and heartfelt ballads. This mix gets its roots from the country music he listened to as a kid, his love of the blues, and an affinity for jazz artists such as Louis Jordan, Duke Ellington, and his favorite pianist, Oscar Peterson. Cornbread has played with many local musicians, including the Minneapolis trio Cadillac Kolstad and the Flats, and says that “often the guy next door plays just as good or better than some of the people that have become famous.” His latest CD is called Cornbread Supreme. The double CD covers blues, jazz, Dixieland, R & B, and ballads. It includes a touching appeal to his Grammy Award-winning producer son, Jimmy “Jam” Harris.
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LAMONT CRANSTON
The Lamont Cranston Blues Band is one of the founders of the thriving Minneapolis music scene. They’re won almost every award, both individually and as a band, that you can collect in this state. |
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BOOM BOOM STEVE V. For over 20 years Boom Boom Steve V (Vonderharr) has been playing the blues in the Twin Cities, and has become an influential veteran of the Minnesota blues scene. An accomplished songwriter and singer, he’s known best for his harmonica playing. He takes audiences by storm, playing a whole range of emotions - from fiery to heart-rending - with passion and technical finesse. Boom Boom Steve V took up the harmonica as a teenager when living with his grandparents in Montana. He says they “would take long naps during the afternoon and so I spent many midsummer afternoons preoccupied with learning to play.” Steve V says his interest was further fueled when he moved to Minnesota and saw bands like Lamont Cranston, Lynwood Slim, and the Minnesota Barking Ducks. In recent years, he has enjoyed sharing the stage with the Ducks as well as with plenty of other Minnesota blues artists such as Reverend Raven and the Chainsmoking Altar Boys, The Soulmates, and Boom Boom, Steve’s current band, The Knockouts. Steve V has gotten rave reviews from the blues world. His new CD, “Tuff Love,” was selected by the Greater Twin Cities Blues Music Society as best entry into the Blues Foundation’s “Best Self-Produced CD” competition. The album closes with an excellent cover of Little Walter’s “Sad Hours.” |
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SHANE DWIGHT Shane Dwight earned his way onto the Blues circuit by performing in the musically-diverse San Jose, California area. He used that background to soak up a wealth of musical styles – alt-country, rock and roll, American and R&B. This is one talent that won’t be pigeon-holed. A talented guitar player and songwriter, he got everyone’s attention by easily winning the Monterey Blues Festival Battle of the Bands in 2002. He’s been turning heads ever since. “An exceptional talent,” wrote Michael Verity of Blues Review magazine. “…it’s clear this cat can sing anything he wants.” The Eureka Tribune said, “Shane has everything going for him…a way with an audience that many pros long for.” In other words, he puts on a hell of a show. Dwight is capable of stealing the show in a number of ways, whether it’s his guitar playing, lyrics, or showmanship. He can open with a blues number, switch to a Led Zepplin and then finish with alt-country, all delivered with an energy that has fans around the country talking. “It’s only a matter of time until he’s crowned the heir apparent to Stevie Ray Vaughan,” said John Winn of the Celebrity Café. His tour schedule is picking up. Dwight recently moved to Nashville and signed with the Intrepid Artists booking agency and will hit the road for 150 shows this year. After self-releasing several CDs early in his career, Dwight released his first two international CDs in 2009. Don’t miss this chance to hear a young musician that the Sierra Mountain Times said is capable of, “…blowing the canopy right off the stage.” |
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MARY CUTRUFELLO Mary Cutrufello performances are a rich experience, combining her excellent guitar playing, unique voice and earthy songs that appeal to audiences everywhere. Her Texas honky-tonk roots come together with her love of heartland rock – creating a sound that’s unforgettable. Now a Twin Cities resident, Cutrufello became one of Texas’ most respected lead guitarists in the ‘90s, playing with a honky-tonk trio and earning a spot playing guitar for Texas legend Jimmie Dale Gilmore in 1996. Her abilities as a songwriter have garnered praise from artists such as Willie Nelson, Billy Joe Shaver, and Steve Earle, with whom she co-wrote “Love’s to Blame” from her debut CD “who to love when to leave.” It was her album “When the Night is Through,” released by Mercury Records in 1998, that led to appearances on Austin City Limits and The Tonight Show, as well as a tour with the Allman Brothers Band. Cutrufello released her latest album, 35, with Minneapolis drummer/producer Greg Schutte. It includes three tracks that were recorded in (ex-Prince keyboardist) Dr. Fink’s studio, while other songs feature backing vocals of Andra Suchy and Twin Cities legend Mark Lickteig. While she straps on her Telecaster regularly, she says, “Even with the acoustic, I still jam out pretty hard.” |
