The Register Citizen (Torrington, CT)
Head to Little Poland for music and fun
There’s more good stuff coming up than one can fit into a week. For starters, The Little Poland Festival takes place on Sunday in New Britain. Be prepared for leaping folk dancers, live music, carnival rides, great shopping, costumed characters and loads of fun. You can catch the Rich Badowski Blues Band at Belvedere Cafe and Restaurant at l p.m. There is a Paczki eating contest as well. Kick off spring in Little Poland, where admission is only a smile. Learn more at www.littlepolandfest.com.
The festival season in Connecticut kicks off each year on the last weekend in April with the Meriden Daffodil Festival, and this year is the 40th annual event, designed for fun for the whole family. You can count on rides, unique and creative foods, a juried craft fair, and an amazing fireworks show, all with 600,000 beautiful daffodils. While the Food Tent is Blues Beat’s favorite spot, the music meets all tastes.
A number of blues are included in the music mix. Saturday, the Bandshell has Jake Kulak and the Lowdown (1 p.m.); Ana Popovic (4 p.m.); and Rich Badowski Blues Band (6:40 p.m.). The Welcome Stage has The Mighty Soul Drivers (7:30 p.m.) immediately before the fireworks; while the Food Tent Stage hosts River City Slim and the Zydeco Hogs (2 p.m.); and Kathy Thompson Band (3:30 p.m.); Sunday, the Bandshell brings in Kal David and Lauri Bono & the Real Deal (4 p.m.). In the Food Tent Stage are the Red Hots (11 a.m.). For more information go to: http://daffodilfest.com.
Kal David and Lauri Bono & The Real Deal are returning to Black-Eyed Sally's on Friday. Great guitar and vocals highlight their show. Miss Bono, a music partner of David for many years, is a fully featured member of the band. She is an amazing and dynamic vocalist. She’s also appreciated for her Connecticut roots.
Saturday, Christine Ohlman & Rebel Montez show up at Sally’s. The Beehive Queen always keeps the place hipshakin’.
Sunday, Connecticut Blues Society Annual Band Challenge (3 pm) has Preliminary Round Three. The bands include The Whiskey Rebels, Chris MacKay & The Tone Shifters, Carl Ricci & 706 Union Ave, and The D. Smith Blues Band. Murray The Wheel was the Round 1 Winner and Jake Kulak & The Low Down won Round 2.
The bands play to represent Connecticut at the International Blues Challenge. One band that did a good job at the IBC was Southern Avenue. They will be at The Mohegan Sun Wolf Den on Friday. This fiery young Memphis quintet embodies its home city’s Soul, Blues and Gospel traditions, while adding a youthful spirit and dynamic energy all their own.
The Tipping Chair Tavern has a Sunday show with Danny Draher.
Friday, the Shaboo All Stars with David Foster will be at The Parrott Delaney Tavern. Foster known as owner and promoter of the legendary Shaboo Inn is a musician at heart, having begun his career as a singer at age 14. In 1980, he assembled a group of musicians to form the Shaboo All-Stars. Today, Foster and his friends are still cranking out their trademark rhythm and blues music.
Quinn Sullivan plays FTC Stage One on Sunday. At 19, guitar slinger Sullivan has jumped into the forefront of the blues list. His latest album, “Midnight Highway,” lives up to Buddy Guy's support. Since appearing onstage with Buddy Guy as a fresh-faced 8-yearold with a talent for pulling notes from the guitar, Sullivan built himself a reputation amongst the blues scene. With experience behind in his band, you get a good blues shaow with a future.
The Stomping Ground has a busy week with a Friday show by the The KC Moaners Jug Band. They are a musical group that recreates the goodtime jugband sound that was popular in Memphis and Louisville during the 1920s and 30s. They pull their songs from such groups as the Memphis Jug Band and Cannon's Jug Stompers — mostly prewar blues, ragtime and old pop tunes. Sunday, The Organically Good play at 1 p.m. and Thursday, The Meadows Brothers perform.
Eilen Jewell returns to the Bridge Street stage with her new album, “Down Hearted Blues,” on Saturday. She and her husband and band-mate, Jason Beek, have a passion for studying American music. For her new album, Jewell and Beeck unearthed 12 vintage gems written or made famous by an array of artists both renowned and obscure, from Willie Dixon and Memphis Minnie to Charles Sheffield and Betty James. Singer/songwriter Steve Fulton will open the show.
The Palace in Danbury has Kiss The Sky, the Jimi Hendrix RE-Experience on Saturday. Kiss The Sky stars Jimy Bleu, the world's longest running Jimi Hendrix tribute artist. It has the look and sound of Hendrix, with musicians performing in full replica wardrobe and instruments. It is more than a concert, it is a historically accurate sight and sound performance about all phases of the iconic career of Jimi Hendrix.