On Being Guitar Blues Legend Bobby Parker by chefjimi

"The best stuff I ever heard was by a bloke called Bobby Parker"
Robin Trower

"He is one of the few remaining guitarists on this planet that can pierce your heart and soothe your soul. He inspired me to play guitar"
Carlos Santana

Then there's these little morsels of truth; John Lennon, who lifted the signature riff from Mr. Parker’s “Watch Your Step” for not just one, but two Beatles hits: “I Feel Fine” and “Day Tripper.” Led Zeppelin created their “Moby Dick” from the same source, as did Deep Purple for "Rat Bat Blue'. Robert Plant has openly acknowledged that Mr. Parker’s first record “Blues Get Off My Shoulder,” as the disc that inspired him to start singing.

With all that said, Mr.Parker must hold some kind of a world record for being the musician that singularly inspired so many with so little. Mr. Parker’s discography is not loaded down with hits, nor does he have all that many releases to his name. Nevertheless, he’s made each one count, most notably “Watch Your Step.” which was released in 1961. Mr. Parker managed to say more with its introductory guitar riff than most artists say in their entire careers.

These accolades are not to be taken lightly. Anyone who can garner these quotes and others like them should be a household name. And yet how many of us have heard of, or are familiar with Bobby Parker ? In this interview I attempt to get down some facts about him, the music and the scores of people he has played with. I hope you enjoy it, and maybe learn a little bit too, as I did.

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ChefJimi:
Good afternoon Mr. Parker, I was fortunate enough to see your performance at the Chicago Blues Festival on Saturday, a great crowd even with the rain came out to see you. And a great set by you and your band.

Bobby Parker:
Chicago was fun day, even with the rain, fun to meet everyone, and see people enjoying themselves. Things are blossoming again for me, it's really great. We are all excited at what has been going on. There was a show after at this club where we all got down, man it was so cool, first time I played there.

CJ:
Yes, I spoke to Cadillac Zack about it, he offered this quote "Bobby Parker's performance was legendary. His band was tight and and his singing and guitar playing was fiery." Sounds like I missed a good one !
Bobby, your history reads like a 'who's who' of R&B, Blues etc. Having played with Sam Cooke, Jackie Wilson, Pee-Wee Crayton, the list goes on.


BP:
I was lucky enough to come thru that era when all this stuff began. I met everybody that was anybody in Rock & Roll, or the Blues coming up. I saw all the stuff that went down during that time, the heartaches, hardships, and all the good stuff too. I met everybody. I was on these shows, they were called the Top 10 Review, put on by Irving Feld. They went out every year, Chuck Berry, Fats Domino, Big Bopper, Richie Valens, Buddy Holly. It was just amazing the history that transpired. I was in so many bands playing behind these great artists, and had the chance to play with all these cats, I was in the house band at the Apollo, The Regal in Chicago, and the Howard Theater in DC. We were a traveling band, just played so much great music in those days.

CJ:
How did you get started, was it a 'inspired moment' or gradual immersion?

BP:
I started out as a kid, I was introduced to guitar when I was about 12 years old. I had a paper route in my neighborhood, there was an old guy who would sit on his porch and he'd pick on his big ol' acoustic guitar, so I would open the gate and deliver his paper to him, and man it would sound so great ! I loved going there and I'd be fascinated by the music.
So one day he asked me ...'son, you want to come up here, you know how play this thing ?”, I said "oh no sir, I don't". But he knew my daddy from up the street so he let me take that guitar home and work on it. It took me no time to start playing, see my Mom was a gospel singer, we are originally from Lafayette Louisiana, in New Iberia area, where all this music was, so I had this knowledge and love from them, it didn't take me long to learn.

I was discovered while at talent show in school, I won that show like five or six weeks straight, by playing the one Blues song I knew “Reconsider Baby''. Otis Williams and the Charms was my first band. They were sorta like the Jackson Five, a little band/doo-wop group. After that I joined Bo Diddley. We then went straight to Chicago and Chess Records (Phil and Leonard). That was where I got indoctrinated to all that funky stuff. Funny guy too, he would do this old thing called 'Hambone' …

JP:
Yeh that became the 'Bo Diddley' beat, correct? Otis Taylor did Hambone at the Chicago Blues Festival. Now did Bo let you play out while with him, or were you restricted – did he let you play any of those funky Bo Diddley guitars ? (we laugh)

BP:
He wasn't a single stroke player like me, I played Licks, he found me, He said 'you one of the best young lick players I know, you wanna hang with us” and I said yeh man.