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DUKE ROBILLARD BB King called Luke Robillard “One of the great players,” and it’s easy to see why. His award list includes some the highest honors in the blues world, including Blues Music Awards Best Guiarist for four straight years ( 2001-2004). He was also nominated for the award in 2005, 2007 and 2008 (they have to let someone else win sometime!). Robillard was nominated for a Grammy in 2007 and also won the prestigious Pell Award for his “excellence in the arts” that same year. Some of the biggest names in the industry have wanted to work with him on recordings and shows. Who else do you know that has shared the stage with diverse greats like Bob Dylan, Tom Waits, Jay McShann, The Fabulous Thunderbirds, John Hammond, the late Jimmy Witherspoon, Dr. John, Maria Muldaur, and Roomful of Blues? He’s one of the rare artists who can do it all – guitarist, songwriter, singer, bandleader, even producer – Robillard knows the music business from the inside out. He put his first band together in high school because he was fascinated by the way jazz, swing and the blues were mixed. He started the band Roomful of Blues in 1967 and led that group to great success. Before long, they were playing with some of Robillard’s musical heroes – Big Joe Turner and Eddie “Cleanhead” Vinson. Robillard stayed with Roomful of Blues for 12 years, gaining wide acclaim. That band is still touring. Robillard went on to play with rockabilly king Robert Gordon, then cut two albums with the Legendary Blues Band before replacing Jimmy Vaughan in the Fabulous Thunderbirds in 1990. He was about to sign a recording deal with Virgin Records in 1993 when a Canadian recording label named Stony Plain said they were interested in a blues album. Virgin gave their approval and the album, “Duke’s Blues,” was so successful that Virgin soon licensed it and released it worldwide. Nine more albums have followed since then. It’s hard to see where he finds the time, being that he still keeps up a hefty 250 performance per year schedule, produces other popular albums, and is busy helping Bob Dylan, Ruth Brown and Johnny Adams record their work. He even had to add a recording studio onto his house! This is your chance to see a truly versatile musician. The New York Times called Robillard “…a soloist of stunning force and originality.” But perhaps the Houston Post said it best when they called him, “one of God’s guitarists.” |
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EVERETT SMITHSON When the Everett Smithson Band plays, you could swear there’s a tantalizing whiff of jambalaya simmering offstage somewhere. That’s because they play music that puts you in mind of a New Orleans French Quarter night – Zydeco, blues, rockin’ roots, and sometimes a little gospel thrown in. Everett Smithson offers a fun mix of male and female vocals, harmonica, accordion, standup bass, guitar and more. The band’s namesake, Everett got turned on to the blues while playing at the Kingston Mines jam some years back. That got him involved with the Alley Katz, playing with them throughout the upper Midwest for 15 years. He plays the blues harp and other instruments, as well as lending his vocals to the group. Kathy Smithson has been performing professionally for over a decade, singing and playing a number of instruments, particularly accordion – a habit that runs in the family. She’s got a great big voice for her diminutive stature, and doesn’t hold it back. The band is rounded out by Phil Schmid on guitar, Jeremy Johnson on drums, and Bill Black on standup bass – music veterans who hold it together and know how to keep it fun. They have played nationally and internationally with Bo Diddley, Lynwood Slim, Big George Jackson, Gary Primich and many others. Their most recent album is titled “Mad Dog.” With their infectious music and playful stage presence, the Everett Smithson Band gets their audiences connected fast. Be ready for some up-tempo fun! |
