The Middletown Press (Middletown, CT)
Winter’s coming won’t stop blues music
As temperatures drop, so do the options for in-person blues music. Some venues are working to provide indoor shows. Keep an eye out for new shows and band announcements.
Every Wednesday to Dec. 23, Sasso's Coal Fired Pizza in Torrington has a Wine Down Wednesday with Jazz & Blues on Main, on the patio. They are offering discounts as you relax to the sweet sounds of live music. Reserve your table early.
The 17 Odd Goats are at Charter Oak Brewing Company in Danbury, Saturday at 3 pm. Then Sunday at 3 pm the Center Line Band duo is at Scotch Plains Tavern.
Virtual shows continue to provide access to the blues. Friday at 6 p.m. the Arts on Main Outdoor Concert Series in Stafford Springs present the Balkun Brothers via Livestream. The brothers are bringing their signature sound back to Connecticut for fans and friends. Their new album drops soon, so tune in and get an early taste of what the Balkun's have been up to. Share with your friends, tune in, and show them some Stafford love. For More Info: https:// www.balkunbrothers.com/
Other weekly virtual shows include: Elle Sera entertains every day at varying times. You can
watch on: https:// www.facebook.com/elleseramusic/videos/ ?ref=page_internal
Every Sunday at 8 p.m., it is Kenny Friedman's Quarantine Keys, streaming on Kenny Friedman Music FB page: www.facebook.com/ KennyFriedmanMusic.
Friedman says, “I set up this page for fans whom I don't have a personal relationship with. My sense of humor and politics aren't everyone's cup of tea, nor should they be!” You can keep up with his upcoming shows by clicking "Like."
Every Monday and some Thursdays at 6:30 p.m.. Ol' Moose is on https:// www.twitch.tv/olmoose
FTC's party of the year, the ninth annual Encore Gala, will be held virtually on Saturday at 8 p.m. The gala is its most important fundraiser of the year. It is also a chance to celebrate FTC and its role in Fairfield County. For many people, the gala is a chance to share joy and community.
This year, in that virtual space, FTC will remind its community that “the beat goes on.” All proceeds will
help FTC safely bring back the best in music and culture to its community.
Since people can't be together FTC is offering ways to bring the FTC vibe into your home: purchase an ENCORE party or fun pack, invite a safe, small group to your home or enjoy it solo and FTC will give you the goods to get the party started. Visit fairfieldtheatre.org/stageone for details.
Plaudits to Connecticut’s Bobby “T” Torello who recently received a permanent place in the Classic
Drummer Hall of Fame. According to Classic Drummer Magazine says the honor recognizes his important contributions as one of music’s great drummers. He joins such legends as Buddy Rich, Ringo Starr, John Bonham and Keith Moon in the Hall.
Torello played in a number of bands; most notable names include: Black Oak Arkansas, Michael Bolton, and Johnny Winter. He also recorded two albums with Johnny Winter and recorded an album with Jefferson Starship's Grace Slick,
He is busier than ever, with no signs of slowing down. Torello is presently gigging with five different groups: The Sin Sisters, 8 And Up, Fairly Famous, the Jay Willie Blues Band, and his own most recent creation The Bobby T. Torello All Stars. Bobby T's All Stars features Torello on drums, Grammy award winning bass player Scott Spray, and Ryan Newman on guitar.
Virtual music shows continue to be a way for the music to get out and artists to get support. One of the more active sites is Can’t Stop the Blues (CSB). It is a not-for-profit, volunteerrun virtual platform for the blues, founded in midMarch as a response to the pandemic. They are here to bring money to the bands and music to the fans. They send all tips directly to the artists’ own accounts, and thus far they have helped more than 200 artists pay bills.
CSB is finding that artists are not always great about notifying their blues organizations about their upcoming shows, so they've decided to start sending out all their upcoming show schedules. You can get a copy and can post the schedule on your social media page. An upcoming artist picture will be included. A sample of the shows include Carolyn Wonderland, Saturday at 10 p.m., and Ronnie Earl & the Broadcasters, Sunday at 9 p.m. Visit www.cantstoptheblues.com/.
If you know of anyone interested in performing on CSB, please have them check out the CSB page or group and look at a few previous shows in the video archives to get a feel for what it takes to put a show together, then send their info to booking@can'tstoptheblues.com for consideration.
At this point, the goal is to provide a platform to help full-time touring blues artists, however they would be happy to work with blues organizations looking to feature their top local talent in a multi- artist show as well.