Dear John, We still need volunteers to help out at Blues Blast '18. Two hours of your time buys you a ticket to an afternoon of real Blues. Go to info@phoenixblues.org and leave your contact info and you will be promptly contacted. We're still tying loose ends and dotting t's and crossing I's to present you a quality show. Make your plans! Dr. Janice's HART Fund show at the RR on the weekend was its typical blowout. Finally got to see Jim Suhler perform with his Texas mates. Limited dance floor space from start to finish. You had to squeeze in. And yes I danced. You can't unsee it. Sugaray celebrated his birthday with a big show on Friday and then showed up on Saturday to keep the vibe going. Sugaray's at the top of the Blues heap these days and his shows are testament to why. And Kim came and rocked the joint along with Andy T and his merry men. Andy's whole crew are just top-shelf folks, including Andy's wife, Kathy Bolmer. They're gonna lift the lid at BB '18. Can't wait! Don't let this 70 degree cold spell keep you home. There's music the hear and players to see. Have a week!! Sincerely, Jim Crawford, PBS
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WC by Terry Mullins There has been a litany of studies done throughout the years trying to determine how singing, or listening to music when a woman is pregnant, will affect the fetal development of the child she is carrying. The bottom line is that no one really knows for sure. Studies at such institutes as the neuroscience department at the University of California in Irvine, as well as the Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development have pretty much came back as inconclusive. However, apparently not one of those pillars of research has asked Texas singer, song-writer, guitarist - and all around bluesman - W.C. Clark's opinion on the matter. Because according to him, the music that his mother favored him with when he was in her womb had everything to do with his development. "All the while my momma was pregnant with me, her and her three sisters had a gospel quartet. They were singing all the time. When I came out, the sound was already in my head and body," he said. "I just had to bring it down to my fingers into an instrument. I came out with the music in me. On top of that, my grandmother and my momma - as did a lot of black women back then - when they were working or cooking, they would take one note and go up above and underneath it. I was little at that time and I'd be hiding around the corner listening to it. That was the soul blues they were singing." Suffice to say, W.C. (Wesley Curley) Clark has traveled a lot of roads and played a lot of blues - almost 60 years' worth -since those days. And he's going as strong right now as he's ever been going. "Things have been real good for me this year; I'm playing a lot around Texas and the outskirts of the state," he said. "We've got just enough work to keep us going. Plans are currently underfoot for Clark to hit the studio to begin working on a follow-up to his last album - 2011's Were You There. "The plans are already in progress and we're in the middle of choosing the songs, because I'm going to do my own original songs on my own record label this time," he said. "We're working on picking out the songs and things like that right now. We don't want to be in any hurry ... we want to satisfy every little step before we go to the next one." If there has been one constant shining beacon for the music coming out of Austin, Texas since the 1960s, it's been W.C. Clark. He's mentored and interacted with more young, up-and-coming musicians than could probably ever be accurately counted. He's touched the lives and affected the career arcs of now-legendary names like Marcia Ball, Lou Ann Barton, Paul Ray, Angela Strehli, Charlie and Will Sexton, as well as the Vaughan brothers - Jimmie and Stevie Ray - to name-check just a few. Understandably, for years now, Clark has been referred to as the 'Godfather of Austin Blues.' "When the scene in Austin really got started, I was already playing blues. I started showing people how to play this and how to play that, so they started calling me 'The Teacher.' The 'Godfather' thing came from when I was playing on the lake up in Chicago and I was