[Harp-L] Chicago Blues Fest

[Mick Zaklan <mzaklan@xxxxxxxxx>]

   Hit the Chicago Blues Fest yesterday.  Known as "the world's
largest free blues festival", people roll into town from all over the
planet to enjoy the sights and sounds of this one.  Saturday's harp
line-up was probably a bit stronger; with Billy Branch, Bob Corritore,
Joe Filisko among others on the bill.  But I opted for Friday's
less-crowded, lower temperature day with the fest merchandise a bit
less picked over.
   First thing I heard walking in at 11:15am was some ferocious
sounding harp work on a blues shuffle.  Turned out to be Nelson Keaton
with the Chicago Kingsnakes.  Nelson had plenty of room to work with
here.  Just a guitar, bass, and drums.  Keaton's background lines were
tasty and his soloing very strong throughout the set.  Had an
interesting chat with him afterwards.  He told me he was seriously
considering buying a harmonica that "costs as much as a car".  Now, he
never specified whether this "car" was a used beater or a new model.
I assumed he was talking about a Doug Tate "Renaissance" instrument,
but to my surprise, nope.  He had been in contact with Franz Chmel,
one of the best classical chromatic players ever.  Mr. Chmel had
designed a 4 octave instrument that addressed the problems he had been
having with his Hohners.  Apparently Hohner wasn't interested in
building these instruments so Chmel has taken it upon himself.  The
reeds are steel and Chmel told Nelson that he hasn't blown one out in
six years of hard usage.
   After the Kingsnakes, I walked around the fest killing time until
Matthew Skoller's set.  Caught a couple of bands that I would have
classify as "bino", blues in name only---though some might have
regarded them as "evolving" the blues genre.  Ran into David Whiteis,
hawking his book "Chicago Blues--portraits and stories".  For those
who don't know David; he is probably one of the finest blues writers
we have.  The man has been haunting African-American blues joints
since 1979, chronicling the music and the personalities.  Anyway, I
bought a copy and had it autographed.  Of interest to harp fans, there
are nice pieces on Junior Wells and Big Walter Horton contained
within.  Including a lot of stuff I didn't know.
   The book and lunch pretty much emptied my wallet.  Otherwise, I saw
some tempting stuff for sale.  The fest t-shirts were cool and the
Willie Dixon Blues Heaven Foundation was selling a Chess Records tee
with a neat old vocal mic in the design.  There were also a some great
blues photographs from the legendary lensman Raeburn Flerlage for
sale, including a print with three Little Walter shots.  In another
tent, somebody had replicas of decades old gig posters from southside
clubs.  The Charlie Parker and Muddy Waters ones especially caught my
eye.
   Caught a little Eddie C. Campbell and Zora Young on my way to Matt
Skoller's stage.  Both were enjoyable; Zora was in fine voice with a
tight band and Eddie covered everything from Sam Cooke to Magic Sam.
And quite well, too.  Matthew's set was a pleasure to listen to.  He
opened up, I believe, with Little Walter's "Off the Wall", extending
the tune considerably.  Interspersing familiar riffs with his own
stuff and a few rhythmic surprises mixed into the arrangement.  Matt's
harp work referenced James Cotton, Little Walter, Junior Parker, Rice
Miller, and himself.  His low end stuff was especially compelling
throughout the afternoon, just big gobs of sound and note combinations
you would never think of.  Chicago blues harp is in great hands with
this guy.
   The heat eventually got to me and I headed for the train home.  Had
to run a bit of a gauntlet.  On the way out, a guy with two teeth
complimented my Little Walter shirt, serenaded me with his version of
"My Babe", and high-fived me twice.  Passing by the "Blues in the
Schools" tent on the way out, some Chicago school kids were playing up
a storm.  The future of the blues.  Further down the road a sextet of
bucket drumming street performers, a Peruvian pan piper and finally
the commuter train home.

Mick Zaklan