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JIMMY THACKERY “There is an electricity from your mind to your heart to your fingers,” says Jimmy Thackery. “You just try and remember to breathe.” Thackery has brought that energy to blues fans since the early 1970’s. Many people still remember him from his days as co-founder of the Nighthawks, but since leaving that group in 1987 Thackery has enjoyed a successful solo career. He’s known for his intense guitar playing. When he plays live, four guitars wait for him on stage. Thackery then announces to the crowd, “I’m gonna use all of them tonight!” Then he launches into some blues guitar that leaves crowds emotionally spent. Thackery is a true road warrior. He still plays over 300 shows per year, and life on the road filters into his music. Ironically, he left the Nighthawks because, “I was tired of working all the time and not having a life outside of music,” but now he finds himself putting in just as many hours. The difference, Thackery says, is that he started doing his own material and arrangements. His song-writing turning point occurred in 1994, when he released the album “Trouble Man.” “I was doing all my own music, and I had a real producer. He knew that I’d lost my training wheels.” Since then he’s recorded seven more albums and collaborated on two others. When he decides to work on an album these days, he goes to Nashville to hammer them out with some of the best music minds around. He may have Nashville roots these days, but this isn’t country music. It is still Jimmy Thackery rocking the blues. “All the music I’ve listened to is represented,” he says. “Blues is well represented. I’m staying true to those roots.” |
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DAVE HERRERO It’s been said that Dave Herrero has a vintage Texas blues sound with a modern twist, but that’s not the half of it. If you’re looking a sound that hits you right where it counts, you don’t want to miss this show. Herrero began playing guitar professionally at age 20 in Jacksonville, FL, largely influenced by Muddy Waters, Albert King, and the Fabulous Thunderbirds. These musical interests prompted a move to Austin, Texas, where he earned his chops playing with the best of the Austin blues community including Marcia Ball, Charlie Sexton, Nick Curran, Lazy Lester, Seth Walker and many others. He was guitarist and opener for Houston legends Archie Bell and the Drells, and with them he completed his first USO tour of Hungary, Bosnia, and Macedonia. Since then, he’s played the blues festivals in Scandinavia several times and has played some of the biggest shows in the U.S., including the Chicago Blues Festival, Springfield Blue Festival and the SXSW four times over. Since 2004, Herrero has also worked with his brother in Chicago, where they are known as “The Hero Brothers.” The Hero Brothers produce music for Harpo Productions and MTV’s Rob and Big, as well as other projects. His latest album, Austin to Chicago, was released in 2008 and was a Blues Blast Music Award nominee for Best New Artist Debut. |
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SONNY LANDRETH Sonny Landreth first made it to the Bayfront Blues Festival stage way back in 1996. Since then he’s been busy making music with some of the biggest names around. A Louisiana native, Landreth has long been a musical spokesman for the Deep South. He brings the unique musical background and stories of the area onto stage and into the recording studio in a way that brings them to life. That was never so clear as it is in his recent release, “From the Reach,” his ninth album and first on his own Landfall label. Here’s how you debut a new label. Landreth collaborated with five of the best guitar players on the planet – Eric Clapton, Mark Knopfler, Robben Ford, Eric Johnson and Vince Gill. He also rounded up legendary New Orleans pianist and singer Dr. John (also at the festival this year!) and Gulf Coast legend Jimmy Buffett. He spent a year writing songs for each of the artists, then went into the studio and recorded it with his band, leaving space for the guests. “Then I’d get these fantastic solos back and I’d say, ‘Oh my God. I’ve got to re-cut mine.” That might be a slight exaggeration, but it does show how high the album’s bar is set. “I wanted to make sure we captured their individual voices on the guitar, and I feel like we did that.” Landfill’s second release, titled "Levee Town Expanded Edition” features five previously unreleased tracks and a re-mastered version of the original. |
