November 2013
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Hey All!
Wow! Are you ready for ghosts, goblins, blaze orange and getting over the hill and through the woods to Grandma’s for some Thanksgiving turkey? Or maybe you are the type that can’t wait to beat the crowd to the “Black Friday” sales. Man, I’m not ready for any of it. Doesn’t matter what we’re ready for it is coming! Just like all those black walnuts that have been bombarding my back yard. Had some over night guest that thought it was incoming! Practically need a hard hat or helmet just to sit around the firepit. Glad I’ve got decent homeowners insurance. I’ve never had nuts still falling this late in the year! I thought they started falling early, too!
Oh well, nuff whining!
Davey J & The Jonestones opened Tuesday Night Blues 2nd season of Unplugged on Tuesday October 8th. The Unitarian was rollin’ with the Tones Texas style rockin blues! The Doctor got the season off to a great start. Thank you David, Duffy, Catya & John! If you would like to see & hear a little of what they offered up check out the TNB Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/tnblues? There are links to videos of Tuesday Night Blues back 3 years there.
Coming up in November is a dynamic couple from the Twin Cities. Lost Jim and Robbi will bring us some Delta Blues garnished with some soulful fiddle. That almost sounds like what some call Piedmont Blues stylings. I won’t argue with what anyone wants to call it, but I will say it is awesome and if you like music you don’t want to miss it!
Local guitar maker and luthier extraordinaire Gordy Bischoff turned 60 a couple weeks ago and there was a birthday party and honorific for him at Pizza Plus. I was lucky enough to be invited and renewed an old friendship there. That is also where I had the opportunity to hear Lost Jim & Robbi in addition to another 20 or 30 owners of Bischoff guitars from all over. Several big name Bischoff owners did not make appearances, most notably Justin Vernon and Willie Porter, but a quite few did. There were more than 25 guitars and ukelele’s on display, including one of Vernons “whiskey barrel” instruments. Many local legends got up to salute Gordy, including Larry Heagle, Randy Sabien, Jim Pullman, Jerry Way and many more. Many happy returns Gordy!
If you have never been to “Stagefright” the Rhythm Posse’s tribute to The Band’s epic concert and film “The Last Waltz”, you may want to make it this year. It will be held on Nov. 27th (night before Thanksgiving) at Pizza Plus in downtown Eau Claire. It is a fundraiser for Feed My People with a $5 good will donation at the door. It is well worth it at twice the price. With the Rhythm Posse (Billy Angell, Levi Felling, Jeremy Holt and Lucas Fischer) joined by Eric Pierson as The Band and Sue Orfield, Dave Burki and Jay Collins as the King Harvest Horns, another 25 or so of your favorite local musicians also cross the stage as Eric Clapton (Mike Schlenker), Ronnie Hawkins (Peter Phippen), Bob Dylan (Jeff White), Muddy Waters (Mojo Terry DeMars) and many more. Don’t miss it! It may not happen again!
In case you didn’t notice, the weekly jams, including the Blues Jams hosted by Dan Callan have moved to Club 10 in Durand. That is on Hwy 10 going toward Mondovi from Durand, or almost to Durand coming from Mondovi if you prefer. Something is going on there EVERY Sunday. So if you looking for a place to party or feel like jammin’, that is the place to be!
There will be a Chippewa Valley Blues Society meeting November 11th at Dooley’s Pub on Water Street in Eau Claire. Meeting will start at 6:30. If you would like to become a member, or are a member and would like to become more involved, this is the place to do it. I haven’t seen an agenda yet, but I’m sure some of the topics will be Tuesday Night Blues, Unplugged, Blues On The Chippewa, and nominations for officers will probably be opened as well. Hope to see ya there!
Don’t forget to tune in to WHYS 96.3 Sunday mornings at 10 a.m. for Snapshot’s blues show. And be sure to check out the web page at http://www.chippewavalleyblues.com
Thanks for lending me an ear! We’ll be seein’ ya around.