JP:
That was in Chicago ?

BP:
Yeh, that's where I met everyone. Muddy, Wolf, Little Walter - Jimmy Reed - he was up the street with the other label. . .

CJ:
Vee-Jay I believe.....

BP:
Yeh I think that was it, so I was in awe of all these people. I mean they weren't famous at this time. They only got famous when Clapton, Page and them started imitating them. They all had their times, but they also had lives, with drinking, child-support and having a great time, just ordinary cats. Traveling with Bo we covered the whole country, and that's when I met the Paul Hucklebuck Williams Band, a great guy who helped artists learn how to deal with the road and all the stuff that goes along with it.
I was with Big Joe Turner, Little Walter, Ruth Brown, T-Bone Walker, Smiley Lewis – all these people in that era, but some people hadn't come forward enough to be in the South to play with each other, so we played on a segregated basis in old Tobacco warehouse's.

JP:
So was that the chitin' circuit ?

BP:
It was the beginning of the chitin' circuit, all that great music was being played by a lot of black people, that's all it was. But the young white teenagers wanted to hear this music. They eventually integrated cos they had to hear Chuck Berry, Fats Domino and everybody else. I knew it wouldn't last long – all that negative stuff – see the music was changing everything.

JP:
How did you wind up in DC ?

BP:
Well we would travel in the big shows, with these stars like Hank Ballard and the Midnighters, but Paul Hucklebuck was a great guy, it was a big band like 20 people, like Count Basie but it was the Blues. So we would return from the Apollo and these theaters to the Howard Theater in DC and things were changing for me. There were all these people screaming for me ! Like 3,000 ladies wanting to meet me, screaming for Bobby ! I thought this might be a city I could stay in (we laugh at the thought, both agreeing that it was a no-brainer). And the rest is history. I been here ever since, this was back in the early 60's. So I started forming my own band, and that's when my idea for 'Watch Your Step' started to come around. And man, I recorded that and the whole United Kingdom, went berserk, 'da-dadadada da dum da dum...” (he is singing the riff !).

JP:
Well yeh, when I heard the lick from 'I Feel Fine” by the Beatles, I was like, I know that riff....sorta like Ray Charles 'What I'd Say' but not quite. And Led Zeppelin covered it in Moby Dick....

BP:
Well I counted over 600 variations of that riff. McCartney and Lennon knew what they were doing. They were entrepreneurs, they were also lucky, they got Isley Brother licks, Bobby Parker licks and made them work. Ya know it was gonna happen anyway, sooner or later it was gonna get into the open, the music was too good to stay isolated and separated.

CJ: And we are all better for that. Now you grew up in California ?

BP:
Yeh, I was raised up in California, we left for there whenI was about 7 years old. We were looking for a better life for us all. My father was a repairman for Wurlitzer and other juke box companies like that. He had a route downtown and he would take me with him to service the machines on Saturday's , and I did not want to do that! Yet once I went I found that there were always blues bands there. They would rehearse and that's where I met Lowell Fulsom, T-Bone Walker, a young Etta James and Johnny 'Guitar' Watson.

CJ: Your current band is really tight, and it's a big band kinda sound, that's cool, I love that sound of horns and keys etc., just a great groove sound.

BP:
My current band has been together for 15-20 years. We are a band not just an artist. I got recording studio in my home, Pro-Tools and other stuff, so I got a lot of stuff coming out soon. A lot of original stuff that I have put together over the last thirty years.

CJ: So I can expect to hear some more covers of your songs (we laugh) like I didn't realise the great Little Milton covered you on 'Blues Get Off My Shoulder', did you know Milton?

BP:
Yeh we did a lot of shows together, we played together on the stages. Lots of people did cover that song, they re-arrange it and claim it as theirs.

CJ:
There seems to be a lot of that these days, sampling and taking riffs....Did you ever come to an agreement with Led Zeppelin etc., on yer stuff and Moby Dick riff...?

