Friday, July 31, 2009

CHICAGO: L V BANKS

(Re-Broadcast)

Saturday Night in the Blues Capital
Chicago

L V BANKS


Saturday, May 9th I spent the later part of the day with LV Banks. LV is a Wolfe recording artist that sounds like BB King. I remarked to LV about the likeness and he said he they grew up together in Mississippi. LV said that they lived within walking distance of each other and showed each other how to play. LV credits BB with teaching him guitar. I personally think it is the other way around. I met LV at a Sunday jam session at the Riverdale Marina. Oddly enough it is located in Riverdale, Illinois. The location is on a section of the Little Calumet River. The river meanders it's way into Lake Michigan. Sitting by the dock in the summertime it almost seems like you are sitting by the inter coastal waterway in Florida. The Marina restaurant served catfish and or perch dinners. Both were great and I might add so were the drinks. Big Al was the proprietor and that man loved the blues. Catfish for a late lunch, listening to the blues and boating. Blues heaven, brothers and sisters, what else can you ask for. Cyrus Hayes and Lady Lee (www.cyrushayesandladylee.com) had the regular gig there. Outside every Sunday, weather permitting, you’d find a lot of top name talent stopping by. I met Johnny Drummer (www.johnnydrummermusic.com) there and I got him to autograph my white Fender, as did a host of others. I’ll tell more about that guitar in a future story.

LV took the stage dressed in a lime green Neru jacket, lime green pants, and topping it off was a black derby. He was dressed to the nines. When he hit that first note I was floored. I hear a lot of blues men, some good, and some not so good. LV is truly one of the greats. My ‘hey let’s go hear some blues’ buddy Jim and I go to a lot of blues clubs together. When he heard LV he dropped the pizza he was eating. Jim and I have always talked about starting a blues record label and we immediately looked at each other and said let’s talk to this guy. I walked up to LV and introduced myself and then Jim. I asked LV if he would be interested in recording with a brand new label we were working on. LV stuck out his hand and said, “Hell yea! Give me five dollars.” I said, “What.” He repeated, “Give me five dollars.”, while putting out both hands with one finger pressing into the other hands open palm. Jim asked, “What for?” LV paused for a moment and said, “If we gotta talk business then you gotta pay me.” Jim reached in his pocket and gave him five bucks.

That was over two years ago. The record label is still in the works, so I keep telling myself. LV and I have become friends. Jim and I still hit the clubs and we both check up on him regularly. I have jammed with him on numerous occasions and we have played a couple of gigs together. He has a one-room apartment in Chicago’s President Obama's area. His place is within walking distance of the President's house. If the president is in the area the traffic is horrendous and LV's place becomes almost inaccessible.

LV and I were talking one day about an incident with his girlfriend. His girl wanted to know where he was going one night and LV told her, “Girl I told you, when I met you, I'm a blues man and I’m gonna be playing around.” Sounds like a line from a blues song. Songwriters don’t even think about it I’m already using it. I can proudly say that LV recently labeled me a blues man. LV is one of the most gracious and nicest persons I have ever met. I am truly honored to have him as a friend and by the way, every time Jim sees LV he asks for his money back!

BLUES ME OR LOSE,

Terrance “Gatorman” Lape

Mark Of The Gator CD available for purchase

americanbluesblog100@gmail.com



http://www.livebluesworld.com/profile/Americanbluesblog

LV gives Joliet blues man "Big Dog Mercer" some tips and advice. http://bigdogmercer.com/

Photos of LV and yours truly here

http://www.hampton-photos.com/gallery2/v/live_performances/cool_river/03-28-09_lv_banks/IMG_2399.jpg.html





Those Summertime Blues..from Pittsburgh to West Virginia By Monica Yasher Pittsburgh, PA





Southwest Pennsylvania is a great place to be for summertime blues.
Last weekend was the Pittsburgh Blues festival (story coming August 7) and next week is the Heritage Music Bluesfest. These venues are only an hour and ½ away from each other, according to mapquest. So, Pittsburgh, are ready for the blues again?!

