Interview with Evangeline's Don Bailey Article on Funk Fest Big Muddy Photos from Reed Radcliffe, Bob Baugh and Caro
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THE BI-MONTHLY MAGAZINE OF THE SAINT LOUIS BLUES SOCIETY Sep/Oct 2018 Number 92 Interview with Evangeline's Don Bailey Article on Funk Fest Inside: Big Muddy Photos from Reed Radcliffe, Bob Baugh and Carol Boss 3 The Road to Memphis submitted band bios 4-5 Evangeline's: Cookin' and Bookin' with Don Bailey story and photos by Bob Baugh 6 Funk Fest 13 by Amy Berger 8-11 Big Muddy Memories photos by Reed Radcliffe, Carol Boss, Bob Baugh and Reema Shah 15 St. Louis Musicians Listing back Road to Memphis/International Blues Challenge information cover COVER and POSTER ART by Sandy DeMunbrun First of all, a quick apology for the tardiness of this BluesLetter. Post-Big Muddy is always busy, and it takes a little time to get all the pictures, stories and ads created. We’ve got it together now and hope you enjoy this issue. THANK YOU to everyone who participated in this year’s Big Muddy Blues Festival. The seven stages full of 70 St. Louis acts proved to be an outstanding weekend. Thanks to the volunteers who helped at the Blues Society store, as well as the volunteers who helped make the event possible. A special thank you to all the music lovers who came and celebrated St. Louis’ longest running music festival! Next up is the International Blues Challenge: Road to Memphis coming up October 14. This year we have a great group of musicians vying for a spot in the Memphis event. We very much hope you can join us for the IBC at the Kirkwood Brewing Station from 4-8pm. 2018 has been a remarkable year for St. Louis music and we are so happy to be a part of it! There is plenty more to come. In the next few months look for information on the new 2018 compilation CD, the Baby Blues Showcase and elections to the board of directors in January. Thank you for supporting the St. Louis Blues Society and St. Louis Blues Music! E-mailJeremy Jeremy Segel-Moss, STLBS Board Chairperson I'd love to hear from you! Please write me at [email protected] and tell me your thoughts on the IBC. BluesLetter is published six times a year Offi cers Board of Directors by the St. Louis Blues Society. The St. Louis Blues Society is dedicated Jeremy Segel-Moss Michael Battle PO Box 78894 Chairperson Ridgley "Hound Dog" Brown to preserving and perpetuating blues St. Louis MO 63178 Jerry Minchey Glenn Howard music in and from St. Louis, while stlouisbluessociety.org Treasurer Rich Hughes Greg Hunt fostering its growth and appreciation. facebook.com/stlbluessociety Lynn Barlar Paul Niehaus IV Secretary Marty D. Spikener The St. Louis Blues Society provides Mary Kaye Tönnies Mary Kaye Tönnies Alonzo Townsend blues artists the opportunity for public Co-Editor Communications Kelly K Wells [email protected] Johnny Willis performance and individual improve- Jeremy Segel-Moss Advisory Directors Directors Emeriti ment in their fi eld, all for the educational Co-Editor and artistic benefi t of the general public. [email protected] Charles Taylor Ron Edwards Legal Consultant Bernie Hayes John May e St. Louis Blues Society is a 501(c)(3) not-for-pro t Missouri © 2018 St. Louis Blues Club corporation. Memberships to the Blues Society are tax deductible to the extent allowed by law. 2 The St. Louis Blues Society BluesLetter The St. Louis Blues Society BluesLetter 3 The Road to Memphis The local challenge to determine the St. Louis representative to the Blues Foundation's 35th annual International Blues Challenge in Memphis, January 22-26, 2019 will take place Sunday, October 14 at Kirkwood Station Brewing, 105 East Jefferson, Kirkwood MO, 4pm. Get a good seat - doors open at 3pm! Al Holliday and The East Side Rhythm Band The Alley Tones Jason David Cooper In a few short Formed in Jason David Cooper years, Al Holliday March 2012 is a singer/songwriter/ & The East Side to play and guitarist with a lifelong Rhythm Band preserve the love and commitment have built their blues art form. to blues music. Raised reputation as The four in the St Louis area and the hard-hitting, members of The relocated to Los Angeles world-class, Alley Tones while still in high force-of-Soul-and-R-&-B-nature beyond immediately came together as a unit, proving school, Jason returned comparison. the blues is a universal language. to St Louis in 2010 to With blues standards as 76yuon thread in pursue his career and make his livelihood The band’s distinct brand of Soul music as a blues artist. is a bit less “New York City” and much respect