[Harp-L] blues! Blues. BLUES?

[Grant Walters <grant@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

I was following the comments about blues in each area....
That is a hard one.....1st ...What do you mean by Blues?


At the Pumpkin Festival In Half Moon Bay, where I live....( this past weekend)
There some 400,000 folks over a few days....
The music is a small part of the event with two stages...
Last year on the Main Stage was Mark Hummel with Rusty Zinn...( Old School)
and the year before that was John Nemeth ...Old School..with Terry Hanck on Sax....
Crowds for the Old school Blues were large but not as big or responsive as some of the other acts...
They really did not have one of these types of Blues bands this year...( picture Tweed amps...)

For example... the highlight of the day was a Santana Cover band....
A few years back...highlight was the unauthorized Rolling Stones (imitators  in tights ...ouch..)..

My favorite this year was Bump City ...tribute to Tower of Power...The were fantastic...
This is a great band that took me back to a place in time...wow...Talented..

and a Blues ...kind of soul band ( very original groove..) very good....Horns...etc...
named Willie G out of texas..Funny thing is....he played what I would call the oakland stroke...
First Blues guy to hold a big crowd like this in a while....very easy to dance to..

California Cowboys were a big hit...These guys have played everywhere......I mean everywhere with 
the great Bobby Black on pedal steel.....Crowd really liked the Country...( not really all country....) 

I am involved in booking bands in other venues myself ( not this one) and have played this festival..

When booking the blues for a family festival...I think, sometimes,  it is hard to put the old school blues acts ( my favorite players) in the prime slots....you have to give the crowd  what they want....The surf/orleans Band from Santa Cruz  ( Extra Large) went over good because the band leader surveyed the crowd and saw the teens were in the house...so he did some Red hot chili pepper...beasty boy medly...with a hip hop groove...pulled them in and went back to his usual great song list....(variety)...."This six-piece mix of funk, blues, reggae riffs, Latin beat and essence of jazz is guaranteed to rejuvenate, and their uplifting lyrics of love and optimism fulfill the human spirit..."   

The Blues is not dead...by any means in the San Francisco Bay area but if you want to be on the Main Stage...you better bring something fresh...like tight harmonies, saxophone ( great harp)  or horn sections...Or a Santana Rhythm section...

Now if you want to have a blues festival...that is different.   I have recently joined the Golden Gate Blues Society and the house band is always  ultra solid and the audience knows what they want...
If you want a take on our blues scene...ask Greg of Blows me Away...he is in the thick of it...

If you are in our area...I attach the following about an event for Blues lovers...
The Blues are not dead.....my buddies  Andy Santana and Rusty...  just sent me this promo...

Thanks 
Grant Walters...

Opening Night: Who Do You Love?
DeAnza College Visual and Performing Arts Center
21250 Stevens Creek Blvd., Cupertino, CA 95014
Saturday, October 22 7:00p to 10:30p

The Silicon Valley Jewish Film Festival invites you to celebrate its
20th Anniversary with a rockin' evening that includes a Blues band
concert performed by ANDY SANTANA, RUSTY ZINN and friends, 
a reception, and the screening of the feature film, 
WHO DO YOU LOVE? The movie tells how Blues and rock and roll
came to dominate the radio waves in the 1950s. Leonard Chess, 
a tough, driven Jewish Polish immigrant loved the Blues. 
Legendary CHESS RECORDS made musical history, launching the 
careers of iconic BLUES and early rock and roll artists including 
Muddy Waters, Willy Dixon, Bo Diddley, Chuck Berry, Etta James.
The Chess label introduced Blues to a world wide audience, and 
became a profound musical influence. 
Featuring authentic musical performances and a hit-filled score, 
this film is a must-see for Blues and rock and roll fans.

RSVP and invite more friends on the Andy Santana Band event page:
http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=121047464668965
Read a recent write-up here:
http://www.jweekly.com/article/full/63164/blues-to-kick-off-20th-silicon-valley-film-festival/

Ticket link: 
http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/191480
After the "begin order" button, you will see a space for the code: 
"SJ Jazz". When you click the button, the discounted $35 price
becomes available.

Hope to see many of you Saturday evening!