July 2003 Feature Story
by Phil Chesnut
(See CD reviews of many of the artists performing at Winthrop on page
7, plus lots more event info in the Blues Headlines on page 4)
The blues festival season is upon us and there are some terrific festivals
scheduled for northwest blues fans practically every weekend. But, if
you only go to one festival in Washington this summer the Winthrop Rhythm
& Blues Festival on July 18-20 has got to be the one. This award
winning blues fest is held at the “Blues Ranch,” a fifty
acre stretch of land on the banks of the Methow River, surrounded by
the majestic Cascade Mountains, one mile from the rustic town of Winthrop.
Festival producer Cholo Willsin has again put together an amazing array
of local and national blues talent for this, the largest and best blues
fest in Washington. There will be 17 different performances over the
three-day festival, all run very smoothly and punctually by Cholo and
stage manager Ted Korner. As well as the great music you’ll find
food booths, craft booths, t-shirt booths, a beer tent, plenty of water,
porta-potties and even showers. Although most hotels and B&Bs are
reserved early, there’s plenty of camping space on site. Fans
will also have the opportunity to become better acquainted with some
fine northwest area blues societies who will have booths at the festival
along with Blues To Do Monthly (subscribe at the festival and pick out
your FREE CD right at the booth!).
As always, the Winthrop R&B Festival unofficially begins on Thursday
July, 17th with the Winthrop Street Dance. Music for the Street Dance
will be provided by some of Washington’s finest blues talent.
The show begins at 7pm with classic blues renderings from The Jelly
Rollers, followed by Seattle favorite Daddy Treetops at 8:45, and Bump
Kitchen closing the street dance with their show at 9:30pm.
The 16th Annual Winthrop Rhythm & Blues Festival opens on the Blues
Ranch grounds on Friday, July 18th at 4pm with some great blues from
Bump Kitchen. Portland’s favorite harmonica wizard Bill Rhoades
and the Party Kings sets up at 6pm followed by California guitar slinger
Junior Watson, whose diverse stylings can be heard on his new CD If
I Had a Genie on Heart & Soul Records. Junior also plays Seattle’s
About The Music on Saturday, July 19th. Thursday’s closing performance
features two major headliners. Joe Louis Walker and his band the Boss
Talkers take the stage at 10pm. B.B. King called Joe Louis Walker his
favorite guitar player—Walker has an amazing voice, too. Their
special guest will be Big Bill Morganfield, the son of blues legend
Muddy Waters. At times, Big Bill’s voice sounds so much like his
father’s, it’s almost eerie. Joe Louis Walker & Big
Bill Morganfield can also be seen in a double bill at Seattle’s
Jazz Alley, July 15 & 16.
The Winthrop blues experience begins again on Saturday at 11am with
the long
cool back porch blues of Daddy Treetops, followed at noon by some great
swing and jump blues provided by Puget Sound guitar man Tim Casey and
his Bluescats. Boise’s astonishing harp master Fat John Nemeth
shows his licks at 2pm. Northwest blues legends Too Slim and the Taildraggers
begin their set at 4pm. This terrific power trio will show why they’ve
been invited back to every Winthrop fest for the past 16 years. The
awesome horn encrusted band Roomful of Blues set up at 6pm. This assembly
of talented musicians, with a recently garnered 2003 Handy for Best
Horns, has been tearing up the blues circuit—in different incarnations—for
over 30 years. Now the group has an important link to the Northwest:
Seattle’s long time favorite writer, harpist, vocalist, Mark Dufresne,
who is now fronting Roomful. It will great to again hear Mark’s
great harp and that incredible voice, now headlining all over the world.
You can also hear Mark with Roomful of Blues on their new CD That’s
Right on Alligator Records. Roomful also plays many other NW dates (see
calendar). Louisiana guitar master Sonny Landreth opens class at 8pm
with an amazing lesson in slide guitar, blending Cajun and blues stylings
into a truly unique performance, sometimes working the fretboard with
both hands creating sounds that you never thought could come out of
an electric guitar. Landreth’s new CD (on the Sugar Hill label)
is titled The Road We’re On. (see our review on page7) Closing
the Saturday night show, with three brand new Handy Awards is the sensational
blues belter Shemekia Copeland. (Cholo’s foresight and blues knowledge
shows here: he booked Shemekia long before the nominations.) Daughter
of Texas blues guitar legend Johnny Clyde Copeland, Shemekia proves
that the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree. With a potent soulful
voice that belies her young age it’s easy to see why Shemekia
has earned Handys for Best Contemporary Female Artist for the last three
years. Shemekia’s sensational new Dr. John produced album Talking
to Strangers on Alligator also garnered two Handys for Contemporary
Blues Album of the Year and Album of the Year.
On Sunday, July 20th, the festivities begin at 11am with another set
by Daddy Treetops, followed by Texas blues singer Buzz Gamble &
the Daily News. Now living in California’s high desert, Gamble’s
music reflects his long hard past. Opening the 2pm slot is another current
Handy winner, Chicago guitar artist Jody Williams. At 68, Jody won a
2003 Handy for Comeback Artist of the Year after the release of his
fine CD Return of a Legend on Evidence Records. Jody was a great session
man for the legendary Chess Records in the ’50s and ’60s
before hanging up his ax for a day gig. For the next 30 years, Williams
was a technician for various corporations including Xerox, before going
back to what he loves—playin’ the blues. Welcome back, Jody.
At 4pm Darrell Nulisch will hold the crowd with his superb harmonica
and rich, soulful vocals. James Cotton fans know Darrell well; he’s
also the vocalist for the Cotton band but this is a great chance to
experience not only Nulisch’s vocals but also his great harp chops.
Darrell’s exceptional new CD is titled Times Like These, on the
Severin label. Closing the stage at 6pm is the undisputed “Queen
of the Blues,” the glorious Koko Taylor. With a Grammy and an
amazing 19 Handy Awards, Koko is a true force in today’s blues.
After some medical problems it’s good to see Ms. Taylor touring
again, I recently saw Koko and her voice is still simply stunning. What
a way to end the show!
The stage may get dark but the blues ain’t over yet. The after-jam
has long been a tradition at Winthrop, where the local stars and the
headliners all get together for some head cuttin’ when the festival
is over. In years past this all-star jam took place at the Palace in
Winthrop but this year the jam stays at the Blues Ranch. To get away
from the hot sardine can atmosphere of former jams, the cooler and more
spacious beer garden will house the final blues licks of the night for
the hard core blues fans this year. Winthrop 16--don’t miss it.
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2002
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