| Associated Media: CHICAGO BLUES FESTIVAL 2002 |
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CHICAGO BLUES FESTIVAL 2002 Situated in Grants Park on the shoreline of Lake Michigan, the Chicago Blues Festival took place this year between May 30th and June 2nd. One main stage, with artist’s from all over America, and four fringe stages, consisting of mainly Chicago-based musicians, playing various styles and accommodating all aspects of this wonderful music we call “The Blues”. The event was dedicated to the late, great, Muddy Waters who has been dead now for nineteen years. [The festival was also quite incidentally, in it’s nineteenth year!]. The headliners on the main stage were The North Mississippi All Stars, Bo Diddley, Shemekia Copeland and “Blood” Ulmer with Vernon Reid. The line-up wasn’t quite attractive as other years, but certain big-names would be making guest appearances in various combo’s for unique reunions to honour Muddy Waters’ memory. The event had more of a nostalgic flavour to it with most of the veterans coming out of retirement to acknowledge a man who brought the worlds attention to Chicago Blues]. Like most festivals, it’s practically impossible to see every performance. With so much going on its just impossible to catch every act - two or three people could report different accounts of such an event. I started off by watching local guitarist Willie Buck and his band, who are heavily influenced by Muddy Waters. Willie churns out 12-bar blues that are well received by the crowd. His harmonica man though, was less than convincing, he seemed overawed and even stage-struck by the large crowd. [I was quite surprised by his shyness - I thought all these American guys were well seasoned at playing to big crowds!] J.B. Ritchie on the other hand was very exciting; playing in the style of J.B. Hutto [I wonder if that’s where he got his moniker?], and T-Bone Walker. Lots of slide guitar and rockin’ RnB. Gloria Shannon up next; this little pocket dynamo has a great voice, very capable of singing the bawdy up-tempo numbers, and then able to sing sweetly the slow burners. I felt choice of material let her down though – predictable blues lady singing about her ‘mistreating old man’ etc…. Over on the main stage the first of the three main acts were just getting underway.
Nellie ‘Tiger’ Travis is a Tina Turner-like figure from Chicago’s blues circuit. She certainly is a striking young lady with a great figure and a great voice to match. Her voice can easily turn from a growl on the rockier stuff, to silky smooth on the slow burners. Her band, The Men in Black are a well oiled machine that back her admirably for their brand of ‘in your face’ r n b with female ‘attitude’ and of course, sexuality. Lee ‘Shot’ Williams follows next. This soul-funk vocalist from Memphis is slick and smooth with a James Brown-style mixed-in for good measure. Powerful vocals and a good rappor’t with the crowd – especially the ladies! A good set by a confident performer, but not really blues, a bit too ‘showbiz’ for my liking – why; the guy even did a soft-shoe shuffle! The Mississippi All Stars topped the bill with an excellent mixture of rock-blues from the top drawer. Lashings of slide guitar in the style of R.L. Burnside and ‘Mississippi’ Fred McDowell. The three vocalists harmonise well, and coupled with an imposing rhythm section that enabled the twin guitarists and keyboard player to really kick ass. A top-notch band, and certainly the best act of the day, performing modern blues and rhythm ‘n’ blues. On day two Carey Bell was first up; he gave us a half hour set of remarkable blues-harmonica. Carey was accompanied by two guitarists and played the ‘Maxwell Street’ style of blues. He of course, also played with Muddy Waters and Willie Dixon during their Chess days. Carey has developed a sound that’s unmistakably his own which includes frequent growls into the harp during mid-solo. A nice informal set, which got the day off to a fine start.
Big Bill Morganfield then followed with a semi-acoustic set which seemed to have a laidback ‘back-porch’ feel about it. Selections included stuff from his two albums and a good few of his father’s, [Muddy], which he dedicated to him. Veteran vocalist Fred Johnson [with his Checkmates], belted out a great set with a gravely voice accompanied by the stunning guitar of Pee Wee Madison. [Pee Wee was also in Muddy’s band at one time!] Pee Wee’s appearance certainly delighted Muddy’s fans who got the rare opportunity to see him again. They would also have been delighted by Fred Johnson’s performance - he gave us a wonderful gig with his big gravely voice, and a terrific supporting band. Birthday-boy John Brim [80 years this day] on the other hand looked frail and a little disorientated by the event. He clearly wanted to be at the festival to honour his old mate Muddy, but sadly he seemed bemused by the occasion. He no longer plays guitar due to arthritis, and I’m afraid his voice has all but gone. It was nice to see him, but this isn’t how we should remember these living legends. John once played and recorded with Jimmy Reed and Willie Dixon and had a big hit in the 50’s with ‘Ice Cream Man,’ which he played to a crowd who had took him to their hearts. Onto the main stage, the ‘Petrillo Music Shell’ as its known, for the highlight of the entire weekend. The Muddy Waters Alumni Association, [Alumni is latin for ‘Former pupil’s of’]. Musicians included ‘Pinetop’ Perkins, Carey Bell, Luther ‘Guitar Junior’ Johnson, John Primer, Willie ‘Big Eyes’ Smith, Calvin ‘Fuzzy’ Jones and special guest James Cotton. What a profusion of talent on display here. All have developed their own solo careers since being with the main man, and tonight they are back together for a one-off gig to pay homage to their mentor – and what a performance it was too! Carey Bell took the harp duties first with John Primer singing and leading the band, until ‘Pinetop’ enters the stage and he then takes over fronting the show. Final change was Carey Bell vacating the harp for James Cotton.
