Kalamazoo Blues Festival 2006

Kalamazoo Blues Festival - 2006
July 6, 7, 8

The Kalamazoo Valley Blues Association has been in the festival business for 13 years and is a testament as to how a festival should be run. Staying loyal to their mission statement of propagating roots music, the Thursday portion of the festival is dedicated to strictly acoustic music. Not only can you relax in the scenic Arcadia Festival site, you can learn while you're there through the many and varied free workshops. From learning harmonica, to the basic tuning of a guitar, to the proper techniques of singing and strengthening your voice to project better, they try and please all who are interested.

The music portion of Thursday started with the Detroit duo of Christy and Jeff Howard. Weaving their way through a set of original music, the husband and wife duo found an appreciative audience on the mild summer night.

Another Detroit native, Michael "Blind Dog" Gatewood entranced the crowd with a variety of instruments including six-string banjo, a six string round neck dobro, a two string cigar box back porch diddley stick slide resonator guitar (designed and built by Blind Dog), hand held and neck held harmonicas, foot operated tambourine, shakers and tromp bass. Whew! You think he was busy?

By age ten, Philadelphia native Angelo M (Angelo Melasecca) had his first paying gig and by sixteen was gigging regularly. A gifted musician with incredible dexterity on finger-picking guitar, slide dobro and mandolin, Angelo M had taken some time off from public performing to raise a family before returning to music in 2003 after being laid off from the steel industry and left with no pension. After his powerful performance, many people were asking where and when they could see him again.

Fitzgerald and Beach incorporate many styles into their music from blues to gospel and even R&B and country, and all work to enhance their performance. With D.C. Fitzgerald on vocals and guitar and Bob Beach on harmonica, flute and vocals, the duo have been performing on and off since the early 1970's and compliment each other's playing abilities and songwriting skills.

Calvin Cooke has been dubbed by his peers as the "B.B. King of gospel steel guitar." The Detroit native brought the house to its feet with his infectious 10-string pedal steel and stirring vocals. Starting with an up tempo instrumental, Cooke and his band, all veteran members of his church, took the audience on a spiritual journey from full tilt foot stomping, hand clapping, dance in the aisle, gospel hymns to a soul stirring a capella rendition of the Lord's Prayer. What a perfect end to the day.

On Friday, the Battle Creek based Smokestack Lightning had the pleasure of kicking things off with its powerful blend of raw Blues and West Coast jump sound fueled by singer Nathan Moore. Backed by Joe Ferguson (harp/vocals), Robert "Kenny" Armstrong (bass), Anthony Payton (drums) and Troy Amaro (guitar), the band took the crowd on a tour of 1940's and 50's jump blues.

Gene Deer started playing guitar at age 14 and, for the next 22 years, has been honing his skill in and out of the Indianapolis area. From leading his own band to the guitarist in Indy car driver Kenny Brack's band the Subwoofers, Deer has become a much sought after guitarist. His rock/blues licks filled the afternoon air with the driving force of an out of control hurricane.

Blue Moon Blues Band has been on the rise as a well oiled blues band. They all have varied musical backgrounds, but have been drawn together by a common love for the blues. Combining jazz, blues, classical, and roots music gives the band a well rounded knowledge of music from which to draw. The newest member of the band, vocalist/keyboardist Charlu Wanzer, adds yet another facet to this already multi-talented band. She shares duties with Dale Hein (harp/vocals), Bill LaValley (bass/vocals), Ju-Ju "B" Jones (drums/vocals) and Dave Carambula (guitar/vocals). When Blue Moon attacks a song, they draw on each others talents to bring a combined force to the stage. Think of them as a group of chefs preparing a meal, each brings their own spice to combine in a perfect meal of music.

Kalamazoo based Seventh Son has been a long time favorite son of the area. They're not out to make a million in the music industry, but they play for the love of the music itself. Behind the driven harp and vocals of Dave Hunt is John Blissard (sax), Dave Cleveland (keyboard), Brendon Frank (bass), Todd Jones (sax), Steve Kovach (drums), and Scott Matteson (guitar). The band jells on any kind of music, the only requirement is that the songs move them. From nasty New Orleans funk to West Coast jump, Seventh Son, now in their fourteenth year, has become one of the premier Michigan blues bands.

