Shemekia Copeland and Bobby Rush Headline Blues-Filled Catskill Weekend

(Shemekia Copeland)

“Bluzin’ in the Catskills” brings the blues to the Villa Roma Resort in Calicoon, NY, the weekend of March 24–26, 2017. This will be an all-inclusive weekend of great blues Shemekia Copeland and Bobby Rush Headline Blues-Filled Catskill Weekend Shemekia Copeland (photo by Ron Weinstock) performers including Shemekia Copeland, The Bobby Rush Revue, John Primer, Johnny Rawls, Teeny Tucker, Slam Allen, Alexis Suter & the Ministers of sound and much more. This blues land cruise is being produced by Michael Cloeren who has produced Blues Festivals in the Poconos for 25 years and produced other events including the Philadelphia Folk Festival for four years. 

(John Primer)

When Bluzin’ attendees arrive Friday, March 24, they will be greeted by keyboard wizard Dave Keyes. That night they will feature the music of The Slam Allen Band (Slam fronted as vocalist with James Cotton for many years and now exciting crowds everywhere with his music); The Teeny Tucker Band (the daughter of Tommy Tucker evokes blues women greats like Big Mama Thornton and Etta James); and The Bobby Rush Revue, with the Blues Hall of Famer who has been singing and performing for over 50 years. That Night concludes a blues jam hosted by Bobby Kyle and the Administers with Vanessa Collier, Mikey Junior and others. 

(Teeny Tucker)

There is a full day of music on Saturday, March 25 starting with a Centennial Celebration with Bobby Kyle and the Administers with Teeny Tucker, Mikey Junior and Vanessa Collier. It will be followed by John Primer & Steve Bell (Primer is one of the great straight Chicago Blues Guitarists and vocalists and Steve Bell is Carey Bell’s son); Johnny Rawls & Dave Keller (the great soul-blues singer and guitarist as well former member of OV Wright’s band is joined by strong Vermont-based soul-blues singer-guitarist) and followed by pianist Dave Keyes and Friends. Also happening Saturday Afternoon, Guy Davis will perform his one-man show, “The Adventures of Fishy Waters: In Bed With the Blues,” an acclaimed mix of storytelling and musical performance. 

(Johnny Rawls)

Saturday evening opens with Johnny Rawls & the Dave Keller Band, followed by a Tribute to Johnny Clyde Copeland with Bobby Kyle, Randy Lippincott, Joel Perry and Barry Harrison, all former members of the late Blues Legend’s Band. John Primer follows and Shemekia Copeland, a consistent Blues Award nominee and winner finishes up the main show. The late night jam that evening will feature the Dave Keyes Band with guests including Vanessa Collier and Mikey Junior. 

The Festival winds down on Sunday, March 26 with Shemekia Copeland talking about her music and career during the brunch. Dave Keyes will be playing solo piano later and the powerhouse vocalist Alexis Suter & The Ministers of Sound will be performing in the afternoon. Those still at the resort that evening can see the Chris Bergson Band with special guest Ellis Hooks. 

(Alexis Suter)

The all-inclusive packages include Friday dinner, three meals on Saturday and Sunday Brunch, on-site lodging, meet and greet, a movie screening and more. The Villa Roma has an indoor pool, fitness center, Bowling Alley and more. The package does not include adult beverages. Deposits to get the lowest rate must be received by December 5 with the balance due by January 23, 2017. For more information, visit http://www.michaelcloerenproductions.com/, click on the Festivals pull down menu and click on the Bluzin’ in the Catskills button. 

Slam Allen - Feel these Blues

For years, Harrison 'Slam' Allen could be seen fronting the James Cotton Band with his guitar and vocals. For a few years he played on a cruise line (nice work if you can get it). He has returned to the blues scene and has a new recording "Feel These Blues" (American Showplace Music). In addition to his guitar and vocals, Slam is backed by a rock solid band of John Ginty on keyboards, Jeff Andersen on bass guitar and Dan Fadel on drums for a program of 11 originals and a rendition of Prince's "Purple Rain."