All numbers were songs that Muddy had either written or played, and were arranged as near original as you could get. [You could almost imagine Muddy being on stage with this band]. It was a great show and a unique experience to witness these fabulous bluesmen together again, and probably for the last time. A historical occasion. So, how on earth do you follow that? Well James Cotton and his Five Star Band tried to. James came back on stage and gave a ferocious display of harmonica fireworks. Sadly his voice has been ravished by throat cancer and isn’t able to sing these day’s, but he remains an unquestionable master of the harmonica. He was personally trained by Sonny Boy Williamson before joining Muddy’s band, then going solo, signing for Sun, Verve, Buddah and Alligator Records. The stage though, has always been his forte, and again tonight he showed what a great performer he still is. After his set, he was presented onstage with the W.C. Handy Award for his contribution to Blues Music – an honour he certainly deserves.
Star billing tonight though was for
the impregnable Bo Diddley. He brought with him his all-star line-up
which included Billy Boy Arnold, Jody Williams, Clifton James, Ken
Saydak and Bob Stroger. This reunion was also a unique historical
event. Harpist Arnold and guitarist Williams have created wonderfully
successful careers in recent years after helping Bo Diddley carve
out his own piece of blues history by bringing r’n’b to the masses
with his quirky infectious style. [Jody had also played guitar for
Howlin Wolf on some of his classic hits].
He played only a couple of his big hits and introduced a few new numbers, one of which was a rap arrangement. Bo Diddley, being Bo Diddley of course, claimed that he invented rap way back in the sixties – you just can’t knock the man for his cheek! [When asked recently who he thought was the most influential figure in post-war popular music, his answer was……. Bo Diddley!!] His natural exuberance and self esteem shine through, characterised by an insistent booming rhythm supplemented by infectious shuffles. Just before the last number, he too was presented with an award by Shirley Dixon-Nelson, [Willie Dixon’s daughter], for a Lifetime Achievement in Popular Music. Tonight’s show had been a nostalgic reunion of two historic bands that had shaped the music that we have all come to know and love. I felt privileged to witness such a wonderful night of marvellous music. Day three started off with ex-Koko Taylor guitarist Johnny B. Moore. He has developed a solid reputation around Chicago’s club scene with his Delta covers and contemporary blues. He has though, very little stage presence and I’m afraid, not a great singing voice. This perhaps explains why he is not known outside America. He is albeit, a wonderful guitarist with a great technique. I feel he would be better suited as a guitarist with a leading blues band rather than trying to cut it solo. Ce-Dell Davis is a 70-something year old who is also little known outside The States. He caught polio as a child, and this left him with a badly deformed right hand. He plays his guitar left handed, clutching a knife in his right hand and slides it across the strings. The technique is certainly unique and creates weird and wondrous sounds. His vocals are intense and a little haunting. A strange and intriguing set, and certainly not one for the purist’s.
However, today’s musical experience was similar to yesterday’s John Brim set – worthy only for the nostalgia. Neither old boys could perform anything of note, and it was left to sidemen Steve Arvey and Jon McDonald to help out on guitars and save the set from an embarrassing performance.
Phil Guy by contrast was excellent,
with his no-nonsense and direct route to the blues. The set was
refreshing and entertaining. Lee Roy Parnell followed Phil Guy. He has a country-blues approach mixed with soulful undertones. Lee Roy plays a mean slide guitar and sings with a gritty voice, but I wasn’t too sure what style he plays – perhaps I shouldn’t try to pigeon-hole him. All I can say is that it was an unusual and interesting mix of various styles, and I couldn’t make my mind up if I liked it or not! W.C. Clarke on the other hand is an out-and-out Texan bluesman. He had once played with S.R.V. during the 70’s in The Triple Threat Revue, and also co-wrote “Cold Shot” with Stevie, during this time. He received jubilant praise from the crowd, especially the younger generation, for a highly entertaining set. I felt he should have been on the main stage because his contemporary blues-rock approach went down very well with the large crowd around a small stage. It was a shame more people couldn’t get closer to see him. The main stage tonight included Johnny B. Moore [with full electric band this time], The Jelly Roll Kings [Revisited] and Shemekia Copeland. Johnny B. Moore again, showed great guitar technique, but like earlier - he never let himself go. His static-like figure didn’t endear him to the audience and his bland vocals didn’t draw their attentions to him either. A shame really, because he is a very good guitarist. The Jelly Roll Kings [Revisited] were once known as The Nighthawks, who were active between the 60’s and 80’s. Harpist and band leader Frank Frost sadly died in 1999, and tonight his replacement was John Weston, who did a great job in filling Frank’s formidable shoes. Guitarist, Big Jack Johnson had problems with his amp half way through the set, which never really got fully sorted out. It was annoying to both him and to the crowd and it spoilt an otherwise good performance. Sam Carr’s drumming on the other hand couldn’t be faulted, he gave a solid display with funky, raw Delta rhythms that kept the band afloat.