With every note, Sharrie Williams will take you to a different place. Raised with a gospel background, Sharrie has taken that training and blessed us all with her dynamic range of not only notes but emotions. From the powerful voice of her soul, she'll take you from the joys of loving your man to the depths of a woman scorned. Sharrie has many styles but none are an imitation of others. She is a completely new and unique voice all her own. She has the ability to affect your soul with her stage presence and over-whelming vocal gymnastics. Her set on this hot summer night had the people howling for more. While she was performing in front of a near capacity crowd, she had the ability to make each person feel like she was singing to only them. This unique gift has made her an in demand performer through out the United States and Europe as well.

Michael Burks will batter your senses with the whirlwind force of his performance. The singer/songwriter/guitarist has been grossly unnoticed by the general public for way too long. His emotionally charged performances will leave you feeling like a wrung out dish rag. Friday afternoon found Burks lying in the parking lot, replacing a burned out bearing in his van that has passed the 200,000 mile mark. But Kalamazoo's finest blues loving mechanics lent a hand to make sure he could make it to his next gig. Such is the life if Michael Burks. Burks is like a split personality. He is a gentle soul who never turns away a fan looking to talk of have anything signed, and never has a cross word to say about anyone. That's his way. On stage however, Michael dares you to ignore his music, assaults you with his guitar and then soothes you with his velvet vocals. He is one of the few performers that I can honestly say I never get tired of listening to.

Friday's headliner really needs no introduction. From the steamy Baton Rouge, Louisiana swamps, Tab Benoit has emerged as one of the major players in the business of blues. From his funky gumbo tinged songs and fleet-of-fret guitar style, Benoit and his joyous brand of music had the people on their feet from the first note. Unfortunately, Benoit has seen first hand the devastation from Hurricane Katrina, and chose that night to take a platform on the effects still felt in the region and to speak out against the government response. Much to the displeasure of the audience, his speech went on too long and soon boos and other less tactful words were flying back at him. I admire him for his dedication to the Voice of the Wetlands and other organizations he supports, but a festival is no place to try and spread the word. Kalamazoo, like many U.S. cities, has felt the economic struggle and didn't want to spend their hard earned money to hear a political rant. Sorry Tab, but I'm on their side on this.

Saturday was a perfect blues festival day. Hot, sunny and filled with music. At noon, the Left Turn Blues Band kicked things off with a horn drenched set. Born from a classic rock band, the Left Turn Band formed in 2003 and has left a trail of smoldering stages in its path ever since. This one was no exception!

Another horn driven band is the 33rd Street Band. Lead by trombonist Mark Patrie, the 33rd Street Band had a secret weapon for today's show. The Soul Men are a Cleveland based Blues Brothers tribute act who won the crowd with their antics. Backed by the extremely tight band, the Soul Men brought back all the great songs by Jake and Elwood Blues such as Hey Bartender, Minnie the Moocher, Soul Man and of course, Rubber Biscuit. From the black suits to the knuckle tattoos, these guys were great. Leading the crowd in song and dance, the 33rd Street Band and the Soul Men were a fun-filled treat.

Born in neighboring Lansing, Michigan, the Old Town Blues Band has become a staple on the Michigan blues scene. Armed with a strong voice, singer Connie Currier is backed by Bill Malone (guitar/vocals), David "Benny" Zdybal (bass/guitar/vocals), Dennis Cullinan (sax/vocals), and Lawrence Leathers on drums. You can't really point a finger at this band and pick out a leader when all members have a diverse background in music. I know they jell nicely and produce a great, tight sound.
Jordan & the Bad Beat are exactly what their name implies. Lead by guitarist Jordan Lunardini, the four piece power band plowed through a set much to the delight of their many fans. Frankie Ballard, who plays second to nobody, rounds out the guitar section with the backbeat set by drummer Tim Cowert and bassist Matt Reinhardt. Mixing up originals and giving covers a twist of their own, Jordan and crew made for a very entertaining, if not a too short set.

The Out of Favor Boys are another Kalamazoo based band that connects with an audience wherever it goes. They are basically a let's party and have fun kind of band and for a festival, that's a winning combination. One of the fun aspects of the band is the wandering saxophonist Tony Sproul, but this time he was joined by guitarist Danny Quellette as they entertained the crowd, from the crowd, while stage-bound bassist Tim Brouhard, drummer Kevin Dorcy and guitarist Joel Krauss tried to rein them back in.