going on stage after Lee Roy Parnell. He said, 'Ladies and gentleman, we're going to call W.C. up here to help me sing this next song.' So I went up and sang harmony with him. I said, 'Folks, I want you to know that this is my musician brother.' And someone out in the audience yelled out, 'That's your Godson.' I didn't ever know who yelled that out, but that's where it came from. Then I became known as the 'Godfather of Austin Blues.' With all the amazing blues players that have called Austin home over the years, that's a big-time feather in Clark's ever-present hat. While he acknowledges that he's proud to be called the 'Godfather,' he's also quick to point out that the title does carry its share of weight and responsibilities with it. "The responsibility - I welcome it. I'm into the blues and all the music so deeply that anything that comes along with that, I'm ready for it. I want it," he said. "Because there's a lesson in everything." Those that are familiar with Austin from the 1960s and '70s but have not visited since, would probably be shocked at just how much the city has exploded over the ensuing decades. There's more people living in Austin these days, there's more place to work, more places to eat and there's even more people playing music in the town these days. By proxy, that also means the music scene in Austin has undergone a few tweaks and changes over the years, as well. But regardless of the changes, Austin still has a vibrant supply of young talent vying for its place in the sun. "In every generation, the music almost always changes, everywhere. But there's always young guys and ladies that are playing the blues that are slowly but surely coming up," he said. "And it's like that in Austin now. One of the things that clubs here are doing for young musicians now is hosting open mic nights. That gives young musicians a chance to be heard, but at the same time it can also hurt (established) musicians that are trying to get paid. For example, if a musician has been getting paid $75 or $100 to play a club, if that club has open mic night and can get young musicians to come and play for free, that saves them money. But that's necessary, because if it wasn't for those open mic nights, a lot of the young blues guys couldn't get out there to be heard. South By Southwest (annual music conference and artist showcase held in Austin) has been another great avenue for young blues players to get their names out there." Austin has always been a massive melting pot for music of all forms, from country to folk to jazz, to punk and free-form psychedelic rock. To put it bluntly, Austin has seen and heard it all. But the blues - specifically Texas blues - has always been at the town's core. And according to Clark, the real measure of the blues - whether you can them Texas blues or Chicago blues or the Delta blues - is something that can't been seen, but can only be felt. That feeling can be one powerful elixir, too. "The blues is all about feeling. The only reason for the different labels that people put on the blues was that it was necessary for the radio stations. They created those categories. But to me the only categories of the blues and happy blues and sad blues. But the thing is, that's not the music, that's the people that are listening to the music," he said. "The people are the ones that are sad before they get into the blues. The blues just brings that out for them. Then they can lay back and go, 'Yeah, yeah, yeah,' because it's coming out of them. Now, some players will come into a blues band and they will bring negativity to mix in with a positive blues. The way I know a positive blues is that if I go to work and have a headache or stomach ache and when I play my last song, I might think, 'Oh, that's right; I don't feel good.' But all the while I'm up there playing my songs, that (not feeling good) never entered into my mind. That's the positive blues." The other side of that coin is when someone introduces bad vibes or an uncaring attitude into a good blues tune. "Yeah, like if somebody comes in and is not playing the pattern or the tone of the song ... that's when negativity starts slipping in. When that happens, that's when you've got these bands that are arguing or fighting with each other. That's