This is the 9th year for the Heritage Music Bluesfest and takes place over 3 days from August 7 to August 9. You can hear the blues at The Heritage Port Amphitheater, Wheeling, WV 26003, which is right next to the river in Wheeling. It is really a nice atmosphere, especially at night with the stars and water and….the blues! Children under age 10 are admitted to the festival free and get a wristband as long as they are accompanied by an adult. For you adults, to get your wristband that allows you to come and go as you please from the festival, here is the ticket information that you need (any guesses on what colors will be used on what days? Sorta fun game to play don’t ya think?):

Tickets purchased in advance are only offered in weekend passes.
The cost of prepurchased weekend passes are $55.00 and will increase in price to $60.00 at the gate. Daily passes are available for purchase the day of the show for $25.00 up to a capacity crowd of 5000 people. The festival has not sold out yet. But, you never know!



Weekend VIP passes prebought at $95.00. If not prepurchased, the cost is $100.00 at the gate. The advantages to the VIP pass are:
Festival style seating in the amphitheater area
A logo camp chair, Bluesbag Tote, Tshirt or hat is yours for the keeping
After jam entry for 3 nights at local establishments

BACKSTAGE VIP passes are $300.00 at any time and will get you:
Everything the VIP pass offers plus
Backstage access
Tented side stage seating
Self serve water, soda and beer
Daily meals provided by on site vendors

If you are coming out of town, there are many hotel options for you to consider. However, the bluesfest hotel packages are sold out. You need to purchase hotel and festival tickets ala carte. For accommodations take a peek here.

Here's their great lineup!

FRIDAY - 8/07/09
5:00 pm ............................................ Eden Brent
6:30 pm ............................................ John Nemeth
8:00 pm ............................................ The Soul Of John Black
9:30 pm ............................................ Elvin Bishop

SATURDAY - 8/08/09
Noon ................................................. IBC Solo / Duo Winner
1:00 pm ............................................ Mikey Jr.
2:30 pm .............................................David Jacobs Strain
4:00 pm ............................................ Delta Highway
5:30 pm .............................................Saffire the Uppity Blues Women
7:00 pm .............................................Ronnie Baker Brooks
8:30 pm ............................................ Walter Trout
10::00 pm .......................................... Bobby Rush
SUNDAY - 8/09/09
1:00 pm ............................................ IBC Band Winner
2:30 pm ........................................... Moreland & Arbuckle
4:00 pm ........................................... Ruthie Foster
5:30 pm ............................................Magic Slim & the Teardrops
7:00 pm ........................................... Sonny Landreth
8:30 pm ........................................... The Fabulous Thunderbirds

What a great lineup! If you go, look me up on Saturday and Sunday. I have a good many interviews scheduled, which includes Kim from the Fabulous Thunderbirds! I will also be speaking with Delta Highway, 2009 Blues Music Awards for Best New Debut Artist. Check them out:



You may also like to read about the Pittsburgh Blues Festival.
Copyright © 2009 Copyright Monica L. Yasher. All Rights Reserved.


Chicago: Buddy Guys Birthday


Buddy guy celebrated his 73 birthday July 30. Happy Birthday to you Happy b-day to you.

Thursday, July 30, 2009

A Real Beale Streeter: Earl Forest by Robert "Nighthawk" Tooms


(Memphis, Tennessee) I was fortunate enough to run into one of my blues heroes while walking on a downtown Memphis Street one day. Around 1980, my college roommate, Greg “Fuzzy” Hughes, and I were alternately visiting the old blues haunts and attempting to eat in each of the 250 bar-b-que joints that operated in the city at that time.

I noticed that the lobby of the old Palace(a/k/a Loew's Palace) Theater was open while we were walking down Union Avenue headed toward the Mississippi River. Notice in this photo taken in the early 80's, Albert King's name on the marquee(photo credit by Crackdog, Flickr).

The Palace Theater, opened in 1920, demolished and turned into a parking lot in 1985, is not to be confused with the Palace Theater on Beale Street where a young B.B. King won the weekly $5 prize at the Wednesday night talent contests in 1948.

On this day, the beautiful old dilapidated theater was filled with children who I later learned were dance students. The Palace, in its final incarnation, was being used as the venerable Dr. Martin Luther King Center for the Performing Arts. Among the students was an extremely well-dressed black man with whom my friend Greg was engaged in conversation. As I walked up, he stuck out his hand and introduced himself as Earl Forest. Being an avid student of the blues, I was gobsmacked.

I stammered, “THE Earl Forest? B.B. King's drummer on Three O'clock Blues in 1949? You wrote Next Time You See Me!”

