Aug.-Sept. 2023 • Big City Rhythm & Blues 43 Basel, Switzerland Basel, Switzerland Blues Diary Groove Now Blues Weeks Basel 2024 Festival BY ANDREW BOLLER “We love Basel and we love Groove Now!” shouted a glowing Lisa Mann, from the Atlantis stage in Basel, echoing the sentiments of every participating musician I have spoken with and seen perform in the outstanding Groove Now Blues Weeks’ festivals. Credit this to mastermind, Patrick Kaiser, the hands-on promoter who organizes Groove Now and presents top contemporary American blues and soul artists. Kaiser loves blues and soul music and the musicians who make the music. For the past decade, he has introduced American blues and soul musicians to an enthusiastic Swiss audience, increasing their European profile and opening doors to a greater European audience. His concept is ingenious. He enlists excellent players who are on board with a chosen theme. They work together to assemble the lineups that meet the criteria. Kaiser cultivates long term relationships with players, benefitting both parties. This often creates unique one-time combinations which increase treasurable live performances. There are 3 concert nights but the week commences with an informal Hotel Dorint lounge performance. (The musicians stay in Hotel Dorint, Groove Now’s partner hotel) The musicians play a casual set, a taste of what is to come, for a small gathering of fans and friends of Groove Now. The intimacy of these pre-concert appearances allows the small audience to get up close and enhances the artist-audience connection. The following evening, the concerts begin. Each night, a featured act does a set. The atmosphere is conducive to musical collaboration. Each week’s session culminates in an inspired closing night. Each session has a concept. Steve Guyger Rodrigo Mantovani Photo/Nick Moss Photo/Willie Surdeck Cha Wa’s New EP Live At Brooklyn Bowl Charlie Wooton’s Two New Singles “Tell Me A Story” Featuring Sonny Landreth and “Jaceaux” Featuring Doug Wimbish From His Upcoming October Album Blue Basso An Independent Record Label Serving Indie Music Community Presents Charlie Wooton Project www.bentriverrecords.com 38_On The Road-8-23:00 8/3/23 11:19 AM Page 43
44 Big City Rhythm & Blues • Aug.-Sept. 2023 The concepts for 2023, in order were: Week #1 - Tribute to Jimmy Rogers Week #2 - Tribute to the Women of the Blues Week #3 - Tribute to T-Bone Walker Week 1: June 1, 2 and 3- June 1 featured Chicago-based Nick Moss and his band, along w/ Kate Moss, Steve Guyger, Dennis Gruenling and Piano Willie O’Shawny. Nick’s roots-informed guitar playing was anchored by the deft bass of the always dapper Rodrigo Mantovani and the smooth steady beat provided by Pierce Downer. Boom!! I was on Maxwell St in Basel. (I vote to give Pierce the nickname “Babyface”… I thought they conscripted some high school kid from Chicago) Nick is a master of nuance. He learned the ropes from masters. Nick grasps simplicity, playing the spaces while always steering the vibe onstage. Guitarist Kate Moss (who also happens to be Nick’s wife) added backing touches to nail the feel. Both Nick and Kate can solo with the best but knew exactly what to play while others soloed. What can one say about Gruenling? He kicks it up a notch with each solo, his incendiary firepower is akin to an entire horn section. Put Sax Gordon in the mix and the combination harkened to classic 50’s Chess recordings. When Steve Guyger stepped up to the mike to take a turn, it was harmonica heaven as Dennis and Steve took turns blowing down the house and this is just the first night! The following night, “Chicago Blues Queens” Kate Moss and Bia Marchese held court. Bia Marchese has a powerful, sultry voice, perfect for the swinging blues she performs. Kate kept pace with tasty guitar fills while the rhythm was driven by Rodrigo’s smooth, pumping bass. Both Bia and Rodrigo hail from São Paulo. Living proof that the blues has grown from Delta roots to a global musical force. The last show of the week on Saturday was a tribute to Jimmy Rogers. It also happened to be his birthday. Cosmic coincidence - Nick, Piano Willie and Steve Guyger all spent time under the tutelage of Jimmy