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KERI NOBLE Steadily making a name for herself around the globe, singer-songwriter Keri Noble has a voice that manages to be soulful, gritty and ethereal all at once. A Detroit native who makes her home in Minneapolis, Noble has brought influences from both cities to her music. Her career began when she gave her demo to guitarist Billy McLaughlin on one of his tour stops in Detroit. McLaughlin eventually invited Noble to open for him at the Fine Line in Minneapolis and introduced her to musicians on the local scene. Noble’s first two recordings are both critically acclaimed and led to tours in Europe and Asia, as well as opening for B.B. King and Cyndi Lauper. Her newest CD is self-titled and shows off her bluesier side. The smoldering closing track, “Life #9,” was recorded live at a Minneapolis show, with vocalists Kathleen and Rhonda Johnson adding soulful layers to the track. “Keri Noble” is her third CD and a debut release with Telarc, a transition that she says makes her feel more free in her recording career than ever. She has a keen awareness of both the light and dark sides of life, taking some of her songs to the edge of desperation while others are uplifting and inspirational. |
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ELVIN BISHOP Elvin Bishop grew up on a farm in Iowa. He might have stayed there and lived the farming life, except that in the early 1950’s the music of Chuck Berry, Fats Domino and Little Richard was broadcast on “white radio.” Then Bishop heard Jimmy Reed’s harmonica coming through on his fuzzy radio one night and he was hooked. “I said, ‘Oh man, this is it.’ I found out that the blues was where the good part of rock and roll was coming from.” He went looking to add to that good part. He started playing pawn shop guitars, cutting up his fingers on cheap strings and learning the instrument in secret, quitting and then starting again several times. He wishes there was a more noble way to describe why he finally stuck with it, but basically he couldn’t dance and he saw how much the girls loved the music. “That made me keep trying,” he says. Bishop was a good student and was awarded a National Merit Scholarship in 1959, meaning he could’ve studied at almost any school in the nation. He chose the University of Chicago because it was the center of the blues universe. The only thing he really aced was Blues 101, and what an education. Bishop spent his time listening to the legends – Muddy Water, Howlin’ Wolf, Hound Dog Taylor, Otis Rush, Junior Wells, Buddy Guy, Magic Sam, Bobby King, Eddie King, Little Smokey, Big Smokey and “a bunch of great people you’ve never heard of.” He worked as a sideman and played for some of the biggest names in the blues' biggest city. He also met a guy named Paul Butterfield. The two of them eventually formed the Paul Butterfield Blues Band, a six-piece ensemble that became famous, both for being an integrated band (Butterfield was white) and because it introduced a lot of people to blues music and inspired countless future musicians. Bishop is quite literally a bridge between two different musical cultures. In 1968, he went to California where he met Jimmy Hendrix and Eric Clapton and helped introduce blues music to the hippies. He recorded for three different record labels and then signed with Alligator Records in 1988 and cut numerous albums with them. His music is a mix of big city blues and down-home country. Since then, Bishop has kept up a hectic performance schedule. His latest album is titled “The Blues Rolls On” and pays tribute to his musical roots. |
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PAPA JOHN KOLSTAD & CLINT HOOVER
It’s some kind of magic when Papa John Kolstad and Clint Hoover pool their mad music skills. |
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BIG WALTER SMITH & THE GROOVE MERCHANTS If you want to know what Minnesota Blues is, look for no further than Big Walter Smith and the Groove Merchants. Big Walter is one of the most popular performers in Duluth. He has played at every Bayfront Blues Festival and is so beloved in our city that the Duluth mayor declared it “Big Walter Smith Day” in August of 1997. Big Walter was born in Tulsa and began his blues career in Kansas City, where he eventually played with some of his earliest musical influences – BB King and the Bobby Blue Band. He moved to Minneapolis in 1970 at the urging of a friend and band member, and has since become Minnesota’s most honored and recognized blues performer. He’s known as the “Big Man of the Blues,” and has been become a Midwest Blues icon. There isn’t a Minnesota musical award that he hasn’t collected, both individually and with his band. His crowning achievement (so far) was being inducted into the Minnesota Music Hall of Fame in 2005. It’s not a stretch to say that Big Walter introduced the entire state to blues music. We wouldn’t be here without him! Living Blues magazine said of Big Walter, “He has personified the blues in Minneapolis and St. Paul for 40 years.” He is still going strong, playing the region’s finest concert halls, casinos and festivals. The Bayfront Blues Festival is close to his heart. You don’t want to miss this Minnesota Blues legend. |
