Blues Notes September 2018

Volume TwenTy-Three, number nine • SepTember 2018

The Jimmys on the River City Star

MUSIC FESTIVAL

FREE, ALL AGES OUTDOOR FESTIVAL
Sunday, September 30th
7 OAKS HEADQUARTERS
13304 West Center Road, Omaha
Food trucks will be on site, please no outside food or drink.

Sunday, September 23 from 4 PM to 6 PM www.rivercitystar.com for tix and info

2PM: GATES OPEN
3PM: SEBASTIAN LANE
4:15PM: ALASTAIR GREENE
6PM: THE DANIELLE NICOLE BAND
7:45PM: ELEKTRIC VOODOO
9PM: FIREWORKS!

Sunday, Sept. 16th @ 5 pm

— HURRICANE RUTH —

Wednesday, Sept. 1 2 th @ 6 pm • Zoo Bar, Lincoln Friday, Sept 1 4 th @ 5:30 pm • The B Bar, Omaha

Tuesday, Sept. 11th
@ 6 pm

BLUES BEATLES

Wednesday, Sept. 12th
@ 6 pm

HURRICANE RUTH

Sunday, Sept. 30th
@ 5 pm

WEBB WILDER

TAS CRU

($5 cover)
Thursday, Sept. 20th @ 6 pm

LAURA RAIN AND
THE CAESARS

($5 cover)

Chrome Lounge

Sunday, Sept. 30th @ 5 pm

ROCKIN’ JOHNNY BURGIN

($5 cover)

8552 Park Drive, Omaha
402-339-8660

The Blues Society of Omaha Presents
Legendary Thursday Blues Matinees and more

All shows 6 pm unless noted otherwise

RUSTEMBERFEST

Saturday, Sept. 8th at 1-29 Dragway
Pacific Junction, IA

Thurs. Sept. 6th...................................................Renee Austin ($10) Thurs. Sept. 13th............Mary Jo Curry and Tombstone Bullet ($10) Thurs. Sept. 20th...........................................Reverend Raven & the
Chain Smokin’ Altar Boys ($10)
Thurs. Sept. 27th.................................The Zac Harmon Band ($12)

BSO presents
Hector Anchondo (5 pm) and Sebastian Lane Band (7 pm)

Thurs. Oct. 4th.................................. Biscuit Miller and the Mix ($10) Thurs. Oct. 11th.....................Orphan Jon and the Abandoned ($10) Thurs. Oct. 18th............................The Jimmy Carpenter Band ($10) Thurs. Oct. 25th.................................................... Wicked Grin ($10)

PAGE 2

BLUES NEWS • BLUES SOCIETY OF OMAHA

Why Join the Blues Society of Omaha with Your Membership Donation?

The Blues Society of Omaha, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization formed in 1998. We are an all-volunteer organization with over 800 dues-paying members. BSO’s mission is “Keepin’ the Blues Alive”. We are recognized as one of the top Blues Societies in the country. With the help of your tax-deductible donation we continue to promote blues music, blues musicians, and live music venues & events. Among our many projects and accomplishments are these: • BSO promotes musicians and venues by maintaining a comprehensive live music calendar on our website, omahablues.com. BSO also distributes free monthly news flyers with calendars to numerous public gathering spots to inform the general community of live music shows in the area.
• BluesEd is a non-profit youth artist development program created and sponsored by Blues Society of Omaha. The BluesEd program began in 2001 to provide opportunities for young musicians to learn blues music in a series of workshops and to play with other students in a band format. Our BluesEd bands always are impressive and they have performed at some of the finest festivals & venues in and around Omaha.
• The Blues Society of Omaha has hosted an annual Nebraska Blues Challenge competition for local bands since 2011. All of the participating bands are showcased in judged public events as they compete for a package of prizes and the honor of representing BSO at the International Blues Challenge competitionheldinMemphis.Allof the winning Nebraska bands have gone on to receive national attention and acclaim while making BSO proud!
• BSO produces and/or sponsors various music events throughout the year. • BSO is a contributor to and supporter of Playing With Fire, a series of free outdoor concerts held each summer in Omaha since 2004. • BSO provides support to The Zoo Bar, Lincoln’s legendary and award-winning blues venue. BSO is a sponsor of the annual ZooFest music festival.
• In conjunction with Toy Drive for Pine Ridge, BSO hosts an annual toy drive and concert fundraiser for the children of Pine Ridge Reservation.
• BSO regularly produces charitable events for musicians in need.