BP:
Jimmy Page wrote me and wanted to meet me cos he loved my riffs and 'Watch Your Step', so I had sent him a note that we were playing in these various venues and he wanted to meet me and come over. Well I was playing the military circuit, and in Florida we were playing when my buddy on stage next to me says there's Jimmy Page and Robert Plant, sitting next to the stage out front. I'm like no way, but he was there and we tried to get him up on stage but he refused. So a couple of months later he calls me and says to go over to this music store by my home and pick up a new Teac recorder that he bought for me. Tells me to put some stuff on it, and so I did and I would send him tapes every so often. So lo and behold Mick Fleetwood gets wind of it, so he wanted to play with me. So he introduces me to Peter Green after his nervous breakdown to kick it around and we all played together. They all knew each other and 'Watch Your Step' that riff, was still in everyone's ears. So I'm in England and tearing it up, but then Hendrix was hot there and he was burning up his guitars and breaking them on stage and all this, and I wasn't about to do this, so I was feeling out of place, so I came back to the US.

CJ:
Now Bobby, there is this story about how you were given $2,000 to put out a demo for Led Zeppelin's label, but you never did it? Is there any truth to that story?

BP:
When all this happened there was so much going on cos I was still hot in Europe, there was just so much going on, people all in my face, nothing negative but everyone pulling in different directions, but it was all fine it all worked out. We still friends, but we never got it together enough to go into the studio.

CJ:
Carlos Santana has been quoted saying you inspired him to play, how did you meet him?

BP:
I was playing in Mexico and Carlos was just a kid, and trying to play but he was so nice, and he was practicing, then he got his stuff together real good now ain't he?

CJ:
Damn straight, real good. Now, Bobby, was there one stage of yer life, or time while you were playing that seems most memorable to you?

BP:
Well, you know playing in these old Tobacco warehouses and playing with T-Bone Walker. That has got to be one of them. T-Bone, was a sharp little cat, he was always playing the greatest shows he could every night. Would always be dressed up nice, and always giving lessons to the players in the band, just by watching him entertain. We were paid to entertain and put on shows, and T-Bone taught us about that, and more.

CJ:
Bobby, there is so much history involved with you and your career is there a way for fans to inform themselves after they read this interview?

BP:
Well yes there is, we have a site that is dedicated to me and my music. It is at http://http//www.bobbyparkerblues.com/ . It is a great site, we spent alot of time getting it just right. You can listen to my releases 'Bent Out of Shape' and 'Shine Me Up' in their entirety. We are on also FaceBook, so please stop by and become friends.

CJ:
Yes, the sites are really quite good, especially your personal web site. Bobby, thank you for taking the time to talk with me, it was great to see you in Chicago and hope to see you again.

reprise: So Mr. Parker is quite a story, a genuinely sweet man, who is very accepting of the past, but looking forward to the future. He is touring regularly these days and is hoping to re-establish his link with his many fans while hopefully inspiring a new generation of musicians. Personally I would love to see him accomplish his goals. Check him out if you get a chance, and tell him chefjimi sent ya !

Until the next time,
Love, Peace & Chicken Grease


If you enjoyed this serving of the Blues, you might want to check out my other articles, as I roam around seeking out the Blues wherever they are happening.
http://www.ameriblues.com/search/label/chefjimi

all photos used by permission
courtesy of artist, Danspix, and Leslie K. Joseph

copyright © 2010 – bluesuitspeaks, all rights reserved.

CHICAGO BLUES: Holle Thee Maxwell is "Thee Original Black Blonde Bombshell"

"Smiling Bobby', my blues mentor, introduced me to Holle a number of years ago. I was immediately stricken with her performance abilities. When she picks up a mike, the cord is a fuse, because she explodes on stage. Offstage Holle is a warm and truly wonderful person. She is a pleasure to be around.

About six months ago I ran into her at my ex-favorite club and I will not mention its name because it has changed hands and now is a sports bar. Holle was escorted by the late Manuel Arrington. Manuel was dubbed “Entertainer of The Year” a long time ago and it stuck. Sadly Manuel passed away last April and with his passing the Chicago Blues community lost a great artist and a friend.

Holle has been involved with the Chicago music scene since the early sixties, except for a side journey to California which included a gig as the replacement for Tina Turner. She was a back-up singer for Tina up until Tina left. She started singing at five years old and that first performance netted her ten bucks. It seems that many artists got their start singing in the church.

Holle is a very versatile performer who has dabbled in soul, blues, opera and she tells me her next venture is into country rock. I personally think she is one of the best blues performers ever. She also can be quite bawdy at times and her audiences love it, including me!

