Carnival of Soul

The blues world continues to keep the music coming. Various methods are being used to give everyone the entertainment they seek. And while there is optimism in the future, the present is taking a toll.

Daryl Hall sent out this message, “I am sorry to say Daryl’s House is going to have to close due to the existing situation, but we’re gonna come back. I hope to see everyone soon.” The live stream concerts will continue and he asked for your support. Blues Beat enjoyed The Gospel Bruch with Alexis P. Suter. It took less than an hour from driveway to parking lot.

Southside Johnny & The Asbury Jukes will be at South Farms on Saturday. This Jersey Shore musical group, led by Southside Johnny, has been recording albums since 1976 and are closely associated with Bruce Springsteen & the E Street Band.

Southside Johnny and Steve Van Zandt, the two prime movers behind the formation of the Jukes, began playing together in various bands during the early 1970s. These bands, initially based out of Asbury Park, were usually short lived and often included Bruce Springsteen and various future members of The E Street Band.

More than 100 musicians can claim to have been members of the Asbury Jukes, including Jon Bon Jovi, who toured with the band as a special guest during 1990. Bon Jovi has also cited the band as an influence.

Premier Concerts / Manic Presents have set up a socially distanced outdoor concert series at South Farms in Morris. Believing live music is vital, the promoter, along with New Haven Center for Performing Arts Inc, to expand into Litchfield County and have joined together with South Farms to create Twilight Concerts.

Friday, The B Side Band is at Ripka’s, Calf Pasture Beach.

Lori and The Legends will be at Pomona Pete’s on Saturday.

Sunday at 1:30 p.m., The Grill at Copper Hill’s Music on the Patio (weather permitting) hosts Center Line Band Duo.

Live music is returning to Norwalk. With safety, health, and entertainment in mind, The Wall Street Theater is partnering with the SoNo Collection for the ultimate outdoor concert series. Join them every weekend starting September 11th for amazing performances live from the #SoNoCollection Rooftop overlooking the Norwalk Harbor.

Blues on Broadway was planning for September Blues, but because of the COVID-19 phase-in, the show as not been allowed to open yet. They are hopeful that a show can happen in October. Check their website for updates. BoB has been working hard to prepare the Donald L. Oat Theater so that when they do open up with social distancing in place, you will feel comfortable being there again, enjoying great blues the second Wednesday of the month.

The Blues Foundation invites all musicians to submit their blues recordings for consideration for a 2021 Blues Music Award Nomination. Blues music released between Nov. 1, 2019 and Oct. 31, 2020 is eligible for consideration for a 2021 Blues Music Award Nomination.

You may now formally submit your album or minimum 6-song EP for consideration to the foundation.

In the Blues Foundation news, the Board of Directors voted unanimously to cancel this years’ IBC and look ahead to the first quarter of 2022 when the blues community can hopefully come together in person to celebrate the blues via this signature event.

Leading up to this board decision, they wrote expanded rules that would have allowed affiliated blues societies to choose their challengers outside of a live judged event. Many blues societies reported back that they and the musicians in their communities were not enthusiastic about proceeding. It became clear to the Board that without full engagement of artists, industry, blues society leadership, and fans, they could not produce an event with the musical diversity and quality you have come to expect. After careful consideration of all options, including a virtual IBC, it was agreed that this Blues Foundation program is meant to be experienced live and that it would not be safe or feasible to attempt to produce it this winter in the midst of a pandemic. The Board concurrently voted to suspend nominations and selection of Keeping the Blues Alive Award recipients until the fall of 2021, with plans to honor those selected during the 2022 IBC Week, where they can be celebrated in person with their family and friends surrounding them.

Join Mississippi Valley State University in celebrating “The Best of the Best” during the 6th Annual B.B. King Day at MVSU Symposium. This year’s virtual event will air at 2 p.m. Saturday on the official MVSU YouTube Channel and will feature replays of live performances, discussions and jam sessions from legendary Blues musicians and artists.

Bob Margolin is releasing a Chicago Blues Slide Guitar, instructional book and videos co-authored with Dave Rubin. They will be published in January. He recorded 58 video clips working both sides of the camera. They’re finishing up the book manuscript now. Hundreds of hours of explaining what Margolin knows and studying others’ styles well enough to demonstrate and describe them.

Stony Plain Records released its the first volume of music from roots “super group,” New Moon Jelly Roll Freedom Rockers this week. The Rockers consist of Charlie Musselwhite, Alvin Youngblood Hart, Jimbo Mathus, the late Jim Dickinson, and North Mississippi Allstars members Luther Dickinson and Cody Dickinson.

Recorded at the Zebra Ranch Recording Studio in Coldwater, Mississippi, the 10 blues-drenched tracks of roots music on New Moon Jelly Roll Freedom Rockers Volume 1 will be followed in the spring of 2021 by Volume 2.

The New Moon Jelly Roll Freedom Rockers originated in November, 2007, when musician brothers Luther and Cody Dickinson sat down for a guitar jam with ex-Squirrel Nut Zippers leader Jimbo Mathus, along with blues greats Charlie Musselwhite, Alvin Youngblood Hart and the late Memphis pianist, producer and all around musical stylist Jim Dickinson, gathered for a roots music extravaganza recording under the group name of the New Moon Jelly Roll Freedom Rockers.

Any questions or comments should be sent to Domenic Forcella at TWBlus@aol.com.