Farewell Pocono Blues Festival

2010-0725 Pocono Blues Day 3-1688, originally uploaded by NoVARon.

Mavis Staples was the closing main stage performer at the 19th Pocono Blues Festival July 29, 2010. Like others who have been making to trip to Lake Harmony PA, I was looking forward to attending the 20th Festival in July 2011. It was an event I regularly looked forward to each year as it brought together the best blues acts as well as blues performers who were lesser known. The connection between them was that they were blues acts, not some blues-rock performer who headlined lots of glitzy festivals, but folks like Jody Williams, Jimmy McCracklin, Jimmy Johnson, the late Robert Lockwood Jr., the late Ruth Brown, Shemekia Copeland, Alabama Mike, Denise LaSalle, Floyd Taylor, Latimore, Long John Hunter, Lowell Fulson, Sugar Pie DeSanto, James Cotton, Eddie Clearwater, the late Johnny Jones and Charles Walker, Roy Roberts, Barbara Carr, Buddy Guy, Robert Cray, James Peterson, Theodis Ealey, Charlie Musselwhite, Pinetop Perkins, Bob Margolin, Eddie Shaw & the Wolf Gang, Koko Taylor, Johnny Copeland, Guitar Shorty, and Wanda Jackson. One thing you did not find were the popularizers, imitators or the latest Stevie Ray Vaughan wanna be.

Theodis Ealey at 19th Pocono Blues Festival

I have many memories of great performances at the Pocono Blues Festival. Johny Copeland sitting in the back of the stage with a big smile while Clarence Holiman and Carol Fran were performing, or James Peterson singing and playing while riding down on a ski lift to teh stage. Then there was the time when Eddie "The Chief' Clearwater, rode to the stage on a horse with full regalia or Shemekia Copeland taking a ride on a Harley before her performance.

Michael Cloeren on left with photographer Dusty Scott

And there were the people,the folk in the photo pit as well as simple fans, who came back year after year. One made friends with the staff and folks one saw every year. It was a festival but also felt like a very large family at times.

I thank Mike Cloeren and all the folk who worked with him to put on what was heaven for blues fans in the Pennsylvania Mountains for all these years. It is unfortunate that the festival is a victim of the economic times and couldn't at least make it to the 20th Festival so we could come together one last time. The memories from the festival will last us for our lifetimes.

Early June Promises Great Jazz & Blues In And Around the Nation's Capital

Living around Washington DC, I felt it appropriate to note some really great events around Washington, the beginning of June.

July 3 to 6, the Western Maryland Blues Festival returns to Hagerstown (July 3-6) with a Hamilton Loomis and Bernard Allison on Friday June 4; Kenny Neal, Eric Liddell, Trombone Shorty, Michael Burks and Tommy Castro on Saturday June 5; and a family Picnic with Eden Brent and Corey Harris & Phil Wiggins on Sunday June 6. The shows take place downtown Hagerstown, Maryland except the Sunday picnic at City Hall Park. For more information, check out http://www.blues-fest.org.

The DC Jazz Festival (formerly the Duke Ellington Jazz Festival) returns to the Nation’s capital with events taking place between June 1 and June 13. The Festival will have concerts through the city as well as partner with clubs and museums for various events. There will be stellar line-up of talent from around the globe including such celebrated artists as Paquito D’Rivera; Dianne Reeves; the Eddie Palmieri Latin Jazz Band; the Roy Hargrove Big Band; James Moody; Claudio Roditi; Edmar Castaneda; Michael Philip Mossman; Akua Dixon and Quartette Indigo; the Berklee World Jazz Nonet; Roberta Gambarini; the Marshall Keys Quartet; the Marian Petrescu Quartet featuring Andreas Öberg; Tony Madruga, Uri Gurvich; and many others.

Among signature performances will be Janine Gill at the Phillips Collection on June 3 for a special Phillips Collection After 5. June 4, as part of the Jazz in the Hoods will feature Trumpeter Thad Wilson at the Madison Hotel; the Felicia Carter Quartet at the Mandarin Oriental; and Stanley Clarke with Hiromi at Blues Alley. June 6 and 7 will be Jazz’n’Families Fun Day at the Phillips Collection with featured performers including the Berklee World Jazz Nonet, Brad Lind, George V. Johnson, Janelle Gill, Reginald Cyntje, the DC Jazz Collaborative, Susan Priester, and Victor Provost, as one can listen to jazz and view Renoir, Pablo Picasso, Georgia O’Keefe, Marc Rothko, and many others. Tuesday, June 8, the Festival presents A Tribute to Oscar Peterson at the 6th and I Historic Synagogue by Marian Petrescu Quartet w/ Special Guest Andreas Oberg. Thursday, June 10th will be one of the signature events at the Lincoln Theater, NEA Jazz Masters Live Concert with All-Star tribute to James Moody featuring the Dizzy Gillespie All-Stars, and special guests Regina Carter, Roy Hargrove, Roberta Gambarini & NEA Jazz Masters Kenny Barron and Paquito D’Rivera. Friday, June 11 will feature Jazz Under the Stars at the Carter Barron Amphitheatre with some great latin jazz including the world - renowned Poncho Sanchez Latin Jazz Band and Colombian Jazz harpist Edmar Castaneda, with special guest Paquito D’ Rivera. Saturday June 12, they highlight will be two shows at George Washington University’s Lisner Auditorium: a free afternoon show with Claudio Roditi Quartet (Brazil) & the Eddie Palmieri Latin Jazz Band and and an ticketed evening show with Dianne Reeves and the Roy Hargrove Big Band, with special guest Roberta Gambarini. On Sunday, the signature Festival event will be two performances at the Kennedy Center, Paquito D’Rivera Presents The Jelly Roll Morton Latin Tinge Project with Paquito D’Rivera, Michael Philip Mossman, Akua Dixon & Quartette Indigo and Pernell Santurino. Pat Martino is at Blues Alley and the Dizzy Gillespie All Stars with Cryus Chestnutt, are at Bohemian Gardens this weekend part of the many shows under the Jazz in the Hoods umbrella For more information, contact the Festival’s website, http://www.dcjazzfest.org.

That same weekend, the Washington area hosts the Tinner Hill Blues Festival in Falls Church, Virginia. Thursday night, June 10, at the State Theatre in Falls Church the Festival opens with Chuck Brown Sings The Blues, where the King of Go Go will join the stage with DC’s Blues Legend Bobby Parker. Nadine Rae will open. Other vents include a panel on Saturday Morning, June 12, at City Hall Park, near the Cherry Hill Farmhouse, Red, Black and Blues: Native Americans, African Americans and their shared blues musical traditions with Dr. Ron Welburn, Elaine Bomberry, Pura Fe. Lee Gates, Murray Porter and Corey Harris. Starting at 1:00PM will be a free festival in the Park with Patty Reese; M.S.G. The Acoustic Trio; Murray Porter; Corey Harris & Phil Wiggins; Big Daddy Stallings, Pura Fe and Clarence ‘Bluesman‘ Turner. There will be showings of the film “John Jackson: A Blues Treasure” and a cd release party for the Smithsonian-Folkways release of John Jackson’s Rappahannock Blues, culled from hundreds of performances. Sunday, June 13 will be a Blues Brunch and Jam at Bangkok Blues. For more information visit, http://www.tinnerhill.org/blues.