The list of people that she has performed with or opened for is quite extensive and include;

Ike Turner - Back–up and lead vocals

Jimmy Smith - Lead vocals

Captain and Tennillle – Back-up Vocals

Reynaldo Rey - Opening act

Red Foxx - Opening act

Slappy White - Opening act

Jack MacDuff - Vocals

Charlie Earland – Vocals

Red Holloway – Vocals

Authur Prysock - Opening act

Holle Thee Maxwell especially loves performing for European audiences and has told me “They have a deep appreciation for entertainers.”

Holle tells me that her songwriting approach is this,

“My approach is purely from THEE subconscious it is in my head all ready...something will trigger it off to come out on paper within 15 minutes or less...if it takes any longer it goes in THEE garbage.”

Her early influences were Shirley Temple, Mae West, Marian Anderson, Josephine Baker and Dinah Shore. For you youngsters they are some of the greatest entertainers that have performed. Mae West was way ahead of her time as Josephine Baker was.

Holle is an extraordinary performer who has played Worldwide, from France to Australia and Australia contained the largest audience she has performed for. That performance was with Ike Turner.

If you keep your eyes and ears open and you frequent the Chicago scene sooner or later you will run into Holle Thee Maxwell You’ll be glad you did.

She has a CD entitled “Holle Thee Maxwell....Thee Black Blonde Bombshell”

Recorded "LIVE" at THEE Maxwell Cafe' Paris, France

It can be ordered from Holle direct @ holletheemaxwell@yahoo.com

Leave Name, address Phone number and she will work out how to make payment.

She also has some 45's videos that can be found on youtube.com

Gatorman
www.chicagobluesnews.com

Thanks to hampton-Photos for the video

People who liked this article also liked: Blues Photos Chicago Style

CHICAGO BLUES : "THE DEVIL MADE ME DO IT" & "HISTORY No LONGER"

(Following is a re-post)


Last spring my good friends Dave, Jim, and I were talking about starting a blues music society. All three of us are blues fanatics, We love the blues. At the time there was not a Chicago Blues Music Society. Why nobody thought of it before us is beyond me. Maybe because the uneducated populace fears the blues and it spread like wildfire to the educated. Don’t flood me with emails, I’ll try to explain. Bear with me as I reminisce a bit and tell the tale.



I grew up in a town called Burbank, Illinois. It is located just southwest of the city of Chicago. When I was about twelve or thirteen I came across a John Lee Hooker and Mississippi John Hurt album in an old EJ Korvette store. That store was similar to Target or Wal-Mart only smaller. It was the only store around that sold records. I could walk there and that would take most of the day. Back then kids of all ages could walk everywhere and nobody would bother them. If I goofed off in public my parents would hear about it. Everybody knew everybody's kid and they would report any shenanigans to their individual parents. My dad got a bad report once and only once.


E J Korvette sold new albums for about 3 bucks each. They were called LP's (LP stands for long playing kids). The ones that did not sell were discounted to about fifty or seventy-five cents. I would buy most of those discounted LP’s with money earned. I took bottles back for deposits. Back in the day, all bottles had a deposit on them. Milk bottles were the best 5 cents each and regular pop or beer bottles earned 2 cents each. I would go from house to house knocking on doors asking for them. People seemed to like the service I provided and I had quite the market cornered on the corner. Sorry I just had to do it.



I remember knocking on this run down old codgers’ never painted, paint peeling, dry rotted door. That old codger was the grumpy old man that every neighborhood had. My neighborhood has one also his name is ME. That old man never, ever took his bottles back. I almost passed out when he opened his garage door. Jackpot, that garage was loaded from floor to ceiling with bottles. It was the mother lode. I had my little red wagon and I worked for about three days hauling bottles. I think I made about two hundred bucks on that deal or it seemed like two hundred. I bought my first bass guitar with that money ($40), Teisco double pick-up. I learned how to play it and by the time I was fifteen I was playing bass in a “Shadows of Knight” (Gloria) copy band.


I earned about $1,500 one summer playing that bass. Before that summer of money (not summer of love that was prior) I had to beg my Dad for a ride. When he learned how much money I was making he became my chauffeur. That group played a lot of Rock and Roll and a handful of blues tunes. You know the regular ones just like the way the “Shadows” played them. “Oh yeah, Mojo Workout, I just wanna make love to you” and one other that escapes me now. I miss that group.


Ron K was the guitar player in that group and just the other day we were talking about the Gibson SG Les Paul Custom Guitar his dad bought him for Christmas and also, his birthday. They happened to fall on the same day. Every year he got taken for a ride. I mean each year he got one present for both days. His dad told me he paid a whopping $287 for that Gibson. Man oh man, if we only knew then, what we know now.



