Much has happened since going to Memphis to attend the International Blues Challenge. For starters, the NY Times Travel section was two weeks late in providing a good article, “Roll Over, Elvis. Meet Indie Memphis.” We now know we missed a lot.
While in Memphis, the US Supreme Court decision involving the Fair Elections Now Act works against the continued corporate takeover of our government. Are corporations evil? No! Neither are the people who work within their controlling environments. However, with the Supreme Court’s recent decision, it is becoming even more convincing that we need to redesign a poorly designed invention of our culture (corporations). I know this will not be an easy task since most of us are products of the corporate mentality and lifestyle. Still, if we value the mystery and categories of human enterprise, we must find ways to level the playing field. It is important to remember that there is nothing more unequal than the equal treatment of unequals.
(Is This A Good Year To Be Born — Newsweek, 1967)
The great US historian and activist Howard Zinn, who helped change many Americans’ conscience, passed away this week at age 87. I first learned about Howard Zinn in the late sixties while still in the Army. Frustrated by our continued involvement in Vietnam, I began keeping a scrapbook of articles, opt-ad columns, political cartoons, and photos. During this time, I first read the Zinn quote, “Dissent is the highest form of patriotism,” which has since been carved into my very being. Although many have read his book, The People’s History of the United States, which gives voice to Native Americans, Blacks, women, immigrants, poor laborers, and others not covered in mainstream history, still many only got to know of him through the recent History Channel, The People Speak. A believer in democracy by the people, and in light of the above-mentioned US Supreme Court decision, I share this Zinn quote: “If those in charge of our society – politicians, corporate executives, and owners of press and television – can dominate our ideas, they will be secure in their power. They will not need soldiers patrolling the streets. We will control ourselves.”
Pogo — 1967
This past week witnessed two examples of a great leader in action: President Barak Obama’s State of the Union speech and, two days later, his appearance before and discussion with the Republican Caucus. I urge you to make your own judgment by viewing the videos on YouTube.
Lastly, this past week also saw the death of J.D. Salinger. Although I was not a “reader” as a child and young adult, one of the first novels I read (all-be-it because I had to in senior English) in the late ’50s was Catcher In The Rye, and like so many young people of the time, it had a lasting impression. So many of us share a kinship with Holden and our phony world.
“If you really want to hear about it, the first thing you’ll probably want to know is where I was born, and what my lousy childhood was like, and how my parents were occupied and all before they had me, and all that David Copperfield kind of crap, but I don’t feel like going into it if you want to know the truth.” The opening line from Catcher in The Rye.
I will end this posting by sharing an email from Brother Tom:
The cat and I were laughing ( As in J.D. Salinger’s story. “The Laughing Man” ) about persons who repeatedly speak of “coming out” with their BOOK explaining “IT” all….. And we thought of Theroux’s quote :
“A person becomes a writer because they are DEFICIENT. They have problems; They are “crazy”; They have unhappy families… They are “eccentric” and… Not because they read a LOT of books; but on the contrary… Maybe they haven’t read enough books!!!!!!!! There is a strong irrationality about THE WRITING LIFE…
Often, a writer writes to maintain a need to be HUGGED and told that she is loved.”
t.
Thanks, Tom. We may live far apart but remain on the same wave link.
Beale Street, Memphis (January 21, 2010) Image by kenne
The Houston Blues Society annually selects local musicians to participate in the International Blues Challenge in Memphis. We were there in support of our good friend, Sonny Boy Terry.
Houston Legend, Earl Gilliam and Jonn Richardson at the Big East, (February 15, 2009) — Image by kenne
Lately I have been listening to an Otis Taylor CD. Coincidentally, my friend Jonn Del Toro Richardson posts on Facebook a Otis Taylor, Gary Moore & Jonn Richardson video from 2006 — karma!
