Canned Heat still cookin’ up the blues

Band performs in Collinsville today

CANTON — If you’re a blues fan — and particularly if you are a blues fan of a certain age, like perhaps one who is old enough to remember Woodstock— you may ask yourself at some point, whatever happened to Canned Heat?

Wonder no more.

Canned Heat, or a version of it, anyway — albeit one without the late original members Alan “Blind Owl” Wilson, Bob “The Bear” Hite or Henry Vestine, or subsequent longtime member Harvey Mandel, among others — will be playing in Connecticut today. Showtime at Bridge Street Live in Collinsville is 6 p.m. Tickets are $35 for general admission or $50 for VIP reserved seats, available in advance at 41bridgestreet.com or 860-693-9762. Bridge Street Live is at 41 Bridge St. in Collinsville, which is a section of Canton.

But don’t fret: Canned Heat still is led by its original rhythm section of Adolfo “Fito” de la Parra on drums and Larry “The Mole” Taylor — which is a bit of a distinction considering that it’s now been a band for a mind-numbing 52 years.

They’ll be joined by Dale Spalding on harmonica, guitar and lead vocals and John “JP” Paulus on guitar, bass, and vocals.

Fifty-two years.

So, what does that say about their longtime fans?

Canned Heat, originally formed by blues historians and record collectors Wilson and Hite, rose to fame beginning in 1966.

But for many people, the introduction to the band came at the 1967 Monterey Pop Festival — where they appeared alongside the likes of Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin and The Who — or in 1969 at Woodstock (or in the Woodstock movie), where they had a headlining slot and were in similar company.

Over the years, Canned Heat has put out 38 albums and collaborated with the likes of John Mayall and Little Richard, and later with John Lee Hooker, with whom it recorded the classic album “Hooker ’n Heat.”

The band had three worldwide hits in “On The Road Again” in 1968, “Going Up The Country” in 1969 and “Let’s Work Together” in 1970, with “Going Up The Country” later selected as the unofficial theme song for the Woodstock movie.

Canned Heat also helped to shine light over the years on the talents of giants of the blues such as Sunnyland Slim, Skip James, Memphis Slim, Clarence “Gatemouth” Brown and Albert Collins. If you like it in Collinsville, you might want to head back to Bridge Street Live on Friday to see David Bromberg. That show starts at 8 p.m. Tickets are $35 and $45 at 41bridgestreet.com

Buddy Lee Attractions / Contributed photo Canned Heat will play at Bridge Street Live in Collinsville tonight.