A friend of mine, who shall remain anonymous, just bought the exact same model, same year. He purchased it from a women preacher. I tagged along to help authenticate it. It was the real deal. He paid 8k for it. At a recent guitar show he was offered three times that by a Chicago dealer. I started a conversation with that 80’s something women. I asked her if she would play the guitar for us. She did. Guess what folks, 12 bar blues. I told her she was an excellent blues player. Wrong thing to say to a preacher. She barked back, “Boy that ain’t blues, that there’s gospel music. I said “Sounds like blues to me”. She said, “Son, the blues is the devil’s music and Gospel is God’s music.” It then



I started to think about that incident this past week and all of a sudden it dawned on me why the blues music societies popped up. Not only are they cool places to exchanges ideas, it is also a social club that has a common interest amongst it's members namely the music. One other role of a blues music society is to educate people about what the blues is and not what they think it is. Thank you preacher for ringing that bell in my head or lighting the light bulb above it.

You all know the old story about the blues man standing at the crossroads with a guitar in one hand and a blood tipped quill feather in the other hovering over the devil’s own contract. That contract probably contained this wording or a facsimile thereof;



“In exchange for instant international worldwide recognition and the best guitar-man-ship I hereby pledge my soul to you, the devil, Lucifer or whatever you call yourself and said debt is collectible upon my demise, sooner or later, blah, ba blah, ba blah, ba blah.

__________________



Sign here red (blood) only.


Some people actually think that a person that plays outstanding blues, must have sold his soul to the devil.


That crossroad story lives on to this very day. People, for god’s sake come on, it did not happen or……. did it? Mmmmmmm,,,, you know if it did and I’m not saying it did, I would give anything to find that contract except of course my soul,,,,,,,, referring of course to my musical soul not the religious one.



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History no longer in the making

I am sorry to have to report the following true story.

Past readers of my posts know about the club that I frequented and reported about on a regular basis. You will not be reading any more stories about it except for this one, which just happens to be the last one. Sadly the 8 month run of this blues club has run its course. The managing partner had tried very hard to keep the ship afloat, but the current economic times sunk it. His other partners forced him out and rumors are circulating widely about what happened. One of these was the bank wanted some of the principal paid on the original loan. Another was the bills were not being paid. Hard to pay the bills when you have groups, not all but some, demanding big bucks to entertain, yet those same groups do not take the time or make an effort to bring fans into the establishment. Bodies in chairs pay the bills, not the club owners. An argument can be made that the club bears a certain responsibility in filling seats and the managing partner of this club knew that. It was the efforts of the past managing partner that bought revenue into the club to begin with. The club was his baby and his alone. It was his efforts that bought the top name acts there. I have to give the founding partner credit no matter what behind the scenes activity transpired, after all he bought the blues to the far south suburbs and that was a good thing.

I have heard that the “New Guys” are turning the place into another sports bar just like all the other sports bars, probably 30-50 within a 20 mile radius of the club. Just what we need another sports bar. Guys you are making a big mistake. Have you ever heard of niche marketing? Sure it takes time, but look at what you are offering the public, a place in a booming population area that patrons can hear a very distinct form of American music “The Blues”. Give me make my hangout.

Blues Me Or Lose Me,


Terrance B. Lape AKA Gatorman

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CHICAGO: DVD Review; "Full Moon Lightnin'"

Before I start I must inform the readers that I am a BLUES FANATIC. I would not be writing this review unless this DVD is the real thing. These are real people with real problems and it is the blues. Blues can fall anywhere between happy and sad. This runs more on the sad side, but that is to be expected considering the subject matter.

One man searches for his family and another man searches for a way to put his sorrow behind. Floyd Lee is a blues man of extraordinary talents and, after 60 years, returns to his roots in the hope of finding family he never knew. Joel Poluck is a young upcoming blues artist that uses song to heal from the loss of his soul mate.

John Gardiner was the driving force behind this project. He handled the role of editor, cinematographer, producer and director. One of those tasks would tend to overwhelm any one person. Judging from this DVD "Blues" Documentary, John handled those with ease. The story is concise and to the point. The editing is top notch and the direction is very easy to follow.

"Full Moon Lightnin'' is a journey into the blues that very few people take. I enjoyed it from the first scene of Floyd Lee dropping a needle on a record to the last parting shot of Floyd Lee saying "I may be almost gone, but the blues lives on. Mark that."
The soundtrack can stand on it's own two feet and along with the DVD presents a total package that belongs in any blues fanatics catalog. The music is the down home real deal stuff ladies and gentlemen, The real stuff. I recommend you buy it now.

