Southern California Blues Society: SCBS Events

BATTLE OF THE BLUES BANDS 2012! 

CONGRATULATIONS LIGHTNIN WILLIE & THE POOR BOYS

The Southern California Blues Society hosted a local battle of the bands competition in sponsorship of the 2012 International Blues Challenge (IBC) Saturday November 19th at Paladino's Night Club in Tarzana, CA we wish to thank all of our Southern California Blues Fans for coming out and cheering on our local talent.  Special thanks to those who entertained us:

The Other Mules, Randy Volin and The Hard Ones, 45 Fingers, Solomon King and the Chosen, The Mojo Combo, The Bluecats, New Blues Revolution, Erick Brassfield, The Fortune Band, Jetstream, Toni Dodd & Southbound Blues, The Gabe Rosenn Band, Suzanne & The Blues Church, Lightnin' Willie & The Poor Boys, and Blues Divine

Tied for second place in Saturday's compeition was Sean Lane and The Hellhounds & Groove featuring Doc Williams

 The 2012 International Blues Challenge (IBC) will be the 28th year of Blues musicians from around the world competing for cash, prizes, and industry recognition.  The Blues Foundation will present the 28th International Blues Challenge January 31-February 4, 2012 in Memphis, TN.  The world's largest gathering of Blues acts represents an international search by The Blues Foundation and its Affiliated Organizations for the Blues Band and Solo/Duo Blues Act ready to take their act to the international stage.  With the mission to find the best unsigned blues band, this annual competition is held on a regional level by The Blues Foundation's affiliated organizations around the world. 

Lightnin Willie & The Poor Boys will be heading for Memphis representing The Southern California Blues Society who has been an affiliate member of The Blues Foundation since 1999 and first sponsored our own regional competition in 2003. 

SCBS will present a check to the winning act in order to help defer the cost of travel to Memphis (minimum $2,000).  In addition, Lightnin Willie and The Poor Boys will be given the opportunity to participate in the Southern California Blues Society's 29th Annual Topanga Festival (First or Second Sunday in May). 

 ***************

PAST EVENTS

28th Annual Topanga Blues Festival

Sunday, May 1, 2011  

Another sold out festival deep in the shady canyons of Topanga.  What a great day of Blues, BBQ and the greatest SoCal Blues Fans !!

Special thanks to our performers:

CHICK WILLIS The legendary blues singer/guitarist and master entertainer from Atlanta, GA.  Well-known as "The Stoop Down Man" is set for his exciting, ultra-rare appearance in Southern California 

PAULIE CERRA BAND  Thrilling contemporary blues with special guests Kirk Fletcher - guitar, Bill Steinway - keyboard, James Gadson - drums, Billy Haynes - bass and Finis Tasby - vocals.   (Due to health reasons Lynwood Slim Blues Band was unable to perform)

GREGG WRIGHT The dazzling "King of the Rockin' Blues" & SCBS Battle of the Blues Bands winner will take no prisoners with his deep soulful voice and searing modern blues stylings and

SEAN LANE Acoustic delta blues guitar master mixes both the old time front porch blues stylings with his own engaging and distinctive voice. 

BATTLE OF THE BLUES BANDS 2010

 Saturday, November 13th at Paladino's in Tarzana

The Southern California Blues Society hosted a local battle of the bands competition in sponsorship of the 2011 International Blues Challenge (IBC).  Congratulations to Gregg Wright who will be going to Memphis in February !!! 

The 2011 International Blues Challenge (IBC) will be the 27th year of Blues musicians from around the world competing for cash, prizes, and industry recognition.  The Blues Foundation will present the 27th International Blues Challenge February 1-5, 2011 in Memphis, TN.  The world's largest gathering of Blues acts represents an international search by The Blues Foundation and its Affiliated Organizations for the Blues Band and Solo/Duo Blues Act ready to take their act to the international stage.  With the mission to find the best unsigned blues band, this annual competition is held worldwide on a regional level by The Blues Foundation's affiliated organizations around the world.  

