BlueNotes has a new home

Jim White/Post-Gazette

B.B. King, the King of the blues at the Chicago Blues Festival June 8. I wanted a nice big photo for the new blog home, and this was it.

We've moved.

Welcome to the spiffy new BlueNotes World Headquarters. The web address is now http://community.post-gazette.com/blogs/bluenotes/ And yes, that's an old photo at the top, but it's a good one, and a fine way to start a new blog life.

From now on, this is where you'll find my latest rants, reviews and reflections.

As a bonus, you can comment without having to actually e-mail BlueNotes and hope that he makes you famous. Just click the "Join" button at the top right of this page, answer a few simple questions (make checks payable to BlueNotes), and you'll be good to travel the blues highway.

It can be a blues community, if you'll share your thoughts, reviews, your band's next gig, or whatever you like.

To get us started in our new blue life here, here's a note I received a few days ago from Jim Franciscus, the veep of the Western Pa Blues Society, which is laboring mightily to keep the blues alive in the region. The group is meeting tomorrow night at Moondog's in Blawnox, and hopes to attract blues lovers to this "blues summit" to help move the organization forward.

Here's what Jim sent me: 

Are you interested in making a positive contribution to Western Pa.'s local blues scene? Do you have concerns about it's current state? Do you have suggestions on how to increase the number of attendees at local blues shows by local and national acts? Do you have suggestions about how to increase the appreciation and influence of the blues in young people? If so, please plan to attend the Western Pa. Blues Summit on Thursday June 26, 2008 7:00pm at Moondog's Pub.
   The local blues scene needs your help. The number of people who are coming out to local venues to listen to and appreciate the blues is dwindling and only we can help. The BSWPA and Ron "Moondog" Esser are putting together this meeting to put our collective efforts together and improve our local blues scene. Come with a positive attitude and your best ideas. Everyone will be heard, but we insist that everyone keep a positive vibe. We are there to talk, but we are also there to work. The blues is serious business to most of us and it's going to take some real time and effort to accomplish the things that need to be done.
      Please spread the word about this event to everyone that you know loves the blues. Of course, there will be a jam session to follow! Bring your hearts and minds, then be ready to have some fun playing both of them out onstage afterwards. Hope to see you there. 

You could do worse than check it out.

The old BlueNotes

Because of our move to this new site, you can't search for any BlueNotes before this date from this page. (I know, bad luck and trouble follow me everywhere). But you can find the old stuff here, if you want to check it out. Once on that page, you can look for headlines, or use the search function at the top.