Equally stunned, Earl replied, “How did you know that?”

“Because you guys are my heroes, the Beale Streeters!”

The Beale Streeters was a loose collaboration of blues men, many of whom lived in the Mitchell Hotel in the late 1940's. The group was comprised by Roscoe Gordon, Johnny "Ace" Alexander, Bobby "Blue" Bland, Earl Forest, and that dynamic gentleman of the Blues, B.B. King.



Fourth from the left, Earl Forest stands next to
Evelyn Young, who is wearing a white dress

The first time I met Earl we ventured through the theater to "get his grip" so he could give me his card and some other information from the Dr. M.L.King Center to arrange to play some benefits. After an amazing tour through the catacombs of dressing rooms and corridors in this huge building, we finally got to Earl's briefcase, and as he opened it I noticed he had a nickel-silver Smith and Wesson revolver in it. It was, not coincidentally, a 32-20, the gun made legendary by Robert Johnson's blues of the same name.

Thus began a lifelong friendship with one of the finest, most clever men I have ever been blessed to know. I told Earl of several mentions of his name and accomplishments in blues books and articles I had read while studying at Rhodes College. He had no idea that they existed, thinking his career had passed without fanfare, unknown except to the few blues cognoscenti and elder members of B.B. King's entourage.

Earl and I became fast friends, with me asking him stories about the glory days of Memphis blues and his exploits on the road. I learned that he was the first black audio engineer in our area and that he had worked for Duke and Peacock Records even before Don Robey purchased the label. Earl would say, “Son, I was recording with 3 tracks at Main and Winchester when [Sam] Phillips [of Sun Records] didn't have but two!” Earl signed many famous blues artists while acting as Engineer and A&R man for Duke and Peacock Records.

Earl told me that a young Elvis Presley had asked to sit in with his band during a break on Beale and that he had threatened to fire any of them who would not do so. He said they didn't have any problems with Elvis, but they just wanted "to go take their break and get drunk." Blues trumpeter Gene "Bowlegs" Miller was in Earl's band at this time and Elvis attributed many of his stage moves to copying the stylings of Bowlegs. Earl had huge respect for all musicians and artists of any age and Earl really liked Elvis. Earl also said that Bowlegs' trumpet was so loud that he always made him go out into the hall when they were recording so that his trumpet would not overshadow the other instruments.

I learned that the New York Times had termed Earl the “best-dressed man to grace the stage of the Apollo Theater since Billy Eckstine” and from Earl I heard thousands of stories about the old blues men and women that I so admired.


I learned that Earl had signed Johnny "Ace" Alexander as B.B. King's piano player while he was drinking beer at the Green Beetle on Main Street. Earl always called it the “Green Castle”. Earl told me that he, Johnny Ace and B.B. King wore the same size and would borrow each others clothes. They were all living at the musician's refuge, the famous Mitchell hotel on South Main Street. It later became Ernestine & Hazel's restaurant, named after Sunbeam Michell's wife.

left: Mitchell Hotel, now known as Ernestine & Hazel's

Photo by Teresa R. Simpson

Billboard's Most Promising R & B Artist of 1954:
Johnny "Ace" Alexander

I played several benefit gigs for the M.L. King Center and still have a certificate of appreciation bestowed upon me and my band the Wampus Cats. It and these memories mean a great deal to me. We played most of these gigs at the old Palace Theater which was not air conditioned but had two huge exhaust fans on the roof. The fans were at least ten feet in diameter and powered by a single 100 horsepower motor.

Earl coached my singing, took me in as a fellow musician and I drove him and his many girlfriends around for some all night frivolities at places like the Hawaiian Isle and Sunbeam Mitchell's Club Paradise. We literally stayed out all night long, laughing, telling stories, singing, playing and truly enjoying the company of kindred spirits. After several all night debauches, Earl started calling me “Nighthawk.”


Club Paradise, 1960's
(photo by my friend, the late Earnest Withers)

Earl Forest was a remarkable performer in his own right. He traveled around the world on blues package shows in the 1950's. These shows, booked by Don Robey's Buffalo Booking Agency(run by Evelyn Johnson) out of Texas, featured the likes of Big Mama Thornton, Johnny Ace, B.B. King and all the popular blues stars of the day. Earl also played drums on many of B.B. King's early recordings.

