Singin' the Blues

Blues music is alive and kickin’ in Hampton Roads. In fact, it’s never been better.

Need evidence?

Nationally touring acts, including Dr. John, Shemekia Copeland, Tinsley Ellis and Tab Benoit, are scheduled to perform in the coming days and weeks at venues such as the Attucks Theatre, Jewish Mother, Ferguson Center and American Theatre. Public radio personalities Paul Shugrue, Barry Graham and Hunter Hughes are keen on showcasing the genre. The list of local blues bands, ranging from relative newcomers Holly Road and Rylo to the seasoned Blues Xchange, H.M. Johnson and Michael Clark Band, seems to grow like kudzu. The homegrown musicians hammer the blue notes at places like Goodfella’s, JM Randall’s, Tanner’s Creek and the Taphouse Grill. Blues fans need only scan the weekly calendar listings in Port Folio to find something to their liking.

This celebrated blues success, however, would not have been possible without the extraordinary grassroots efforts by the Natchel’ Blues Network.

The Natchel’ Blues Network was founded in 1984 by Ernie Williams and Chase Jackson. Williams was an R&B musician who decided to start a working blues band in 1980 after getting a taste of the genre when the Judge’s Chamber, a hoppin’ downtown Norfolk jazz bar, introduced a weekly Blues Night. Williams enlisted the help of Lathan "Pudgie" Hill, Harold "Birdcage" Anderson and Tony "Doc" Ryals to form De Gut Bucket Blues Band. The quartet was considered Norfolk’s first working blues band since the 1940s.

Gut Bucket quickly developed a small following and inspired the formation of four blues acts, namely Blues Xchange, the Blues Defenders, Sunnyland Blues Band and Michael Ingmire. It became apparent to Williams that a blues society was needed to establish the scene and promote the bands.

The name Natchel’ Blues Network has two sources: It was the motto of the Gut Bucket Blues Band –– "We play nuttin’ but de natchel’ blues" –– and it was the title of Taj Mahal’s sophomore album, Natche’l Blues, released in 1968. Taj was their main influence.

"In the beginning, we educated people to the fact that this is viable music," said Jackie Merritt, who played in Blues Xchange and is a member of critically-acclaimed MSG, The Acoustic Blues Trio. Merritt has been an active member of the network since it formed. "The music community back then it was like a family because there weren’t that many of us. We all knew each other and hung out together."

"There was no blues scene here," said Beth Jarock, who sang with the Blues Defenders. Her group, like the others, found a home in the Ghent section of Norfolk at Cogan’s Instant Art.

"Back then, that was the place for blues music," said Jarock. "We had blues revues there all the time to raise money for NBN."

While Jack’s and York Street became blues-friendly in the early ‘80s, another venue became a hotspot for local and national blues acts: the Jewish Mother in Virginia Beach.

"There was a group of about 80 people that were into the blues, would travel to see it and pay to hear it," said Scotty Miller, owner of the Jew Mom. "The blues has always been a tough sell, but the ones who love it are here for every show."

Miller was a blues enthusiast and started booking national acts in 1980. These included Kenny Neal, John Hammond, Saffire The Uppity Blues Women and Tinsley Ellis. The Natchel’ Blues Network was – and continues to be – essential to his success.

"They supported it and promoted the shows," said Miller. "And it worked. Between all of the hard work they have done with the outdoor festivals and supporting the blues in Hampton and Williamsburg, they keep us going."

Photographer Cathy Dixson documented much of the blues scene events at the time. She said the creation of the Elizabeth River Blues Festival in 1984 was important for the promotion of the music.

"That was a lot of exposure for us," she said.

Elizabeth River Blues Festival was held from 1984-94 in Norfolk’s Town Point Park. It was the Natchel’ Blues Network’s first outdoor music event. It grew from a one-day festival to a three-day experience. The first Elizabeth River fest relied heavily on local talent. By the second year, they were lining up some of the biggest names in the genre.

"Back then we had Koco Taylor, John Lee Hooker…we had every blues legend," said Merritt. "NBN got people interested in the blues."

For national recording artists, local blues societies are key to getting the word out.

"It's extremely important for us because that’s our target audience," said Tinsley Ellis, a major recording artist. "What a better way to reach the people. In this world of shrinking newspaper space for roots music, we need to have that grassroots promotion."

The Jewish Mother is one of Ellis’ favorite clubs to play. In fact, he’ll perform there on Feb. 20.

