Pittsburgh Blues Festival: Saturday

Finely, it's Taj Mahal

Taj comes out with a bluesy persona -- not surprising since it's a blues fest, but slightly surprising, since he's such an eclectic musician. He's here with a trio -- himself on guitar and keyboards, a bass and drums. Almost a classic blues lineup. That carries him through the first few tunes. It's a warm night at Hartwood, and after about two songs, sweat is running in little rivers from his head.  

One more deep blues, he says, then "some other matters."  A medley -- "Mean Old World," sliding into "Blues with a Feeling."

Now he's launching into a little acoustic number, what I think is called "Fishin' Blues": "I'm a going' fishin' and my baby's goin' fishin' too" seems to be the point. 

Bill from Elizabeth is looking in (A viewer. Thanks, Bill). In answer to your question, it looks like it's a lot bigger crowd than last night. But as you so deftly pointed out today, I'm still surrounded. My carefully calculated estimate would, ohhh, lots more people.

 But Taj is now working his way through his own version of the classic "Corrine, Corrina." He does it differently than just about anyone else. Nicely different.

Now a Latin-flavored version of "Stagger Lee." It certainly makes it sound just like a bouncy little ditty of jealousy, revenge and death. Nothing could be finer.

 A BlueNotes complaint: It's hard typing in the dark.

"Movin' Up to the Country" is where we're going next. Paint our mailbox blue (violate postal regulations?). Let's give Mr. Mahal credit. He's cranking out song after song, which is exactly what everyone seems to want.

Cranking doesn't quite describe his treatment of Mississippi John Hurt's "Creole Belle," a sweet little song. Taj adds kissing sound effects. Hmmm. Still, it's a nice lyrical version. Taj seems to have a flavor of his own that he adds to everything. Which is what artists do.

Now it's time for the mandatory blues cheer: "Is everybody doing alright?" The consensus seems to be that we are.

This one is "Queen Bee." Not quite like the bluesy "King Bee." More world-beat hints lurking in the backgound. Something about "honey in your honey pot," I believe. Must be about agriculture, which I believe is what Taj studied at UMass many years ago. For a trio, these guys make a lot of music.

 He's vamping around the "sun's gonna shine in my back door some day" lyric -- he could be making it up as he goes along (like BlueNotes), but I doubt it.

We've gone more electric again, bluesy, a hard-driving something like "What's Wrong With You." Classically tough Chicago. He says it was first guitar song he ever learned.

Now a raucous, sing-along maybe finale "The Blues is Alright." We'll see about an encore. I'd bet on one. I win.

 Looks like a banjo. A few dance steps with the bass player. A call and response. Mostly a yell and a yell. A few remarks about American music and the blues, and now the banjo moves to New Orleans, which seems to be a hot topic this weekend. Three songs into it, and the encore continues with a "song for the ladies," generating something of a singalong iin front of the stage (which was opened for dancing part way into his set), "Lovin in My Baby's Eyes." Say goodnight, everybody.

It was, not to put too fine a point on it, a truly great show from Taj. In fact, it was darned fine evening. Joanna Connor, the Homemade Jamz and Taj Mahal made for a mini-festival of their own. An excellent day of blues of all stripes.

 Homemade Jamz

The Homemade Jamz are the Perrys: Ryan16 (guitar and vocals) , Kyle 14 (bass) and Taya, 9 (drums), out of Tupelo, Miss. Yep, those are the ages.  Dad Renaud and the brothers make their guitars from used auto parts (they look suspiciously like mufflers with strings -- in fact, they are).

He also backs them up on harp. Not that they need help. But it's nice to see the youngsters helping to take care of Dad with some employment.

But how do they sound? Close your eyes and try to convince yourself they are teens.. and less. They play with power, and Ryan sings with authority. They kicked off their set with the classic Little Willie John's "Grits Ain't Groceries."

Right now they're doing something they wrote -- "Right Thing, Wrong Woman" -- are they supposed to know about these things yet? Close your eyes, you're in a tough Chicago club; they're that good.

Now, "Got My Mojo Workin'," and it's not the original, but what is? A great cover.

Introducing the band, Ryan runs down the list, and the biggest hand goes to Taya.

Shameless BlueNotes plug: I wrote about their latest album, "Pay Me No Mind" a while back.

People keep coming up to the BlueNotes tent and asking where the CDs are for sale. I didn't think to cut one this year. Maybe next year.

Actually, even though these kids seem very young, lots of blues players got their start in their teens. Many were already on their own.

A very, very, very long jam breaks out as the brothers take their guitars into the crowd, Kyle's bass frets flashing red lights like little kid' tennis shoes. Tara is almost hidden behind the drum set, flowered head tossing, sticks flailing. Come back tomorrow for the pictures.