The list of artists that recorded Earl Forest's songs is immense: The Grateful Dead, Bobby "Blue" Bland, Johnny Ace, David "Honeyboy" Edwards, Joe Sample, Denise LaSalle, Shirley Brown, Arthur Prysock, Johnnie Taylor, Freddie Fender, James Cotton, Tab Benoit, Debbie Davies, Kenny Neal, The Blasters, Nancy Wilson, Nat Wilson, Jimmy Johnson and many more.

The list of songs Earl wrote that were stolen by unscrupulous individuals is also a long one. When I asked Earl if he were not still angry with Don Robey, he replied, "Nighthawk, Robey planted." He laughed and said that he had outlived Robey by over 20 years and that he also valued the many opportunities that he received more than any detriment he may have encountered as a result of others' dishonesty. In the late 1940's there was a great deal of restriction on what jobs a young black man could aspire to and Earl always told me to value"the opportunity" which he deemed was your only real chance at making a difference in this world.

above: Duke and Peacock label owner Don Robey

Earl called me one day. “Night! Get up. I need to talk to you about a gig, son.” Earl had booked a great gig for me at the First National Bank Building on a nice outdoor stage on Madison Avenue. Gigs in those days were scarce and Beale Street had not been developed into the entertainment district we know today. I showed up that day with my band and met Earl, who I never saw wear the same suit twice. He had a lot of cool old threads, and he was sporting some of them on this sunny day.

He had all the preparations ready, had already been visiting with all the nice folks at the bank and was asking all the guys in the band if they needed anything before we went on. I never could get Earl to take any money for booking the band so that day I insisted that he do so. He assured me that he had. As I looked over at the stage, I noticed a man with a van hauling out a Hammond B-3 on organ dollies.

Then the guy loaded two huge 900 series Leslie cabinets onto our stage. I walked over to Earl, a bit hurt, and said, “Earl, why didn't you tell me there was going to be somebody else playing at this show?”

He replied, “This is your show, son...your band, the Wampus Cats. Ain't nobody else.”

I said, “who's this guy that's gonna play organ?”

Earl chuckled a sly old chuckle and said, “You are.”

I said, “But Earl, I don't know how to play a B-3! I never played one in my life!”

Glancing at his watch, Earl said, “Well you got about 35 damn minutes to learn. Get to it!”

Earl laughed and walked off. He had used his gig commission to rent the organ for me to play because he knew how much I loved the sound. Today I have an endorsement from the Hammond-Suzuki organ company. Thanks, Earl.




Robert "Nighthawk" Tooms on the Hammond B-3

Osceola, AR Blues Festival




Thanks again to Earl, Sunbeam Mitchell let a conglomeration of us play the Club Paradise on Tuesday nights. It was the first club I ever saw with a full size walk-through metal detector at the door. The group was comprised of several of the members of the old Blues Alley band, including Fat Sonny, guitarist Willie Pettis and Evelyn "Mama Nute"Young, saxophonist with B.B. King's band in the 1950's.

Our deal with Sunbeam was that if we could get a crowd during the first set, he would hire us for the night and pay us. If not, we would quit and go home with no pay. Many nights we would all combine our pocket change after the first set and Evelyn would send Pettis down to the liquor store for a pint of cheap vodka which we all passed around before leaving for the night.

Evelyn Young would trundle in with her ancient sax case to my late night solo gig at Lou's Place, a now defunct club located downtown in a basement down a dark alley illuminated by a lone red light bulb. Lou was the brother of Paul Savarin, owner of Blues Alley. Lou's other brother, Joe, started the fledgling organization that became the Blues Foundation. Lou runs Lou's Pizza Pies in the Cooper-Young area of Midtown now(that's Lou Savarin pictured on the right). A salient feature of Lou's was its seating- used Braniff airline seats bolted to the concrete floor. The gig didn't start until 1 am and all the Blues Alley musicians would amble in after playing their gig that night. Evelyn would show me big jazz chords on the piano and smack the hell out of my hands if I didn't play them correctly. There was much drinking and a pleasant mix of river rats, musicians and prostitutes who just wanted to get out of the rain. Albert King's bassist, Big Joe Turner, and Fred"Good Guitar-Playin' Sanders" often came in to jam. Fred subsequently played in my band for a while.