"It’s been a great place for us, and it’s where people know to go to hear good music," said Ellis. "It’s a great listening room; it has tables right up to the stage like the Bottom Line did in New York City. People tend to respond to the dynamics of the music. You get a real concert atmosphere."

According to Ellis, the American public has an overall misconception of the blues. Where some folks relate the singin’ of the blues to cryin’ in your beer glass, there is actually great diversity in the music, which is split into subgenres such as jump blues, Delta blues, traditional blues, blues rock, country blues, acoustic blues and even blues punk.

"A lot of people, including me, cut their teeth on blues guitar licks," said Alan Waite, Sr. vice president of sales – USA/ Canada for Fender Musical Instruments Corporation. Waite played guitar in Norfolk punk band Tango Storm, but he’s a master of blues guitar. "It is the single most inviting way to start playing, and the most impossibly challenging style to master. The notes you leave out become as important as the notes you play. Many guitar players play the blues, very few make you cry.

Waite said blues organizations are keeping a uniquely American art form alive.

"The blues is a musical style copied by every nation on the planet; a genre that inspired Keith Richards and Eric Clapton to dedicate their British lives to an American guitar style. Blues is the heritage of music that has become the foundation of most guitar rock played today. It is important that we pause and experience the beginning of blues music to understand the progression. That is why organizations like the Natchel’ Blues Network are not just important, they are life preserving. It is the watchdog of the cradle of music civilization."  

Tinsley Ellis is considered one of the best blues rock guitarists today. His audience is comprised of people who love the blues-inspired classic rock from the late 1960s purveyed by such artists as Led Zeppelin, Jethro Tull, 10 Years After and The Yardbirds.

"I’m coming out of that Cream, Allman Brothers, Jimi Hendrix kind of thing," said Ellis. "There’s a reason why they call it classic rock, and that is that it is classic. I don’t know that anyone has improved upon Jimi Hendrix’s take on the electric guitar. It was really a magic time for music, that 1967 though ‘72."

Ellis had a chance as a teenage to experience Hendrix in concert, but his parents told him he couldn’t go.

"But they let me go see the Beach Boys," he said. "That’s ironic because it turns out the Beach Boys were more debauched than Hendrix."

Most blues society members tend to agree that the American blues Renaissance occurred when guitarist Stevie Ray Vaughan became an overnight sensation when his Texas Flood debuted in 1983. Many agree that even with greats like Jonny Lang and Derek Trucks, a new Stevie Ray is needed.

ROYAL BLUE: Chase Jackson crowns Kathy Webster Swamp Boogie Queen (above). HOT LICKS: Tab Beniot is a crowd pleaser at the Jewish Mother (below).

One issue facing many blues societies is the aging of their membership. Most members are over the age of 40. NBN, which has non-profit status, is refocusing its efforts to educate children about the blues.

"We’re finding more grant sources and pursuing more of the educational grants to bring blues to the schools with underserved populations," said Dixson, who is the current president of NBN. "We hope to expose these kids to the blues. If you bring this music to middle school kids it gives them another aspect to look at rather than what they hear on the radio."

Natchel’ Blues Network –– visit its website at www.natchelblues.org –– regularly maintains an information table at all major blues concerts. Its membership has doubled in the past three years. The organization also mails a bi-monthly newsletter that includes a calendar of blues events, news, reviews and a list of local bands with contact information. Current blues festivals produced by NBN are Blues at the Beach Festival (Sept. 11-13, 17^th St. at the Oceanfront) and the Hampton Acoustic Blues Revival (Apr. 18 at Thomas Nelson Community College).

Members of the Natchel’ Blues Network are encouraged by the formation of Norfolk’s Holly Road. The youthful quartet includes child prodigy Grant Austin Taylor (vocals/guitar, age 13), Dillon Goldberg (bass, age 14), Daniel Karp (guitar, age 15) and Carlton Lillard, Jr. (drums, age 20). Though they only recently started rehearsals, the quartet has big plans.

On Jan. 25, Holly Road performed at the Jewish Mother as part of a fundraiser organized by the Natchel’ Blues Network. NBN helped promote the band in an effort to cover travel expenses for Holly Road’s appearance in the youth showcase event at the Blues Foundation’s 25^th International Blues Challenge in Memphis on Feb. 6.

"Not only is it imperative for keeping the blues alive, what was very evident at the International Blues Challenge Youth Showcase, where they had 22 bands show up, was that their focus and survival was these kids," said Michael Goldberg, father of Holly Road’s bassist.

