Friends of The Blues, Mike Durbin and Kenneth Harris (November 14, 2009) — Image by kenne
Mike Durbin, the lead in the Moe Hansum Band past away a couple of weeks ago from ALS.
We are all still in shock.
— kenne
Archive for the ‘Kenneth Harris’ Tag
Friends of The Blues 1 comment
Mike Durbin, the lead in the Moe Hansum Band past away a couple of weeks ago from ALS.
Ken’s Stuff and More Stuff Leave a comment
Kenneth Harris (May 20, 2017) — Image by kenne
“Stuff.”
One of my favorite words is stuff.
“That’s Super Stuff!”
“Make Stuff”
“I Love Free Stuff”
“The Good Stuff”
“My Stuff”
“Stuff in My Life”
“Stuff That Works”
“The Right Stuff”
“How’s Your Stuff?”
There are so many variations on the use of the word stuff. This last May we attended the last “Ken and Mary’s Blues Project” house concert in Porter, Texas. Before the music started, Kenneth Harris told the story of how the Project came about from his listening to Sunday blues on Houston’s KPFT. One Sunday he was listening to Nuri Nuri’s Blues Brunch.
“. . . he [Nuri] was interviewing this guy, and they played some of his stuff, and I called Nuri on the phone, and I said Nuri do you know anybody in the Houston area that can do that type of stuff, and he told me you meet me at Billy Blue’s like next Saturday night.”
Long story short, Kenneth found that stuff in the form of the Moe Hansum Band.
As I listen to Kenneth’s story I couldn’t help but think of Guy Clark’s “Stuff that Works.”
Stuff that works, stuff that holds up
The kind of stuff you don’ hang on the wall
Stuff that’ real, stuff you feel
The kind of stuff you reach for when you fall
Continuing on this theme of “Stuff,” in the 1970’s there was a jazz-funk band called “Stuff.” The members were Gordon Edwards (bass), Richard Tee (keyboards), Eric Gale (guitar), Cornell Dupree (guitar), Chris Parker (drums), and later Steve Gadd (drums).
There is good stuff and not so good stuff, because of what we do with our stuff. We have too much stuff. Earth’s beauty is being scarred by the stuff we throw away daily. As someone who spends a lot of time outdoors admiring nature’s beauty, I see stuff on our trails, hanging in trees, blowing in the wind, in our lakes and streams.
In December of 2007, a short documentary was released. The documentary was critical of excessive consumerism and promotes sustainability, which has gone from a movie to a movement over the last ten years — a Community of more than a million changemakers worldwide, working to build a more healthy and just planet. This land is our land! You can join the movement.
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Just Sitting On The Front Porch 2 comments
Computer Painting by kenne
The Blues Project
They called it a project,
a Blues Project, but really,
it was a party — a party for
family and friends to share
happy times, talk about living life,
and a love for good old blues music.
Once this party began
there would be no stopping it,
even when forced undercover
of rain, friends laugh and
talk about déjà vu the
evening had become.
Just sitting on the front porch
doing that front porch thing
telling stories now embellished
by all the good times dancing
and singing the night away
in the woods off Old Houston Road.
The Blues Project may be over
so listen if the night will lead you
to the music, the stories told
and smile a smile one more time
for each Project was just a rehearsal
for what our tomorrows will bring.
— kenne
Kenneth Harris shares the story of how Ken & Mary’s Blues Project came about. (May 20, 2017)
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Ken’s Art Fence — Photo Essay Leave a comment
Ken’s Fence Panel
Ken’s Fence Panel
Ken’s Fence Panel
Ken’s Fence Panel
Ken’s Fence Panel
Ken’s Fence Panel
Ken’s Fence Panel
Ken’s Fence Panel
Ken’s Fence Panel
Panels in Kenneth Harris’s Fence, Porter, Texas — Images by kenne
(Click on any image to see in a slideshow format.)
Currently, Ken’s fence has 31 panels and growing. I took photos of eight before the music started at Ken and Mary’s Blues Project, May 20, 2017, in Porter, Texas. His fence has got to be one of the most creative fences in Texas. Great work, Ken!
— kenne
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“Just Through Loving You” — Julie Bonk Leave a comment
Mary Bonk, Guthrie Kennard and George Bearishill on the stage at Ken & Mary’s Blues Project. — Images and video by kenne
People who love live music in a “house concert” format in the greater Houston area are aware of the work Mary and Kenneth Harris have done for the last 20 years. When it comes to house concerts it’s difficult to beat the live events they conduct in the piney woods of east Texas.
