Memphis Gold Stars at DC Blues Fest

Memphis Gold CRW_3164, originally uploaded by NoVARon.

Memphis Gold arguably put on the highlight set of 2006 DC Blues Festival held at the Carter Barron Amphitheatre in Washington DC, Saturday, September 2.
The Festival started in the rain as the remnants of Tropical Depression Ernesto continued moving north, but during the set prior to Memphis Gold's, the sun came out. Because of the weather, attendance at this year's festival was lighter than in previous years although a healthy crowd did come out later in the afternoon
Having seen Memphis Gold since the early 1990s, I have been struck just how good his music has elevated itself over the past couple years. His music was already good but with the release of his second album, the excellent "Prodigal Son", it seemed that Chester Chandler, aka KD, has elevated his music to another level. This was evident at his superb 2004 Pocono Blues Festival set, and even more so yesterday (as I write this). His set was made almost excl;usively of original material and the band was so tight. His drummer, Warren Witherspoon, is someone I had not seen in several years (originally saw him backing Bobby Parker back in the early nineties), and harp wizard Charlie Sayles was back with Memphis Gold.
Its been a good year for Memphis Gold as he received a justifiably rave review in the British publication Blues & Rhythm and the Sweddish publication, Jefferson, featured him on the cover. In fact he had just come back from Sweden and will be going out on another USO tour in the near future. Jim O'Neal picked up the self-produced Prodigal Son for his Stackhouse Productions to distribute.
What can one say. It could not happen to a more talented and nicer gentleman.