POCKET FULL OF SOUL: THE HARMONICA DOCUMENTARY

Starting at 6pm, we will be featuring a special sneak preview screening of the brand new harmonica film documentary “Pocket Full of Soul.” Narrated by Huey Lewis, the film explores the mythos and evolution of the harmonica and the gifted musicians that inhabit its universe.

Film features: Clint Black, Robert Bonfiglio, James Cotton, Magic Dick, Taylor Hicks,
Robert Klein, Howard Levy, Huey Lewis, Delbert McClinton, L.O. Miller, Tommy Morgan, Charlie Musselwhite, Rob Papparozi, John Popper, Jerry Portnoy, Mickey Raphael, Jason Ricci, Peter Madcat Ruth, Sugar Blue, Survivorman Les Stroud, Kim Wilson AND MORE!!!

DIRECTED BY MARC LEMPERT   PRODUCED BY MERC LEMPERT AND TODD SLOBIN

For more info: http://www.pocketfullofsoulmovie.com/

JASON RICCI & NEW BLOOD

A sonically explosive ensemble that crisscrosses the audible landscape and envelopes all forms of music stylistically in their path. Jason Ricci is that rare individual that comes along once in a generation with the unique ability to redefine the role of his instrument (the harmonica) and forever change the course of music history.  MORE INFO!

HOLLYWOOD BLUE FLAMES with JUNIOR WATSON & JOHNNY DYER

HOLLYWOOD BLUE FLAMES
Over 30 years ago, The Hollywood Blue Flames began life as The Hollywood Fats Band, led by guitar phenomenon Michael “Hollywood Fats” Mann, and featuring what was arguably the best traditional blues line-up this side of 1954 – the multi-talented Al Blake on harmonica and vocals, legendary bassist Larry Taylor from Canned Heat, veteran drummer Richard Innes, and Fred Kaplan on piano. To say they took the blues scene by storm is an understatement – they almost single-handedly ignited a blues revival that still echoes loudly to this day.  After the unfortunate and unexpected death of Fats in 1986, it took nearly 20 years to find someone capable of filling the huge musical shoes of Fats. Now they’ve reunited under the name The Hollywood Blue Flames with Kirk Fletcher on guitar.  This young man was literally raised on the sounds pioneered by the original incarnation of this band.  Kirk Fletcher plays with the taste and power that truly does justice to not only this band’s illustrious legacy but also the blues masters who inspired them.The Hollywood Blue Flames have emerged from the smoldering embers of The Hollywood Fats Band.  So whenever you hear the warm retro sounds of classic Chicago blues coupled with a swinging rhythm section and tasty-but-nasty guitar, you are hearing the legacy of The Hollywood Fats Band.  A favorite at every festival they play.  This truly is blues with a history and a future! MORE INFO!

JUNIOR WATSON With nearly thirty years of experience, Junior Watson has reached cult status. Junior has done what all great artists have done: melting diverse styles to create a style all his own. With influences as diverse as Tiny Grimes, Oscar Moore, Bill Jennings, Rene Hall, Robert Jr. Lockwood, Jimmy Rogers, Eddie Taylor, Guitar Slim, Earl Hooker and others he has truly created one of the most unique and original guitar voices to come along in years. Besides his 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. His energy and playing gives you a feeling of reckless abandonment. As he was once quoted "like a train off the tracks".

JOHNNY DYER Johnny Dyer is one of those guys who is so steady, and has been doing what he does for so well for so long, that he's sometimes overlooked. But don't take Johnny for granted - he's one of the truly great harp players of his generation, the generation that came out of heyday of the blues harp in the 1950s. Born in Mississippi in 1938, and having spent some of his formative years on Stovall's Plantation in Rolling Fork (also home of Muddy Waters), early on Johnny absorbed the subtlety of phrasing and 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 and natural in Johnny's playing, but often take later generations of harp players a lifetime of study to get a handle on - if they ever grasp them at all. 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. MORE INFO!

