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THE OCCASIONAL NEWSLETTER OF
THE BLUES BANK COLLECTIVE
THE BLUES BANK COLLECTIVE NEWSLETTER
AUGUST 2004 - Edition I
BY ALAN CHASE
Welcome to the latest edition of the Blues Bank Collective Newsletter. This is the first of two editions this month focusing on the 19th Annual Portsmouth Blues Festival on Saturday, August 28th from Noon to 8 pm on the grounds of the Red Hook Brewery at the Pease Tradeport in Portsmouth, NH. Featured artists include The Holmes Brothers, CJ Chenier and the Red Hot Louisiana Band, Chicago Blues legend Son Seals with the James Stolberg Band, TJ Wheeler & The Smokers, The Funky Divas of Gospel and the Ken Clark Organ Trio among several others.
In my role as Acting President of the Blues Bank Collective, I'd like to start this edition of the newsletter by making an appeal. As you know, putting on an event like the Blues Festival takes sponsorship. This year, we've hit a fund-raising crunch. Some of the corporate sponsors from years past were not able to come through for us this year. Therefore, we need your help. We're looking for new corporate sponsors to step to the plate and help to insure that this year's festival is a success. Many of you know the positive impact that the Blues Festival and the Blues Bank Collective have on the local community. The festival draws a large number of people to the area for the day, which in turn helps local businesses. The BBC's educational outreach programs are world-reknowned, thanks to the tireless efforts of BBC Artistic Director TJ Wheeler.
Several sponsors have come on board to help, but we're in need of more. If you know of or work for a corporation that can help, or if you know of anyone who is interested in making a charitable donation, please contact me, Alan Chase, at 603-862-2577 or via e-mail at alan.chase@unh.edu. You can also contact TJ Wheeler via e-mail at tjwheeler7@yahoo.com. Please help us to insure that the legacy of the Portsmouth Blues Festival endures.
PORTSMOUTH BLUES FESTIVAL FEATURED ARTISTS
Every year since its inception, the Portsmouth Blues Festival has featured some of the best talent in the business. And this year is certainly no exception. BBC Artistic Director TJ Wheeler and his partners-in-crime have put together a stellar line-up of diverse artists for this year's event. An added extra feature is that the festival is dedicated to the memory of the great Ray Charles. So the spirit of the great genius will be felt all through the event. With that in mind, here is an overview of the performers at the festival this year.
The Holmes Brothers - This trio of soulful vocalists and instrumentalists creates spellbinding music that blends Black Gospel, Soul Blues and R&B. Each member is a superb instrumentalist and their vocal harmonies are simply stunning. Sure to be a crowd pleaser, The Holmes Brothers come to the Blues Festival after recent televised appearances with Willie Nelson and on the Conan O'Brien Show. No doubt they will raise the spirits of the audience with their positive, upbeat and soulful music.
C.J Chenier & The Red Hot Louisiana Band - Nothin' like some down-home Zydeco music to get a crowd partying. And C.J Chenier and his band are one of the best in the business. Coming all the way from Lafayette, Louisiana, this talented artist and his smokin' band will have the Red Hook grounds rockin' like crazy with their infectious grooves. Bring your dancin' shoes!
Son Seals with the James Soleberg Band - No Blues Festival would be complete without some burnin', nasty Chicago Blues. Son Seals is one of the legends of the genre. A fiery guitarist and vocalist, Son Seals gives new meaning to the word electrifying! Joining this venerable blues artist will be the James Soleberg Band, one of the hottest bands on the planet today. Be ready for these artists to ROCK THE HOUSE!
Cootie Stark, Carl Rutherford and Paul Prue - Cootie Stark and Carl Rutherford come to us by way of our friends from the Music Makers Relief foundation. Both will give us a taste of the authentic, down-home Carolina style of blues. Their presence serves to remind us of the purity of this music in its most basic style. Paul Prue is another long-time contributor to this event. An incisive singer and guitarist, Paul also helps to keep the acoustic side of this music ever present in our minds.
T.J Wheeler & The Smokers with Special Guests The Funky River Band - Jeez, these local guys will do anything for a gig. All kidding aside, having TJ and his superb band grace the stage at the Blues Festival is always a plus. This year, TJ's student group, the Funky River Band, join The Smokers for an all Ray Charles set of tunes. Brother Ray will surely be smiling down on this set.
The Ken Clark Organ Trio - If you like soulful blues-jazz sounds of Jimmy Smith, Baby Face Willette and Brother Jack McDuff, then this group is for you. The KCOT has been lighting up clubs around the northeast for several years now with their high-energy and hard-grooving music. A superb addition to the festival line-up.
The Funky Divas Of Gospel - One of the best local acts going, the Divas are a group that performs music that is upbeat, joyful and very soulful. With keyboardist Jim MacDougall at the helm, the Funky Divas will get the festival off to a rousing start.
No festival can happen without the help of various sponsors. A BIG Thank You goes out to those sponsors who have given so generously to making the Portsmouth Blues Festival happen. They include; JP's Shellfish/Somethin' Fishy, Red Hook Brewery, Seacoast Newspapers, Wire Magazine, the Muddy River Smokehouse, Portsmouth Magazine, Randall Press, NH Magazine, Business Review, Radio Stations WUNH, WGBH, WXRV 92.5 The River, WUMB, WMPG, Rockingham Electrical Supply, Atlantic Media, Blues Audience Newsletter, Isles Of Shoals Steamship Company, LifeSize Graphics, Bicycle Bob's, Printed Matter, Jam Magazine, New Hampshire State Council on the Arts and the National Endowment for the Arts. Thanks to all of you for your generosity in helping to make the 19th Annual Portsmouth Blues Festival a success.
Alan Chase is a free-lance musician and writer who currently lives in Manchester. He is a member of the Blues Bank Collective Board of Advisors. Alan works at UNH in the Technical Services Department of the Dimond Library.
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The Blues Bank Collective is a W.C.Handy Award
winning blues education organization whose mission is:
To further awareness of Blues Music and its African American heritage
To show the historic context that gave birth to the Blues
To use the music as a means of positive social change
And, whenever possible, to eliminate all forms of racism, intolerance and
prejudice.
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DRAWING: B. J. Johnson (1906-1986) was a great Portsmouth bluesman and teacher, as well as an inspiration to all who knew him. Art by Steven Lee.
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Blues Bank Collective
PO Box 4076
Portsmouth, NH 03802
Voice: 603-929-0654
Email: tjw@bluesbankcollective.org
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