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NIKKI & THE RUEMATES The RueMates are Nikki Matteson, Rich Rue, and Carrie Deans - and while they don’t actually room with one another they couldn’t sound more together. They aren’t easily pegged, either. The trio hails from the Twin Cities, where they dish out their diverse mix of acoustic blues rock, roots, and psychedelic folk at venues across the metropolis almost daily. Nikki Matteson’s clear, compelling voice rises above the crowd while Rue’s deft finger-picking and slide guitar work, along with Deans’ bass and harmonies, support the songs perfectly. Matteson plays acoustic as well and Rue lends his vocals to round out their sound. The RueMates list musical influences that span generations and genres, from Janis Joplin to Memphis Minnie, Bessie Smith to Bob Dylan, and John Lee Hooker to Bob Marley – and that’s only a small sample. These musicians are into all kinds of music, and they aren’t afraid to follow a straight-up roots number with a song that mixes all those sounds into one. Nikki & the RueMates’ latest CD is “We All Live Together,” and they’ve recently performed on MPR’s Radio Heartland as well as on KARE 11 television. Incidentally, Matteson and Rue also perform in the metro area with the rock band “The Strangers” and Rue gets onstage each week with the Roe Family Singers. This trio is definitely on the rise, and you don’t want to miss their chemistry here at Bayfront. |
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SCOTT HOLT
When Scott Holt’s mother talks about what Scott liked to do as a kid, it’s a pretty short story. |
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DONNA HERULA A Chicago-born singer who takes the Delta/country blues seriously, Donna Herula is worth a listen. Or two. Or 2,000. She plays fingerstyle as well as blues slide guitar on her 1930’s National Steel Triolian and National Steel Tricone, and she’s got a gutsy voice to match. Herula began playing guitar at the age of 10, and by 16 she was playing in bands and writing original blues songs. Influenced by slide guitar players like Rory Block, Bob Brozman, Bonnie Raitt, and Eric Sardinas, she explored the early blues musicians who came before like Son House, Muddy Waters, Ma Rainey, and Sippie Wallace. She learned Delta Blues and bottleneck slide guitar by listening to old blues recordings at the Old Town School of Folk Music in Chicago. Recently Herula performed a tribute to slide guitar master Robert Nighthawk at the 2009 Chicago Blues Festival for his centennial celebration. She also performed as part of a Nighthawk symposium for the Delta Cultural Center in Helena, Arkansas. Besides blues festivals and other venues, she has performed on a number of blues radio shows. Twice she’s played on King Biscuit Time with Sonny Payne, legendary host and member of the blues hall of fame, and on Delta Sounds with host Terry Buckalew, both on www.KFFA.com radio in Helena.Inspired early on by street performers like Steve Arvey, Kraig Kenning, and Catfish Stevenson, Herula often takes to playing the blues on the streets of Chicago and Helena. But at Bayfront, we’re glad she’ll settle onstage awhile. |
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OTIS CLAY “Is he soul? Is he blues? Is he gospel? Yes, and he moved from to Chicago from Mississippi as a boy and has become an iconic figure in all of those genres,” wrote the Chicago Sun Times about blues legend Otis Clay. He is a legendary performer who has also been called a national treasure for his charitable work, particularly in the Chicago area. Clay was worked for decades to bring economic and cultural opportunities for West and South Side Chicago residents. That’s what he does in his free time. When he’s working, he is a Chicago-based musical icon in demand at festivals and concerts across the U.S., Europe and Japan. Some of his recent appearances include headlining the Japan Blues and Soul Festival Tour and headlining the opening night of the Blues Passion Festival in Cognac, France and being its Honorary President. He was born in Mississippi and began his deep soul career in the mid 1960’s. Clay’s early hit “Trying to Live My Life Without You” helped him take off, but it was his gospel recording “When the Gates Swing Open” in the mid-1980s that cemented his reputation amongst gospel lovers. The song is still a staple on gospel stations. Along the way he’s played with The Pilgrim Harmonizers, Gospel Songbirds and the legendary Sensational Nightingales. Clay still has those raw, fiery vocals. He’s a unique performer with his own style of soul, R&B and Blues, a true original. Don’t miss your chance to see this Chicago performer that the N.Y. Times said, “…has one of the best presentations – a combination of gospel passion, heavy grooves and a positive attitude.” |
