by Maria BAINER
There were still some blues activities and news during the Fall of 2005, even though things have quieted down. There were a few festivals, birthday celebrations, general news, and a few new CD and DVDs, plus some visiting musicians. So here is the latest!
FESTIVAL VARIETY
The Vallejo Waterfront Weekend Blues Festival was held the first weekend in October. Vallejo is about an hour from San Francisco. Saturday’s performers included: BABS Caravan of Allstars with Wylie Trass, Pork Pie Phillips, Teddy “Bluesmaster” Watson and Willie G.; Ron Thompson & The Resistors; Tom Rigney & Flambeau; Ron Joseph & Steppin’ Stones featuring Duwayne Thompson; Alvon Johnson; Little Gabe & Visionz of Tomorrow; Johnny Smith and Guitar Mac. Sunday’s lineup featured: Sonny Rhodes; Maria Muldaur & the Louisiana Hot Band; Craig Horton; Layce Baker & the Black Diamond Blues Band; Birdlegg & The Tightfit Blues; Raymond Victor; Soul Inheritance; J0hnny Smith, and Guitar Mac.

Blues Broads 2005 was a stellar triple-header of blues-based music with  Marcia Ball, Tracy Nelson, and Angela Strehli. It was held in November in Nicasio, about 25 minutes from San Francisco. All three women have performed and recorded together previously.

The Sacramento Heritage Festival, Inc.  kept their regular theme shows going. October’s show was entitled “Blues Divas.”  Bettye LaVette, Roach of Cafe R&B, and Marva Wright performed. They were particulary happy to help out Marva Wright, since her entire family lost everything in Hurricane Katrina. Proceeds from this show were used to purchase $1,000 worth of musical instruments to start a music program at a school for developmentally disabled children.

Their December show was Chicago II Blues, the latest installment in their Blues Across America series. The last real Chicago Blues Band, Magic Slim & The Teardrops; the “other” Guy, Buddy’s brother, Phil Guy; and the contemporary blues guitarist, Carl Weathersby, entertained. Their special guest was boogie-woogie keyboardist, Kenny “Blues Boss” Wayne. As always, proceeds from the show were given to a music education program in a Sacramento area public school.
BIRTHDAY CELEBRATIONS
It was a special time for the “gentleman of the blues,” drummer, Francis Clay, who celebrated his 82nd birthday in November at a San Francisco club . He was reunited with bandmate bass player, sixty-three year- old Mac Arnold. The two were the rhythm section for the Muddy Waters Band in 1966 and 1967. Arnold has been looking for Clay for years. Arnold and his five-piece band, Plate Full of Blues, along with Bay Area’s own, saxist, Bobbie Webb, performed. Clay enjoyed the show from the sidelines, since his health did not permit him to play. Arnold had a lot of soul, and was a good singer and a great guitarist. The show was filmed for a TV documentary.

Across the Bay at Eli’s Mile High Club, owner, Sam Marshall celebrated his November 42nd birthday by performing with his band, Marshall Law. At anther venue, Mark Hummel had a party for his December 50th birthday.
FUNDRAISERS FOR KATRINA HURRICANE VICTIMS
There were at least two benefits for the hurricane victims. The largest was the“ 24-Hours of the Blues,” held in Vallejo, and sponsored by the Bay Area Blues Society. Yes, you read right. This was a solid 24 -Hour marathon with nothing but blues, cajun, zydeco, and rhythm and blues live music. Such celebrities as Jimmy McCracklin, Kenny Neal, Craig Horton, Ron Thompson,  among many others, were scheduled to be there. It was specifically to help out musicians misplaced and displaced by Katrina in New Orleans.

On a smaller scale, a fairly new San Francisco venue, Sunday Blues and Jazz Club, had a fundraiser for the evacuees from the hurricane. They had Motor Dude Zydeco Band playing. Then they had Christmas for the evacuees a few days later. Kenny Neal was scheduled to perform for that. This club has had some top talent like the recent, Bobby “Blue” Bland, Denise LaSalle, Theodis Ealey and Chick Willis shows, just to name a few. Willis is known for his signature song, “Stoop Down Baby,” and other raunchy songs. For more club information, contact velmalanders@aol.com.
NEWS ITEMS
Tommy Castro, who has climbed the ladder of success with his blues, and passionate rock’n’soul music, received three honors recently. He was honored as one of the recipients of Leadership Award from the Portuguese-American Leadership Council of the United States in New Jersey in November. This award is given to Portuguese-Americans who have achieved success in their chosen field. He was awarded the Key to Tioga County, New York in recognition of Tommy’s contribution to “good times” in the area. Then he received two nominations for the Blues Music Awards, formerly the W.C.Handy Awards.  One nomination was for “Contemporary Blues Male Artist of the Year. The other was for “Contemporary Blues Album of the Year” for his best-selling CD release, Soul Shaker. Members of the Blues Foundation can vote online at www,blues.org   The awards will be announced and presented on May 11, 2006 in Memphis, Tennessee.