I’ve followed the musical career of Jonn over the last decade. The Blues world has a lot of great Bluesmen, but few as good, yet not recognized as Jonn. Yes, among Blues musicians Jonn is admired for his talent, but for many Blues fans he is under the radar. For years Jonn has toured with better known musicians, and collaborated on releasing CDs, but no solo CD — it’s time for his own CD!
Now there’s an opportunity to help Jonn reach his funding goal to produce his first solo album. Click here for more information.
Here are three of videos of Jonn I have done — yes, he is the “REAL DEAL!”
IBC Blues Jam, 2010
The Real Deal with Rich DelGrosso at Ken & Mary’s Blues Project, 2011
Diunna Greenleaf & Blue Mercy @ Rhythm & Roots Concert Series In Tucson, 2012 — Jonn and Diunna bring it on home in this video!
Friday afternoon at the International Blues Challenge was the Youth Showcase, which turned out to be a real enjoyable experience for Joy and I.
Before going to the IBC, through my Blues connections, I had become a fan of the Detroit Blues Society. So, when reviewing the Youth Showcase bands, I noticed the Detroit Blues Society sponsored one band, The Jake Bishop Band. Remember the name, they are good!
The video audio doesn’t do justice to the band, which is why I have purchased an external mic for future use.
When you have hundreds of blues musicians around, what better time to jam into the early morning! So, not surprisingly, after the completion of the blues challenge on Thursday and Friday evenings, Houston’s own Jonn Richardson organized a blues jam at one of the Beale Street venues. Believe me, these photos and video do limited justice to the total of what took place. Enjoy!
If you like delta/New Orleans storytelling blues you have no choice but to love Stevie DuPree. Stevie was the Houston Blues Societies duo/solo entry at the International Blues Challenge this past week. Better known to his Houston fans as Stevie DuPree and The Delta Flyers, did good on Beale Street but lost to a very “bigger than life” blues man from Canada. Andersen is well known on the east coast and much of Canada. In the end, as was said often during the IBC event, all the musicians there were winners.
We arrived in Memphis for the International Blues Challenge (IBC) midday, Thursday (January 21, 2010) not knowing what to expect, but with high hopes that the Houston Blues Society’s representatives (The Sonny Boy Terry Band and DuPree) would come back winners.
After picking up our tickets and IBC program, we attempted to check into our hotel, but the rooms were not ready, so we began walking down Main Street to Beale Street. And, whom should we meet on the way, none other than KPFT’s Blues Hound and Baby Girl (James and Colleen Nagel). They were on their way to Alcenia’s, a soul food dining delight, and not lacking bravado we ask if we could go with them – of course, they welcomed our company.
After ordering from the menu and the usual casual conversation, the Blues Hound pulled out his “cheat-sheet” (my term) while asking, “ . . . have you done your homework?’ While feeling like I had missed the assignment, he proceeds to let us know that he had gone online and identified the bands he wanted to try and see during the IBC event. Now I know why the Blues Hound is such a musicologist and has a great blues show on KPFT – he does his homework! To say the least, the food and conversation was great, right down to the sweet-potato pie.
The Sonny Boy Terry Band was scheduled early in the competition at the Club Chill. So, after checking into the hotel and relaxing a bit, we walked the six blocks to Club Chill, arriving in plenty of time to help gather up support for the band and check out some of the other bands. Not knowing who all would be there from Houston, it was pleasant to see that a good number had made it up from Houston – I’m told it was one of the largest groups every. How nice!
The band did a super job in what I feel was a good venue for them. (I will add however, the smoke was almost too much.) Good venue and great performance or not, the IBC process is strictly a “luck of the drew” call. The IBC takes place in eleven clubs, ten bands in each. Only the winner from each club goes to the finals and as it turned out for the Sonny Boy Terry Band, they were grouped with the IBC winner, Grady Champion – a group with a lot of style, but little more.
Although the process was questionable and easy to criticize, it’s a given when you decide to participate in the Houston Blues Society competition. Still, both the HBS entries are much better today because of having been part of the IBC competition. They made us proud to be from Houston.
Houston Legend, 
