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BluesBashonSaturday,April27attheGrandEmporiumwithChickWillis,LindaShell,theKCBottomsBand,andJeanYancy.LongtimeKCresident,ChickWillis,knownforhisbighit,"StoopDownBaby,"willsoon
be
movingtoAtlanta,Ga."TheStoopDownMan,"Willis,wasasmashatthelOthAnnualKCBSBluesFestlastyear.Hetoreitupandgotdowninthealley.ComeseeChickbeforeheheadssouth!OnAprilattheGrandEmporium,"BluesAlley"isbeingrevisited.ChickWilliswhooncemanagedandperformedatChick'sBluesAlleyclubon39thandJackson,willbejoinedonthisdatebyLindaShellwhoisbackfromherCalifor-niahiatus.LindaShellperformedforanumberofyearsatBluesAlley.LindawasKCBS'nertogo
to
Memphis.Also,LindaShellvolunteeredforthefirst"BluesinSchool"program"atVanHornHighSchool.Wel-comebackLindaShell!TheKCBottomsBandisoneofKan-sasCity'shottestbluesbands.TheycanbeseenweeklyattheTubaonSouthwestBlvd.Morerecently,JeanYancyonvocalshasbeenjammingwiththeBottomsBand.Jeanrecentlyperformedwiththe"LadiesSingstheBlues"showattheCityLightJazzClub,whereBillyJoelsnuckinandenjoyedeveryminute.Jeanwillsingthebluesforyou.TheAnnualSpringBluesBashisanotheropportunitytosupportyourKCBluesSociety.OnApril27attheGrandEmporiumgetdowninthealleyorwrapitupinthebottoms.It'stheBLUES!Formoreinformation,call531-7557.
BluesinSchool
LittleHatchconductinganinstall-mentof
~Blues
in
School.~
BYCAROLYN
L.
WICKER
FebruarywasBlackHistoryMonth.ThankstoLittleHatch,theKansasCityBluesSocietywasabletobringalittleBlackhistorytoCentralHighSchool.February27,1991,LittleHatch(vo-cals,harp)broughtatriowhichconsistedofPaulHartfield(bass)andTimOsburn(drums).The"BluesinSchool"programcon-sistsofalocalornationalactinvolvingthemselveswithalocalschool.Thepur-poseoftheprogramistohelpeducateandexposeyoungpeopleaboutandtotheformofmusicwecallthe"blues."Theprogramworkslikethis.Inthemorningthemusiciansmeetwithpar-ticularclasses,usuallymusicstudents,andinthiscaseonehistoryclass,todis-cussjustwhatbluesare,andwheretheycomefrom.DiditcomefromAfrica?Orisitreallyfromthefields,sangbyslaves?
Or
isgospelmusictherealroot?Theafternoonconsistsofaforty-fiveminuteconcertwheretheentireschoolisinvitedtoattend.ThekidsatCentralwererealenthu-siasticandextremelywell-mannered.MusicAppreciationwasthefirstclasstomeetwiththemusicians.Therewereabouttwentyinattendance.Thesecondsessionconsistedofbandandhistorystudents.
CONTINUEDONPAGE
7
JamWiththeBlues
KC'SluesSocietywantsyou!Wearebeginningtorecruit
vol~rs
fortheJuly27
&
28First
!'-===::::::;-
AnnualKCBlues
&
JazzFest.EnclosedInyourBluesNewsIsavolunteerfestpostcardtobefilledoutandmailedatyourconvenience.AllFestivalvolunteerswillreceiveafreefestt-shlrtplusbeInvitedtotheafterthefestbash.Youcanmakeadiffer-ence.GetInvolvedandsendInyourpostcard!CallKennyTayloratNlght-moves,452-4393orMarclRyan,361-8945formorevolunteerInformation.