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LISA WENGER Lisa Wenger delivers blues-based American roots music that is sometimes funked-up, sometimes stripped down, ranging from sultry to something electric. She’s got sass and a voice that’s worthy of it. A Twin Cities blues fixture for nearly a decade, Wenger lends her vocal chops to a wide variety of sounds, from the blues classics of Koko Taylor and Etta James to contemporary soul, New Orleans R&B, and her own material. In 1998, she moved to the Twin Cities from Bismarck, North Dakota, where she’d gotten noticed for her singing voice in church and school. But once she left home and discovered the blues, she knew there was no going back. In Minneapolis, she worked her way into the music scene, eventually taking the stage with Lamont Cranston, Kurt Jorgenson, Raggs, the Senders, Memphis and the Meantimes, and the Mojo Band, which she fronted. Now Wenger performs as a bandleader/vocalist with a new cast of professionals who are tenured in the professional blues circuit. Her time on the blues circuit is now bearing fruit, and it shows in every performance. Remember that part about sass? Lisa says, "Now, finally, when I'm on stage I feel like I have the world by the balls. And I'm not giving them back." |
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HARPER There’s no clear musical category for Harper, except perhaps “talented.” For example, where do you rank didgeridoo amongst blues instruments? If you’re Harper, you rank it right at the top. This innovative musician has a unique sound that is winning fans all over the globe. His musical education began in Europe where he played in brass bands. When he was just 10 years old, though, the family moved to Perth, Australia, one of the most isolated cities in the world. His father introduced him to the harp. Harper found something unexpected in Perth – a thriving blues scene, and he discovered a rawness, honesty and passion that attracted him. He was so attracted to the music that he looked into its roots. “I was inspired by a wide range of players,” he says. “When I started making my own music, it seemed natural to add the sounds and instruments that I grew up with.” That included the didgeridoo, which has a deep, woody, haunting tone. He also played the harmonica, but like all of Harper’s music, it pushes the boundaries. He’s been described as part harmonica wizard and part rhythmic explorer, and as someone who blurs lines between rock, blues, soul and world music. His music was a hit in Australia. He produced six albums there and picked up “Best Male Vocalist,” “Song of the Year,” and “Acoustic Artist of the Year” before anyone even knew of him in the U.S. They know now. He moved to the U.S. but continues to tour worldwide. Make sure you see what all the talk is about on Saturday at the Festival. |
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REVEREND RAVEN & THE CHAIN SMOKIN' ALTAR BOYS
Reverend Raven and the Chainsmokin’ Altar Boys hail from Milwaukee, playing classic Chicago and Texas blues with a smoking sound. They’re known all over the Midwest for getting folks onto their feet and keeping that groove of theirs fresh and hot all at the same time. |
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ROD PIAZZA & THE MIGHTY FLYERS If you were to create a blues musician professional, you could use Rob Piazza as your model. Piazza is a time-tested, tried-and-true, blues veteran who has been making great music and performing in front of eager crowds for over 40 years. He’s a pro’s pro. He’s also the measuring stick for harmonica players. From his first recordings as front man for the Dirty Blues Band and through his multiple awards with the Mighty Flyers, Piazza and his band have established themselves as one of the most experienced and distinctive bands in the blues scene today. Piazza had already released five albums and was a West Coast blues leader when he teamed up with Honey Alexander (now his wife) and eventually formed the Mighty Flyers. An already promising career then really took off. Since the 1970s the Mighty Flyers have won or been nominated for just about every award a blues band can win. They’ve also played thousands of concerts all over the world, and recorded over a dozen releases. Their peers voted them “Blues Band of the Year” in 1999 and 2000 at the W.C. Handy awards, the blues equivalent of winning a Grammy award. They’ve created their very own sound, a combination low-down Chicago grit, suave West Coast swing and jazz, and the rhythmic drive of the best early R&B and rock and roll. While there have been some changes over the years, the core of the band remains intact, giving the Mighty Flyers a kind of musical teamwork rarely seen in the blues world today. |
