Juke Joint Fest

We all know my preference is to attempt to write some entertaining story about my travels. But we've come to realize that when I'm in Texas, for some reason, I don't seem to write as much as when I'm on the road. I think it has to do with smoke. You know, the kind from the fires I cook over when I'm traveling.

So, before this becomes old news, rather than try to be creative, I'm going to just do a trip log of my recent trip to Clarksdale, MS for the Juke Joint Festival. I've heard and read about this fest for quite some time, but have never made it. After last year's King Biscuit, and then spending time with Ronnie and Tammy in Clarksdale, and their recommendation, I knew I wouldn't miss it this year.

So, lets get to the trip!
I rode the bike down on Friday. Got there in time to catch some music on the streets, including Pork Chop Willie (I'm sure the fact that a pretty lady on a fiddle caught my eye won't be a surprise to anyone that knows me, but the rest of the group was pretty good too! (8-) Alright, we gotta give props to Melissa Tong, Kinney Kimbrough and Eric Deaton, along with Bill "Pork Chop").





My main focus for Friday night, and the reason I made sure I was there before 9pm was to see Blue Mother Tupelo at the Delta Amazement Cafe. Ronnie told me about the band last fall, and the bar....well, its real name is the Delta AMUSEment Cafe, but I'm always AMAZED the place is in business, so I've renamed it. If you don't know what I'm talking about, you'll just have to experience it some day (a blog for another time). Anyway, Blue Mother Tupelo is a husband and wife team (along with a young drummer guy) that has so much energy and feel that the entire place was charged! I enjoyed them so much so that I made sure to catch them the next day for another round of great country blues music. And yes, that's the first time I've experienced a tambourine solo. There's just something about experiencing music when you can tell that the folks on stage are having so much fun.

Alright, I'm only into my third beer tonight and I can tell this is getting long, so I'm gonna just post some pictures.

Robert "Wolfman" Belfour (who I was fortunate enough to have caught at Red's Lounge on a previous trip to Clarksdale).

Mr. Tater the Music Maker. Actually, I didn't see Tater perform on this trip, but have many times on past trips. He was looking so fine this day that I had to get a picture. What a better shot than a blues man in front of a train? Okay, it would have been better if it was a box-car type train, but ya gotta work with what ya got, and there were no pretty ladies around at the time.






Now, if you wanna see a show, be sure to catch Reverand Payton's Big Damn Band. This shot doesn't give you a feel for the show. Check out the other pictures (I'll post the link at the end) that include his wife on washboard.Okay, its time to talk about friends. Like I mentioned earlier, I've been planning this trip since I left Clarksdale last fall. And Ronnie and Tammy (you remember them from last fall, right?) were again gracious hosts, giving me a place to stay, great food and great company. Last fall it was Tammy's birthday, and this trip it was their anniversary! These are great people.

Also staying at their house was Kim "BluesDawg" Mason. Here he is at Tricia's Italian Restaurant and Pie Hole, with LaLa. More on Tricia's later. LaLa plays a mean keyboard (again, follow the picture link). You can catch her solo, as well as with Super Chikan.


And lets not forget Vinnie C (he was playing on the streets as well) and Lori who also stayed out in Duncan with us. After all, Ronnie and Tammy live in a 2 bedroom house, so there was PLENTY of room for all of us, and Delta and Biscuit, their dogs.

Alright, its time to mention the really great part about this festival - THE PEOPLE! Blues folks are a great crowd. My estimate is that there were about 2-3000 people there, tops. Musicians on many, many streets and in the clubs at night. Chairs set up 5 feet from the band. By the end of the third day, you've basically been "hanging out" with all the same folks so much that you're old friends.

Speaking of ole friends, Joy and Kricket from Baton Rouge decided last minute to drive up for the fest (and even scored a hotel room in a town that's been booked up for 6 months!). The funny part is that they both forgot their cameras, so I ended up playing "photographer to the stars" all weekend, including this shot with Honey Boy Edwards on Sunday morning at breakfast.

Here's another Kodak moment with T-Model Ford. The series of pictures I took tells a story, although I'm not so sure I wanna know what the story was.