"Boom Boom" shuts down their set.  The John Lee Hooker classic. These guys will tackle anything. The thing is, they tackle it, knock it down and celebrate over it. Did Jack Lambert start like this?

A heckuva show. I'd hate to be Taj Mahal. Or not.

 Joanna Connor

A slight change in the schedule. Joanna Connor is swapping spots with the Homemade Jamz, who appear to have arrived at just about the time they were to play. So right now, Joanna is tearing up the stage with a ferocious slide guitar attack. A glance at her schedule indicates she's enjoying a good run in Chicago at the House of Blues and the Kingston Mines. I can see why.

Sally Wiggin, who introduced her, said Connor had driven directly here after closing down the Kingston Mine at 4 a.m. this morning.

Just now she's unleashing powerful vocals and slide in an extended, hypnotic version of an old Ray Charles tune, "I Don't Need No Doctor." She moves with liquid ease from a scorching attack to a soft little rift just to get you thinking she won't hurt you again with that slide, but then she does.

Then some Magic Sam. Then whatever she feels like. Then, the "Whipping Post." Lashing out again. And again. All with bone-numbing power and intensity. If there's a rain dance for the night, this could be it.

Once again, let me apologize for the lack of photos. My gear won't cooperate, and if Blue Notes had a middle name, it clearly wouldn't be "TechMan."

On a more personal note of self-gratification: BlueNotes just posed for a photo with a lovely woman who said she wanted to make someone jealous. That she was here and he wasn't. Oh well.

Pittsburgh Blues All-Stars

Each festival year brings a collection of local musicians who crank out some Pittsburgh-based rock, blues and soul. This year's collection included Norm Nardini, Guitar Zack Wiesinger, Shari Richards, Eric Spaulding, Bob Addleman, Whitey "Clyde" Cooper, and Harry Bottoms. Zack, by the way, is a young guitarist worth seeing and then watching where his career goes. BlueNotes was especially taken by Richards' torchy, soulful, "Baby, Baby, Baby." But then, he's easily taken. Spaulding's honkbopsax sounds do the same.

And they'll wind up the night with a late show at Moondog's in Blawnox. Last night, Tab Benoit sat in played drums for a set. So you never know. .

The festival's second stage keeps the acts flowing more smoothly, but BlueNotes has to actually leave his chair to see and photograph them.

Technical difficulties, but the show goes on

Nothin' But Trouble finished its sharp set and showed why they won the right to repesent the BSWPA in the IBC playoffs, even though the band is from Delaware. They do an amazing acapella rendition of "John the Revelator."

Meanwhile, BlueNotes has been struck by blues bad luck. After working properly all last night, my computer today refuses to recoginze the fact that I have my camera plugged into it and want to remove some of the photos I've taken. So I'll keep up with the posting, but it looks like the photos I'll be taking will have to wait for another day, another computer. Or a flash of insight. Is Bill Gates reading this? Does he do his own Windows?

But I should pay attention to Mem Shannon, who's funkily delivering another set of Nawlins music after last night's Mardi Gras celebration. Shannon is more eclectic than some other Louisiana blues players, combining lots of funkiness and a deep, deep groove drawing from all musical corners. It's hard to believe he lays down this wall of funk with just a bass player (Ian Michael - actually not, it turns out, Ian was sick and replaced by Brian... whose last name got lost in the PA system), keyboards (Robert Debon) and drums Josh Milligan -- a Grove City native). And his own razor sharp guitar work.

Man, this is funk on FGH -- Funk Growth Hormone. Bigger than it deserves to be -- extended solos in each song. Some songs are just extended solos. Even the drummer got one. And his hat never came off.

 The day begins

Is anybody out there?

Let me hear you say yeahhhhhh!!

All right. Never mind. I'll just keep assuming that someone might be out there.

It's Day Two at Hartwood Acres. People are moving in with their chairs and umbrellas (for the sun, right now), chairs with canopies coolers (yes you can bring one in for a $5 donation. I hope some of the fans with semis for coolers are kicking in more than that).

The weather forecast for today is sligtly mixed, but the musical forecast is definitely blue, with the most straight-ahead blues lineup of the weekend. From what I hear, a lot of people are really looking forward to Taj Mahal. So am I. He probably doesn't remember me, mainly because we never met, but I was lowly cub reporter in Worcester, Mass., when he was star in the making not too many miles away. Alas, I'm still a star in the making.

The setup is slightly different today. There's a small second stage at the top of the hill, just to make BlueNotes walk. Nothin' But Trouble opened up a little early, so they're going strong now. They're the band that the Blues Society of Western Pa. is sending to the International Blues Challenge next year.