Robert Penn is one of the artists nominated for a Lifetime Achievement Award by the Detroit Blues Society.
The Detroit Blues Society monthly meeting and jam will be held tonight (Jan. 15) from 9 p.m.-1 a.m. at Kelly's Bar, 2403 Holbrook in Hamtramck . The event will feature the music of host band 7th Veil (www.myspace.com/theseventhveil). There's no cover charge.
Members of the Blues Society will be casting votes for this year's Lifetime Achievement Awards. Nominees include: (Living category) Doug Deming, Jim McCarty, Kenny Miller, Bobby Murray, Kenny Parker and Robert Penn; and (Posthumous category) Wild Child Butler, Calvin Frazier, Juanita McCray, Chicago Pete, Baby Boy Warren and Willie D. Warren.
Luther Badman Keith has pulled out all the stops for his new recording, “Blues Nation” (BMB Records). In his first new recording in seven years, Badman lays down a collection of self-penned, blues-infused tunes that draw from almost every element of America’s musical landscape, including blues, rock, soul and funk. There are hints of Motown flavor and Afro and Latin grooves and beats. You can hear influences ranging from Carlos Santana to Luther Allison and Chuck Berry.
“Blues is at the center of everything I do in music, but blues is a lot like hot sauce -- you can put it on almost anything and it’s gonna taste better,” Keith said in a release. “That’s why you are going to find some good old-fashioned blues songs and some songs that use the blues to rise to a whole new level.”
His back-up band on “Blues Nation” is superb. In addition to Keith on vocals and guitar, the group includes Keith Owens on rhythm guitar, Jim David on keyboards, Darryl Lee on bass and Milton “Heavyfoot” Austin on drums. The horn section features Mark Croft (trumpet) and Billy Furman (saxophone, harmonica), and percussionist Mike Racette adds Latin flavors.
The Badman has also assembled an impressive list of guest artists, including multiple Detroit Music Award winner Paul Miles (who interacts with Keith on the rousing “Talking Old Bluesmen”), Rock and Roll Hall of Fame members The Original Vandellas (Rosalind Holmes and Annette Helton), and background vocalists Jaki G and Champagne Page. One song, “Nose Wide Open,” was recorded live at the now defunct Memphis Smoke nightclub and features the late James Payton on saxophone.
On the title track, “Blues Nation,” Keith takes the listeners on a sonic journey across the United States.
“When you think about it, we are, in fact a blues nation, from Atlantic to Pacific and even beyond,” Keith said. “We wanted to capture that spirit in the song. It’s a song for blues lovers and people who love any kind of American music.”
Keith will celebrate the release of “Blues Nation” at several upcoming events, including shows at 8 and 10:30 p.m. on Saturday (Jan. 15) at historic Baker’s Keyboard Lounge, 20511 Livernois in Detroit (313-345-6300), $5 cover; Jan. 21 at Nancy Whiskey’s, 2644 Harrison in Detroit; and Jan. 29 and Feb. 4 at Buffalo Wild Wings, 280 W. Nine Mile Road in Ferndale as part of the Ferndale Blues Festival.
OK, now stand, put your right hand over your heart, remove your hat and join in:
“I pledge allegiance to the United States of the blues. One nation, under a I-IV-V groove, with funk and freedom for all.”
For more on “Blues Nation,” click www.badmanbluz.com.
Typically, the Detroit Chamber Winds & Strings’ Night-notes concert series is not a haven for the blues. But, on Friday, the series will feature pianist Matthew Ball, who will tickle the ivories for “Boogie-Night-notes” at Hagopian World of Rugs, 850 S. Old Woodward, in Birmingham.
Ball left his career as an attorney to become a boogie-woogie pianistafter he was moved by the music while attending the Motor City Blues & Boogie-Woogie Festival in 2001.
On Friday, Ball will perform popular selections from early American blues and boogie-woogie piano masters, including Albert Ammons, Pete Johnson, Meade "Lux" Lewis, Professor Longhair, Dr John, James Booker, Otis Spann, and Jack Fina.
A reception begins at 8 p.m. with the music starting at 8:30. Discounted advance tickets are $22 for adults and $10 for students, and can be purchased online at www.detroitchamberwinds.org, or by calling (248) 559-2095. Admission will also be available at the door for an additional $5 per ticket.
To see a video of Matthew Ball performing, click here.
Here’s a quick look at some other shows set for the Detroit area this week:
Tonight, catch Midnight Run at the Blue Goose Inn, 28911 Jefferson Ave. in St. Clair Shores (586-296-0950). On Thursday, the Blue Goose hosts the Johnny Rhoades Band. Lil’ Stubby and the Disappointments take over at the Blue Goose on Friday and Saturday.