Joe Turner from the Blues Alley All-Stars


Fred Sanders on Mempho Records

After a few years Earl had bypass surgery but still continued smoking Pall Malls. One night my band played at a renovated movie theater called the Madison House and Earl, fresh from surgery, got up to jam on drums. He did so with style, and at the end of the number, when I jumped dramatically off the 10 foot stage, Earl jumped right after me. What a showman!

After Earl's bypass surgery, his lady, Miss Alvia, nursed him back to health and he never forgot her loyalty and loving kindness. Years later, after she was stricken with Alzheimer's, he would not leave her side, sometimes (re)introducing me eight or ten times to her during one of my many visits to his apartment on Sharp Street. It was a high rise for older folks and I would occasionally play piano for a group of them in the afternoon.


Left: Earl Forest on the keyboard

Earl loved to write songs and was a fine keyboard player, so one day I brought him a digital piano and my old 100 watt Gibson tube combo that had two 12" speakers and one 15". It was a monster. It came from the factory covered in blue denim instead of Tolex. I rolled it up on the elevator to his apartment and he nearly fell out. He loved it. He wrote several songs for Malaco on that piano.

Earl got my band booked at the Club Paradise on a Saturday night on a bill with Bobby Rush. We played alternating sets to a big audience all night long. Bobby and his band were laying it down and the big club, actually a converted bowling alley, was packed with hundreds of people. Although Earl said he had spoken to Little Milton Campbell earlier in the day about coming over to jam, about 4 am I told Earl that I didn't think Little Milton was going to make it.

Earl said, "He'll be here, Night."

Sure enough, about 4:30 Little Milton walked in after playing two shows with his band . He was hoarse, but he jumped on stage and we played until 6:30 in the morning. About 7, as we were packing up to leave, he asked me to play keyboards for him. Since I had to finish college, I declined but was truly humbled and honored that he would ask.

A few weeks later, Earl learned that my band was going to be playing on the riverboat during the blues awards in 1982. He arranged for B.B. King to jam with my band, the Wampus Cats, for over an hour. I actually swapped licks with B.B. for about five minutes. I thought I had died and gone to heaven. Like Earl, B.B. was a consummate gentleman. I bet he stood up fifty times on the boat every time someone came up to his table to be introduced.

above: Little Milton Campbell

Thanks to my engineering/guitarist friend Brad Webb(now Engineer and guru at I-55 Productions) , for whom I have recorded with Willie Foster and Blind Mississippi Morris, we cut some tracks featuring Earl on the 2 inch tape machine. Richard Hite, formerly of Canned Heat, joined us on bass. It was to be the last thing either Richard or Earl would record.




Richard Hite, bluesologist, record collector,
bassist for Canned Heat and my band, the Wampus Cats



Tony Adams, super-drummer and longtime drum tech for Matchbox 20, played drums. My guitarist for over 25 years, Memphis Mike Forrest, played on all the tracks. Bassist Bill Bailey and my cousin, the late drummer, John Burgess, also played on some of the tunes that I sang. Earl sang 4 songs, 2 of which are on the rare Spectator Shoes album. The 2 other tracks of Earl are still in the can and it looks like Brad may release them at a later time.

After a 50 year hiatus from singing in the studio, Earl Forest sounds like he never missed a day singing. He is truly great. He is not only inspirational, but he could pull impromptu lyrics and parts out of the air effortlessly. Earl sings his own tunes, Next Time You See Me and Whooping and Hollering with aplomb. The musicians were inspired to do their best for the much beloved and revered old blues man.

Richard Hite, who's monolithic 7000 record collection spanned from floor to ceiling in his home, gave Earl a copy of one of his old 78s from the old Duke and Peacock days. Earl did not even have a copy and was very moved to receive it.

After the recording sessions, I did not see Earl for some time and one day I got a call from soul singer L.H. White (from the Icebreakers), who informed me that Earl had cancer. Before I could make it by to see him, my mentor was gone.

I was the only white man at his funeral at the Antioch Baptist Church, and I was pretty torn up that day. L. H . White came up to me at the rear of the church and said, "Come on with me, Nighthawk, you sit up front with me and the other church musicians." That was a great honor and a very kind, touching gesture.


