The Middletown Press (Middletown, CT)
Variety of musicians playing this week
The Norwich Arts Center presents the talented guitarist Junior Mack on Wednesday, as part of their Blues on Broadway series.
Mack can be expected to not only play contemporary blues in his usual energetic style but to break out his acoustic guitar to bring us back to the roots of blues as it was. Self-taught at the age of nine, his soulful style is rooted in gospel and blues. His vocal influences have been have been many including a later influence being Gregg Allman.
Mack’s guitar playing has been influenced by the likes of Duane Allman and Dickey Betts. He has worked or shared the stage with a virtual who’s who of contemporary blues including recently Jaimoe’s Jasssz Band. Be prepared for an evening that covers the blues spectrum of blues. For more information and to get your tickets go to www.norwicharts.org/events
The Katharine Hepburn Cultural Arts Center has a Saturday show with Corey Harris and Cedric Watson. The night features two of the most vivid voices in modernDelta blues. Guitarist, vocalist, songwriter and MacArthur fellow Corey Harris has carved out his own niche in blues. Joining him is fourtime Grammy-nominated fiddler, singer, accordionist, and songwriter Cedric Watson. They team up for this special show, True Blues. See the extraordinary living culture of the blues in an evening of music and conversation. True Blues vividly brings to life this vision of rue American music.
Harris has appeared at venues throughout the world. He began his career as a New Orleans street singer, traveling throughout the southern U.S. In his early twenties he lived in Cameroon, West Africa for a year, which had a profound effect on his later work.
One of the brightest young talents to emerge in Cajun, Creole and Zydeco music over the last decade with seemingly unlimited potential. Watson with four Grammy nominations made his first appearance at the age of 19 at the Zydeco Jam at The Big Easy in Houston. With an apparently bottomless repertoire of songs at his fingertips, Watson plays everything from forgotten Creole melodies and obscure Dennis McGee reels to more modern Cajun and Zydeco songs.
On Sunday, folk icon Jim Kweskin is coming to Cafe Nine as part of the East Rock Concert Series. Accompanying him is stunning vocalist Samoa Wilson. She has appeared and recorded several albums. Kweskin was the founder of the Jim Kweskin Jug Band, the legendary group that started in Boston in the 1960s and played with Geoff and Maria Muldaur. The jugband successfully modernized the sounds of pre-World War II rural music. Kweskin is probably best known as a singer and bandleader, but he also created one of the bedrock guitar styles of the folk revival, adapting the ragtime-blues fingerpicking of artists like Blind Boy Fuller. Washboard Slim and the Bluelights will be also playing. Friday, Kweskin and Samoa are at The Turning Point.
Also on Friday, a fun show is set for Smokin’ With Chris. Lee-Ann Lovelace, Billy Bileca, and Chris Vitarello with keep the audience entertained.
Saturday, Otis and the Hurricanes host a Mardi Gras Party at The White Barn at South Farms in Morris.
On Sunday at 1:30 p.m. at the Westport Library, the Connecticut Guitar Festival continues with “Clash of The Guitar Minds.” Tom “The Suit” Forst will take part in an innovative educational presentation that will be streamed internationally. It features one student being run through four consecutive guitar workshops audited by a live audience. It will be taught by guitarists Jernej Bervar, Mak Grgic, Paul Gabriel, and Lau Noah. There will be a concert featuring all 4 artists immediately after “The Clash”. This event is free and open to the public.
Another part of the Connecticut Guitar Festival is GuitART, an exposition featuring luthiers, art, photography, music, and, most importantly, guitars.
Also the popular “Antique Guitar Roadshow”, a booth where people can bring their instruments in for free, fair, and honest valuation, is also returning. The Festival will also feature performances by Tali Roth and Paul Green’s Rock Academy, and more.
The Hungry Tiger on Saturday at 6 pm has Birch Street Trio. The band is formerly Richie & the Red Hots.
On Saturday, The Falcon is hosting the Alexis P. Suter Band’s B’Day Bash. Threetime Blues Music Awards nominee, Alexis P. Suter, celebrates a birthday in style. The opener is Extraordinary Friends featuring Carrie Suter.
The Parrott Delaney Tavern on Saturday celebrates Parrott Palooza. It’s the 10 year anniversary of the Parrott Pub/Parrott Delaney Tavern, an accomplishment worth celebrating, with live music by The Cartells.
The West Hartford Town Hall on Friday has a swing dance, open to all. Johnny and the East Coast Rockers will provide the tunes. Meanwhile, Pamona Pete’s in Unionville has started an Open Mic on Wednesdays, hosted by Adelaide Punkin.
A number of clubs, Daryl’s House, Note Kitchen & Bar, and The Stomping Ground, to name a few, have multiple blues acts coming in during the week. Check the schedule for a complete listing.
As schedules and times change, it is good practice to call the club and confirm. Get the complete Blues Beat schedule on Thursday at the blog http://bluesbeatnews.word press.com/Any questions or comments should be sent to Domenic Forcella at TWBlus@aol.com.