As a member and donor, you are entitled to great membership beneﬁts:

• Free subscription to “Blues Notes”, our monthly newsletter that will keep you abreast of blues events in the area, blues CD reviews, and other articles of interest to blues connoisseurs!
• E-blasts with late-breaking blues news. • Special pre-sale and discounted tickets to select events. • Discounts offered by generous local businesses. • Pride in belonging to a group dedicated to “Keepin’ The Blues Alive”!

Please consider switching to the GREEN VERSION of Blues Notes. You will be saving the planet while saving BSO some expense. Contact Susan Keith at [email protected] to switch to e-mail delivery and get the scoop days before snail mail members!

BLUES ON THE RADIO:

Mondays 1pm-3pm on KIOS 91.5 “Blues in the Afternoon” with Mike Jacobs
You can listen to the live stream at www.kios.org

Sundays 9am-Noon on KIWR 89.7 Rick Galusha’s “PS Blues”
Pacific Street Blues & Americana podcast: https://anchor.fm/pacific-street-blues-and-americana

Lincoln’s KZUM Radio - Nebraska’s only community radio, and you can listen to it on the web at KZUM.org.
Monday – 3:00-6:00pm “World Gone Wrong Blues”
Tuesday – 3:00-6:00pm “Group W Blues”
Wednesday – 3:00-6:00pm “Highway Blues” • 8:30-10:00pm “Radio Gumbo”
Thursday – 3:00-5:00pm “Blue Water Mixtape”
Friday – 1:00-3:00pm “Women’s Blues & Boogie” • 3:00-6:00pm “Hudson Blue” Saturday – 6:00-7:00am “Beale Street Caravan” • 7:00-8:00am “Juke in the Back”
Sunday – 2:00-4:00pm “Back at the Chicken Shack”

PAGE 3

RENEÉ AUSTIN

Thursday, September 6th @ 6 pm ($ 1 0 C over) • Chrome Lounge, Omaha

Austin embraces a deliciously wide range of roots styles: She belts the blues with sass, swings nimbly on R&B, and ﬁres off some rousing gospel. For good measure, she also shows she can take it uptown with a sultry, soulful ballad.

enced a series of true miracles and her voice has returned. Her new CD, “Songbirds & Angels”, hit the streets April, 2018 with a soldout Album Release show at the world renowned Dakota Jazz Club. She also just signed a worldwide digital distribution deal with The Orchard, a division of Sony Music. Reneé was Executive Producer for Songbirds & Angels and wrote all 13 tracks working with Producer/ Guitarist Da-

The Philadelphia Enquirer

Maybe you saw her on Morgan Freeman’s Blues Diva’s on PBS? Or, you may have caught her singing live for a season opener for the WWE SmackDown with 6 million viewers? Six-time Minnesota Music Award Winner and WC Handy Best New Artist Nominee, Reneé Austin, calls her new music a mix of Soul/ Gospel/R&B with a hint of Texas. The Texas Hill Country raised multi-instrumentalist and singer-songwriter rose to national attention in 2003 with her ﬁrst international release, “Sweet Talk” which included the spine-tingling duet “Pretend We Never Met” with 3-time Grammy Winner, fellow Texan and friend Delbert McClinton.

Mark Fredell

Austin released 3 CD’s between 1997-2005: “Dancin’ With Mr. Blue”, “Sweet Talk” and “Right About Love”, opening for respected artists such as Los Lobos, Delbert McClinton, Blues Traveler, Big Head Todd & The Monsters, Keb Mo and Robert Cray. Sadly, just two short weeks after the release of “Right About Love”, Reneé’s singing career was halted just as her star was rising. Tragedy struck when during a surgical procedure, Austin’s left vocal nerve became paralyzed. Unable to sing or speak above a whisper, Austin began a new life without music. vid Grissom (Mellencamp, Dixie Chicks, Storyville, Allman Brothers, Joe Ely) for 4 songs recorded in Austin, Texas. Austin worked with Producers Douglas A. Smith (P Funk, Nikka Costa, Vann Hunt) and Christopher Furst (Studio 65 Owner, Engineer, Mixing, Mastering) for the other 9 songs recorded in Minneapolis. MN. Austin’s voice has been compared to Anita Baker, Tina Turner, Regina Belle, even a female Michael McDonald. Watch the video of Reneé’s inspirational story at reneeaustin.org