why a lot of those rockers will jump off the bandstand and expect somebody to catch them," said Clark. "They got that negative and nervous energy from that music that they play. I saw a guy from Austin jump off a six-foot stage one time, but he broke his leg. Now that's negative energy." With that being said, has Clark ever felt temped to stage dive into a crowd? "Oh, no, no, no," he laughed. "But I tell you what; there's been times when I had to remember that I was heavy, because I was so caught up in the music that I was playing that I didn't feel no weight. The music was carrying me away. You know, everything should be in neutral. If everything was in neutral, we wouldn't have no past or no future ... everything would be about right now." Note: You Tube wouldn't load so there's no WC link. |
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| Out & About Tuesday, February 13 JC & the Juke Rockers, 7 p.m., Fuego Bistro, Phoenix Hoodoo Casters, 3:30 p.m., Pappadeaux, Phoenix Carvin Jones, 7:30 p.m., El Dorado, Scottsdale, Chandler Mother Road Trio, 6 p.m., Roux 66, Flagstaff Wednesday, February 14 Levi Platero, 7 p.m., Rhythm Room, Phoenix Bad News Blues Band, Every Wed., 9:30 p.m., Chicago Bar, Tucson Thursday, February 15 Mikel Lander (solo), 8 p.m., Culinary Dropout, Tempe Hans Olson (EVERY THURSDAY), 6 p.m., Handlebar, Apache Junction Arizona Blues Project, 8 p.m., Harold's, Cave Creek Friday, February 16 The Fremonts w/Bob Corritore, 9 p.m., Rhythm Room, Phoenix Hans Olson, 6 p.m., Fatso's Pizza, Phoenix Chuck Hall (acoustic), 10 a.m., Gilbert Fine Art Festival, Gilbert JC & the Juke Rockers, 7 p.m., Handlebar, Apache Junction Hoodoo Casters, 6 p.m., Desert Eagle Brewing Co., Mesa Blues Review Band, 10 a.m., Wigwam Fine Arts Festival, Litchfield Park Blues Review Band, 7 :30 p.m., American Italian Club, Phoenix Paris James, 6:30 p.m., D'Vine Wine, Mesa Front Page Blues Band, 5 p.m., Quailwood Community Event, Dewey Saturday, February 17 Thermal Blues Express w/Big Daddy D (early Show), 6 p.m., Rhythm Room, Phoenix Soul Power Band, 9 p.m., Rhythm Room, Phoenix Hans Olson, 6 p.m., Fatso's Pizza, Phoenix Chuck Hall (acoustic), 10 a.m., Gilbert Fine Art Festival, Gilbert JC & the Juke Rockers, 7 p.m., Bailey's Pub, Phoenix Hoodoo Casters, 9 p.m., The Garage, Phoenix Mike Morrow & the Blue Souleros, 2 p.m., Yucca Tap Room, Tempe Blues Review Band, 10 a.m., Wigwam Fine Arts Festival, Litchfield Park Blues Review Band, 7 p.m., Speakeasy, Sun City Outback Blues Band, 6:30 p.m., American Legion Post 26, Mesa Paris James, 6:30 p.m., D'Vine Wine, Chandler Sunday, February 18 Rocket 88s (BlUES JAM), 4 p.m., Chopper John's, Phoenix Chuck Hall (acoustic), 10 a.m., Gilbert Fine Art Festival, Gilbert JC & the Juke Rockers, 5:30 p.m., Outlaw's, Cave Creek Blues Review Band, 10 a.m., Wigwam Fine Arts Festival, Litchfield Park True Flavor Blues, NOON , Copper Star, Phoenix Monday, February 19 |
Weekly Jams Sunday Bourbon Jack's JAM w/Kody Herring, 6 p.m., Chandler
MONDAY Bam Bam & Badness Open JAM, 9 p.m., Char's, Phoenix Weatherford Hotel JAM, 6:30 p.m., Flagstaff TUESDAY JAM Sir Harrison, 9 p.m., Char's, Phoenix Rocket 88s, 6 p.m., The Last Stop (Old Hideaway West), Phoenix Gypsy's Bluesday Night JAM, 7 p.m. Pho Cao, Tempe Tailgaters JAM, 7 p.m., Glendale WEDNESDAY Rocket 88s, 7 p.m., Chopper John's, Phoenix Tool Shed JAM Party, 7 p.m., Draw 10, Phoenix Bumpin' Bud's 2nd & 4th Saturdays JAM, 7 p.m., Marc's, Glendale THURSDAY Tool Shed JAM Party, 7 p.m., Steel Horse Saloon, Phoenix Jolie's Place JAM w/Adrenaline, 9 p.m., Chandler Brad's Place JAM, 7 p.m., Ahwatukee (Every other Week)
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Moved? Changed email addresses? Please let us know of any changes in your address, email, or phone number so we can keep you informed about the Blues community in Arizona. Email us at: info@phoenixblues.org or write to: Phoenix Blues Society P.O. Box 36874 Phoenix, Arizona 85067 |
GOT BLUES? If you are a Blues musician, a group, or a club that features Blues music, and would like to be listed, please send your info to info@phoenixblues.org and we'll be happy to list your event in our weekly Out & About section of the newsletter |
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