Terry "Gatorman" Lape

All things Gator.

"Mark Of The Gator"

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CHICAGO: Via Kankakee Laurie Morvan

The "Freinds of the blues" main man James Walker sent an email inviting me to see Laurie Morvan at the Kankakee Elks club. She was touring in the area and FOB had caught her on a rest over night. I must admit that I was pretty tired and debated whether or not to attend. I had contacted her camp in the past, but sadly I had forgotten she was coming. I checked her website and was intrigued by her story.

Laurie is an Illinoisan that now makes her home just outside of Long Beach. She moved to California to work in the aerospace industry. She has an Electrical Engineering degree and utilized it for three years. She told me that she teaches at the College level in Long Beach. She also confided in me that the teaching job helps her with tour costs.
She invited me to a one on one sit down while she restrung (Ernie Ball.10) her re-issue 1956 Stratocaster. She is a wonderful individual to talk to and would certainly become a close friend if circumstances were different. We talked about schools she attended, Guitars and role models. I was very excited about her performance as I choose a table in back.

The people started to file in one by one and the one-hundred seat banquet room filled up quite quickly. I had chosen a table of ten and I was the only one there until Jack and Jean Miller joined me. Jack, Jean and I started to talk and it turns out we both had visited Singapore, small world. Sister Ellen Thomas sat down and introduced herself. She was not dressed as a nun so I immediately thought along the terms of the slang hip style of talking brother and sister. Not the case, she actually was a Nun. I had to watch my mouth after that. It seems that Laurie's whole family was in attendance. When they found out who I was, man oh man did I get an earful. I was introduced to Aunts, Uncles, Nieces, Cousins, her Mother and Step father and on and on and on. I jokingly started a family tree with my notebook. It was a family reunion. I might add that Laurie's Mother was just as nice as she was.

Laurie took the stage and exploded into song. Her guitar work is extraordinary and her vocals, along with her backing Vocalist Lisa Grubbs, were beautifully done. Their combined vocals were song with a take no prisoners attitude. Very strong and definitive.

Laurie talked to her audience frequently. I like when an artist communicates stories about how a song was written. "Skinny Women Chicks" was written as a response to those old time blues men who beat the song "Big Legged Woman" to death.
"Kicking Down Doors" was one of my favorites.
Laurie Morvan is an unstoppable blues artist and I will see her again I'm sure. I was told that Lisa also plays bass. I got her number.

Terry "Gatorman" Lape

PS. Writing for www.americanbluesblog.com is "Not just a job it's an adventure".















Lisa Grubbs, Gatorman, Laurie Morvan

CHICAGO: Via Laporte Blues Fest

My week is filled with Music. Previous readers of my posts know what a great time can be had at one particular venue; the “Cool River Draughthouse and Eatery.” I can hear music literally 24/7, but sometimes I just have to cool my jets. Thursday night is one night that I really look forward to. You will always find me hanging at that club. It is a great place not only to play, but to pick up new story ideas. A journalist/musician would have to be pretty stupid not to take advantage of the networking capabilities available in that venue. I have listened to some great artist’s and have made some lifelong friendships there. The owner Mike and I have become close friends and we share info about different acts and venues. I might add that Mike and I are “Blues Fanatics” plain and simple. We have closed a couple of west side clubs these past few months. I shared with him Kelly Richie.

I woke up Saturday morning and checked my Facebook page. I use Facebook to help monitor the music scene and also use it for story ideas. Lately I have been looking at women guitar slingers. Kelly Richie is one such artist. I have been trying to check out her act for a couple of months. Saturday there was a message telling me that she would be performing in Laporte, Indiana. Laporte is 100 miles from my house. Kelly Richie was to perform at 6pm

I packed my notebook, camera, folding deck chair and off I went. An hour and a half later I was there. The fest was held in Fox Memorial park on the shores of I think Fish trap lake. It is truly a beautiful setting. The park has a natural bowl shape that affords everyone a very nice view. The promoter of the fest was SDY Promotions and the main mover and shaker was Shane. I did not get his last name, but he is to be commended for the wonderful job he did putting the fest together. The sound was handled by Audio One* from Laporte (219-561-1169) with Tommy spinning the dials. Shane made a great choose in choosing Tommy and his company. They know what to do and they do it very well. The sound I heard from the audience side was crisp and clean. I extend Kudos to Tommy and Audio One.

