Daytona Blues Festival 2015

Venue: Jackie Robinson Ballpark

Dates: October 9, 10 & 11

One of the very best Blues Festivals in the entire country comes every year to Daytona Beach. Great Music, Savory Food and Cold Craft Beers collide on this wonderful October Weekend! The organizers of this years event put their best foot forward in providing stellar entertainment as the lineup for all three days was one for the books! Notables on Friday afternoon was Noah Wotherspoon from the Buckeye state who didn't look a day over 18 but played the Strat like he was 50! Next the human highlight of Friday's lineup from Oklahoma was Watermelon Slim, Vietnam Vet, ex-truck driver and a triple threat Blues-man- playing harp, slide Dobro with memorable lyrics and vocals. I could have listened to him and his band for a couple more hours! 

Grammy nominated Kenny Neal was up next.A true showman Kenny never disappoints and engages the audience to sing along as well. Making sure he passes the torch to the younger generation, Kenny had two young guitarists called up to the stage and put each in the spotlight making their debut in the blues! Janiva Magness ended the evening as the headliner as she and her band brought the house down with award winning songs from the catalog of tunes she has made a name preforming. 

Saturday was hot and humid and the blues more than matched the steamy weather! The standout of the afternoon program was the Balkun Brothers from Hartford Connecticut. The brothers lit up the stage with a unique funk blues and rock combination. A wave of musical energy enveloped the ballpark as these guys played an hour and a half! Lots of hot slide electric guitar prevailed throughout their set of well delivered music. Eddie Cotton Jr took the stage next and this showman of the blues is very diverse playing several styles and was a delight to see and hear! Mr. Cotton can play his hollow body Gibson with precision! His stage band was tight and entertaining. I could hardly wait to see and hear Jarekus Singleton take the stage. This ex basketball player now turned blues man, continues to get better like a fine bottle of wine, each time he preforms. A new recording is on the horizon. He is a presence in the blues we will hear years from now. Nikki Hill and company took the stage as the sun was setting and this woman has got the chops to contend with some of the finest vocalists out there today. What a show as she wooed the audience with her full range powerful voice. Her husband, Matt Hill takes the spotlight with great lead and rhythm guitar that adds intensity to her music. Nikki Hill is a unique blend of blues, soul and rock that will never bore you.

The headliner of the Saturday evening show was master of the slide Sonny Landreth from Louisiana. Sonny is seriously one of the most technical players of our modern era. I was indeed mesmerized by his chops. The sum total of a three-piece band sounded like a six piece ensemble to the ear. It is no wonder Eric Clapton requests Sonny's presence at his Guitar Festival every year. You must experience Landreth live to fully appreciate his abilities. He covered the material from his relatively new recording: Bound By The Blues. All in all a splendid ending to the two days with one more to go! As is the custom, I had my Nikon camera in tow, so was able to capture some hard driving blues raw energy images. Enjoy.

Watermelon Slim

Venue: Daytona Blues Festival

Location: Jackie Robinson Ball Park, Daytona Beach

Date: October 9, 2015

Bill Homans, aka Watermelon Slim, Oklahoma Blues Man, is welcome  back in the Sunshine State anytime. He took center stage via the Daytona Blues Festival at Jackie Robinson Ball Park and literally put on a harmonica clinic, a Dobro slide guitar seminar and added a full range of vocal power with tried & tested road-weary lyrics! Slim is the real-deal. He is right at home on the stage as he frequents the edge of it with harp in hand, engaging the audience and interacting between songs with them. Behind the tabletop Dobro with either a chrome-plated socket or a bevy of mini whiskey bottles, he extracts sweet slide guitar notes that make the hair on the back of your neck stand up. The appreciative crowd can relate to his music which is very diverse. It is Delta Blues, with a tinge of country, a smidgen of Rock N' Roll and some Oklahoma Hill music intertwined in there as well. The Watermelon Man delivers and gives you your moneys worth. Bill has traveled extensively on the road of life and writes about his experiences in his songs. As a Vietnam Vet, a truck driver and musician, he has many stories to tell.