Rogers. It was audibly clear that they were great students. They laid down a solid Chess groove and closing my eyes, I was transported back to when I first fell in love with the Chess sound. Guyger and Gruenling swapped blistering solos, burning up the already steaming stage at Atlantis. One could feel the spirit of Rogers in every note. Best of all, the vets of Rogers’ band each offered a tale or two about working in Jimmy’s band. Nick mentioned that when people would ask Jimmy how he was doing, he would answer, “I can’t laugh, I can’t cry but I take it as it comes” Week 2: June 8, 9, 10 Lisa Mann/Ben Rice/Terrie Odabi - Northwest All Stars It’s June 7th and I’m sitting in the Hotel Dorint Lobby, watching 2 guitarists set up. Ben Rice and “JT” Thomas introduce themselves and their bandleader, Lisa Mann. The three proceed to lay down some sweet and mellow blues grooves. Lisa’s smoky alto and Ben’s clear tenor contrast nicely. A little taste of what’s to come. After a few tunes, they are joined by Terrie Odabi. A powerful woman with a riveting voice. The 4 closed with a rendition of “Ball and Chain.” Odabi’s delivery was spine-tingling. This week’s sessions were anchored by the dulcet bass tones of Lisa and the impeccable swing of Jimi Bott’s drumming. Every song has deep pockets and the tasteful B3 sounds of Louie “King Louie” Pain emphasize the feel. Louie has played organ with too many big names to mention but anyone who can list Howard Tate and Solomon Burke as employers gets a big thumbs up from this writer. Terrie held court in Atlantis on Thursday. Terrie Odabi sings with passion and she’s not shy about her political persuasion. Her conviction is palpable. She mentions, among other topics, ex-felon voting rights, frankly a topic all blues lovers should ponder. One can feel her love for humanity and her celebration of life. She closed her set with one for her husband, “At Last.” There were not many dry eyes in Atlantis that night after the last note faded. Lisa and Terrie on Friday celebrated the Great Women of the Blues. It was a powerful tribute to all the blueswomen who came before them. From Memphis Minnie to Etta James. They told tales and tunes. The Atlantis audience that night went home more aware of how much influence women have had on blues since its earliest recordings. On Saturday, Lisa and Ben dominated the proceedings. Lisa has a sassy delivery but then bubbles like a delighted child, blissfully driving every song with a commanding bass tone. Lisa uses a Tobias Killer B 6 string bass. Mid-set Ben Rice stepped into the spotlight for a solo. Accompanying himself, he delivered an original arrangement of the classic “Key to the Highway” that featured his sublime voice. It was moving to see an entire room, quiet and listening. Rice has a lot of power in his pipes. Add that he plays a wicked slide on a cigar box guitar. Next up Texas All stars Week 3 - June 21, 22, 23 The last weekend of the Groove Now Blues Basel Festival 2023, featured a topshelf roster of Texas blues guitar slingers. Sue Foley, Anson Funderburgh, Rusty Zinn. The week also featured Vanessa Collier, saxophonist sublime. Deyquan Bowens, Jon Penner and Corey Keller performed rhythm section duties. The entire roster filled 3 nights with scorching blues. First up, Vanessa let Basel know that this talented award-winning young saxophonist/vocalist/ writer will be around for a long time to come. She can melt walls with her smooth wail and sings her heart out. The next night, Sue Foley owned Atlantis. When Sue hit the stage, you knew from the first notes you were in for some full-throttle Texas blues from her trademark pink Telecaster. Her passionate and informed playing conveys everything the blues should be. She pours her soul into every note. The final night was the peak of the month. Anson, Rusty and Sue seared the walls of Atlantis with a sizzling guitar conversation. Rusty handled most of the vocals, singing with a relaxed passion honed by years of Piano Willie O’Shawny Photo/Nicolas Frey 38_On The Road-8-23:00 8/3/23 10:41 AM Page 44
