The Register Citizen (Torrington, CT)
It’s summertime, and the blues keep flowing
The summer keeps moving and the blues keep flowing. The Katharine Hepburn Cultural Arts Center is bringing in some real deal Chicago blues on Friday, when Eddy “The Chief” Clearwater makes the trip to Old Saybrook.
During the 1950s, Chicago’s West Side was a breeding ground for some of the world’s greatest bluesmen. Magic Sam, Otis Rush, Freddie King and others ruled the clubs. Whenever you see Clearwater, you see that his fierce guitar playing, soulful and emotive vocals and wild stage shows easily puts him on that list.
A Chicago legend, Clearwater is an intense, flamboyant blues-rocking showman. He’s equally comfortable playing the deepest, most heartfelt blues or rocking, good-time party music. Expect him to bring home some down home gritty West Side shuffles, with belly-grinding slow blues around his raw chops, with a tinge of soulful vocals and earthy, humorous lyrics.
He defines himself as “rock-a-blues” player (a forceful mix of blues, rock, rockabilly, country and gospel). Known for his boundless energy and sometimes signature Indian headdress, (riding in on a horse), Clearwater is among the very finest practitioners of the West Side blues working today. The blues world recognized his talent by giving him the Blues Music Award for Contemporary Blues Male Artist of the Year. His 2003 release, Rock ‘N’ Roll City, was nominated for a Grammy Award.
Tipping Chair Tavern has a Sunday show this week, featuring the Roberto Morbioli Band. Joining Morbioli are Jesse Williams and Liviu Pop. Wednesday, Jeff Pitchell will provide an acoustic show. Morbioli has two other area shows, The Knickerbocker Café on Friday, and Saturday, it’s Daddy Jack’s.
Jeff Pitchell & Texas Flood are once again playing Soccer Palooza at Millwoods in Wethersfield Saturday.
Mystic River Park continues its Monday series with Sugar Ray & the Bluetones.
Get some barbeque with your blues at Smokin’ With Chris (D’Amato) on Thursday. Also known as Smokin’ Opey from his past band days, D’Amato has been playing blues guitar professionally for the past 25 years. He is equally adept in acoustic or electric band settings, and is at home playing many styles of blues and slide guitar. Whether coaxing sounds of the Delta from his steel bodied National guitar, fingerpicking piedmont style rags or flatpicking colorful melodies on a vintage Gibson, one can hear every style of Americana he has absorbed along the way. The Connecticut Blues Society in the solo/duo category, he and Dan Stevens were finalist at the International Blues Challenge in Memphis.
Black-Eyed Sally’s brings in The Michael Louis Band on Friday. The New York guitarist plays ‘Brooklyn Swamp Music’: a murky mix of blues, soul, funk & R&R. His infectious funky songs and Soulful vocals makes this a great show.
Outdoor events keep the blues flowing. Tuesday, Live on Pratt Street has the Balkun Brothers at Noon. The Brothers are at The Strange Brew Pub on Friday and The Stomping Ground, Wednesday. Saturday, Stratford’s Blues On The Beach has the Balkun Brothers. The Stomping Ground has The Willie J Laws Band on Friday.
Creamery Station plays the Organic Smiles Festival at Wild Bills Nostalgia in Middletown on Sunday (1:30-2:45 p.m.). Monday, Basically Blues Band is on the Gelston House patio.
Summer Nights by Harbor Lights in Milford at the Rotary Pavilion Fowler Field on Friday, it is Kathy Thompson Band.
Wednesday, The New Haven Green will have the sounds of Howie and the Soul Potatoes (12-1:30 pm). Eran Troy Danner will be playing solo acoustic from 5 to 7:30 pm at The Morris Marketplace, Thursday.
Up in Southbridge Mass., at JellyStone Park is the Sara Ashleigh Band with Carl Ricci on Saturday.
Marci Chevian & the Love-Sick Hounds will be at the Bozrah Moose Lodge for a chicken dinner and dance, Saturday. This event is open to the public
Just a reminder to mark your calendar for Saturday Aug. 5 — the Stafford Springs Blues Festival is back. Gates open at 10:30 a.m. and the music starts at 11 a.m. This is an outdoor, rain or shine event. Performing on the Main Stage, with show times to be announced, are:
Sugar Ray & the Bluetones, The Johnny Winter All-stars, Vanessa Collier & Tommy Z Band, The Balkun Brothers, Ricky King Russell & the Cadillac Horns, and Kosher Kid & the Incredible Amplifires. Providing entertainment on the side stage are The Coffee Grinders.
The festival takes place in Hyde Park, an open and relaxing place. You can bring a chair or blanket to sit on, and well-behaved dogs are welcome. There will be food and drink vendors and you are welcome to bring in a cooler for snack and drinks — no glass bottles please.
Also, don’t forget coming up later in August is the 2 Left Feet Blues Festival, a full weekend of blues, at Performing Arts Center, Simsbury Meadows. 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.