Shemekia Copeland was introduced by Koko Taylor [the original Blues Diva], who said Shemekia was hotter than a fire cracker – and boy was she right! She hit the stage running and never let-up all night. Her brassy style was just perfect with a voice that rips into every number with great gusto. The set included blues rock, soul and r’n’b, and covered material from her two albums “Turn the heat up” and “Wicked” and her soon to be released c.d. [as yet untitled], which has been produced by Dr. John. She gave a stunning performance and sent home the large crowd well pleased with her work. She certainly is an awesome young lady whose father is the late Texan guitarist Johnny Copeland. Looks like he taught her well - especially how to entertain! Final day of the festival started off with Devil in a Woodpile. These two old timers perform rollicking good rhythm ‘n’ blues. They have an entertaining stage presence, adapted from jazz and vaudeville acts and have mixed it with a little hokum. [The Memphis Jug Band being a big influence]. They were very enjoyable and entertaining. Piedmont fingerpickers Cephas and Wiggins then played a delightful set, with great harmonica from Phil Wiggins. They present a lesson in folklore with a passionate feeling of vintage music, which they gave a fresh feeling to. Tony Rogers and Son are local guitarist Tony Rogers and his seven year-old son Jamiah, who plays drums. This is their first appearance at the festival, and I have a feeling it won’t be Jamiah’s last. Tony is no great shakes as a guitarist, but with his son, [who is the star of the act], Tony will, no doubt get plenty of work – not least in looking after the little fellow. Given time and with good guidance I’m sure we will be hearing lots more of Jamiah in years to come, but at the moment they are not much more than a novelty act.
Louisiana Red was playing two sets today. The first one was solo, and the second with Willie Kent & The Gents supporting him. [I decided to watch the solo spot because I’d already seen Willie Kent earlier in the week at B.L.U.E.S.]. ‘Louisiana’ is the typical “Bluesman.” His mother died when he was seven, and he recalls as a child watching the K.K.K. lynch his father. He suffered physical and emotional abuse at the hands of foster parents and various relatives – and if he ain’t got the blues; then no-one has! His experiences are well documented in his songs and are evident in his portrayal of them in his live work. He isn’t a brilliant guitarist – he makes plenty of mistakes and is rather erratic, but you can’t take your eyes off him. You can almost feel the passion he generates in his lyrics. The main stage acts were for me, very disappointing today, with only Jimmy Dawkins putting a good show on. The 80 year old Johnnie Mae Dunson’s was on first. Her claim to fame was that she had worked with, and wrote material for, Jimmy Reed. As she is very bad on her feet these days, she played the gig sat in a comfy chair. The set would have been o.k. in a small club-setting, but on a big stage she couldn’t hold the audience’s attention. A lot of people couldn’t see her in the big chair and I could feel myself getting bored with it. Her band, which included her son Jimi ‘Prime Time’ Smith, were nothing special either - infact they seemed to be bored too! Jimmy Dawkins set suffered sound problems, which was a shame really because his flashy guitar work could only be heard in patches. Jimmy appeared irritated by the problem and he let it effect his singing - which was not good. The musical content however, was sufficient enough to carry him through an awkward set and I think most people enjoyed it.
Sadly for me that’s where the blues
festival finished. Although there were two further acts still left
to play, the organisers got the billing all wrong! Bettye La Vette
and headliners James “Blood” Ulmer with Vernon Reid were certainly
not blues or rhythm ‘n’ blues. Bettye had been hailed as an ‘imaginative booking’ at the festival. She certainly wasn’t shy about using her sexuality, and enjoyed flirting with her male audience. She reminded me of a cabaret act, with a cross between Tina Turner and Gloria Gaynor. The musical content was also better suited to the nightclub scene and not at a major blues festival. “Blood” Ulmer and Vernon Reid were also misplaced at such an event. Their jazz-funk licks with soul driven rhythm’s were not what most people would expect as a headline act on a last night of a blues festival. I was sadly disappointed with their performance and after half an hour I was bored, and left. [It was somehow gladdening to note that probably the organisers of the biggest blues festival in the world had somehow got the last night’s billing all wrong - us ‘lesser promoters’ took heart!]. In trying to introduce modern styles to the citizens of Chicago, [a city who’s musicians were responsible for the biggest change of musical styles in the last century], all it done was highlight the fact that too much change too quickly, will not be welcomed. However, the festival was a great experience and I enjoyed it enormously. There was a lot of diverse music on show that I felt didn’t work - but that is only my opinion! [Plenty of people enjoyed stuff that I didn’t]. The weather was glorious for the first three days and only rained on the fourth day, so we were well pleased. All-in-all, a worthwhile trip with lots of treasured memories, and wonderful music.
MIKE PRENDERGAST |