BATTLE OF THE BLUES DIVAS 2010

Saturday, October 23rd

 2nd Annual Breast Cancer Awareness Benefit Concert 

This year's Battle of the Blues Divas Concert eleven phenomenal female blues singers with one incredible backing band (Joe Kincaid and the Soul Brothers).  A portion of the proceeds for this event went to UCLA's Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center : AVON Cares for Life Program.

Line Up for the 2010 event included:

Barbara Morrison, Audrey Madison Turner, Charlie Jene, Jackie Jackson, Sherry Pruitt, Lady GG, Sueann Carwell, Bobbie Harper, Fereckiea White, Francesca Capasso and Johnna Schultz.

*******************

SUMMER SOLSTICE CELEBRATION

SUNDAY, June 27th

 LUCKY PETERSON with special electric solo set by Carlos Guitarlos

 A very special thank you to two very inspiring artists who gave our SoCal Blues fans a fantastic night of Blues.

   Lucky Peterson played his first gig at age three.  By the time he was five, he had already recorded his first single, produced by none other than the legendary Willie Dixon.  Before Lucky turned six, his career had been propelled into the national spotlight with television appearances on The Ed Sullivan Show, The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson and even What's My Line?

As a child prodigy, Lucky was somewhat of a novelty act.  Now he is a true blues veteran.  over the last three decades, Lucky has played to audiences all over the world, dazzling both fans and critics with his multi-instrumental talents (he plays keyboards, guitar, bass, drums and trumpet), his soulful vocal style and his youthful approach to the blues.

Carlos Guitarlos will be preforming a special solo electric set on this show.  Throughout the 90's and into the new milennium could be found playing guitar for pocket change on the street of San Francisco's Mission District.  Oftentimes, Carlos slept on those same cold streets where he eventually became a street-corner legend (The SF Bay Guardian named him the city's "Best Street Musician" in 1994).  In the wake of his hard-knock life, Carlos found himself in a San Francisco hospital, fighting for his life with congestive heart failure.  Carlos finally found his way back into a recording studio, hence the release of "Straight from the Heart" in 2003, which features the helping hands of old pals Mike Watt, John Doe, and Dave Alvin.

Showcasing Carlos's stinging, fluid fretwork, live-in vocals, and uncanny ability to write original songs in a wide variety of classic styles, the album made Rolling Stone Magazine's "Top Albums of 2003" and it was swiftly picked up for national distribution, a fact that was covered by Billboard Magazine, who described his re-emergence as "one of the most surprising music stories of the year."

27th Annual Topanga Blues Festival

  ***SOLD OUT 2nd YEAR RUNNING***

This years line up of performers who entertained another sold out crowd of some of the greatest SoCal Blues Fans were:

 
THE T-BONE WALKER TRIBUTE SET with legendary blues singer, TOMMY BROWN, from Atlanta, Georgia, saxophone legend BIG JAY McNEELY, guitarist JEFF ROSS, pianist STEVE F'DOR, bassist RICK REED and drummer RON FELTON.

Special Guest Speaker will be BERNITA WALKER, who will be discussing her father, the legendary ARON "T-BONE" WALKER!

THE KING BROTHERS - a powerful funk, soul and blues combo from Los Angeles.

NATHAN JAMES - Special acoustic set by The Blues Foundation's International Acoustic Blues Challenge Winner.

LEFF ROGERS BLUES BAND FEATURING LARRY "BIG HOUSE DAVID" - Winning Band from this past November's Battle Of The Blues Bands

************

This year's 100th Birthday Tribute was sanctioned by the Estate of Aaron "T-Bone" Walker.  The Estate of Aaron Walker, Sr. is managed by T-Bone Walker's daughter, Bernita R. Walker. 

Ms. Walker commits the financial benefits derived from her father's creative property to the foundation she established in 1995, Project: PeaceMakers, Inc.  Project: PeaceMakers, Inc. addresses domestic/family violence through prevention education and intervention services, using a coordinated community response approach to break the cycle of violence in the home and in the community. 

The organization is a non-profit public benefit corporation founded to counteract the lack of public knowledge concerning the dynamics of domestic/family violence and its influences on each of us.

**********   

For more history on this annual festival please visit our Topanga page.