Kelly kicked off at the exact time. I sat there pen in hand ready for a great show and it was not great, but rather indescribable. I was stunned. Kelly Richie is in the top ten of not only women guitar slingers, but men slingers as well. Wait a minute make that the top five. Yours truly considers her to be the top guitar slinger I have ever seen or heard period. I’m sure I’ll get comments about that, but hey that’s my opinion.

An attempt to put into words what I saw and heard is futile, because the written word can not accurately describe my experience, but the written word is the only media I have to convey to you what transpired.

I have finally found my guitar hero and it is Kelly. I had seen Stevie Ray Vaughn in a banquet hall prior to his hit record “Pride and Joy”. He was a brand new upcoming guitarist at that time. He was backing up Albert Collins in an eighty seat venue. The feeling I got watching Stevie came back to me watching Kelly. When you see an artist that is destined for stardom you just know. I was awestruck and folks I am pretty jaded when it comes to guitar players’ young or old. With the arrival of the computer age anyone can learn to play guitar, but few of them can ever expect to approach the Guitar wizardry that Kelly does.

Jimmy Hendrix’s version of “Hey Joe”, has been beaten to death by so many artist’s that I personally am tired of it. Kelly you changed my outlook entirely. Your approach was extraordinary. During your performance the audience rushed the stage. Could it be a coincident that the first day of Woodstock took place forty years ago to the day of your performance? I looked up in the sky and saw a cloud formation that looked like Jimmy, strat in hand playing along. He strummed that strat while mouthing the words “You go girl”. I am not saying that Kelly copied the song, but rather far from it, she owned it and happily shared ownership with us. The first thirty seconds set the tracks for the musical train journey. The next ten minutes took yours truly and all those in attendance on a psychedelic ride. Jimmy was the initial conductor, but Kelly was the engineer. She took that song originally first recorded by the Los Angeles group “The Leaves” in 1965 and stood it on its head. I am going on record here when I say Kelly is a Guitar Goddess. The fluidity of her guitar playing was haunting and like a true artist, exquisite. Sometimes magical things happen on stage and this performance was one of those moments.

Kelly’s vocals are very reminiscent of a Cincinnatian. That is not a bad thing, but rather a wonderful one. Her voice is spot on and a true delight to hear. She can sing very sultry in one moment and then in the next blues out right from the gut.

In composing this post I utilized not only her live performance at the blues fest, but also information from her electronic press kit. Her songwriting ability is top notch. I love the John Lee Hooker style opening riff in “My Baby’s Gone Crazy”. “The Longest Yard” is pure artistry at its best. It is a haunting instrumental that reminds me of some of the great instrumental songs that precede hers. Kelly almost bought me to tears with this song. I will not try to pigeon hole it comparing it to a song that has been performed before. It is way beyond that. “Tears Like Rain” is an example of the blues on steroids. Kelly plays the blues like some of the great sixties super rock groups. You know the ones that had the private jets and the backstage extravagant buffets that almost bankrupted the music industry. Her vocals on “Tears Like Rain” are extremely bluesy and her guitar, utilizing octaves, is thrilling. The sound she achieves with that Stratocaster and deluxe reverb amp is truly amazing. Her lead guitar riffs are mind-blowing and awe-inspiring. I had a bottle of water in hand and just as I was trying to take a sip she broke out into a lead solo that dropped my jaw. I could not take a drink, because I was totally focused on her.

Her band includes Jimmy V on bass and Bryan Meyers on Drums. They are great sidemen who throw it down and play in the pocket. They are a solid foundation for Kelly’s virtuosity. They have just enough flash that the audience knows they are there, but they do not steal the spotlight like so many others try to. Kelly and her group complement each other and that is the way it should be. Jimmy on bass is a well seasoned bass man that has been with Kelly for four years. Bryan is the newest member of the troupe having only been with her for four months. You wouldn’t know it given the way he holds the groove. They are both outstanding musicians in their own right. I have always said that the whole sound starts with the kick drum and Byran knows how to kick it.

Kelly has broken or may I say tore down the gender wall of guitar players. She ended her performance by flashing the peace sign. Pretty cool considering that she is the “Warrior Princess of the blues.”

Look out Buddy and Eric there is a new kid on the block and she is kicking butt and taking names.