Julie Bonk
The headliner for this fall’s event was Guthrie Kennard with Julie Bonk.
Ken and Mary first heard Julie at Camp Stupid at the Kerrville Folk Festival in 2012.
At one point in the evening, Julie did a solo singing one of her songs, “Just Through Loving You.”
kenne
Related articles
- “Down In A Country Town” – Porter, Texas (kenneturner.com)
- Another Blues Project Night (kenneturner.com)
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Houston Blues World, February 22, 2003 3 comments
Texas Johnny Brown
I. J. Gosey
Images by kenne
February 22, 2003, Blues lovers and legends in Houston gathered at Houston’s Mr. Gino’s Lounge in the memory of blues/jazz great, Kinney Abair. Now that it’s almost the 10th anniversary of Kinney’s death, I’m sharing my images of the Mr. Gino’s event. Some of the musicians in the photos are Joe ‘Guitar’ Hughes, I.J. Gosey, Ashton Savoy, Mike Stone, Pee Wee Stevens, Sonny Boy Terry and Texas Johnny Brown. Many other legends were in attendance, but not necessarily in my photos.
That evening we were also remembering AJ Murphy, who had a heart attach and passed away after giving a eulogy for his close friend, Kinney.
AJ Murphy
kenne
(To review other Blues posting on the blog, use the search function for “blues” on the home page, left column.
The Weary Blues
Droning a drowsy syncopated tune,
Rocking back and forth to a mellow croon,
I heard a Negro play.
Down on Lenox Avenue the other night
By the pale dull pallor of an old gas light
He did a lazy sway. . . .
He did a lazy sway. . . .
To the tune o’ those Weary Blues.
With his ebony hands on each ivory key
He made that poor piano moan with melody.
O Blues!
Swaying to and fro on his rickety stool
He played that sad raggy tune like a musical fool.
Sweet Blues!
Coming from a black man’s soul.
O Blues!
In a deep song voice with a melancholy tone
I heard that Negro sing, that old piano moan—
“Ain’t got nobody in all this world,
Ain’t got nobody but ma self.
I’s gwine to quit ma frownin’
And put ma troubles on the shelf.”
Thump, thump, thump, went his foot on the floor.
He played a few chords then he sang some more—
“I got the Weary Blues
And I can’t be satisfied.
Got the Weary Blues
And can’t be satisfied—
I ain’t happy no mo’
And I wish that I had died.”
And far into the night he crooned that tune.
The stars went out and so did the moon.
The singer stopped playing and went to bed
While the Weary Blues echoed through his head.
He slept like a rock or a man that’s dead.
Related articles
- The Weary Blues (kenanmalik.wordpress.com)
- blues poems (i) (blkcowrie.wordpress.com)
- Drinks With Langston (awakenedwords.wordpress.com)
- Houston’s Blues Scene Busier Than Ever – (kenneturner.com)
- Capturing The Moment — Blues Series Revisited – (kenneturner.com)
- Capturing The Moment — Ken & Mary’s Blues Project Revisited – (kenneturner.com)
- Capturing The Moment — Texas Johnny Brown @ Billy Blues – (kenneturner.com)
- Capturing The Moment — Blues For AJ — (kenneturner.com)
- Houston’s Big Easy Social & Pleasure Room – (kenneturner.com)
- The Weary Blues (kenanmalik.wordpress.com)
- blues poems (i) (blkcowrie.wordpress.com)
- Drinks With Langston (awakenedwords.wordpress.com)
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Sonny Boy Terry and John McVey 1 comment
John McVey & Sonny Boy Terry – Image by kenne
In a previous posting, I noted that Sonny Boy Terry and John McVey preformed a Kenneth Harris’ retirement party, May 28, 2010. Here’s a video of one of their bluesy songs.
kenne
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Kenneth Harris’ Retirement Party 5 comments
This past week, Kenneth Harris entered the ranks of the retired. Some of his friends and family were able to celebrate the occasion in the usual Ken & Mary style, 
plenty of food, drink, great conversation and the best blues this side of the piney-woods. After listening to John McVey and Sonny Boy Terry’s first blues set, people gathered to march behind Ken to the burial site to bury his job. Only Ken would create such a rite!
As always, the music was great! Sonny knows how to always surround himself with the best blues guitar players in the business, this time bringing John McVey out to Ken & Mary’s.
kenne
p.s. I was able to get some video, which I will be posting later.
Becoming is Superior to Being 