Since 1997, Pauline York has been putting her personal spin on the blues. Her stripped down raw, no pedals, no effects guitar style is refreshing. I must say that Pauline, with Jim Billmeier on bass and Jeff Ruffin on drums, were as tight as any band. Since the 2001 release of the CD Blackberry Wine and the 2004 release Muddy Water, Pauline and her stripped down Freddie King sound has been gathering a lot of attention on the festival circuit.

Reverend Payton's Big Damn Band isn't so big, but it seems to cross the boarders of indie music and traditional blues. Consisting of Reverend Payton on guitar and vocals, wife "Washboard" Breezy on, obviously, washboard and also vocals, and the Reverend's brother Jayme on drums. But within the fingers of Reverend Payton lies a wealth of talent. Playing the bass with his thumb, the Reverend can finger pick two accompanying melodies and sing along. As I watched this from the front of the stage, I was amazed at the dexterity I was seeing. The three were as entertaining as any big band and, in a repeat of last year's performance, had the crowd pushing the fence to get closer.

Mike Dangeroux is exactly what his name implies. A mixture of Jimi Hendrix, Bob Marley, Wes Montgomery, and Van Halen, the music defies being pigeon holed into any category except excellent. Backed by a group of talented musicians, Casper (drums), Chaka B. (vocals), Jonathan Shanes (keyboard), and Tony Mhoon (bass), the group led us on a merry chase of trying to follow them as one song blurred into an other.

Randy Oxford is a trombone playing madman. With enough energy to fuel a number of bands, Oxford treated the crowd to a set that showcased their teamwork as a band but, at the same time, let each member showcase their individual talents. With the merry prankster Oxford racing around the stage (and later the crowd), guitarists Jerry Lee Davidson and Steve Blood, bassist Hank Yanda, singer/guitarist Virginia Klemens, and drummer Riky Hudson, The Randy Oxford Band brought their A game with them.

Mississippi born and raised Vasti Jackson is a dynamo guitarist and the ultimate performer. Not many in the crowd were aware of the fact that he had just returned from a tour of South Africa, and the airline had "misplaced" his guitars and all of his clothes. He told me he had just gotten one guitar back at 10:00 that morning and still didn't know where his clothes were. I don't have the space to list all of his achievements, but believe me, the list is long and still growing. Always the entertainer, Jackson walked a wall separating the stage from the crowd, shaking hands while playing the guitar one handed. Always on the move, Vasti's fiery guitar work and stellar vocals left a lasting impression on all that were lucky enough to see him. When I asked festival director Dennis Massingill what he thought of the show, all he could was "Wow." After Jackson had finished his set, he and the band moved immediately to the other stage to back Betty Harris. Another fact unknown was that they had spent the afternoon learning 25 of Betty's songs, and that night you'd have sworn that they had been playing together for years. I said he was the ultimate.

R&B star Betty Harris retired from performing in 1970, choosing to focus on raising her family and singing in the church choir. In 2001, she caused fans of deep soul to rejoice as she rejoined the ranks of the performing artist. Known for her Solomon Burke penned ballad Cry For Me, Harris has lost none of the voice for which fans have been yearning to hear again. In a seven year span, Harris recorded 8 sides for Jubilee, 18 for Sansu, and 2 for SSS. Known for her velvety smooth vocals and fantastic tonal control and range, Betty Harris left no doubt why she is considered by soul aficionados as an equal to any of the current singers.

With swamp funk being the tone for the weekend, who better to finish things up but Kenny Neal. A mixed bag of voodoo, gumbo, alligators, and Louisiana swamps, Kenny Neal, along with the entire Neal family, have become the standard to which others try to reach. The band is definitely a family affair with brothers Darnell on bass, Frederick on keyboards and Kenny on guitar, lap steel, harp, and vocals. From his slashing guitar style to the rough hewed vocals, Kenny Neal is at the lead of the pack of the younger generation of blues players.

I have to take a minute and thank Dennis Massingill and the entire membership of the Kalamazoo Valley Blues Association for their hospitality and efforts to make this festival a success. Without their teamwork and the drive to succeed, it would have been just another weekend at home watching TV. What a wonderful and fun alternative they've come up with.

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