Colorado Blues Society 620 Oak St. Windsor, CO 80550 ")-/.4(,9 .%73 /& 4(% #/,/2!$/ ",5%3 3#%.% s 6/, ./ s !5' 3%04 s (/,,%2 #/",5%3/2' 2013 KBA WINNER BLUES SOCIETY BLUES FOR YOUR SOUL OF THE YEAR COUNTRY BLUESMAN JOHNNY LONG BY JACK HADLEY According to St. Louis bluesman Johnny Long, “America needs a revival.” The Delta Groove re- cording artist had a lot on his mind and shared his thoughts freely on a variety of subjects. The man has a point of view that resonates with many who are concerned about where the blues is heading. “I was influ- enced by Homesick James and Sister Rosetta Tharpe. The old blues artists talked about real BLUESMAN JOHNNY LONG life, not just drugs and drink- crowds didn’t appreciate what show at McNichols Arena in ing.” Long talked about his ear- they were doing, preferring the the ‘80s. A Salute to the Blues, ly blues career, trying to play in blues rock coming out of Eng- put on by Barry Fey. The head- clubs with his brother, Claude. land at the time. liners were Ruth Brown, Sonny “We were playing traditional John has been playing his Terry and Brownie McGhee and music by artists like Howlin’ kind of blues for many years, B.B. King. I was playing with Wolf, Muddy Waters and El- across the midwest and Colo- Continued on pg. 11 more James.” But the St. Louis rado. “I remember playing a IN THIS ISSUE 13, 19, 20 BLUES CALENDAR 1 BLUES FOR YOUR SOUL 15 MOJO & BUSINESS MEMBERS 3 SHOUTIN’ THE BLUES 16 BLUES ACTS 4 GREELEY BLUES JAM 17 BLUES BROADCASTS 9 BRIGHTON BLUES BLAST 20 ACOUSTIC BLUES COMPETITION 10 HONORING THE BLUES 20 BEST SELF-PRODUCED CD 12, 14 CD REVIEWS 23 MEMBERSHIP CYRILLE NEVILLE, GREELEY BLUES JAM 2014 PHOTO © GRETCHEN TROOP 14 BLUES BYTES SHOUTIN’ THE BLUES BY TARRY UNDERWOOD Hey Blues lovers! How about the month of June in Colorado? The festivals were over the top. First was the Greeley Blues Jam THE COLORADO BLUES SOCIETY was formed to create a greater celebrating the 10th anniversary of putting on this festival. The Friday night kick-off awareness and wider appreciation of the American indigenous party in the streets downtown is an experience like none other in Colorado. From the ART FORM THE ",5%3 “to go” cup to the bands in the street to the bars full of live blues, it is a great time. That 0/ "OX 7INDSOR #/ was followed up by a day of blues that I won’t soon forget. Grand County Blues Society hosted another great festival in Winter Park with two days of bands from all around the world. On the kid’s stage we got to see how far some of our “kids” have grown musically since the first time we saw them on stage. The stage had quite a few newcomers this year Affiliated with The Blues Foundation WWWBLUESORG and it appears the future of the blues is in good hands. Things are just getting started! We have a number of festivals coming up over the Summer and I hope to see you at one OFFICERS 4ARRY 5NDERWOOD 0RESIDENT or more of them. You can find them listed on our website. Thanks go out to all of our 3COTT &ITZKE 6ICE 0RESIDENT -IKE 'OLDEN 6ICE 0RESIDENT incredible, hard-working volunteers that make these happen. *ENNIFER 5NDERWOOD 3ECRETARY #HICK #AVALLERO 4REASURER The Holler: There has been some discussion about eliminating the print DIRECTORS version of the Holler and going to a digital format that would be online only. I guess I *OANNE #OLE *ACK (ADLEY am somewhat nostalgic, but I like the hard copy. CBS members, I want to know ,ORIE -ENKE -ARC 7ILSON 0ATTI #AVALLERO $EAN &O'ERTY what YOU think. You can tell me in person if you see me, or e-mail me at *OE -ENKE +YLE $EIBLER 'ARY (ALSEY ,ARRY 9OUNG [email protected]. I look forward to hearing from you. Bill Brandt WEB MASTER David Brandt HOLLER 0UBLISHED FOR &EB -ARCH !PRIL -AY *UNE *ULY !UG 3EPT /CT .OV AND $EC *AN EDITOR & CREATIVE DIRECTOR Jack Hadley CONTRIBUTORS TO THIS ISSUE *ACK (ADLEY 4ARRY 5NDERWOOD -ARC 7ILSON $AN 7ILLGING *IM 0RIMOCK ,ARRY 9OUNG *OANNE #OLE 'RETCHEN 4ROOP ADVERTISING !D PLACEMENT 2ATES 3PECS Jack Hadley Design HOLLER COBLUESORG 2 AUG. - SEPT. 2014 HOLLER AUG. - SEPT. 2014 HOLLER 3 Greeley BOULDER OUTLOOK Blues Jam Saturday, June 14, 2014 Island Grove Regional Park BOULDER’S HOME Greeley, CO - Dan Willging How many festivals can say they give back to their fans by offering their best line-up ever with no ticket price increase OF THTHURSEDAY THRBU SUNLDAYU & MEORE!S as a token of appreciation? The conservative answer is probably not many but the only one that comes to mind of this writer is Greeley