AprilIs
supportyourlocalbluesbandmonth.WhetherIt'satabluesJamoraclubdate,thebluessceneIshappen-Inghereandneedsyourshowofsup-port.OnApril11th,9:30pm,aftertheSparkyRuckerShowattheGrand
CONTINUEDONPAGE
7
NOTE
5
INSIDE
BluesNotes
1
Yesterday'sBlues
2
PerformanceReview
3
Mattie
&
Mae
4
PerformanceReview
8
NewBluesReleases
9
BluesClubs
&
Radio
10
BLUES
NEWS•
t
 
HoneyDripperBlues
S
t.Louishadmanyfirst-ratebluespianoplayersinthe1920'sand30's,butthebestofallwasthe"HoneyDripper,"RooseveltSykes.Hewasastrongsinger,apowerfulpianoplayer,andagentleandnobleman,whohadaprofoundinfluenceonthebluesmenofhisownandsucceedinggenerations.ThestoryofRooseveltSykes,unlikethatofmany
YESTERDAY'S
otherbluesmen,isnotoneofboozing,fighting,chasingwomen,andserv-ingtimeinjail,butoneofquietandsteadfastdedica-tiontothismusic.RooseveltwasborninHelena,Ar-kansas,onJanuary31,1906.Threeyearslater,hisfamilymovedtoSt.Louis.However,Rooseveltreturnedev-erysummertostaywithhisgrandfatherwhohadafarmoutsideofHelena.
It
wastherethatyoungRooseveltgothisfirsttasteoftheblues.Wheneverbegotachance,hewouldsneakawayfromhisfarmchorestolistentothebluesmenwhocongregatedattheDixieDrugstoreinHe-lena.OneinparticularthatRooseveltlaterrecalledashavinginfluencedhisplayingstylewasanold-time,stomp-downbluespianistcalledJesseBell.Rooseveltlearnedtoplayhisgrandfa-ther'sparlororganandwasoftencalledontoplayforprogramsatchurchandschool.Hesaidthathegotthenickname"HoneyDripper"because,whenateacherwasn'taround,hewouldstartplayingtheblues,andthekidswouldgatheraroundlikebeestohoney.However,themorecommonlyheardversionisthathewascalledthe"HoneyDripper"because,asayoungman,hewasanotoriousladykiller.BackinSt.Louis,Rooseveltstartedbangingaroundthepianoplayersin"DeepMorgan,"thered-lightdistrict.UnderthetutelageofLeeGreen,akeyfigureintheSt.Louisbluesscene,RooseveltwasabletoblendthecountrysoundsoftheDeltathathehadbeardinHelenawiththemoresophisticatedswingingragtimerhythmsoftheSt.LouispianoplayerstocreateabluessoundthathashadanimpactonpianistsfromMemphisSlimtoFatsDomino.NotonlywasRooseveltindemandasasoloperformer,buthealsogainedtherespectofothermusiciansforhissympa-theticaccompaniments.Heneverused
2•
APRIL1991
another-musiciari'sperformancetodis-playhisownvirtuosity,butinsteadwouldplaysoastosupportandcomplementtheotherartist.Becauseofthis,hewasfea-turedonhundredsofrecordingsbybluesartistsinthe1930'sand'40's.JesseJohnson,theownerofamusicstorethatwasapopularhangoutforbluesmusiciansandatalentscoutforOkehRecords,arrangedforRoosevelt'sfirstrecordingsession.InJuneof1929,hewent
to
NewYorkandrecordedthe"44Blues,"aversionofLittleBrotherMontgom-ery's"VicksburgBlues."Thiswasthestartofalongandproductiverecordingcareerthatspannedthenextfivedec-ades.Usingavarietyofpseudonyms,Rooseveltrecordedforseveralotherla-belswhileundercontracttoOkeh.In1933,hemovedtoChicagotofur-therhisrecordingcareer.LesterMelrose,amusicpublisher,andmaybethefore-mostbluespromoterandenthusiastofalltime,becamehismanager.In1935,Roosev-eltsignedacontractwithDeccaand,forthenextfiveyears,onehitfollowedan-other.HewassopopularthattheWorldWarIIshellacrationing,whichwasdev-astatingtothecareersofsomanyothersuccessfulbluesmusicians,didnotstopRoosevelt'sstringofreleases.Hetouredthecountrywithatwelve-piecebandcalledtheHoneyDrippers.OnlytheretirementofLesterMelroseandtheemergenceofthatobstreperousstepchildoftheblues,"RockandRoll,"couldputadamperonRoosevelt'scareer.Afterthewithdrawalofmajorrecordlabelsfromthebluesfield,RooseveltwasabletorecordforsmallerlabelssuchasRegalandImperial,buttheydidn'tpro-motehimasMelrosehad.HedisbandedtheHoneyDrippers,butcontinuedtoperformasasoloact.Afteranextensivetwo-yeartourofEnglandandEuropefrom1964through1966("Yesterday'sBlues"sawRooseveltSykesperforminFrank-furt,Germany,in1966),RooseveltleftChicagoforNewOrleans.HecontinuedtoperforminNewOrleans'clubsaswellasplayonthecoffeehouseandfolkfestivalcircuitthroughoutthe1970's.Eventu-ally,hesettledinGulfport,Mississippi,wherehedidalotoffishinguntilhisdeathin1983.•
PrimarySources:
1.