Also on Friday, the Delta Five Blues Band is at All That Jazz River Club, 8900 E. Jefferson, Detroit (313-331-1012); and Elektryk Gypsy is at Nancy Whiskey’s, 2644 Harrison in Detroit (313-962-4247).
On Saturday, the Detroit Blues Society Monthly Meeting and Jam is at Kelly’s Bar, 2403 Holbrook in Hamtramck. Rockin’ blues band 7th Veil hosts.
Also Saturday, The Rockafellas are at The Phoenix Café, 24918 John R in Hazel Park (248-667-8817), $5 cover; The Hatchetmen and The Blue Collar Boys perform at Dylan’s Raw Bar, 15402 Mack Ave., Grosse Pointe;Champagne and The Motor City Blues Crew are at Bert’s, 2727 Russell St. in Detroit (313-567-2030); and the Howard Glazer & Bob Godwin Duo are at The Bar, 224 S. Main St. in Milford (248-685-7300).
Carl Henry performs a daytime gig at 1 p.m. Saturday at Butcher's Inn, 1489 Winder St. in Detroit (313-394-0120).
On Sunday, Jim McCarty and Mystery Train are at the Blue Goose; and The Dave Dionise Group performs at Soul Jazz Sunday at the Cadieux Café, 4300 Cadieux in Detroit (313-882-8560). For some unique fun, call early and reserve a featherbowling lane.
Little Sonny jams Friday night at the Anti-Freeze Blues Festival at the Magic Bag in Ferndale. Photo by Joe Ballor.
Little Sonny serenades the crowd afer jumping down from the stage. Photo by Joe Ballor.
Those who braved the slippery driving conditions were treated to a special performance Friday night at the Anti-Freeze Blues Festival. Detroit blues legend Little Sonny, King of the Blues Harmonica, took to the stage for the first time in two years and delivered an entertaining mix of funky blues and a few interesting stories about his life. Little Sonny dedicated his performance to musical royalty – the Queen of Soul, Aretha Franklin; and Detroit’s Queen of the Blues, Alberta Adams; who was under the weather and missed the show. Little Sonny, 78 years young, performed with the energy of a man 30 years his younger, and jumped down from the stage on more than one occasion to serenade the crowd. Although he said he had "a bit of a cold," his voice was in fine form and his harmonica playing was, as always, superb. He gave it everything he had, even showing off some slick dance moves. Little Sonny was backed by a fine four-piece band, including his sons Aaron Willis Jr. on guitar and Anthony Willis on six-string bass. It was a performance to remember. Also on the bill Friday were Mr. B, Bill Kirchen, and RJ’s Rhythm Rockers with Garfield Angove and Jeff Grand. The festival continues tonight (Saturday, Jan. 8) with The Blasters, Laith Al-Saadi, Motor City Josh and Black Beauty. Tickets are $25 and proceeds benefit the Detroit Blues Society. For information, call (248) 544-3030 or click www.themagicbag.com or www.detroitbluessociety.org.
To see a video of Little Sonny discussing his philosophy of life, click here.
Aaron “Little Sonny” Willis was raised in a single parent home by his mother and grandmother in tiny rural Cassimore, Ala. When he and his wife Maggie started their own family, he was determined to provide his children with the positive male role model he never had the opportunity to experience.
Little Sonny always put his family first, even if it cost him an occasional booking. He and his wife Maggie raised four children in the Detroit home he has lived in for 41 years. Two of Little Sonny’s children – Aaron Willis Jr. (guitar) and Anthony Willis (bass) – now perform in the band with their father.
Little Sonny learned his life philosophy from his mother, Elmira Willis, and grandmother, Elizabeth Rainer, a midwife of at least partial American Indian heritage who delivered Little Sonny on Oct. 6, 1932.
“They were my foundation,” Little Sonny said during an interview at his Detroit home Jan. 4, 2011. “They were the two people who instilled in me who I am. It all comes from a supreme being first, and then to them and to me. It’s been instilled into you like a camera. All you have to do is put it in focus. My mother always told me, ‘Son Boy, it don’t cost nothing to smile.’ I always try to keep a good attitude.
“My mother always taught me, ‘You just do what you have to do in life. Do good work and the work will stand for you.’ She told me, ‘A good person is a good person, and you judge them that way, not by the color of their skin. You judge them by the content of their character.’ ”
It was Little Sonny’s mother who helped start him off on his career, by purchasing a five-cent toy plastic harmonica as a Christmas present for the child she affectionately called “Son Boy.” He used to listen to the Grand Ol’ Opry on the radio and tried to copy the stylings of harmonica player DeFord Bailey, who Little Sonny assumed was white. He only learned later that Bailey was a black man.