for the fundamentals of the style. more “Mississippi River”. Their sound Staying deep in the pocket but turning the Jason David Cooper has had the benefit combines the loose, funky feel of New lead guitar and vocals loose to improvise, of sharing the stage with many legendary Orleans R&B along with the visceral we are now blessed with energetic and no- blues players over the years, including power and intensity of East St. Louis’ holds-barred style. We continue to work Johnny Lang, Jubu Smith, and many own Ike & Tina Turner—and they bring it towards all original sets. musicians that have toured with the likes all right to ya with truly inspired original of Freddy King, Jr Wells, Albert Collins, numbers. Hy-C and Fresh Start ZZ Hill, Koko Taylor, Buddy Guy, Chuck Skeet Rodgers and the Inner City Band Hy-C first Berry and many others. He has opened for played Big Chuck Berry, the Mighty Clouds of Joy, the Charles “Skeet Jackson Southern Heirs among others. “Rodgers is a St Muddy as a Louis native is a very vocalist with talented musician. the Skeet Nick Pence (solo/duo) Rodgers and Charles began Nick Pence dives Inner City playing drums at the deep into the tales and Blues Band. age of 14 with many history of the early Now the “Princess of Soul and Blues” said local bands; with that evolution of blues she is “excited and rarin’ to go”, with the experience he became a talented blues and old-time music. band she formed two years ago, The Fresh singer and developed his own band, The He focuses on early Start Show Band. Inner City Blues Band. recordings and strives Hy-C has opened up for Shirley Brown, to channel the energy of Charles has performed blues shows Denise LaSalle and Grammy Award winner that music. for the past 30 years and played with Bobby Rush. Listen to her beautiful voice big name blues stars such as the late Mr. Pulling from the as she belts out her take on Gladys Knight, Bobby Bland, Johnny Taylor, Little Milton large number of pre-war St. Louis artists Etta James, Denise LaSalle and Koko Campbell, Tyrone Davis, Marvin Sease, and gospel singers from the south Nick Taylor. HyC is currently working a soon- Mel Waiters and Floyd Taylor, Willie shares his excitement with all who listen. to-be-released album with her first original Clayton, Jerry Butler, Shirley Brown, and material. She is ready to show Memphis Denise LaSalle just to name a few. He has what St. Louis is all about. performed in many states. 2 The St. Louis Blues Society BluesLetter The St. Louis Blues Society BluesLetter 3 interview and photos by Bob Baugh The YouTube video about Evangeline’s Restaurant features the chef/owner, Don Bailey, and tells you about the soulful Cajun cuisine. It doesn’t tell you that it’s the premier music venue in the Central West End. But, Bailey will tell you, “it’s all about the music.” He should know because he books more than he cooks these days. It’s a delightful mix of local and national performers from multiple genres. The mid-September menu includes five local bands and performers from Colorado, San Diego and Chicago serving up blues, R&B, funk, acoustic, jazz, pop, hot jazz, hokum, and low-down blues. The unassuming Bailey was a surprising and fun interview about his thirty-year adventure in music, promotion and food. It begins with an audacious 16-year-old trumpet and guitar playing kid from the conservative German farming community of Millstadt IL with punk sensibilities who booked Black Flag to play Belleville in 1985. You do food. You do music. And, you bring (1995-2006) everyone in their 20s came out. It idea anyone associated with the album won the the two together at Evangeline’s in the Central was original music seven days a week with lots Grammy too until I got a text message. Recently, West End. Where did it all come from? of good bands: Drive By Truckers, Dixie Chicks I produced a band called the Punk Necks. It’s (before they hit big), Old 97, Commander Cody, a country punk sound, something like the Sex It was always about the music from the etc. It was like what Joe Edwards did on Delmar; Pistols met Merle Hagard. th time I started on trombone in 4 grade through we helped revitalize the street. Food happened the concert and marching bands at high school because we couldn’t get a liquor license without Evangeline’s roots are also tied to the 2005 in Belleville (1987). Outside school I took up it. A friend set up an upscale bar menu. Our destruction of New Orleans by hurricane guitar and had a punk band, the Visuals. Booking Saturday special was a burger, fries and Stag Katrina. Tell us what happened.