From the Artist’s website

But, after years of struggle and heartache, Austin experi-

Check out B.J. Huchtemann’s column Hoodoo Blues each week in the Omaha READER for info on upcoming shows and other news in the roots-blues music scene.
Look for B.J.’s byline under the Music tab at thereader.com

BSO CORPORATE SPONSORS

Blue Club

Absolutely Fresh Seafood Glenn & Sheila Bauer
Chip Davis
Mitch Bolte
Robin & Elizabeth Bracy-Robson
Chick Ganz
Hawk’s BBQ –
Chris & Brenda Hawkinson
Bill & Brenda Bahrke
Mo Barry
Steve & Nancy Mether John Pollack & Karen Berry Mikel Schmidt & Leslie Eurek

Ann Scolaro

Conrad Good

Kit & Pam Kelley Royce & Jo Kreitman Terry O’Halloran
Paul Gerber
Steve & Lisa Krueger
Jody Marker
Kenny & Linda Benton Geoff & Elaine Clark
John Doocy
Sid Sidner Terry Smith Tim Sorrell
Lonnie Thomas
Tammy Trahan - Corner Bar
James Pietro, DDS Roger & Sheri Slosson
Ernest Sutherlin Dan Van Houten Richard Wolken
David & Kristine Evans
Gary Gates Dan Hamann
Mike & Sally Hansen
Todd Higgins
Susan & Troy Krupicka Tom & Heidi Macy Vanessa Marie
Jeff & Vicki Suchomel Bill & Denise Teeple
James Thele

Corporate

Vickie Tifﬁn

Bel Air Merchant’s Association Integrity Wealth Management
Mama’s Pizza West
Paul Scott Hoagbin Blues Band
West Point Rack
James & Jacqueline Tischer David Vanlandingham
Greg Virant & Lynn Kost Virant
John Watt

Special

Down Under Lounge

Bonnie Mercer & Kim Burns

Caleb Whisenhunt

PAGE 4

What’s New with BluesEd?

Our 17th year of BluesEd was absolutely one of the busiest and best years yet! Our student bands entertained and delighted audiences large and small all over Lincoln, Omaha and surrounding areas where we made many new fans. Our season ofﬁcially concluded on Aug. 5th with our Season Finale at The Waiting Room before our senior students head out to their respective colleges and technical schools. Many thanks, as always, to the Blues Society of Omaha for the amazing support and encouragment for our BluesEd bands. Without a doubt, the best Blues education program in the country (possibly world?) hails from Omaha, Nebraska!
Us and Them Blues Band - Ann Giebler & Victoria Hawkins

Vertigo Blues Band - Rainbow & James Dark

Additionally, many other parents helped with photography, videos, storing and transporting equipment, social media and promoting & encouraging each of our 7 bands.

The BluesEd Leadership team (pictured below: Tami Tomsu (not shown) Drew Johnson, Laurie Neumayer, Trudy Bredthauer, Sean Gillen, Chris Shouse, Ann Giebler, Susie Hemphill) manages the business end of BluesEd which includes many essential tasks: auditions, accounting, securing venues and performance opportunities, social media, workshop scheduling, fundraising, scholarships, website, marketing and promotion, equipment, organizing events, and many other details large and small that have kept BluesEd strong, growing and thriving for 17 years!

Awards The Anna Jane Abbott Memorial Scholarship:

Josie Jennum from Us and Them Blues Band.

The Ron Cooley Award for Most Improved Band:

Blue Sunday

The BluesEd Brad Cordle Award:

Hunter Neumayer from The Redwoods

Acknowledgements

Not only are the student musicians in BluesEd incredibly talented and hard-working but so are the all the BluesEd volunteers! We could not do it without the many, many parent (and a couple former parent) volunteers. Each band has a Lead Parent (LP) and Performance Coordinator (PC) who does the bulk of the “work” in the bands from communicating to each band to loading/unloading & hauling equipment for each and every gig. The LP’s and PC’s of BluesEd are simply the unsung heroes and are owed a great deal of praise and gratitude:
Finally, we are already looking forward to next year and we need your help! Auditions for BluesEd will be held in February of 2019. If you know of middle or high school student vocalists and/or instrumentalists that are proﬁcient in their instrument and are ready to perform in a band we would encourage you to send them our way. We will have more information on our website at www.BluesEd.com.
Blue Sunday: JD & Carolyn White & Jill & Jeff Nelson Far & Wide Blues - Drew Johnson & Doug Watkins Five Minute Drive - Dawn Abboud & Tracey Ryan MANNIX - Julie Nichols and Chris Steffen
Thanks for helping us “Keep the Blues Alive!”
The Redwoods - Laurie Neumayer & Tami Tomsu

Trudy Bredthauer, BluesEd Leadership Team

— B.S.O. Mailbag —

Hey

BSO!