"Retro soul tinged in country, funk and blues.”
– Rolling Stone Magazine

"To say that Bigham is heir to multiple traditions is a major understatement...He seamlessly merges influences and eras, and the results can be heard on his fine new album Black John...The groove is, indeed, the thing. It's relentless...and Bigham brings it on every track." – Paste Magazine

THE SOUL OF JOHN BLACK An amalgamation of the African American musical heritage which combines soul, gospel, funk and hip-hop, while tracing its roots all the way back to its humble origins - the blues. John Black infuses his uniquely crafted music with contemporary urban rhythms and hauntingly earthy acoustic slide guitar which pays tribute to the bygone era of Leadbelly, Muddy Waters and John Lee Hooker. MORE INFO!

THE MANNISH BOYS REVUE featuring BOBBY JONES, FINIS TASBY, JACKIE PAYNE / STEVE EDMONSON, LYNWOOD SLIM, CANDYE KANE, & J.T. LAURITSEN

THE MANNISH BOYS REVUE
Reviving the spirit of such legendary revues of the past as the American Folk Blues Festival, the Johnny Otis Show, or the Ike Turner Revue, The Mannish Boys carry this grand tradition forward into the 21^st century with their assembly of astonishing talent that combines the very best of the younger and older generation of the blues. MORE INFO!

JACKIE PAYNE / STEVE EDMONSON Although they’ve only recently been getting widespread attention, Jackie Payne and Steve Edmonson have a history together that goes back almost ten years. They first met when they were members of the popular show band, The Dynatones. They soon found that they had a common love for the blues. While touring together they developed a friendship and camaraderie that is clearly evident when you see them perform together. You can hear their common love for the music in every note that Jackie & Steve sing and play. Timeless Rhythm & Blues delivered with style and flair that recall the soulful sounds of Wilson Pickett, Otis Redding and Bobby "Blue" Bland. The Jackie Payne Steve Edmonson Band delivers a sweaty, energetic funky good time that would make James Brown "The Godfather of Soul" proud. MORE INFO!

LYNWOOD SLIM Lynwood Slim felt there were only two things he could do to make a living: shoot pool or play harmonica. Thank goodness he chose to be a musician. His tasteful and sophisticated approach to music blurs the lines between jazz and blues. Lynwood Slim incorporates his unique sense of swing with strong ensemble playing and smooth vocals, and can easily move between the amplified Chicago harp styles of Big Walter Horton to the relaxed West Coast ease of George "Harmonica" Smith. This California native brings years of experience, dynamic stage presence, powerfully expressive blues vocals, and some of the most exciting blues harp you're ever heard. MORE INFO!

CANDYE KANE Candye Kane may still be a well-kept mainstream secret but in most underground circles, her diva status is legendary. She has been making music professionally for over two decades and toured worldwide since 1992, performing for amazingly diverse audiences. She played at the French Embassy in Rome for the President of Italy, headlined the Rhythm Riot, a rockabilly and R&B festival in the UK, and belted it out alongside Ray Charles at the Cognac Blues Festival. She slayed em' at the Cannes Film Festival, kept them enthralled at New York Gay Pride and most recently, helped organize a thirteen city tour of the Netherlands for special needs kids. MORE INFO!

J.T. LAURITSEN (JT for short) is 42 years old living in Lillestrom, Norway. He began playing at the early age of 6 and pretty much immediately got interested in the Blues and related music after first hearing BB King, blues pianist Charles Brown and the legendary Ray Charles. JT had his first paying gig at the age of 14, which resulted in a steady flow of jobs for him on the organ - an instrument he stayed with for many years. J.T. was searching for his own style on the instrument when he had to admit that a B3 Hammond organ was too heavy to drag around from gig to gig - so he compromised by taking up the accordion. Eventually, his blues harp began accompanying him wherever he went and became a new sound in J.T.'s music. Since 1989, both accordion and blues harp have been his trademark instruments.

LOS FABULOCOS featuring KID RAMOS

A spicy and tantalizing blend of Tex Mex, Blues, R&B and Rock-A-Billy delivered with honesty, sincerity and passion. Los Fabulocos' special brand of roots oriented music shares much in common with the sounds of such pioneering acts as Los Lobos, the Texas Tornados and the Hacienda Brothers and is powered by the muscular tone of Kid Ramos' slashing guitar. MORE INFO!