The Middletown Press (Middletown, CT)
Plenty of shows around the state to warm up winter
You can’t tell we are in the middle of winter with all the shows this week. From the big venues to neighborhood spots, the blues are making the rounds.
As has been reported, the Cypress Grill is closing this month. Join the Cypress All-Stars on Saturday for their last performance. Music will be some of the classics featuring Dexter Pettaway, Lawrence V White, Doug Wilson, Jr., Ivan Santiago, Jaeme Brennan McDonald, and Alika Hope. Wishing a happy retirement to Joe and Jim Carta, and hoping to see them out enjoying the blues.
Infinity Music Hall in Norfolk has some great shows this week. Friday, it is Marcia Ball, followed on Saturday by Roomful of Blues; on Thursday, it is Steve Riley and the Mamou Playboys.
Ball is a Grammy-nominated and multi-awardwinning singer and pianist. She returns to Norfolk with her saucy singing and superb piano playing. Ball brings you to where Texas stomp-rock and Louisiana blues-swamp meet. Fans enjoy her blend of rollicking, two-fisted New Orleans piano, Louisiana swamp-rock and smoldering Texas blues. She carries strong credentials into the blues community, often on the Blues Music Awards list.
People in this area need little introduction to Roomful of Blues. Through band changes and over many years, their shows have not disappointed. With seven Blues Music Awards, 5 Grammy nominations and tons of album sales to their credit, Roomful is indeed, America’s quintessential Blues band.
Mardi Gras Superstars Steve Riley and the Mamou Playboys are staging a Fat Tuesday Bayou Blast in Norfolk. Those of you who’ve caught these Grammy-nominated ragin’ Cajuns before, know this is not a show to be missed. Let them take you into the backwaters of Southwest Louisiana. On Wednesday, Steve Riley & the Mamou Playboys will be at Café 9.
The Katharine Hepburn Cultural Arts Center brings in Roomful of Blues Friday. Saturday, an old favorite Jesse Colin Young is there.
Black-Eyed Sally’s will keep you enjoying the blues with John Németh on Friday and Saturday has Murali Coryell.
Németh adds classic soul and R&B styles to his playlist. He is one of the fastest rising star on the national blues scene.
Coryell was inducted into the New York State Blues Hall of Fame in 2013. He is a triple threat contemporary blues artist who can sing, write and play guitar with the best in the business. As the son of guitar legend Larry Coryell, he grew up around the likes of Jimi Hendrix, Miles Davis, and Carlos Santana. Coryell joined Duke Robillard’s touring band and was quickly signed as a solo artist.
FTC Stage One has New EnglanderAlbert Cummings on Friday. He picked up his first guitar after hearing the licks of Stevie Ray Vaughan. He was struck with that inspiration and poured himself into blues.
Saturday, Popa Chubby takes the stage. One look lets you know he is a rough, gruff, and tough bluesman to the core. He is at the forefront of modern blues-rock, where the mix of intensity and integrity has made him one of the genres most popular figures. He knows no genre boundaries, from hard core to slow romance. His last performance on StageOne was a prime example of how the stage trumps a sterile studio when it comes to Popa’s gritty sound.
Saturday, it is a Winter Blues Fest at the Elks Lodge in Willimantic. Three bands provide three full hours of red-hot rockin’ dance tunes. The Mighty Soul Drivers join forces with Blues A-Go-Go and the sensational new band Vitamin B-3 to help rid you of your cabin fever with a night chock-full of rockin’ Soul dance numbers, down-in-the-alley testifying and some funky Blues.
Mark your calendar now. There is no better way to beat the doldrums and dance away those Winter Blues. Proceeds from this event go to support those fabulous free summer events of the Willimantic Third Thursday Street Fest.
For acoustic fans, The Pine Loft Café has a Sunday show at 3 p.m. with Orb Mellon Duo, Rocky Lawrence, The Coffee Grinders.
The Southington Community Cultural Arts has The Sawtelles from 7 to -9 p.m. on Friday.
Two of the Connecticut Blues Society’s Memphis representatives will be at The Shamrock Pub & Grill Saturday. For a dynamic evening join The Balkun Brothers who are joined byJake Kulak and the LowDown.
In area Jam news, Sunday, the Original Sunday Blues Jam returns to Café 9 with the George Lesiw Trio. The Open Mic Night at the Open Space has moved to Monday and features Ron Anthony this week. The open mile at the Knickerbocker now is on Tuesday and hosting is Wayne & his Students.
Good to see Cynthia Fabian will be at Aunt Chilada’s, from 6-8 p.m. on Sunday with The Galvanized Jazz Band.
The Acoustic Café on Thursday brings in the People’s Blues of Richmond. This band is on fire right now and I on the way to are playing larger venues. Don’t miss this opportunity to catch them live. People’s Blues of Richmond is a heavy-touring, blues-psych power trio.
Christ Episcopal Church: Sunday, Pass the Guitar w/Sue Menhart and others; Westerly, RI.
On Sunday at the Christ Episcopal Church in Westerly, it is a Pass the Guitar event. Starting at 2 p.m., Sue Menhart and 20 performers will be playing. All proceeds are to benefit W.A.R.M. Center, a local homeless shelter and soup kitchen.