Ruby Wilson, who sang for years at B.B. King's Club on Beale, sang the best I have ever heard her sing in that Baptist church that day. Ruby suffered a stroke last year and is rehabilitating well. She received an award from the Memphis Music Commission this year for being an Emissary of Memphis Music.



Ruby Wilson's award

March 26, 2009

photos by the author

B.B. King spoke at Earl's funeral. He said, "All of you have talked about what a kind and thoughtful, loving person Earl was, but none of you mentioned the most important thing about him. Earl Forest was a hell of a blues drummer!" I couldn't have said it better.



photo by Andrea Zucker from VIP Memphis Magazine

http://issuu.com/ddonald/docs/e_vip_mem_jan09_1_60




I miss you every day, Earl. I will never forget your kindness and wisdom. I will always try to be clean and well-dressed when I hit the stage, and to represent our fellow musicians properly, just as you instructed me so many years ago.

Robert "Nighthawk" Tooms

RCT

©Robert Tooms, July 30, 2009


Reblog this post [with Zemanta]



Tuesday, July 28, 2009

Chicago: Via Wilmington, Illinois Catfish Days Rustic Inn Style. South West Of Chicago.


My friend and occasional band mate Billy King told me Thursday night, while at The Cool River Club, that he would be playing at the Rustic Inn Blues Festival & Catfish Days on Sunday. It is held in Wilmington, Illinois. Wilmington is one of those backwater river towns. The town is loaded with antique shops nestled right on the river bank of the Kankakee. There is a dam along the south end that is a great area for fishing. Northern Pike walleye and Catfish abound at the bottom of the dam. Because of this dam they have a very unique bait shop that is called; you guessed it, the Dam Bait shop. I used to stop there back in the day when I could still find time to fish. You know it’s funny that when I had an eight hour a day “day job” I could find time to fish. I have all the time in the world because of the way I work now, but I cannot squeeze in one day to fish. My pole is sitting against the wall as I type this. It’s calling me, throw me, string me, bait me, Take Me to the River Dip me in the water. Sounds like a song, mmmmmmm. This evil temptation I must resist or else I will never finish this post. Perhaps I should get out the fly pole heh D.A.? (my editor)

Behind the stage at catfish days the bands assembled in the beer garden as the great Scottish pipe bands would assemble for the royal Tattoo. Not the ink on skin, which by the way was in abundance at this fest, but rather the assemblage of a military display, often with a variety of items, performed as an entertainment, usually in the evening. Slowly they unloaded their particular instruments to the sound of the group that was playing before them.

The first Group was” Michael Charles and his band.” A guy from Australia makes it all the way to a Back River town in the heart of the Midwest. How the h-e- double hockey sticks did that happen? Mr. Buddy Guy booked him in 1990 and he’s been here ever since. This is the first time I heard Mr. Charles pick and man this cat, (no fish) is smoking. Great stuff Michael and I will be out to hear you again.

Next to mount the stage was another group that I heard for the first time called “Jaywalkers Jam Band.” I knew their bass man Greg from hanging out at different jam spots in the city. I got to tell you folks this band can jam. Excellent rhythm section, great keys, outstanding vocals and “take no prisoners guitar work.” The only fault I found with them was their music selection. I am an admitted blues fanatic. I like the BLUES and only the blues. When I go to a Blues Fest that’s what I expect to hear. Once again you can say that the Allman Brothers are blues and I would challenge that and say it is more southern rock. That’s some good stuff, but I want to hear that one, four, five delta style blues. By the way the crowd absolutely loved them and I don’t blame them as they are a terrific jam band, just not my style. The crowd at this fest was primarily bikers from different affiliations or clubs. There was a certain tension in the air shall I say.

Third to mount the stage was my buddy Billy King. I can say this about Billy he is a blues man in the style of Jimmy Reed and is a unique and true to the form blues artist. He and I were talking about how many gigs does one have to play until the big stage comes knocking. I told Billy this “Do it for the art. As soon as you realize you are an artist than the rest will come.” Billy’s media is audio and sooner or later he will be recognized as one of the great blues men of our time. Hang in there Billy it is coming.

Fourth to hit the stage was Pauline York. Pauline is a young upcoming woman guitar slinger that reminds me of Rory Block. Pauline is a master at what she does and I like it. I think that Pauline could skyrocket to the top if she just picked up an old Martin acoustic guitar walked out center stage plucked it and sang. She does not need a backup band. She is that good and mark my words you will be hearing a lot more of her in the future. You are great Pauline and everyone loves you, yours truly included.