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EDEN BRENT Eden Brent has been described by critics as “Bessie Smith meets Diana Krall meets Janis Joplin.” You can bet that makes for one juicy sound. A blues and boogie pianist and singer from Mississippi, Brent developed her skills during a 16-year apprenticeship with the late bluesman Boogaloo Ames. Their partnership was portrayed in the 1999 PBS documentary Boogaloo & Eden: Sustaining the Sound. “Music school taught me to think, but Boogaloo taught me to boogie-woogie,” says Brent. He has gotten critical acclaim for her work both at home and internationally. She won the 2006 International Blues Challenge and was a 2004 inductee on the Greenville Blues Walk. She has performed at the Kennedy Center and the 2000 National Republican Convention. In 2005, Eden Brent performed at the presidential inauguration, sharing the bill with B.B. King. She has also played her music on the syndicated radio show Beale Street Caravan and XM Radio’s Bluesville. Her latest release is “Mississippi Number One,” the title the name of a Mississippi highway that runs through the Delta region where Brent grew up. Her mentor Boogaloo Ames called her “Little Boogaloo,” high acclaim indeed. But Eden Brent has her own sound, taking her music from a whisky smoke whisper to a jook night holler. Chip Eagle, publisher of Blues Revue, Blues Wax, and Dirty Linen says of Brent, “ …you can hear the ghosts of Mississippi in duet with the future of the blues.” |
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DR. JOHN & THE LOWER 911 Dr. John is universally accepted as the living musical embodiment of New Orleans. He ranks right up there with Louis Armstrong and Fats Domino as one of the all-time great voices of that legendary musical city. Dr. John, or Mac Rebennack, began his career in the 1950’s. He started paying his dues in New Orleans clubs starting when he was 15 and ended up writing and playing guitar for Art Neville, Frankie Ford and Joe Tex. There was a notorious gun incident that forced the good doctor to surrender the guitar and focus on piano and an organ. It also forced him West, where he continued to be in demand as a musician, teaming up with Sonny and Cher, Van Morrison and Aretha Franklin and becoming a favorite of famous record maker Phil Spector. Sonny & Cher famously offered Dr. John free studio time after they were done. It was during that time he recorded his famous album, “Gris gris.” When he went solo, he took a persona named Dr. John Creaux-The Night Tripper. He was inspired by a 19th Century prince who lived in New Orleans named Dr. John Montaine. Montaine claimed to be an African king, but was just as famous for his occult knowledge and for voodoo. When Rebennack came on stage in 1968, he had transformed himself into Dr. John. He wore Mardi-Gras Indian feathered head-dress and long colorful robes. There’s no question the character got attention, but what was more important was the music. “Gris-gris,” was a unique blend of voodoo mysticism, funk, rhythm & blues, psychedelic rock and Creole roots. The legend was born. Top performers like Bob Dylan and Eric Clapton, Mick Jagger, Van Morrison and others all lined up to work with him. His masterful 1971 album “Sun, Moon and Herbs” features cameos from Clapton and Jagger. A long list of awards followed, including Grammys in 1989, 1992, 1996 and 2000. After Hurricane Katrina, Dr. John came to his city’s aid, raising money and recording a well-received benefit disk. In 2009, he released “City That Care Forgot,” a collection about post-Katrina New Orleans. For the past 25 years, Dr. John has been an international festival headliner, but he’s not just resting on his huge past success. In fact, those who thought Dr. John was past his creative prime were wrong. “City That Care Forgot” won the Grammy for “Best Contemporary Blues Album” in 2009. We are proud and honored to welcome Dr. John back to our Bayfront Blues Festival stage. |
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