“I started listening to him and started practicing the tone quality and the things that he was doing,” Little Sonny said. “I was playing harmonica, but baseball is what I wanted to do. I used to play shortstop. I played baseball ALL the time. I kept the harmonica, just to play for myself.”
He moved to Tuscaloosa and bought a Marine Band harmonica, always keeping it in his pocket, but still playing just for fun.
After moving to Detroit, Little Sonny changed his career focus when he discovered the money that could be made as a musician. He realized his earning potential after watching Sonny Boy Williamson II (Rice Miller) perform at a Detroit nightclub.
“He’s the guy who really inspired me” to play professionally. “When I saw this guy playing and making money at it, I thought, ‘Hey, if this guy can do it, I can do it.’ ”
Little Sonny worked at a used car lot during the day and augmented his earnings by taking Polaroid photos and selling them to nightclub patrons in the evenings. He started his own performing career by filling in with bands led by Eddie Burns and Washboard Willie, although at first he knew only one song, “I’m a Man,” by Bo Diddley. Eventually, a club owner offered Sonny a gig with the band Washboard Willie and His Super Suds of Rhythm, paying $10 a night three days a week -- big money in those days.
After a falling out with Washboard Willie over money, bandmates Mr. Bo (guitar) and Charles “Chuck” Smith (piano) convinced Little Sonny that he could be a bandleader on his own. The three young musicians all left Washboard Willie’s group, and, along with drummer Jim Due, formed a group that became known as Little Sonny and the Rhythm Rockers.
“That taught me to treat musicians fair,” Little Sonny said. “He made a mistake and I learned from it.”
Little Sonny, left, and John Lee Hooker are pictured in front of Joe's Record Shop at 3530 Hastings Street in Detroit in 1959. Joe's, which was run by Joe Von Battle, included a recording studio with releases on JVB, Von and Battle labels.
Over the years, Little Sonny played or appeared on bills with many blues legends, including John Lee Hooker, Little Walter, and Howlin’ Wolf. A poster from Little Sonny’s extensive collection (he saves everything) describes a “Battle of the Blues” with B.B. King and Little Sonny on Monday Sept. 7, 1959 at Prince Hall, at Gratiot and MacDougall in Detroit. He also recorded several LPs, including three released on Enterprise/Stax during the early 1970s (“Black & Blue” featured backing by the Bar-Kays), and toured and played at festivals (including the 1972 Ann Arbor Jazz and Blues Festival, which was recorded live), but he did most of his work playing nightclubs in the Detroit area, so that he could return home to his family each night. Little Sonny always tried to treat his band members right. As a consequence, his backup musicians included many of Detroit’s top session musicians, including legendary bassist James Jamerson and guitarist Eddie Willis of Motown’s Funk Brothers fame.
Little Sonny, now 78, has been semi-retired for years, following the death of his beloved wife 16 years ago. He last performed in public two years ago at a tribute to his longtime friend Eddie Burns, who is ailing.
Little Sonny headlines Friday on the first night of the two-day Anti-Freeze Blues Festival at the Magic Bag in Ferndale. Also on the bill will be Mr. B, Bill Kirchen and Detroit’s Queen of the Blues, singer Alberta Adams, with RJ & the Rhythm Rockers and special guest guitarist Jeff Grand. Saturday’s lineup includes The Blasters, Laith Al Saadi, Motor City Josh and Black Beauty. Tickets are $25. Proceeds benefit the Detroit Blues Society. For more information, call (248) 544-3030 or click www.themagicbag.com.
It's been a busy year for The Muggs. The rockin' blues trio spent much of the year touring out of state, with stops in llinois, Ohio, Kentucky and Pennsylvania. In August, the band also released a music video of the song "Slow Curve," from the group's second LP, "On With the Show." A DVD package available on The Muggs' website (www.themuggs.com) includes "Slow Curve" recorded live at St. Andrews Hall in Detroit; "Laying It Down", a 16-minute documentary of the Muggs in the studio recording "Slow Curve"; and a bonus live track of "Never Know Why Live" recorded at St. Andrews Hall.
Since November, the band has been working with producer Jim Diamond at his Ghetto Recorders studio. Bassist Tony DeNardo reports that mixing is almost done on the 13-track LP, which will be titled "Born Ugly." It is set for a spring release.
Happy new year to all fans of the blues, in the Motor City and around the world. Peace and health to you all.
David and Martha Adler enjoyed ringing in the new year at Pazman's Rockin' Blues NYE 2011 party at Callhan's Music Hall, courtesy of Callahan's and JB Blues.