Just wanted to give you all some HUGE thanks

and

Dear BluesEd members,

Soci-

Blues

and the

BluesEd,

Abbott,

to Valerie

my sincere gratitude

express

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arship.

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I want to thank all the students, clinicians, parents, and members of the Blues Society of Omaha for all their encouragement, devotion, advice and hard work for making this program

wonderful show of support at the In the Market for Blues to our BluesEd Season Finale on Sunday

was quite a week of Blues!

Personally have never seen this much cooperation or support between our two groups. to see so many of our Blues Society board mem
, it

. Thank you for everything you do! what it is today

Them as well as getting the opportunity to play with . I’ve made so many friends and memories because of
I really enjoy being part of Us and ertigo this summer

, in all my years of being in BluesEd, I

Far & Wide and V

BluesEd.

These are things that I will always cherish and never forget.

I am especially grateful

It still surprises me to have been selected when I think about all the wonderfully talented and dedicated musicians in this program who were all incredibly deserving of this award. This scholarship will help me continue my passion for learning music. I hope to have a career

-

bers,

events.

ofﬁcers

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. Wherever life takes me, music will always be an important part in the music industry one day

of who I am.

Thanks for taking the time to support our immensely talented students and the BluesEd parents who work so hard behind the scenes.

Chris Shouse,

s family and the people who nominated me

Anna Jane’

Thank you again. I hope I make

proud of the person and performer l am becoming.

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eam

Josie Jennum

PAGE 5

BluesEd Clinician Ron Cooley Retires

Henry Tomsu of The Redwoods :

Henry appreciated how Ron knew a lot about Jazz and theory and how he shared stories and experiences.

Logan Hawkins of Us and Them Blues Band :

I have memories of showing up to a clinic thinking a song was really good and then Ron would make us turn our instruments down and play it quiet and I then realized how much work the song needed. You need to be able to play a song quietly before you can make it sound good loud.

I have a memory of going to Ron’s house for a guitar lesson and when I got there his wife left right away and Ron told me that “us guitar players are always too loud for her”

Hunter Neumayer of The Redwoods :

I always appreciated his stories and sage advice. He always had something to say about everything.

Ben Curran of Mojo Bag 2012-2014:

What made Ron a great clinician is his broad knowledge of music. He taught me a lot about theory and how everything works in music. He is one of the best musicians living in the Midwest.

Tag Ryan of Crimson Dawn , 2010-2013:

One time at a clinic at Russo’s (RIP) we needed to come up with an ending to “ﬁne and mellow” & time was short. I offered a crude line to end the song. Ron said “Cheesy, but it works. Let’s roll with it.” The lesson is to accept what works before what is “hip.” If your decision is really so bad, that will reveal itself in time. (Let’s just hope it’s as easy to change as the ending to a song!)

One of our BluesEd clinicians, Ron Cooley, is retiring from BluesEd this year. We were lucky to have Ron teach our student musicians for as many years as we did but we know his golf game is calling him now. We will keep Ron’s number on speed-dial, just in case. We dug into the archives for a few of these photos. Enjoy the throw backs.

Several of our current and former students and directors were able to pass along a few words about how Ron impacted the BluesEd students:

Former Directors Bill and Barb Fisher:

Bill and I are so thankful for all your help and expertise over the years. You’ve been such a positive inﬂuence on so many young musicians (our own girls included) You’re an amazing musician and teacher as well as an amazing person. Enjoy all your free time!!!

Former Directors Kevin and Chris Shouse:

Kevin and I were able to lean on Ron for advice not only about the musicianship part of our program but also for advice and mentoring about student/band issues. He was a wealth of knowledge and wisdom. Enjoy your grand kids and golf game!

From the BluesEd Facebook page

PAGE 6

Sunday, September 2nd @ 5 pm

Jonesin’ For Janey

Friday, Sept. 7th @ 5 pm (FAC)

Thurs, September 6th @ 7 pm

Open Jam with the

Earl and Them

Tim Budig Band

Tuesday, Sept. 11th @ 6 pm

Blues Beatles

Friday, September 7th @ 8 pm