Now lets talk about magical musical moments. At an event like this, you never know who is going to step in and play with who. What's really special is when one of the older 'masters' plays with a younger blues player. Like when CeDell Davis rolled in and joined Malcolm of "Lightnin' Malcolm and Cedric Burnside".Of course Cedric has his time, with T-Model Ford.

Another great time was folks joining in with Honeyboy Edwards. First Billy Gibson.

And then it was Marquee (sorry, I don't really know the spelling of his name.) I saw him last fall at Hopson's during PineTop's Homecoming. He played with Michael Burke and tore it up! The great thing about this kid is his respect for his elders. You can see it in his face as he was 'following' Honeyboy. Here's Big George Brock's band (he's in red) when Malcolm joined them as well.


I I even managed to catch Rev KM Williams and Jackson (aka TrainWreck) at Ground Zero on Sunday. They are from Dallas and I actually got to visit with them a bit earlier in the day.
Oh yeah, we are way out of order of the weekend, but I got off track telling ya bout folks I saw. My pick for the busiest man of the weekend was Bill Abel. He played with and for pretty much everyone, including a few solo appearances.

Here he is with Cadillac John.

And here he is with Honey Boy.



And, with T-Model and Deak Harp.















Here's The Homemade Jamz Band at Ground Zero. I think I wrote about them at a Chicago Blues Fest. 3 kids and their dad. They've won many contests and awards. I was duely impressed when I saw their mention and display at the BB King Museum in Indianola, MS (I know, I still need to write about that part of the trip last fall). Be sure to notice the guitars. And yes, that's their little sister on drums.


Here's L.C. Ulmer at Trishia's


And of course Terry "Harmonica" Bean, who also ran one heck of a jam at Red's that night. By the way, if anyone knows who Jackie is, she signed my t-shirt and I don't much remember why. At least I woke up with MY OWN t-shirt, this time! (Just kidding Mom. I always wake up with my own clothes! LOL)


I could show you a picture of Robert "Bilbo" Walker and his band, but I kinda like this one better, since it also shows my bike!




Okay, its time to take a break from the musicians and talk about the people again. Unless you've ever traveled with me, its hard to explain how sometimes things "just happen". Like "Wildman's Den of Sin" next to the nuclear reactor in Mississippi. Or closing down PEARL after a great night of music. Finding a sword fish (less the sword) in the dumpster at The Hole In the Wall. Well, you get the idea. For this fest, the magic was in discovering Tricia's Italian Restaurant and Pie Hole. Yep, that's what its called. Or I should say that's what its going to be called, when they officially open. For the fest, HuckFinn was grilling sausage out front, Jo was serving food inside and Tricia and Steve were gracious (VERY gracious) hosts. Sorry, I can't remember Huck's friend's name, but she was running around helping a lot too.
Here's the story - They are all from Indiana! Steve and Tricia are moving down to Clarksdale to open their dream place. Aparently there were many road trips to get the place in a state where they could just open the doors (gut it from the previous furniture store?) and host a tail-gate style party! And pies! This lady can cook pies! These folks hauled polish/italian sausage down from Chicago! And cold beer! Okay, like I said, there's no way I can explain events of the weekend around this place. The people I met. The music I heard. The pie I ate (and got to take home!)!!! But most of all, the hospitality that they showed. If ANYONE ever goes to Clarksdale, MS you BETTER go to Trcia's (its across from Yazoo Avenue Park (and the Bluesberry Cafe) on Yazoo Ave. You might even mention my name. It probably won't help any, but I'm pretty sure it won't get you thrown out.

Well, time to wrap this up. Tricia's was my big discovery. I made a lot of friends I hope to see again, like Jeff and Mary Anne Norwood (Jeff is a musician and played there, Mary Anne is a photographer and was polite enough to hang out with me at many stages).

Of course there's Joy, my blues-twin. I think we hit just about every venue on Saturday and even drove out in the Blues Caddy to Hopson's to catch Big George Brock.





Here's the link to all of my pictures from Juke Joint Fest 2009 - http://tinyurl.com/JukeJoint09

See ya at the next fest.
Life is Good, So are the blues