TOP OF PAGE   

***************

 Where:  The Cellar in Long Beach

 When:  Sunday April 11th. 

Performers included some of the best electric blues guitarists in Southern California. Kirk Fletcher / LA Jones / Andy Walo / Wali Ali / Lucky Lloyd / Gregg Wright / Damon Van Buren / Josh Smith / Cadillac Zack / Ray Goren (10 year old blues prodigy!) / Deacon Jones

 ************

LA Juke Joint Blues Festival 2010

**SOLD OUT**

 Thanks to everyone who came out to support the Blues Saturday night, we have a great night of blues and it is you our fans that made the evening that much more special.   What a treat we had with all that talent on the stage !!  This is what we exist to do...bring true down home blues to our Southern California community.We will be posting pictures soon so check back soon.

Did you get a chance to visit our sponsors booth?  If not, you can still get information.

 New Years Eve Blues Bash 2010 

Good times were had at Nicks Taste of Texas, in Covina this past New Years.

Check out the line up and take a look at our photo page that captured the fun and fantastic entertainment we enjoyed while bringing in the new year!!    

Rod Piazza & Honey Piazza 

Surprise guests and what a treat it was for our Blues Fans !! 

Finis Tasby 

Finis Tasby was born in Dallas, Texas in 1940,and grew up immersed in the vital Texas blues traditionAs a bass player, he worked with many of the greats, including B.B. King, Percy Mayfield and Big Mama Thornton. But it is as a vocalist that Finis really comes into his own, and in the '70s he made his first recordings as a front man. It was during this period that he also formed a lifelong friendship with blues great John Lee Hooker, with whom he often performed locally

Jumpin' Jack Benny  http://jumpinjackbennyblues.com/

Benny Cortez himself brings his signature all out, in your face frontman performance to the stage, while smoking hot guitar work from Tony “Fingers” Naranjo and a rhythm section most bands dream about , explains the amazing popularity of this group. Combining elements of Traditional Blues, Soul, Funk and R&B, their audiences cant help but get up and boogie as they are are left mesmerized by they’re performances.

The 44s http://www.myspace.com/the44sband

"The majority of blues bands are known for their front man first and the rest of the band second. Not so with The Forty-Fours (44\'s). This is truly an ensemble group with each musician carrying fully each quarter of their musical load. Johnny Main handles the guitar and vocals, Mike Turturro provides the bass, J.R. Lozano completes the backbeat with his vintage Ludwig drums and Tokyo born Tex Nakamura dances around the music with his sweet soulful harp playing" -- P. Sardone (Southland Blues)

LA Jones  http://www.lajones.com/

One of the most entertaining showman on the scene, L.A. Jones is sure to please.  Check out this guy playing left-handed AND right-handed guitars in the same set!  A true original personality and a killer deep blues guitarist!

Johnny Dyer

Born in Mississippi in 1938, early on Johnny Dyer absorbed the subtlety of phrasing & easy swinging chops that are at the core of all the great blues harp players.  These elemental qualities were ingrained so early that they're completely automatic & natural in Johnny's playing.  Add to that a voice as rich as Mississippi mud, and you've got a bluesman who is about as heavy as they come these days. This seasoned veteran has no gimmicks, no special effects - just straight-ahead, comin' from the soul blues guaranteed to put a smile on your face.

Sherry Pruitt

Sherry Pruitt, also known as Sistah Sherry, is a longtime Southern California blues singer who has toured internationally with numerous bands and performed locally with Deacon Jones, The Terraplane Project and guitarist Gregg Wright, among several other projects. Her 2003 Big City Blues CD recorded with guitarist Makoto Miyashita was noted by the Southern California Blues Society as the year’s Best Self-Produced CD. Pruitt has shared the stage with many legends, including opening for Koko Taylor. Her powerful vocals have been heard on TV and film including Heaven’s Fall and Fox TV’s Standoff.

**********

TOP OF PAGE 

International Blues Competition

Congratulations to The Leff Rogers Blues Band this years Regional IBC Winner

The 2010 International Blues Challenge was the 26th year that Blues musicians from around the world competed for cash, prizes, and industry recognition. With the mission to find the best unsigned blues band, this annual competition is held worldwide on a regional level by The Blues Foundation's 170 affiliated organizations.  