experience. At one point Rusty felt obliged to mention that T-Bone was from Texas but recorded his hits on the West Coast. T-Bone was a Texan by birth. It is a treat to hear these three stellar players, sharing the stage and trading licks. This is precisely the thing that makes Groove Now special: Spreading the gospel of blues to Basel … 3 nights were recorded: Tribute to Jimmy Rogers; Great Women of the Blues and Tribute to T-Bone Walker. Doug Demming’s latest release, “Groovin’ At The Groove Now” was recorded live Sept. 2021 at Atlantis in Basel. Latest releases by this year’s performers; The Nick Moss Band Feat. Dennis Gruenling- “Get Your Back Into It!” on Alligator Records. Lisa Mann’s releases are available on Bandcamp Ben Rice - “Shake A Hand” Sue Foley- “Pinky’s Blues” Stony Plain Records / Bandcamp Vanessa Collier - Live At Th Power Station - Phenix Fire Records Off Broadway Rock and Roll Man BY GUY POWELL I t’s not often I get to see a Broadway show with a friend involved in the performance. But in June I took some family to catch the Off-Broadway-hoping-to-getonto-Broadway show ‘Rock and Roll Man’ – a play based around the life and times of radioman/promoter Alan Freed. Starring ex-American Idol Constantine Maroulis and ex-Soprano Joe Pantoliano, it wasn’t that star power that drew me in, but rather that the Musical Director for this show is Dave Keyes, a man who should be no stranger to the readers of these pages. After all, the title of the show could almost be a reference to our favorite keyboardist! Without getting into too much detail, let me just say, if you’re into a rollicking-good time with hits from the 50’s and 60’s performed by a cast of great singers and dancers grooving to a hot band led by Mr. Keyes, along with a humor-filled yet socially conscious/educational storyline that should fall right in line with the sensibilities of our readership –– then my recommendation is to book your tickets ASAP - you will have a great time! – Guy Powell RockAndRollManTheMusical.com Atlanta The Weather is Hot and the Blues is Hotter BY CARLIN “C-NOTE” SMITH S o how do we blues folks cool off? By listening to some hot blues in many of the clubs and venues here in Atlanta. I’m going to share some of that fun that was had in Norcross, Georgia at the annual Bluesberry Festival and keeping with this issue’s theme featuring female guitarists I’m going to share with you a conversation I had with them. Mandi Strachota, who was the Atlanta Blues Society’s 2019 winner of the Blues Challenge in the Solo category, is a wonderful guitarist, songwriter, and a heck of a vocalist. Originally hailing from Wisconsin, Mandi has been killing it for a while here in the Atlanta area. She started playing piano 40 years ago and played drums as well as saxophone early in her musical career. She got into the blues when she moved to the ATL around 2001 and gravitated to Northside Tavern, where she met Danny “Mudcat” Dudeck - who has been a mentor to many a musician in this town - and that got Mandi heading down the blues highway. She is self-taught on the guitar with really no formal training other than a few lessons, mostly an acoustic guitarist accompanying herself with her soulful vocals, which has been her passion since early in life. She credits Mudcat and her brother Matt Strachota, who lives in California and is also in the music industry, as her important mentors. She could not emphasize enough how the Atlanta blues scene has been such a major influence in her music career. Advancing her career, she’s going on tour starting in August and when she comes back she plans on spending some time in the studio working on material for an album or two with various sides of Mandi’s music – as she also is a member of the Wasted Potential Brass Band. Writing and performing, and also “giving back” by sharing with others, are definitely her goals. She has been busy in this part of the country, opening up for Delbert McClinton one night and did her first tour around the country in the upper Midwest then down around Texas and California. She has performed at several local festivals like the annual Dogwood Festival, Porchfest, and Chomp and Stomp, Aug.-Sept. 2023 • Big City Rhythm & Blues 45 Mandi Strachota Photo/Carlin “C-Note” Smith 38_On The Road-8-23:00 8/3/23 10:41 AM Page 45