Youth band will be walking in Memphis at blues challenge
The sound of a blues improvisation filled the basement Thursday afternoon, as four musicians in signature shoes turned silence to soulful rhythm.
Besides the basement jam, the band, called The Blue Shoes, has played many other places from the Buffalo Rose in Golden to La Vita Bella in downtown Longmont and Pearl Street in Boulder.
Now, the musicians will get the chance to share their talent in a new place: the International Blues Challenge in Memphis. The Blue Shoes will be featured among 16 acts that are part of a youth showcase. They were the Colorado Blues Society’s pick to represent the state alongside Deborah Stafford & The Night Stalkers, and Lex Quasar and The Sonic Stomp.
The musicians — Ben Egan on bass, Dylan Luther on drums, Brody Mundt on guitar, and Simon Von Hatten on the keyboard — practiced in the basement of Brody’s Longmont home.
Hosted by The Blues Foundation, a nonprofit with a mission to preserve and celebrate the blues, the challenge will bring together musicians from all over the world to play the blues May 6-9.
Ben is an Erie High School student; and Dylan, Brody and Simon attend Longmont High School. When it comes to their sound, the musicians said they draw from many influences and genres, from rock bands Rush and Led Zeppelin to jazz artist Charlie Parker.
“Our overlap is jazz, rock and blues,” Brody said. “We have a lot of inspiration from more technical, progressive bands, so we like to experiment with some musical ideas that aren’t as common.”
Leaning on a stand-up bass, Ben added: “We’re all big music theory nerds. We like to do a lot of things that don’t make any sense.”
The band’s array of available instruments and equipment — including guitar pedals, six drum kits and a stand up and electric bass — are all tools in diversifying their sound, Simon said.
“We’re kind of able to pinpoint what sound we’re going for depending on what we’re playing,” Simon said.
For their set in Memphis, The Blue Shoes will hone in on some of the blues classics with five songs: Muddy Waters’ “Got My Mojo Workin’,” Howlin’ Wolf’s “Spoonful,” “Whipping Post” by The Allman Brothers Band, and two original songs that the band has yet to title.
While the band plans to demonstrate some traditional blues playing, Ben said they will “put their own little spice” on the set.
“It’s kind of overwhelming,” Dylan said of the opportunity.
The bandmates said they look forward to the musical connections they will make, as well as experiencing Memphis’s culture.
Darryl Abrahamson, associate director of bands at Longmont High School, shared a sense of pride that the band will be representing Colorado.
Blues resonating with young people, he said, is important.
“Blues is the backbone to all modern music,” Abrahamson said. “We wouldn’t have rock ’n’ roll or many modern styles like hip hop. We might not have certain types of jazz. Even reggae music was affected by American rhythm and blues.”
Abrahamson, who has taught Brody, Simon and Dylan, said he’s heard the musicians rehearse at the high school. Jamming is something they do “constantly,” he said. He praised the students’ vast knowledge and interest in music, which stretches from Pink Floyd to jazz pianist Thelonious Monk.
“They are very well versed,” Abrahamson said.
Joe Whitmer, International Blues Challenge event producer, said the youth showcase came about when the staff saw a number of youths under 21 who wanted to try their hand at the competition. In an effort to feature these young musicians, who wanted to hone their blues craft, they created a youth showcase that is separate from the competition.
“The youth showcase is only about young people coming to Memphis and getting on stage and sharing their interpretation of blues with fans,” Whitmer said. “The other side of this is to continue to make sure the blues is alive and well for generations to come.”
He said it gives them the chance to hear feedback from judges, who will comment on their performance, although they’re not competing, and also learn from other musicians.
The Blue Shoes will play this Sunday during a Colorado Blues Society Memphis sendoff and fundraiser at the Buffalo Rose, 1119 Washington Ave. in Golden. The doors open at noon, and The Blue Shoes are scheduled to play at 1:20 p.m.
Those interested in seeing where the band will play after their return from Memphis can check out The Blue Shoes website at: theblueshoes.com/ new-page.
Abrahamson called the students “over-the-top dedicated.”
“Look for these guys in the future,” Abrahamson said, “because they’re going to be out there professionally doing something, whether it’s teaching or playing or both.”