Our regional competition took place on Saturday, November 14 2009 and was a fantastic day of Blues from our Southern California Bands and a real treat for our Blues Fans.   

Each of this years participants are member bands of the Southern California Blues Society and have shown their support to our organization and to our mission of promoting the Blues in the Southern California community, please, in turn, show them your support at local venues when they play. 

For a complete list of SCBS member bands please visit our links page.

TOP OF PAGE

**********

BATTLE OF THE BLUES DIVAS

First Annual Breast Cancer Awareness Benefit Concert

Those lucky enough to have got a ticket to this sold out event, enjoyed a very special evening including performances by Kimberly Allison, Francesca Capasso, Teresa James, Catherine Denise, Jean Shy, Marguaret Love, Joyce Lawson, Shelley King Fisher, Linda Miles, Ava Dupree, Yve Evans, Sherry Pruitt, Barbara Morrison and the legendary Joe Kincaid and the Soul Brothers Band.

Proceeds went to support the Avon Cares for Life program in partnership with UCLA's Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center.  

BARBARA MORRISON  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BJ1mKj10B04

JOYCE LAWSON http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X2Zsaoav3Us

FRANCESCA CAPASSO & KIMBERLY ALLISON 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IaR4LF5NV-s

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lg53LEKquqQ&feature=related

JEAN SHY http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ksx_WORsfdY&feature=related

TERESA JAMES http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kdb6xSO88-Y&feature=PlayList&p=B41B76DD1C4B3C47&index=28

CATHERINE DENISE  www.catherinedenise.com

SHELLY FISHER www.forkplay.com

**********

CHICAGO BLUES LEGENDS CONCERT

Those in attendance were glad they came !!!  An incredible evening was enjoyed by our SoCal Blues Fans when two great Chicago guitarists heated up the stage at The Cellar in Long Beach.  Eddie Taylor Jr., started the night and we quickly knew what a treat we were in for,  Eddie Taylor Jr. is one of the few torch-bearers of real authentic blues,  he comes from an amazing lineage.  His father was one of the most important architects of urban blues guitar, having been Jimmy Reed's main guitarist throughout the 1950s and 1960s.  Eddie has mastered his father's guitar and vocal style perfectly and expanded upon it.  Our next set was Eddie C. Campbell, 70 years old and still rockin' he brought down the house and had us out of our seats dancin' to his magic sound. Eddie C. Campbell showed us he can sing and rock the house every bit as deeply as his old buddy, Magic Sam.

**********

TOP OF PAGE

26TH ANNUAL TOPANGA BLUES FESTIVAL

THIS YEARS SHOW SOLD OUT!! Get your tickets early next year.

The Topanga Festival started in 1984 to celebrate the second anniversary of the Southern California Blues Society's existence.  26 years later this annual celebration continues where we and our fans could come together to celebrate our passion for blues.  Over the years headliners of our beloved festival have included those who have gone on to legend status and others who should have. This event remains a favorite for those who not only love great blues music, but those who want to enjoy a day in one of the most picturesque venues in Southern California. The Will Geer Theatricum Botanicum, a 300 seat outdoor theatre nestled in a rustic vale in Topanga Canyon, it is one of the most intimate scenic spots for live performance that you will experience.

This year the festival’s headliner was the legendary Phillip Walker. Born in Louisiana and raised in Texas, he has played and toured with a diversified roster of talent such as Clifton Chenier, Fats Domino, Memphis Slim, Percy Mayfield, and Screamin’ Jay Hawkins. A little trivia note: He once replaced the late Jimi Hendrix as the lead guitar for the Little Richard Band. He plays it all, from soulful blues to rocking sounds that will make you want to dance. 

Also featured was soul sensation Jackie Payne. Payne completed several world tours as lead vocalist with The Johnny Otis Show and for many years was lead singer for the veteran show band, The Dynatones. He’s played with such greats as T-Bone Walker, Albert Collins, Freddy King, Gladys Knight and Etta James. 

