Since moving to New Orleans in 1992, acoustic bluesman and Colorado native Corey Harris has gone from street-singing in Jackson Square to opening shows for B.B. King, Natalie Merchant and The Dave Matthews Band. His intimate and stirring shows at the Mermaid Lounge, the Maple Leaf and the Funky Butt are always memorable; Harris generously donates his talent to a variety of community benefits; and his two superb Alligator Cd’s Between Midnight and Day and Fish Ain’t Bitin’ find Harris drawing inspiration from New Orleans. Now Harris is leaving his adopted hometown and heading for Charlottesville, Virginia. Corey’s wife is enrolling in the graduate program at James Madison University, and the Harrises have family in Virginia. Harris’ extensive touring schedule will have him back in New Orleans on a regular basis, but his presence will still be missed. We wish him luck in his new home state.
Last May, it was guitarist Singer and Olde Absinthe Bar mainstay Bryan Lee who decided to pack up shop and move to Wisconsin. Lee had delivered his blend of New Orleans and Chicago blues on Bourbon St. for over a decade, and the announcement of his departure prompted a flood of reader mail and internet discussion lamenting his move. Lee fans can now rest easy: early in his Northern journey, Lee had a revelation.
“I went up to the Midwest about a month before I went to France before the rest of the summer, and I. realized it wasn’t me,” Lee says. “All these people have a fascination with Louisiana. There it’s good solid middle ground, and it’s not an extreme area. Down in Louisiana, it’s extremes. You either love it or hate it, and I realized I’m more of a Southern boy than I thought. I can say now that I’m proud to be a New Orleanian – I really missed it. I just got rejuvenated; my heart’s in New Orleans.”
Now Lee is starting a new chapter in his Crescent City story. He has two new homes on Bourbon St.: Tropical Isle and the Funky Pirate. Lee will be holding down court at the Tropical Isle on Wednesdays and Thursdays, and moving next door to The Funky Pirate Friday-Sunday. His debut homecoming bash will be Saturday, November 15 at The Funky Pirate.
Ex-cab driver turned full-time bluesman Mem Shannon was one of an elite group of musicians chosen to honor Muddy Waters October 11 at The Kennedy Center in New York. The concert was filmed by PBS for a television special scheduled to air this winter, and featured a dream house band including harmonica ace Charlie Musselwhite, pianist Johnnie Johnson, and guitarists G.E. Smith and Bob Margolin. The bill included Gregg Allman, Buddy Guy, Bo Diddley, Robert Jr. Lockwood, Koko Taylor, John Hiatt, Peter Wolf, Keb’ Mo’, Pinetop Perkins and Waters’ son Big Bill Morganfield. Each artist honored the Hoochie Coochie Man with one of his songs; Shannon performed “Honey Bee” and “Gypsy Woman.”
If two days of non-stop live blues sounds up your alley, consider heading to Memphis, TN, November 22 and 23 for Bluestock, the first national blues convention and showcase. Modeled after Austin, TX’s SXSW conference, Bluestock features industry panels and showcases devoted exclusively to blues. Conference registration is $50, and includes an opening reception and a gospel brunch. If you’re just interested in the live music, Bluestock has an impressive line-up. spread out over Beale St., including Bobby “Blue” Bland, Duke Robillard, Junior Kimbrough, Kenny Wayne Shepherd, Big Jack Johnson, Denise Lasalle, Smokin’ Joe Kubek, Lynn White and more; admission to all participating clubs is $15. For more information, call (901) 526-4280.
The late Johnny Copeland was a native of Haynesville, LA, so it’s fitting that Louisiana’s Black Top Records has released Johnny Copeland: Live in Australia, a powerful document of Copeland’s influential Texas-informed guitar playing and soul-shaking vocals. This CD is no hastily-assembled posthumous mish-mash, but a cohesive tribute to Copeland’s genius. Copeland’s “Cut off My Right Arm” remains one of the all-time great devastating blues, and his joyous take on Nappy Brown’s “Wella Wella Baby” – a favorite of Snooks Eaglin’s – make the CD essential.
New Orleans harmonica man Rockin’ Jake was recently featured on The House of Blues Radio Hour’s “Blues Breaker” segment in an interview with host Dan Ayckroyd. Ayckroyd spotlighted Jake’s contribution to Maria Muldaur’s “Without a Friend Like You.” The Rockin’ Jake band appears November 2 at Parlay’s Pub, and November 15 at Vic’s Kangaroo Cafe with T.J. Wheeler.
Fans looking for New Orleans slide guitar wizard Kenny Holladay at the Dragon’s Den take note: Holladay and his band The EI Kabongs have a new regular gig down the street; catch them now at the Dream Palace every Monday in November.
November looks like a solid month for live blues in the clubs. On November 1, take your pick between Brint Anderson’s record release parry at The Howlin’ Wolf, Texas wildman Will “Smokey” Logg and the Flamethrowers at The Rivershack Tavern or Merritt Doggins and the Bloodhounds at Le Bon Temps Roule. On November 5, Bruce “Sun pie” Barnes brings his Delta harmonica and Louisiana zydeco hybrid to Rock ‘n’ Bowl, and Tom Worrell brings his deep-blues and Professor Longhair piano work to Bon Temps November 6. Rattlesnake Shake pays tribute to Peter Green and early Fleetwood Mac (when they were still a blues band) at Bon Temps November 8. November 10 and 11, Gregg Allman does a two-night stand at the House of Blues. Monday November 10, 17 and 24, Gatemouth Brown pianist Joe Krown leads traditional piano night at the Maple Leaf. Paula Rangell – who sat in with Clarence Spady on Cherry St. at the King Biscuit Blues Festival last month – and her Pontiacs play the Rivershack November 15. Roomful of Blues – one of the best horn bands in the land – swings into House of Blues on November 16 in support of their latest smokin’ Bullseye release Under One Roof. Wrap up the month with “the irrepressible guitar hijinks of Snooks’ Eaglin at Rock ‘n’ Bowl, or Mem Shannon at the Howlin’ Wolf November 29.
I’ll leave you with the best unintentionally funny exploitation of blues for commercial purposes I’ve heard yet. Driving back from Arkansas last month, I heard a radio spot advertising a 2 CD set of blues tracks. At the end of the commercial, the announcer implored, “Get your mojo workin’ and grab your credit card!” Somehow, I don’t think that’s what Muddy originally had in mind.
