2011 YEAR END ROUNDUP
It was the best of times; it was the worst of times. But mostly it was pretty good. 2011 was certainly an interesting year.
The year began with a great New Year’s Eve show at Fat Fish Blue with our special guest, Miss Butterscotch. Butterscotch wore one of her trademark fancy gowns and brought the house down. Unfortunately it was not to be repeated. Fat Fish closed at the beginning of December leaving us without a New Year’s Eve gig for this year. We’re really going to miss Fat Fish. The staff was great and treated us well. The food was good and we didn’t have to lug in a PA system. So now, instead of a great New Orleans blues bar, they’re putting in another corporate restaurant, the Tilted Kilt, self described as an “Irish Hooters”. Sheeesh.
In February we went into Nighttown, Cleveland’s own world-renowned jazz club to record our second live album, Saxophone Shootout II. Our usual horn section was replaced by three great saxophone players; ,the players who usually alternated slots with us. They were Tony Koussa, Jr., Keith McKelley, and Chris Burge. To our surprise and delight we packed the place and came up with a pretty good live cd, our sixth release, now out and available on our web site, Amazon, and from all the major download services.
We had one of the busiest Summers we’ve ever had. Lots of shows. We played some great concerts and great festivals. We were able to get most of our shows in, or at least part of them, despite this being the rainiest Summer on record. We spent a lot of time wiping down cords and things. It was also hot. Really hot. At the end of the Summer we played five days in a row in ninety degree plus weather. But it was good to be out there, working and performing. It’s what we do.
We keep on adding new material. There’s nothing worse that going out to hear a band and hearing the same old stuff over and over again. It’s just as boring for the band, too. And we don’t like to be bored. So, we continue to add new songs all the time. We’re always rotating the repertoire so that everything stays current. So next time you come here us, ask what’s new.
Right now we’re getting ready for our Fourth Annual Blue Lunch Holiday Latke Party and Matzoh Ball. Fumy thing, I was counting backwards and realized that, along with the two we had at Wilberts, this is actually the fifth. But what’s in a number. Hope you can make it, it’s a great opportunity for us to throw a party, raise money for a worthy cause (this year it’s the Alzheimer’s Assn.), and to perform with and back up two good friends who are also great bluesmen, Mr. Stress and Tom Moore.
In the near future, we're playing a show at Nighttown on Saturday February 25 with our good friend Michelle Willson. Michelle is a fantastic singer, a Rounder recording artist, and former International Blues Challenge winner. We've worked with Michelle an number of times in the past including at the Blues Divas concert a few years ago at the Beachland. Should be a great show.
Next Summer is already starting to shape up. We have a couple of good festivals already booked and some great concert venues. More to come.
Have a great New Year! |
We lost a lot of great blues artists in 2011. Pinetop Perkins, Hubert Sumlin, Howard Tate, Doyle Bramhall, Sylvia Robinson, Honeyboy Edwards, Gary Moore, Willie Smith, Big Jack Johnson, Lee Shot Williams and more.
We had the privilege of backing up Pinetop a few years back at the old Wilberts. A kinder and more gracious man you will never meet.
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