WilliamBarlow,
LookingupatDown.
Philadelphia:TempleUniversityPress.2.GilesOakley,
TheDevil'sMusic.
Lon-don:ArielBooks.3.PaulOliver,
BluesOfftheRecord.
TurnbridgeWells,Kent,England:TheBatonPress.
April1991
TheKansasCity
BLUESNEWS
ispub-lishedmonthlybythe
KansasCityBluesSOCiety,
Inc.Articles,reviews,bandcal-endardates,anditemsofinterestmustbesubmittedbythe20thofeachmonth,andbecomethepropertyoftheSOCiety.
FoundingEditorRogerNaberEditorShirleyOwensContributingWriter/PhotographerLarrySmithTypesetting/LayoutMattQuinn
Advertisinginsertsmustbereceivedbythe15thofeachmonth.Formoreinfor-mationonadvertisingintheBLUESNEWS,call737-0713.FAX:(816)246-6065.AdvertisingRates:
:~~~::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::g~
~~~~::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::'$~~~
BoardofDirectorsandOfficers:
PresidentRogerNaberVice-PresidentJonLoweVice-PresidentKennyTaylorSecretarySuzanneColbertTreasurerBerniePopeDirectorPatrickFlemingtonDirectorLarrySmithDirector..ProvineHatchDirectorMonicaLarsonDirectorJohnStuerkeDirector..PeterHorakKCBSChairpersonShirleyOwensMembershipChairpersonMarcieRyan
The
KansasCityBluesSociety,
aMissourinot-for-profitcorporationwasformedforthesolepurposeofpromotingandpreservingvariousstylesofbluesmusic.FoundedinDecemberof1980,the
KansasCityBluesSociety
presents:monthlyjamsessions,variouslocalandnationalgroupsinconcert,andourmainpresentationTheKansasCityBluesandHeritageFestival.Membersreceivethenewsletter,dis-countsonSOCietyeventsanddiscountsonpurchasesatcertainparticipatingbusi-nesses.Annualduesare$1
°
perpersonor$15perfamilyand$50perCorporateMembership.TojointheSOCietysendyourname,address,phonenumberandduesto:
KansasCityBluesSociety,
P.O.Box32131,KansasCity,Missouri
64111.
Formoreinformation,call531·7557or737·0713.
 
LivingItUpWiththeLegends
BY
TOMBAKER
T:
heLegendaryBluesBand,byvirtueoftwoexcitingperformancesMarch1
&
2attheGrandEmporium,hasprovenitselftobeavitallinkinthecontinuumofAmericanbluesmusic.Sinceformingthebandin1980,drum-merWillie"BigEyes"SmithandbassistCalvinJoneshaveconsistentlyfieldedlineupsthatreadlikea"Who'sWho"ofblues.TheirinitialalbumfeaturedLouisMyers(fromtheAresLittleWalter'sgroup),PinetopPerkins,andJerryPortnoy(pian-istandharpmanfromthe1970svintageMuddyWatersensemble).JimmyRodg-ers(alsoaveteranguitaristwithMuddy)hasbeenknown
to
appearinLouisMyers'absence,makingtheLegendaryBluesBandavitallinkinthecontinuingsagaofChi-cagoBlues.TheLegendaryBluesBandshowedstrengthandanamazingdepthofmate-rialandpersonnelasanopeningactforJohnMayall.Mayallisakeyfigureinexposingblues
to
awideraudience,hav-ingnurturedanddevelopedtalentedBrit-ishmusicianslikeEricClapton,JohnMcVie,KiefHartleyandMickTaylor.LaterversionsofMayall'sBluesbreakersfeaturedAmericanMusicaltreasuressuchassaxophonistsCliffordSolomonandRedHolloway(alongtimeassociateofBrotherJackMcDufl),guitaristFreddieRobin-son,drummerSokoRichardson(currentlywithAlbertCollins),andtrumpeterBlueMitchell.Mayall'scurrentbandfeaturesguitaristCocoMontoya,whohasbeenwiththegroupsixyears.TheBluesbreak-erspresentedasolidshowFridayeve-ning,movingasold-outhousewithamusicalspectrumvaryingfromstraightbluestorockabilly.SaturdayeveningbelongedexclusivelytotheLegendaryBluesBand,andthegrouplostnotimeincapturingtheheartsoftheaudience.ProvidingmostofthefrontworkforLBBisveteranvocalist-harpvirtuosoMadisonSlim.Heisawell-trainedstudentoftheSouthSideChicagosound,ashisdeliveryofLittleWalter's"JustAFeelin',"