Jake LaBotz is a Chicago born American Blues singer-songwriter who learned his guitar licks in the windy city from the likes of Maxwell Street Jimmy Davis, Honeyboy Edwards and Homesick James. His Delta slide guitar leaves no doubt that he learned from the best. Those in attendance agreed it was a great performance. 

The Los Angeles-based Phil Gates Band kicked off the festival. This talented band won the local International Blues Challenge sponsored by the Southern California Blues Society. They then went on to compete in the finals in Memphis, winning the Beale Street Blues Award.

**********

TOP OF PAGE

THE SIX STRING SHOWDOWN

The only all out blues guitar festival in Southern California that features some of the greatest living blues guitarists on one stage! 

This years line up included:

Junior Watson
For a video preview go to: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3SBntGgWrdE&feature=related
One of the world's best kept scerets he rarely plays in Southern California .  Junior has done what all great artists have done: melting diverse styles to create a style all his own.  Besides his complete mastery of blues and swing he often adds his own cartoon-like twist to everything he plays. You'll never know what he will do and when asked he doesn't know himself. 

Kirk Fletcher
For a video preview go to: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4PGPhaWCgYY
Kirk Fletcher is only 32 years old, but this young man has won more accolades in recent years than almost anyone else. He gets an ovation after every fleet fingered solo, with his uncanny ability to take every flight completely over the top, as well as playing low down funky rhythm.   
LA Jones  www.lajones.com
One of the most entertaining showman on the scene, L.A. Jones and his band The Blues Messengers are sure to please.  Check out this guy playing left-handed AND right-handed guitars in the same set!  A true original personality and a killer deep blues guitarist!
Jeff Ross
This guy can play blues, jazz, country, gypsy music and everything in between!   This guy is a show unto himself. 
Dave Melton
A mainstay with the Mamas Boys in downtown Long Beach for a decade, Dave’s not only a major local favorite, he's one of the world's greatest standard-tuned slide players. 
Cadillac Zack  www.cadillaczack.com
Cadillac Zack is the only So Cal guitarist who really faithfully sticks 100% to the mid-1960s West Side Chicago sound.  Having cut his musical teeth in the 1990s in the Windy City, it was there that he shared stages with Otis Rush, Magic Slim, and was taught by Little Smokey Smothers (who's only other student was the great Elvin Bishop).   
Andy Walo www.andywalo.com
After five years on the Chicago Blues scene, Andy relocated to Los Angeles , CA in 1997. where he co-led local Blues-band The Mama's Boys for two years.  Walo formed his own band in 2002, showcasing original songs in the Classic Blues/Rock vein of Free and Led Zeppelin coupled with Classic, Funky Chicago Blues.  He won the International Blues Challenge regional finals in 2007.
Dangerous Darryl opened the show with a rare acoustic set.
Dangerous Darryl first attained prominence in 1988 when he won the Long Beach Blues Festival Talent Search. A multi-instrumentalist, he plays guitar, harmonica, Dobro and lap steel.

Performers of this years show were backed by Deacon Jones and Chris De Soto, both on Hammond B-3 AND an all-star rhythm section which included, Mike Hightower and Schoolboy Junior on bass Johnny Minquez on drums and a smorgasbord of others.

**********

TOP OF PAGE

LA JUKE JOINT BLUES FESTIVAL

The first two incarnations of this festival were performed in 2003 and 2005 for the Santa Barbara Blues Society and were hugely successful, with over 300 blues fans in attendance.

Those festivals featured real deal, yet obscure blues greats from the South Central scene including:

Sonny Green, Joyce Lawson, Mary Dukes, Bobby Warren, Jamie Powell, Missisippi Bo, Dr. Hank, Dangerous Darryl, Curtis Jack Griffin, Hollis Gilmore, Ray Brooks, Joe Kincaid's Soul Brothers and Southside Slim.

This year's line up was fantastic: Curtis Jack Griffin, Sonny Green, Bobby Warren, Marguaret Love , Mississippi Bo and a dozen other amazing guest singers backed by the Cadillac Zack Band featuring Deacon Jones.

**********

TOP OF PAGE