SBS Announces 2010 Hall of Fame Honorees Award Ceremony at the December Member Party—Jan Kelley and Sally Katen
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Volume 31; Issue 5 October-November 2010 SBS Announces 2010 Hall of Fame Honorees Award ceremony at the December Member Party—Jan Kelley and Sally Katen CHARLIE BATY was born in practicing his harp. His first professional job was Birmingham, Alabama in 1953 opening, as sort of a white novelty act in a black and started playing harmonica band, at a Hunter’s Point bar. Soon he met during his high school days in bluesman Rodger Collins, who influenced him to Millbrae, California. While develop an energetic stage routine. attending UC Berkeley in the early 1970’s, he picked up In 1976, he moved to Sacramento and hooked up some harp pointers from Rick with Charlie Baty and his band, “Little Charlie & the Estrin, who was already a Nightcats.” For a decade they gigged all over the veteran on the Bay Area Blues Sacramento and Bay Area, playing clubs like scene. After graduation, Melarkey’s, Tootsie’s, Vangari’s and the Charlie moved to Sacramento Sacramento Blues Festival. In 1986, the band sent to land a job in state government. On the side, he a tape to Alligator Records which immediately formed Little Charlie and the Nightcats in 1975, launched them into a non-stop touring routine that named in deference to Little Walter’s first band. was to last 30 years. They released nine CDs and Charlie held down the harp position and began to became Sacramento’s best-known contribution to explore the guitar. the blues world, headlining festivals all over the world. Rick’s witty original tune, “My Next Ex-Wife” In May 1976, Rick asked Charlie for work and won the 1993 Blues Music Award for Song of the moved to Sacramento. For about two years, their Year. After Charlie’s retirement, Rick formed Rick double harp attack was prominent but Charlie Estrin and the Nightcats, which continues to tour continued to woodshed, studying Christian regularly, issue exciting music and represent recordings and honing his skills. He quickly became Sacramento. a guitar wizard and left the harp licks to Rick. In the blues world, Rick is famous for his sharp- Charlie is known for his acrobatic finger picking dressed man look, his wry and thoughtful original prowess and mastery of many musical styles, songwriting, his unique harp tone reminiscent of the including jump, swing, surf, rockabilly, jazz and slow, masters, and his soulful vocals. gutbucket blues. He is considered among the very few best blues guitarists in the modern era and has PHIL GIVANT was one of the been the namesake of the band that made seminal figures in Sacramento famous in the Sacramento blues history blues world. and over a lifetime earned a national reputation as a blues RICK ESTRIN grew up in expert. He was a San Francisco and started mathematics professor at playing harmonica in 1965 American River College for at age 16. After dropping 41 years and a “blues out of high school, he professor” for nearly that roamed the streets near long, teaching countless clubs in black numbers of blues fans neighborhoods soaking up through his radio shows and the sounds inside and festival productions from the Continued on page 4 1 Volume 31; Issue 5 Page 2 Willie’s Wise Words Greetings Sacramento Blues Society (SBS) of send-offs and fundraisers scheduled members and blues enthusiasts, prior to February, so please come out and support the musicians. Autumn has arrived, the festival season is winding down, Halloween & Thanksgiving Also on October 24th, the SBS is teaming will be here soon and the Sacramento Blues up with the Jeff Watson Band to present Society keeps bluesin'’ along! an afternoon of blues at the Capitol City Hotel with the proceeds supporting our We certainly had a great 2010 Northern BITS program. Thanks to Jeff Watson, California Blues Festival in Auburn on Randy Meusling’s RKM Productions August 7th with great entertainment from Elvin and the Capitol City Hotel crew! Bishop, Zac Harmon, Chris Cain, Dennis Jones, Kaye Bohler, Volker Stifler & the Sacramento The SBS is also working on the upcoming elections Blues Revue. A BIG ‘thank you’ to Jason Haxton for Board of Director positions with the election for allowing the SBS to be a part of this festival! Also culminating on December 5th at our 31st annual thanks to those of you that purchased this year’s “Membership Show and Hall of Fame Induction”. As festival t-shirts, the proceeds went directly to our you may know, this show is free for all of our SBS BITS program. members! This year’s headliner is the talented Kenny Neal! You can read more about this event on Your blues society is now gearing up for our October other pages within this issue. 