"Off
theWall"andHowlin'Wolfs"Who'sBeenTalkin',"showndra-matically.However,TheLegendaryBluesBandisanythingbutone-dimensional."PianoWillie"Oshawnystruttedhisstuff,vary-ingfrompassagesreminiscentofOtisSpann
to
swingingKansasCitystyleinthemodeofJayMcShann.Williealsosang,furtherdemonstratingthedepthofthegroup.BassmanCalvinJonesalsofrontedafewnumbers,notablytheclassic"EverydayIHavetheBlues"andLittleWalter's"You're
So
Fine."Willie"BigEyes"Smithprovedthatadrummerdoesn'thaveto"justshutupandplay,"offering
FESTIVALVOLUNTEERSNEEDED
BYMARCIE
RYAN,
MEMBERSHIP
CHAIRPERSON
OnlythreemonthsremainbeforethefirstdayoftheKansasCityBlues
&
JazzFestival,July27
&
28,andmorethan200hundredvolunteersareneededtomakethiseventasuccess.Withthatinmind,weareofficiallystartingourvolunteerrecruitmentcampaign.Lastyear's10thAnnualKCBluesFestivalwasasuccessasadirectresultofthecommitmentofourhardworkingKCBSmemberswhovolun-teeredtheirtime.Weneedyourhelpagain!
As
atlastyear'sfest,wewillworktwo(2)shiftsperday.Thefirstshiftwillre-porttothefestgroundsat12noon,thesecondshiftwillreportat4p.m.Theconcessionswillconsistofbeer,softdrinksandfestivalmerchandiseforboththeblues-stageareaandthejazzstagearea.Ifyouhaveapreferencetowhichstagearea(BluesorJazz)youwork,we'lldoourbesttoaccommodateyou.Inadditiontotheconcessions,crewswinbeneededtomanthevolunteerboothwiththecoordinators,restockingtheconcessions,parking,awaterstationandsecurity.Volunteerswillreceivetheirassignmentswhentheyarrivefortheirshifts.Avitalpartofthefestivalplanistheset-upandtear-downofthepark.CrewswillbeneededtheFridaybeforethefestbeginsandtheMondayafterthefestisovertosetupandteardownthefestivalsite(carpentersarehelpfulforthis).Inadditiontoourthanks,volunteersfortheKansasCityBlues
&
JazzFestivalwillreceiveaFREEfestivalvolunteerT-shirtandrecognitionatapost-festvolun-teerparty(date
to
beannouncedlater).Enclosedinthismonth's
BluesNews
isapostcard
to
beusedtovolunteerforthefestival.Futureissuesofthe
BluesNews
willprovideupdatesonvolunteermeetingsandotherfestival/volunteerinformation.Remember,thefestivalneedsyoutobeasuccess!•bluesnuggetssuchasB.B.King's"Cal-donia"andMuddyWaters'"KingBee"and"HoochieCoochieMan."ThecrowdattheG.Kshoweditsenthusiasmbyfillingthedancefloorandroaringit'sapproval.Forthosewhomissedtheshow(tsk,tsk),therearetwoalbumsoutbytheLegendaryBluesBandonRounder
Rec-
ords,andtwoonIchiban,includingtheirlatest,
UBDaJudge.•Ed.note:Lobbyingisunderwayforthem
to
appearatthe
1991
BluesandJazzFestival.ThisgroupiskeepingthespiritofChicagoblueshealthyandalive.
MAY4
ANSONFUNDERBURGH&THEROCKETSWITHSAMMYERSSERVINGAMAZINGGRACE·SBBO
~o~~
MAIN
BLUES
NEWS•3
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