Paying tribute to early-era Fleetwood Mac

Singer-guitarist Brett Lucas is certainly keeping busy these days. He is just finishing a two-week European tour with soul singer Bettye LaVette and has several other projects going as well.

BRETT LUCAS

On Friday, Lucas will perform with the Peter Green-era Fleetwood Mac tribute band Rattlesnake Shake (which includes singer-guitarist Danny Methric, bassist Tony DeNardo and drummer Todd Glass of The Muggs) at the New Way Bar, 23130 Woodward, in Ferndale.

“The biggest comment we get from people is that they didn’t realize they (Fleetwood Mac) played this kind of music,” Lucas said Thursday in a phone interview from Malaga, Spain. “A lot of music they recorded didn’t get released and some of the stuff that got released was only on some compilation. People know they played blues, but they played a whole other kind of music, tunes that were released on ‘Then Play On.’ Their songwriting took on a whole new level at that point. We play some of their early blues and some of their more modern stuff.”

Lucas also just finished producing 32 tracks by former early-era Fleetwood Mac slide guitarist Jeremy Spencer. The songs, recorded at the Tempermill studio in Ferndale, also feature Glass, Rachel May and James Simonson.

“It’s a cool thing, all this coming together,” Lucas said. “Producing Jeremy’s new material and playing in a Fleetwood Mac tribute band is pretty wild. It’s a really special thing.”

The Jody Raffoul Band opens for Rattlesnake Shake at the New Way Bar Friday.

Lucas, Simonson and Glass also perform on Thursdays (but not Nov. 10) in the band St. Cecelia at Andiamo’s-Royal Oak.

 

Acoustic blues

Fans of acoustic blues will enjoy the Live! From the Living Room Acoustic Showcase on Friday (Nov. 11) in the atrium of the Oakland Arts Building, next to the Blue Note Café, at 7 N. Saginaw St. in Pontiac.

This week’s showcase features the Rev. Robert Jones and Leonardo. Rev. Jones, a singer-guitarist, performs blues, spirituals, work songs, and more, often on a National steel guitar. His versions of Son House songs are superb.

Singer-guitarist Leonardo also plays acoustic, solo, Delta-style blues, citing influences including Rev. Jones, Muddy Waters, Charlie Patton and Skip James.

For information, click www.OldFrontPorch.com.

 

Rockin’ Blues NYE

Tickets are now on sale for Rockin’ Blues NYE 2012 at Callahan’s Music Hall, 2105 South Blvd. in Auburn Hills. The celebration of the new year will again headline Pazman’s Supersession, featuring guitarist Mark Pasman (host of The Motor City Blues Project, heard every Sunday evening from 9 p.m.-midnight on WCSX-94.7 FM).

Jimmy Thackery is at Callahan’s this Friday (11/11) and Duke Robillard returns on Nov. 18. Also, mark your calendar for upcoming performances at Callahan’s by The Millionaires on Nov. 23, Ronnie Baker Brooks on Nov. 25, and the Tommy Castro Band on Nov. 26.

For ticket info, click www.ATCALLAHANS.com.

To send info to JB Blues, please email Joe.Ballor@dailytribune.com.

Tribute to T-Bone Walker

At 2 p.m. on Saturday (Oct. 22), the Detroit Blues Society’s Blues Heritage Series at the Scarab Club continues with the Prez Conference Tribute to T-Bone Walker.

The Prez Conference is a 10-piece ensemble derived from the old "tenor band" that played at the legendary Soup Kitchen Saloon back in the late 1980s. Featuring guitar players George Bedard and Brian Delaney with a large horn section, Prez Conference plays swinging blues from the '40s and '50s in the style of T-Bone Walker, Charley Christian and others.  They are based in Ann Arbor and led by baritone sax man David Swain.
The Scarab Club is at 217 Farnsworth in Detroit. For information, click www.detroitbluessociety.org or www.scarabclub.org.

Larry Everhart and Larry Stevens of LL Blues

Maggie McCabe

LL Blues

Fans of folk blues will surely enjoy a performance by LL Blues at 8:15 p.m. Friday at the Live! From the Living Room Acoustic Showcase in the atrium of the Oakland Arts Building next to the Blue Note Café, 7 N. Saginaw St. in Pontiac.

LL Blues – vocalist-guitarist Larry Stevens and harmonica player Larry Everhart – call their music “a folk blues duet that you can dance to.”  Potter’s Field, a Midwest-based folk/Americana/roots duo featuring Rochelle Clark and John Natiw, is also on the bill.

Admission is $5. For information, click www.OldFrontPorch.com.


WHFR Fall Benefit Concert

The Fall Benefit Concert for WHFR (89.3 FM) will be Saturday at The New Place Lounge, 22723 Michigan Ave. in Dearborn.

Featured performers include the Flying Crowbars, Maggie McCabe and the Dale Robertson Band.

Admission to the 21-over concert is a $5 donation.

 Tedeschi Trucks Band

Also on the blues radar screen is a concert by the Tedeschi Trucks Band on Oct. 26 at the Royal Oak Music Theatre, 318 W. Fourth St. in Royal Oak.