He has been preforming 

regularly since the 1970's. In 2005 Homans was nominated for the prestigious W.C. Handy Award for"Best New Artist Debut"for his acoustic masterpiece; Up Close and Personal. He and his band were nominated for six more W.C. Handy awards in 2006 for a variety of categories. With eleven recordings under his belt, Bill and various musicians he has worked with have provided the masses with plenty of music to select from. Please do yourself a big favor and check out his catalog along with a DVD live show at media outlets near you or on the internet. Or better yet, catch a live show soon! With my trusty Nikon in hand at the Daytona Blues Festival, I was able to capture Watermelon at his craft! Enjoy.

Robert Cray Band / CD + DVD Review

Title: 4 Nights Of 40 Years Live
Release Date: August 28th
2 CD + DVD

The true gauge for talent is longevity. Don't look now but "Young Bob" has been at it for over 40 years and counting. He began his musical journey in the Northwest and it has literally taken him all over the globe. Robert Cray is as steady as steady gets. He was on a mission four decades ago and remains firm in his dedication to the music he writes and sings. The sands of time have passed and I would say he has been extraordinarily successful at it.
This latest release; 4 Nights Of 40 Years Live documents his career from 1982 on and in the process we see and hear a condensed version of the life & times of The Robert Cray Band on the stage. This catalog of songs truly satisfies both the long time fan of RCB or the first time listener.  The reoccurring thread that runs throughout the entire catalog is Robert's incredible vocals and the patented Cray Guitar work (both rhythm and lead) that is never over the top, but amazing in every respect. Which brings me to the journeyman musicians that shared the stage with Cray on this recording; Richard Cousins on bass has been playing with Robert since the early days. Dover Weinberg is so skilled on keyboards he has shared the stage with every notable blues man through decades of his career. Les Falconer is "The Man" on drums and vocals. All combined they certainly compliment the Cray sound and make it whole. Additional musicians: The incomparable Steve Jordan on drums, who by the way produced this collection. Kim Wilson (Fabulous Thunderbirds) and  Lee Oscar who's harmonica work is spellbinding. Standouts on the CD's include: Bad Influence, Right Next Door (Because Of Me) and Time Makes Two. The entire video footage on the DVD is captivating. The tributes from fellow musicians hold weight and add to the respect that Robert built through the years of studio work and touring. This package is 4 stars in my humble opinion. I have been a fan of the Robert Cray Band since I heard him first in the 80's, this recording re-affirms his Mount Rushmore status in the blues.

                                                                        

Samantha Fish

In case you haven't already heard. . .  From Kansas City Missouri comes one of the most polarizing women in the blues to date. Twenty Five year old Samantha Fish hits the ground running and completely captivates a crowd when she takes the stage with a guitar in her hand. There is no doubt you get a sense she is driven when it comes to entertaining the audience with her fiery mix of Hill Country Blues, Rock and American Blues. Relentless in her touring, The "Kansas City Bomber" and band have played a plethora of blues festivals and shows across the county and overseas to the delight of  thousands of appreciative fans.
Which brings us to "Wild Heart" -the much anticipated & latest collection of studio songs by Ms Fish. This recording flows well and is a great mix of complex genres of the blues. Right out of the shoot with the hard rocking Road Runner - this song in particular captures your attention with plenty of slide guitar, searing riffs and sultry vocals. Go Home is a compelling county blues ballad that exemplifies the soft side of Samantha's ultra smooth vocals. Jim Lee Blues Pt 1 is a stand out. I so much appreciate the diversity of the songs here. The tempo of the music changes constantly so you really don't know what to expect and I like that. It seems the unknown keeps my ears peeled if you know what I mean. Give it a listen. Easily Four Stars in my book.
Glad I attended and had stage access to two festivals Samantha Fish performed at. With my Nikon in tow, I attempted to capture the essence of this young lady's stage presence. Enjoy.