The Register Citizen (Torrington, CT)
Suter Band coming to Black-Eyed Sally’s
Blues Beat is looking forward to the Saturday night performance of the Alexis P. Suter Band at Black-Eyed Sally’s. They are a group that pulls you into their fandom and will not let go. Suter is the owner of that big, booming voice that roared out of Brooklyn and into the heart of North America and beyond.
She and her band are on the rise and continue to gather accolades as they continue to captivate audiences from town to town. Suter and her powerful, unique ensemble artfully blend the lines between blues, soul, roots and rock music. Her voice ranges from a pained passion to explosive and soul bearing. She can bring a lot of excitement and then tweak the heart strings.
Alexis has earned honors and compliments from the likes of B.B. King and other well-known musicians and performers including Dan Aykroyd and Levon Helm of The Band. She and her band have been blazing trails and taking their music to festivals and venues both nationally and internationally. Friday, Sally’s has the John Primer Band. He is a legendary Chicago blues performer and two-time Grammy nominated artist. His resume is strewn with American blues legend and history. Primer was the bandleader and guitarist for Muddy Waters, Willie Dixon and Magic Slim & The Teardrops. Having played or recorded with a who’s who of blues greats, including Junior Wells, Johnny Winter, The Rolling Stones and Buddy Guy, to name a few. Primer’s personal accolades, including a Lifetime Achievement Award, reflect his countless contributions to the history of Chicago blues. Talk to fans, critics or other musicians and thy will tell you the facts are there, John Primer is the real deal.
Sunday, the second of the Connecticut Blues Society Blues Band Challenge takes place. Starting at 3 p.m. another group will be playing for a trip to Memphis. The bands this week inclue: Richie and the Red Hot Blues; Cobalt Express; Vitamin B-3; The Redliners; and Jake Kulak & The Low Down.
The week concludes at Sally’s with the Wednesday Blues Jam and Liviu’s Invitational on Thursday.
The FTC venues have some top talent for blues fans. On Sunday at the Warehouse, it is Buddy Guy. He is the link back to the growth of the blues in Chicago. As one of the finest blues guitarists alive, and with a storied career and five Grammy Awards, Guy is an icon with nothing left to prove. Yet he still plays like he does. Guy is the guitar hero’s guitar hero, inspiring pretty much every great six-string-slinger of the 60s, from Jimi Hendrix to Eric Clapton. Buddy Guy will leave your satisfied ears little doubt about why guitarists consider him the crucial link between blues and rock.
FTC Stage One has a Friday show with Roomful of Blues. The group’s deeply rooted blend of swing, rock ‘n roll, jump, blues, and soul has earned it five Grammy Award nominations and a slew of other accolades, including seven Blues Music Awards. These guys are a non-stop party.
The Katharine Hepburn Cultural Arts Center has Carla Cooke on Saturday, the youngest daughter of the legendary Sam Cooke. She crafted her sound in the church similar to her dad and has followed the deep connection of her father’s roots.
Cooke’s style is diverse in gospel, Christian, R&B, soul, pop and the contemporary sound that embraces today’s culture and brought her to blues festival stages. With a strong vocal range and warm personality, Carla’s stage presence commands the environment wherever she performs.
America’s premier Woodstock Tribute Band, Back to the Garden 1969, returns to Bridge Street Live on Saturday. This is a group of seasoned players who have toured, performed, and recorded nationally. The musicians all are multi-instrumentalists, as well as unique lead vocalists. Their common bond is a love for the music of the Woodstock era, and they will bring back the memories.
Best Video Performance Space has a Saturday event with Washboard Slim and the Four Divas. The evening has four Connecticut blues and roots divas; Lauren Agnelli, Sandy Connolly, Jilian Grey and Lynn Malavotti. Washboard Slim and the BlueLights will be doing a few tunes too.
Tuesday, the Chris Leigh Band joins the Mystic Museum of Art for its Art After Dark series. Visit www.mysticmuseumofart.org for details.
Blues Beat was sorry to hear that Sully’s Pub on Hartford’s Park Street has closed. After many years of support for live music and a summer Tiki Bar, the passing leaves a void. Thanks for the good times, Darrell Sullivan.