Blues Jam (GBJ) that celebrated its tenth anniversary. This year Northern Colorado’s premier blues festival booked a staggering number of national-tour- ing acts — ten — with leg-swinging, piano romper Marcia Ball and swamp blues minister Tab Benoit headlining the action-packed day. To present the plethora of bands with minimal down time between sets, two main stages were sit- uated at the east and west ends of the arena. GBJ honcho Al Bricker explained at the outset that the committee booked this bountiful of riches line-up to celebrate the festival’s longevity but promised it would return to its regular format JOE MOSS BAND next year with a fair share of local bands. Bricker went on to AUGUST 22, $5 say that proceeds would benefit Weld county flood victims. It definitely was a day for blues lovers but it was also a day not to be late. Israel’s, now short-term Denver resi- JANIVA MAGNESS dents, Ori Naftaly Band shot out of the gate with a bang, AUGUST 10, $10 not wasting any time to flex its sonic muscle. Vocalist El- AUGUST 2014 eanor Tsaig had many questioning how she could wail with BILL SIMS, JR. AND CHANEY SIMS OF THE HERITAGE BLUES ORCHESTRA, GREELEY BLUES JAM 2014 8/2 LAURIE MORVAN 8/14 AUSTIN YOUNG the intensity of a Janis Joplin with such a tiny, skinny frame. PHOTO © GRETCHEN TROOP 8/15 BLEWE KREWE Oftentimes, she was equally as passionate as Naftaly was $10 during his sizzling guitar solos, feeling every note through The award-winning Heritage Blues Orchestra (HBO) offered 8/7 THE MEDITATIONS 8/21 DELTA SONICS her body as if there was some inexplicable spiritual connec- an alternative to the typical fare by honoring different eras $10 8/22 JOE MOSS BAND tion between them. of blues, everything from field hollers and dirges to gospel, Reverend Raven & the Chainsmokin’ Altar Boys may pre-World War II country blues and even material from New 8/8 JOHNNY O BAND $5 not make its hometown Milwaukee famous as the country Orleans. KUNC Nine Ol’ Clock Blues host DJ Marc Apple- 8/9 THREE SHOTS 8/23 EEF AND song says but it had to make it proud. The group rarely let gate summed it up perfectly: “They’re versatile and they do BLUES EXPRESS up on the throttle, instead building its cruising groove to it all well.” 8/10 JANIVA MAGNESS higher and higher heights with a sound that leaned 90 miles While HBO was stimulating academically and intellec- $10 south to the blues of Chicago. tually, the California Honeydrops (CH), fronted by smiling Polish expat Lech Wierzynski (trumpet/guitar), worked the If the Reverend had a lot of Chicago in its soul, Lurrie On the road again? BEST BLUES CLUB! 2013 KBA WINNER Bell proved you didn’t have to look far to find the real deal. crowd with emotion and fervor. Like HBO, the charismatic WESTWORD, Bell, a longtime Chicago mainstay and son of harmonicist dance band had plenty of surprises up its sleeve, some- HANG YOUR HAT AT ROCKEY RIVER RESORT. 2010 BEST Cary Bell, didn’t export a band from the Windy City but in- times pulling out a bawdy Louis Armstrong-trumpet blues Cabins on the Gunnison River, music studio in our 100 - year old barn. BLUES Come on out, kick back, and play! stead enlisted the services of Denver’s own Delta Sonics led piece, jump blues swing, Piedmont blues and even some VENUE by über-hip harp man Al Chesis. Amazingly, Bell and the relatively decent funk. There was a lot about CH’s set that Delta Sonics played seamlessly together as they had been gave a nod to New Orleans, especially the exhilarating ver- for forever. Chesis followed guitarist Bell attentively, careful sion of Rebirth Brass Band’s “Do Whatcha Wanna.” Though Rob and Dani Wattles | Rockey River Resort not to overplay while ensuring that the show belonged to the group was slotted as a mid-act, many attendees glowed BLUES & GREENS RESTAURANT VEGAN & ROADHOUSE FOOD 4359 County Road 10 Gunnison, Colorado 81230 800 28TH ST. BOULDER, CO 80303 TEL 303 443 3322 its rightful owner. Delta Sonics’ Bob Pellegrino shied away about how the spellbinding CH was their pick of the day. www.gunnisoncabins.com www.bouldershomeoftheblues.com from taking any leads, even when offered, preferring to in- tel 970 641 0174 email : [email protected] Continued on pg. 22 conspicuously apply his razor-sharp rhythmic accents. AUG. - SEPT. 2014 HOLLER 4 AUG. - SEPT. 2014 HOLLER 5 2 0 www.thespeakeasylongmont.com | www.facebook.com/The Speakeasy $"-,)1"- .1 9 5 ./&) -"*1//#*1,*(1 3 0 t h S +/).1/ t . B o +&-. u l d e r C ,&$011.-)01'!1.