The last act to hit the stage was non-other than Joliet’s very own T-Bird Huck. I’m sure everyone by now has seen the "Blues Brothers” movie, well T-bird has got to be the guy the writers of that movie were writing about. T-Bird is a 40 year veteran of the blues scene. I am amazed that he has not hit the major tour circuits. He can actually set a guitar on fire. I swear from my vantage point that there was a fire extinguisher right next to his amp. T-Bird opened up with a Mississippi sax solo that was on the edge of musical genius or madness. He took that harp to extremes. Well done T-bird, very well done indeed. Before T-Bird went on I asked him to play one song for me and it Was Rt.66. The entertainment tent faced RT.66 and T-bird thanked me for reminding him. I had heard him play that song on an acoustic guitar at another venue. I am still trying to figure out how he made that guitar sound like a piano. He has Nat King Coles opening piano riffs down to a tee, but after that opening introduction Rt. 66 is T-Birds and T-Birds Alone. His interpretation is dynamite. Very cool rendition. T-bird you are a BLUES MAN.

His backing group was turbocharged during this performance. Jimmy Caleca on keys is a musical dynamo. He claims he plays by ear and that’s no problem, because some of the greatest musicians of all time could not read music. Jimmy is most assuredly one of the best Hammond B3 players I have ever heard and he can hold his own with Joey DeFransesco any time, any place, and anywhere, I kid you not. He did not have his 1948 Hammond at this Catfish Days performance, but I have heard him play it at different venues. One word Wow! If you can catch Jimmy’s work you must.

The rhythm section was anchored by another acquaintance of mine. Jeff Ruffin is a jobbing drummer and one of the best. I have even hired him to back -up Smilin Bobby and yours truly. I am a bass player that appreciates a drummer who knows what time is, because without that drummer the band does not exist. I first met Jeff Ruffin AKA “Muffin Man” at the Thursday night Cool River Jam sessions, Jeff and Jimmy (keys) play in the House band “Twist and The Groove Machine”. Jeff keeps excellent time and never ever skips a beat or drops a drumstick. I think I will start calling him “Big Ben”, you know after that great time piece/ watch tower in London. Jeffs job is to keep time and he does that stupendously.

Filling out the bottom was Ben Smith. Ben is the youngest member of the group. Do not be fooled by his age readers Ben is a Bassman that knows how to walk, jump, punch and pick those telephone pole sized four strings strapped to a couple of hunks of plywood and steel. Like the god Thor he can bring thunder at will or be quiet as a mouse. He is a sideman that knows his job. Too many bass players want to have the spotlight on them. They at times take too long of solos or play a flurry of notes that do not belong in the piece of music. There is a lot to be said for a band that has sidemen that realize the front man is the front man and they are there to make that person sound and look good. T-Bird has such a band and is very lucky to have them.

One last thing about T-Bird and the guys, managers and agents take notice they are ready for the major stage. He should be touring the world. Casey or Tony you guys listening they are are going to make some one a lot of money may as well be one of you?

“Catfish Days” was a blast all the way from the $5 Catfish dinner to the $4 bratwursts. Rojo’s blues festival was excellent and he should be commended for the effort he puts in. Rojo do you have to use that foul language when addressing the crowd. On one hand its mf this and mf that then in the very next breath it’s thank God for this and that. I hope next year it will be a little different. If it was an over 21 audience then foul language is not a problem. l served in the US Navy and nobody and I mean nobody can cuss like a drunken sailor. There were kids in this audience and it did not belong. Even if they were not supposed to be there, they were and no excuses allowed. Common decency should have prevailed. I was going to take my15 year old daughter with, but after hearing the language I’m glad I left her home. Do not let that deter you from attending. I’ll be going next year. If you see a guy pull up on a Segway wearing a Dennis Hooper Fringe leather jacket and a Hoss style ten gallon hat say hi. It's the gatorman. On the back of that jacket will be my own personal colors that read. "Blues Me Or Lose ME"

Thanks Rojo for mentioning the vets,

Terrance “Gatorman” Lape

Vice President Chicago Blues Music Society



All Photos courtesy of Kathy Crnich Secretary "Chicago Blues Music Society"