There is nothing fancy about Slam Allen with his rocking, B.B. King influenced guitar and his strong vocals. His  vocals strike me as his greatest strength although he is no slouch as a guitarist. The album opens with with the title track with its lament about being hard to find blues on the radio but he will keep laying down these blues playing  guitar while chanting you got to feel these blues. The B.B. King flavored shuffle "The Blues Is Back," another song dealing with the blues as a genre, and is a highlight of this recording with some searing guitar. "All Because Of You" is a solid original whose melody evokes the Gladys Knight hit "My Imagination," while "In September," is a nice slice of country soul with a terrific vocal. There is a funk groove for "35 Miles Outside of Memphis," as Slam sings about about stressful things on his mind but one of them sure ain't his woman, and followed by the intense slow, B.B. King styled blues "World Don't Stop Turning." Another strong straight blues in this vein is "You're Wrong." "Can't Break Away from That Girl" is another solid southern flavored soul performance, similar to some of Johnny Rawls recent recordings.

"Feel These Blues" closes with a lengthy interpretation of "Purple Rain," and one suspects this may have been popular on the cruises fortunate enough to have Slam Allen as an entertainer. Having seen Slam Allen several times, I can attest how entertaining he is performing and this is captured to some extent on this solid recording.

I bought this from Slam but also received a review copy from the record company. Here is Slam Allen in performance

James Cotton Remains a Blues Giant

James Cotton’s career as a musician extends some 66 years and while he no longer handles the vocals, he still wails on the harmonica. His latest CD is “Giant” on Alligator features his band of the past several years: Slam Allen on guitar and vocals; Tom Holland on guitar; Noel Neal on bass and Kenny Neal, Jr., on drums in addition to Mr. Superharp himself. Its refreshing that for this latest Cotton recording, they did have Cotton with his band and eschewed the superstar guests. Slam Allen certainly has developed into a solid singer with plenty of personality, and Tom Holland has become one of the most highly regraded traditionally-oriented guitarists around today and little need be added about Noel Neal and Kenny Neal, Jr. This is a great band as the many who have seen them will readily testify.

There are a few originals here in addition to interpretations of classic blues of which “How Blue Can You Get?” “Since I Met You Baby,” and “That’s All Right” are the best known that to these. I know the opening “Buried Alive in the Blues,” by Nick Gravenites has been recorded a lot, but it is relatively new to these ears and it receives rollicking shuffle treatment here with plenty of Cotton’s harp. “Heard You’re Getting Married,” is a slow blues penned by Allen and Cotton with more crying harp. A pair of Muddy Waters tunes follows, with the slow rendition of of “Sad Sad Day” standing out with terrific slide guitar from Tom Holland who evokes Waters’ classic style. Another Allen-Cotton original “Change,” follows with a churning rhythm and a rocking solo from Allen. Allen does a pretty solid job singing “How Blue You Can Get.” The song is handled pretty straight and Noel Neal takes a bass solo with Cotton’s harp adding commentary to the bass solo. A hot instrumental, “In the Quickness,” has a short guitar break from Allen and is followed by the Ivory Joe Hunter ballad “Since I Met You Baby,” which again serves to showcase Cotton’s harp with a serviceable vocal from Allen. Holland plays some lovely guitar behind the vocal on this in addition to Cotton’s strong playing responding to Allen’s vocal. The band rocks on Muddy Waters’ “Going Down Main Street,” which includes some strong guitar before Cotton quotes his classic instrumental “The Creeper,” as he takes the song to its end. Allen follows with a first-rate vocal on “That’s All Right,” that also sports first-rate harp. “Blues For Koko,” a moody instrumental by Cotton is dedicated to the late Koko Taylor, concludes this disc on a high note. Mention should be accorded to Tom Holland’s accompaniment of Cotton’s dazzling, virtuosic harp on this.

Bruce Iglauer notes that Cotton has cut nearly 30 albums in his career. That does not include the many recordings he played on as a sideman. “Giant” simply is a strong addition to Cotton’s rich musical legacy and is also valuable to document the terrific music that Cotton has been playing with his working band.


For purposes of FTC regulations, the review copy for this was sent to the writer by Alligator Records.