Joe Louis Walker has moved back to the Bay Area after living in France for awhile. On the sadder side, two more Bay Area musicians passed on. Vala Cupp took her own life. She had been a singer with John Lee Hooker’s group for over fourteen years. Paul Pena, a San  Francisco blues artist, died at the age of 55 from complications of diabetes and pancreatitis. He might be best known for his throat singing and winning this competition in Tuva in Central Asia. The ‘99 movie, “Genghis Blues” tells the story about this.

In Sacramento, Sumac’s Soul Heaven Band won the Battle of The Bands competition in November. She will represent the Sacramento Blues Society in Memphis, Tennessee for the 22nd International Battle of the Blues.
FUTURE EVENTS
Mark Hummel’s Harp Blowout begins  on January 5, 2006. This fifteenth annual event will be in seven venues, with 3 gigs at Yoshi’s in Oakland. The lineup this year will be Lee Oskar, Jerry Portnoy, Magic Dick, and Mark and the  Blues Survivors. Kim Wilson joins the group in San Diego. For further information, go to Mark’s website at: www.markhummel.com.

The Santa Cruz Blues Festival will be May 27 and 28, 2006.  The twelfth annual California Blues Festival is May 29, 2006. They will hopefully be back in the Bandshell in Golden Gate Park  in San Francisco for this one.  The Monterey Bay Blues Festival happens June 23-25, 2006. Visit their website at: www.montereyblues.com for more details.
VISITING CELEBRITIES

Here are some of the musicians who visited us during the Fall of 2005: W.C. Clark, Mose Allison, Debbie Davies, Susan Tadeschi, Freddie Hughes, Rose City Kings, Corby Yates, Jimmy Thackery, Bob Marg0lin, Chris Duate, Jan Fanucchi, Carol Fran, Terry Evans, Taj Mahal, Ron Thompson and The Resistors, Sonny Rhodes, Little Jonny & the Giants and Tab Benoit.
DEACON JONES SPEAKS OUT
Deacon Jones, a San Francisco transplant, has become internationally known as a master of the Hammond B3 organ. He relates his experiences in first person in his book, “40 Years With The Blues Legends” which has just come out. He tells about his three years with Freddy King, his eighteen years as band leader with blues legend, John Lee Hooker and a myriad of other musicians that he’s performed with. He talks about his personal life and says it like it was.

The book is very readable, intimate, informative, and enjoyable.  It has a very pleasant format and is just the right size to hold easily. There are pictures from  many parts of Deacon’ s life. It even has an attached ribbon for a book marker. This well-done book from Deacon Jones is definitely worth checking out and merits a gold star! Contact: deaconjones04@aol.com for more information.
DVD AND CD NEWS
Blind Pig Records recently issued a series of DVDs: Tommy Castro: “Live at  the Fillmore” and  “Whole Lotta’ Soul.” The latter one is a visual version of his CD,” Soul Shaker.” Also there is: Magic Slim & The Teardrops: Anything Can  Happen;” Popa Chubby:” Big Man Big  Guitar Popa Chubby Live;”  and Rod Piazza & The Mighty Flyers: “Big Blues Party.”

There’s just a bit of CD news. Bassist, Henry Oden, has a  new CD out entitled: “Henry Oden.” For more information on this, go to  Globe Records or www.bay-area-bands.com. Ron Thompson & The Resistors have a CD release of  their Grammy-nominated “Resistor Twister” LP (Blind Pig 1987), which was then on vinyl. Ron took a hand in remastering the 10 tracks from the original release, and then augmented them with two more tracks, “Hip Shake,” and “Honest I Do.” This recording was likely his most popular album, and a showcase of all that Ron can do. Kenny Neal’s latest CD is “A Tribute to Slim Harpo & Raeful Neal” on the True Life label. This CD was originally intended to be a tribute to Harpo by Kenny’s dad, Raeful, who died of cancer before it could be completed. Many of the tracks have Raeful’s vocals and harp playing on them.

That does it for 2005. Talk to you again in three months. In the words of  Deacon Jones, “ Long Live The Blues.”  Maria Bainer, 2006
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