10th annual IBC competition to see who will be representing our area in Memphis at the Blues Thanks for your continued support of the Foundation’s International Blues Challenge. This Sacramento Blues Society, the Blues in the Schools competition brings top-notch talent from all over the Program, the benefits, the local clubs, the festivals world and fills the clubs on Beale Street over a five and the wonderful blues musicians in our area. day period. The 27th IBC will be held during February 1 – 5, 2011 and I highly recommend Enjoy the “Autumn of 2010” by catching some blues attending this great gathering. There is absolutely near you! nothing like this anywhere else on our planet! Good luck to our entry (at the time of this note, we don’t As always, “Save me a seat”, know who our winner will be). There will be a couple MARGARITA What Do You Know About the PARTY! Blues? Colorful nicknames have always had an important place Sunday, Oct 24th in the blues. Match each artist with his assumed moniker: Capital City Hotel 3 p.m. 7 p.m. a. McKinley Morganfield 1. The Iceman b. Albert Collins 2. The Black Ace $10/SBS $7 c. Iverson Minter 3. Muddy Waters d. B.K. Turner 4. Louisiana Red Jeff Watson Band, Matty T. and special Answers found within this newsletter guests Mick Martin & Kyle Rowland. From the Knowledge Card® deck, What Do You Know End of summer party with margarita About the Blues? By Cary Wolfson. Reprinted with the and food specials. permission of the publisher, Pomegranate Communications, Inc., Pomegranate.com, Percentage of door benefits (800) 2271428. Blues in the Schools. 2 Volume 31; Issue 5 October-November 2010 What’s Happening – by Lizzie Walker Remember when you were a kid and stage we had Cynthia Jaynes, Daryl Singh, Kimi school let out for summer? Those long Carey, Cindy Juarez and Sharon Earl. Tammy lazy days just stretched out in front of Madill and Doug Thomson along with SBS Board you endlessly. I’m not exactly sure what Members Kim DuVall and Cathy Dubets represented happened but it’s over! Just like that in the vendor area. The Sacramento Blues Society summer has been here and gone. Man, very much appreciates all your help! I was busy and I hope ya’ll had some big time fun in the sun, too. Next up is our Local International Blues Challenge competition. Ten local blues acts will go head-to- August got started with the Northern California head for a chance to go to Memphis in February and Blues Festival. The regional park in Auburn was a represent Sacramento. Sunday, Oct. 10th at the new venue and it turned out to be easy to get to and Capital City Hotel is where you want to be for an af- was large enough to accommodate a crowd with a ternoon of killer blues. Come support your favorite perfect bowl arrangement. Everybody could see and and be sure to watch for follow up fundraisers for the hear and the musical performances were all top qual- winning act. ity. Of course, my man Zac Harmon blew everyone th away. There were some serious heaving bosoms in If that’s not enough for you, on Oct. 24 the Jeff Wat- front of that stage! All the bands brought their A son Band will be hosting a Margarita Party at the game to make for a really exciting day. The Sacra- Capitol City Hotel. This end of summer blast is going mento Blues Society was proud to be a sponsor and to blow your socks off. Part of the proceeds from this is looking forward to next year! fun party will benefit our Blues in the Schools pro- gram. Keep on the lookout for more info, more Big thanks to Brenda Taylor and her crew at bands, and more fun! PoBoy’z. They did a fabulous job readying the patio for our Diva Show in August. It looked wonderful, Last but certainly not least, I’m very excited to an- the weather was perfect, the food excellent, desserts nounce that THE KENNY NEAL BAND will be per- forming at our Annual Membership Party Decem- even better (did you have one of those filled cup- th cakes from the dessert lady? they were fantastic) ber 5 . This is YOUR party. Be there. Bring a friend (or two.) It’s going to be magical. and the Divas were hot, hot, hot! Tess and Hip Trash got it going, then along came our luscious As always, these things don’t happen by themselves. Lena Mosley singing in her bluesy way, followed by It takes a lot of work from a handful of people to bring Lady Bianca laying down some powerful piano and you such great parties. If you’re interested in being vocals.