The Middletown Press (Middletown, CT)
Area music scene is heating up quickly
As the weather warms up, so does the blues scene. More acts are beginning to travel and the state blues scene is heating up.
FTC Stage One has Christone “Kingfish” Ingram on Wednesday. Ingram hit the blues world with a big bang. With both eyes on the future and the blues in his blood, this 20-year-old guitarist, vocalist and songwriter is set to continue moving like a storm through the music world with the release of his debut album, “Kingfish.”
The album showcases Ingram’s blistering, raw and inspired guitar playing, soulful, deep vocals and songwriting. He tells stories with his solos, channeling the spirits of all the past masters while the music he makes is his own. The Cerny Brothers will also be playing.
Black-Eyed Sally’s has a busy schedule this week. Friday, The Remedies Band Fundraiser takes place. The Remedies are the UCONN Health House band. They have has laid down the challenge to the medical student musicians to determine who is truly ‘master of musical medicine’. All proceeds to benefit the Southpark Free Medical Clinic. The Clinic is a free, fullcoverage clinic providing primary care services to transient residents of the South Park Inn.
Saturday, the Tom Forst Band is performing. This has been an extremely busy year for Tom “The Suit” Forst. He was invited to tour China for the first time, and performed several shows with a band of Chinese and American musicians, handpicked just for the tour. While in China, he also conducted a Master Class for students eager to learn about his unique style of playing.
Since returning, Forst has recorded a five-song EP, “A World of Broken Dreams,”which is a follow up to his debut solo album “On Fire.” The new album a mix of deep, driving blues, bluesrock, and Americana.
Tuesday, Sally’s has the Kim Wilson Allstar Band. With a touring schedule including about 300 shows a year, several Grammy nominations, and founder of the highly recognized “The Fabulous Thunderbirds,” Wilson is one of today’s greatest harmonica players.
He grew up in California. His parents were singers and Wilson took trombone and guitar lessons. He didn’t discover blues until he was a senior in high school. Wilson dropped out of college and began playing blues full-time in 1970. Wilson switched to harmonica in his senior year in high school, and his progress on the instrument was rapid and all-consuming. He took advantage of learning from some of the stars in Bay Area. But Wilson didn’t meet his biggest mentor until after he moved to Austin in the mid-’70s. It was there that he met Jimmie Vaughan and they founded the T-Birds in 1974. The band developed a reputation as a compelling live act and subsequently signed a record deal. It was here Muddy Waters became his biggest mentor.
Wilson is also a songwriter and singer and a student and historian of classic blues as he is one of the U.S.’s top harmonica players. Simply put, Wilson has taste and a clear vision of what he wants to sound like. He is also an extremely hard worker and a major road warrior, playing festivals and clubs throughout the U.S., Canada, and Europe with his own band and leading the Fabulous Thunderbirds.
On Wednesday, The Turning Point has Wilson for two shows, 7 p.m. and 9:45 p.m. Thursday, the Chris Beard Blues Band will be there.
On Thursday, Infinity Music Hall Hartford has Melvin Seals & JGB. Seals has been a powerful presence in the music industry with a long-established reputation as a performer, recording artist and producer. Known for his powerful, high-spirited Hammond B-3 organ and keyboards in the Jerry Garcia Band. He spun his B-3 magic with the Jerry Garcia Band for 18 years. From blues to funk to rock to jazz, Seals serves up a tasty mix with a little R&B and gospel thrown in to spice things up.
Sunday, it is time for the Connecticut Blues Society Sunday Jam at The Pine Loft Café. The series of monthly Blues Jams continues with The CTBS All Stars, Phil Caron, Joey Primo and River City Slim. This month is another special ‘Double Dynamite’ show. Planned guests are Peter
Moore and Raynor Roberts of The Sidewinders. Musicians bring your instruments. Amps, drums and a keyboard are provided. Music starts at 1 pm.
Christine Ohlman & Rebel Montez join the Patty Tuite Group at the Powder Mill Barn for ChaChaSue Birthday Bash 2020. The doors open at 2 p.m. It will be a time of birthday merriment, games, music, and food.
Sunday afternoon, Slim and Tim Perks play the Stomping Ground at 1 p.m. Derek Matteson aka Slim is one of the best young front men keeping the blues harp tradition alive. They are on tour from Philly. Joining them on bass and drums are Jeff Berg and Nick Toscano.
Saturday, The Black Duck has the Wendy May Band.
Sasso’s Coal Fired Pizza has increased its blues content. Friday, they’ll have Eran Troy Danner and his electric trio. Wednesday, Vitamin B-3 is in town.
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.wordpress.com/. Any questions or comments should be sent to Domenic Forcella at TWBlus@aol.com.