The Middletown Press (Middletown, CT)
Blues quandry
Greats Samantha Fish, Sue Foley, Sonny Landreth all playing Tuesday
NEW HAVEN — Sometimes the blues-and-roots scheduling gods just like to throw you a curveball.
Like when they book shows by three of America’s top bluesy acts all on the same night — this Tuesday night, to be specific — in the same area.
So if you’re a fan of Samantha Fish who is also a fan of Sue Foley who is also a fan of Sonny Landreth, relax — and get ready to make some tough choices.
Fish, the scorching 29-year-old blues and rock guitarist from Kansas City, will be playing with her band beginning at 8:30 p.m. at Toad’s Place (300 York St.) with Remember September opening. Tickets are $25 in advance, available at toadsplace.com or 203-624-8623. Doors open at 7:30 p.m.
At pretty much the same time, Foley, the Canadian-born, Austin, Texas-based guitar slinger known for her paisley Telecaster and working-class roots, will perform at Cafe Nine (250 State St.) with Bob Crelin opening. Showtime is 8:30 p.m. Admission is $15 in advance at cafenine.com or $18 at the door.
Meanwhile, just a few miles up Interstate 95 in Old Saybrook, the
great “King of Slydeco” Sonny Landreth, from down in Louisiana, will perform at The Katharine Hepburn Cultural Arts Center (300 Main St.). Tickets are $40, available in advance at thekate.org or 860-510-0453. It’s a hard choice. Fish, who has been surprising people since she was in her teens, no longer is the fresh-faced neophyte in the blues world that she was when she started turning heads at KC’s Knuckleheads Saloon a decade or so ago.
She has grown into a creative, authoritative guitarist who likes to mix in some roots rock and country influences along with her blues. She’s also a road warrior who has played various Connecticut venues over the past year or so, including Toad’s last year.
(If you need an additional option, Fish also will be performing on Friday at 8 p.m. at Infinity Hall in Norfolk. Tickets are available at infinityhall.com or 866-6666306. Infinity Hall is at 20 Greenwoods Road W. in Norfolk.)
Foley began her professional music career at 16. By age 21, she had moved to Austin and was recording for the respected blues label Antone’s Records, garnering widespread attention in the blues world with her initial release, “Young Girl Blues.”
She has shared the stage over the years with the likes of the late B.B. King, Buddy Guy, Lucinda Williams and the late Tom Petty, to name but a few. After returning to Canada, she won a prestigious Juno Award — Canada’s version of a Grammy — for her critically acclaimed CD “Love Coming Down.” She also has won 17 Maple Blues Awards over the years.
(If you need an additional option for Foley, she also is performing today at 6 p.m. at Bridge Street Live in the Collinsville section of Canton. Tickets are $20 and $30, available in advance at 41bridgestreet.com. Bridge Street live is at 41 Bridge St. in Collinsville.)
Landreth, who sort of straddles the line between blues and zydeco — not unusual for a slide guitar whiz from Louisiana — has collaborated over the years with some of the top guitarists in the world, including Eric Clapton, Mark Knopfler, Eric Johnson and Derek Trucks.
He cut his musical teeth in The Red Hot Louisiana Band of the late zydeco king Clifton Chenier, and has since recorded and toured with artists ranging from John Mayall to John Hiatt.
Once you make it through Tuesday, you might want to look ahead to Thursday — and if your taste also includes something more along the lines of an awesome bluegrass string band, consider returning to The Kate to see Della Mae.
The great, all-female band with roots both in Boston and Nashville will be rippin’ it up beginning at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $30 in advance at thekate.org or 860-510-0453, or $35 at the door. The Katharine Hepburn Cultural Arts Center is at 300 Main St. in Old Saybrook.