I will be back at Kelly’s performance again and again and again. I think I’m turning into a groupie. Oh what the H—E-- double hockey sticks for Kelly, I am one. After this performance I stopped in at The Cool River Club and told Mike all about it.

One closing thought, an artist that knows where the zone is, and realizes that the path to greatness has to happen in that zone will go right to the top. Kelly owns the zone.

BLUES ME OR LOSE ME,

Terrance "Gatorman" Lape

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CHICAGO: Cool River Thursday Night Jam

The following is a re-post.
Thursday night Jams are still happening.

Thursday Night Jam in the Blues Capitol

Chicago.

Twist & the Groove Machine “House Band”

A new blues club has opened in the southwest suburbs of Chicago called the Cool River Draught House and Eatery. www.myspace.com/coolriv The “Cool Rivers” as it is referred to by the blues artists that frequent its stage is the hippest, coolest blues place ever! Mike Maracich AKA “Wizard” is the proprietor. He has turned an area of suburbia into a Mecca for blues performing artists and fans. Yours truly Included. I first found out about the CR through a listing on Craigslist. I answered an ad for blues bands and within 10 minutes the phone rang. It was the manager. We spoke at length about the club and the various artists I have played with. Two days later I walked in the door and was pleasantly surprised by the friendly ambiance and staff. The walls are covered with photos of the Wizard posing with hundreds of different artists.

The club is large and can hold about 300 people. The stage is very accommodating for most size acts. It may become a little cramped if the act has a full horn section though. CR has full sound and light systems. It even has a bullet microphone for the Mississippi saxophone players. Al Ortega handles the duties of sound engineer and also establishment manager. If you play there and need something ask Al. If he doesn’t have it he’ll get it, including spare batteries for my digital camera. Thanks Al.

The CR has an open jam session every Thursday night. It was intended for all levels of musicianship, but it quickly turned into an almost all pro session. I have been to every jam session except two and I can attest to that. I see semi-pro to professional players there and somehow I don’t think the semi pro player cares about giving their spot to the pros. I do not know of any other venue that has this many pro players hanging out and rubbing elbows with fans and musicians alike.

Last Thursday night, May 14, was no exception. LV banks and I arrive to “Twist and the Groove Machine’s” blues version of “Spooky”. At the risk of them asking the Wizard for a pay raise, I have to give them their kudos. They are an excellent band. We sat at the usual table in front of the sound board. It’s either Trisha or Theresa that brings us cranberry juice. LV has me stuck on that stuff. The band starts pumping out an excellent arrangement of Sweet Home Chicago when through the side door walks Eddie C. Campbell http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3FDY-7vokPE&feature=related . Twist handles the vocals with ease. Jeff on drums and Doug on bass lay down a strictly down home groove while Al on guitar and Jimmy on keys accent the groove. At the conclusion of Sweet Home Johnny drummer makes his appearance. http://www.johnnydrummermusic.com/ . Johnny sits down at the table with us.

Around 10:30 Billy Branch comes in through the front door. http://billybranch.com/

LV and I are called up and pound out a couple of songs. We had Bobby Baker on bass a recent transplant from the east coast. Frank held the beat on drums. They both are also excellent players. Bobby Baker is also a very accomplished vocalist.

After our session Twist’s band reassembles to back up Eddie. Eddie rips off a version of summertime that was extraordinary. He utilized his incredible vocals and cutting melodic guitar riffs with great ease. Summertime is one of my all-time favorite songs and his version is now in my top ten.

Billy Branch took the stage next and with one stomp of his foot the place exploded. Billy Branch is one of the top five harp players in the world. He coaxes sound out of a harp that I can only wonder how in the world he does it. I know he was educated by the best, Big Walter Horton, James Cotton, Junior Wells and Carey Bell, but he takes the Mississippi saxophone to an entirely different level. Big Dog Mercer handled some excellent slide guitar work. Al Spears was graciuos enough to give him his spot for a few tunes.

Some of the other artists in attendance were, Tenry Johns, Billy King, Big Dog Mercer, Marc Flanagan, Mike Gorosh, Clem Bashir, Johnny Isit and many more.

If you ever get a chance to go to the “Cool Rivers” GO!

Cool River Is Located at 12622 west 159th Street Homer Glen, Illinois 60491 708-301-8006

Blues Me Or Lose Me,

Terrance "Gatorman" Lape

http://www.livebluesworld.com/profile/TerranceLape
My Cd "Mark of The Gator" is available for digital download at:
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