The band features the Grammy nominated husband-wife team of singer-guitarist Susan Tedeschi and guitarist Derek Trucks.
Tickets are $35-$75 for the all-ages show. For information, call (248) 399-2980 or click www.royaloakmusictheatre.com.

Janiva Magness (photo by Jef Jaisun)

 
Blues Blast nominees

Mount Clemens native Janiva Magness has been nominated for a Blues Blast Magazine Award in the female blues artist of the year category. Magness is an outstanding singer currently on the Alligator Records label.

Another former Detroiter, mandolin player Rich Del Grosso, is nominated in the traditional blues CD category for his recording “Time Slips By” with Jonn Del Toro Richardson.

Last year, over 3,500 blues fans in all 50 states and 75 countries voted online for the 2010 Blues Blast Music Awards,
The winners will be announced on the Blues Blast Awards Show on Oct. 27 at Buddy Guy’s Legends in Chicago.



To contact JB Blues, please email Joe.Ballor@dailytribune.com






 

Mugg-ing it up at Callahan's

THE MUGGS

Callahan’s Music Hall is continuing to present top national and local blues acts in concert.

On Saturday (Oct. 15), Detroit’s own The Muggs will perform their unique blend of rock and blues. They’ll be joined by The Hatchetmen and The Electric Playground.

Georgia guitar slinger Tinsley Ellis takes the stage at Callahan’s on Sunday (Oct. 16). Other upcoming blues shows include Lil’ Ed and the Blues Imperials (Oct. 20), Deb Davies (Oct. 27), The Motor City Blues Blast featuring Carl Henry (Oct. 28), Scott Holt (Nov. 3), Roomful of Blues (Nov. 4), Duke Tumatoe (Nov. 5), Coco Montoya with special guest Mystery Train featuring Jim McCarty (Nov. 6), Jimmy Thackery (Nov. 11), Duke Robillard (Nov. 18), Ronnie Baker Brooks (Nov. 25) and Tommy Castro (Nov. 26). Wow! That’s a lot of outstanding blues!

On Oct. 29, Callahan’s will present a rockin’ Halloween Bash with the Howling Diablos. That’s sure to be a great time.

Congrats to Callahan’s for continuing to bring the blues to Detroit fans.

Callahan’s is at 2105 South Blvd., just east of Opdyke, in Auburn Hills. For ticket info, click atcallahan’s.com. 

To contact JB Blues, please email Joe.ballor@dailytribune.com

Hip replacement surgery for James Cotton

James Cotton

My friends at Alligator Records have announced that Grammy winning harmonica great James Cotton  will be postponing and rescheduling a number of appearances because of hip replacement surgery. He will be off the road from Nov. 10 through mid-January 2012.

In a message to his many fans around the world, Cotton said, "I'm sorry to have to disappoint my fans by postponing and rescheduling some dates, but I need to get this taken care of so I can be back at full force early next year. You can expect me to be dancing across the stage next time you see me."

Cotton's recent Alligator CD, "Giant," received a Grammy nomination. 

To contact JB Blues, please email Joe.Ballor@Dailytribune.com

Happy birthday wishes to Little Sonny, Johnnie Bassett

Little Sonny at the Magic Bag

At rehearsal with our band MotorCity Tones on Monday, we celebrated the birthday of singer-guitarist Mark Grablowski with a cheesecake and a rousing chorus of “Sto lat.” My birthday follows a week later.

Joe Ballor and Mark Grablowski of the MotorCity Tones

It started me thinking about the birthdays of four of my favorite Detroit blues musicians, which all fall within six days.

Johnnie Bassett

Singer-harmonica player Aaron “Little Sonny” Willis turns 79 on Oct. 6. Anyone lucky enough to attend his concert at the Magic Bag in Ferndale earlier this year will attest that he can still deliver some of the funkiest, energetic blues you’ll ever hear. Little Sonny looks and moves like a man two (or three) decades younger.

Another veteran Detroit bluesman, who is still performing regularly, is singer-guitarist Johnnie Bassett, who celebrates his 76^th birthday on Oct. 9. Detroit’s “Gentleman of the Blues” shares his birthday with singer-guitarist Luther “Badman” Keith. Another fine musician, singer-guitarist Howard Glazer, celebrates a birthday on Oct. 11.

Howard Glazer

You can catch Johnnie Bassett on Mondays at Third Bar, 701 W. Forest in Detroit. Howard Glazer and his band, the EL 34s, are joined by veteran Detroit bluesman Emmanuel Young as they host an open blues jam on  Thursdays at The Comet Bar, 128 Henry, Detroit.

Happy birthday wishes for many more years of health and happiness, my friends!

Detroit Blues Society Meeting and Jam

The Detroit Blues Society Meeting and Jam is set for Saturday, Oct. 8 at Shelly Kelly’s Pub, 18339 E. 14 Mile Road in Fraser. This month’s host is the Garfield Blues Band, featuring singer-harmonica player Garfield Angove, guitarist Paul Carey, bassist Mike Marshall, drummer RJ Spangler and special guest, guitarist Kenny Parker. The event always attracts lots of top jammers. There’s no cover charge.

To contact JB Blues, please email Joe.Ballor@dailytribune.com