While in Memphis, Holly Road popped in to the legendary Sun Studio to record "Bail Out," a song they had written about the American economic stimulus plan. It was their opening song when they performed at B.B. King’s.

The young band has received praise and has caught the attending of Portsmouth-based blues guitarist Deborah Coleman. Coleman, who has released albums on Alligator and Telarc Records is having Holly Road serve as her backing band when she performs at the Capital Ale House in Richmond on Feb. 20.

"This is one thing she is doing to promote kids and the blues," said the elder Goldberg. "As good as she is, she feels confident in these kids to be her back up band."

That is welcome news to Jackie Merritt as well.

"What’s exciting for me is that you have all these younger kids who are starting out playing blues as opposed to rock," Merritt said. "It’s really exciting to see Holly Road. Grant Austin Taylor is playing major blues licks. That boy’s good. He’s gifted and really sincere about what he’s doing. He enjoys the music, and that’s what’s important."

Supporting local bands is one of the primary objectives of the Natchel’ Blues Network, but club owners see challenges.

"It’s hard to get people to turn out for local acts period," said Jewish Mother’s Scotty Miller. "You find out, especially in Virginia Beach, that nobody wants to pay for local entertainment. I find that pretty disturbing. These guys have to live; they’ve got to pay rent; they’ve got to eat; they have families and another job. It’s a shame. With the national acts, people don’t mind paying a $7 to $15 price, but I only base my ticket pricing on 100 people attending. At any given time it might only be 75 people. If we do 200 people, the band takes a bigger split."

Natchel’ Blues Network is celebrating its 25^th anniversary on Feb. 22 with a concert at The NorVa headlining Big Joe & The Dynaflows.

Be sure to join their cause in keeping the blues alive and well in Hampton Roads.

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SULTRY BLUES: Shamekia Copeland will perform as part of the Attucks Theatre’s Discovery Music Series.

Tinsley Ellis

Feb. 20

The Jewish Mother

3108 Pacific Ave.

Virginia Beach

422-5430

9:00 p.m.

$15

Natchel’ Blues Network 25^th Anniversary with Big Joe & The Dynaflows

Feb. 22

The NorVa

317 Monticello Ave.

Norfolk

622-9877

2:30 p.m.

$12

The Neville Brothers & Dr. John

Feb. 22

Ferguson Center for the Performing Arts

Christopher Newport University

Newport News

594-7448

7 p.m.

$37-53

Marcia Ball

Feb. 24

The American Theatre

125 East Mellen St.

Hampton

722-2787

www.hamptonarts.net

7:30 p.m.

$35

Billy Thompson & Friends

Feb. 27

JM Randall’s

4854 Longhill Road

Williamsburg

259-0406

9 p.m.

Shemekia Copeland

Mar. 7

Attucks Theatre

1010 Church St.

Norfolk

664-6464

7:30 p.m.

$20

Saffire Uppity Blues Women

Mar. 7

The Jewish Mother

3108 Pacific Ave.

Virginia Beach

422-5430

9:00 p.m.

$20

Albert Cummings

Mar. 13

The Jewish Mother

3108 Pacific Ave.

Virginia Beach

422-5430

9:00 p.m.

$12

Corey Harris

March 21

Attucks Theatre

1010 Church St.

Norfolk

664-6464

7:30 p.m.

$20

Big Bill Morganfield w/Holly Road

Apr. 4

The Jewish Mother

3108 Pacific Ave.

Virginia Beach

422-5430

9:00 p.m.

$12

John Hammond

Apr. 10

Attucks Theatre

1010 Church St.

Norfolk

664-6464

7:30 p.m.

$22.50

Hampton Acoustic Blues Revival

Apr. 18

Thomas Nelson Community College

Newport News

456-1675

4 p.m.

Free

Kenny Blues

Boss Wayne

Apr. 18

Attucks Theatre

1010 Church St.

Norfolk

664-6464

7:30 p.m.

$20

Scotty Miller’s B-Day Bash w/Snard Band

May 16

The Jewish Mother

3108 Pacific Ave.

Virginia Beach

422-5430

9:00 p.m.

Tab Benoit

May 22

The Jewish Mother

3108 Pacific Ave.

Virginia Beach

422-5430

9:00 p.m.

Blues at the Beach Festival

Sept. 11-13

17^th Street Park at the Oceanfront

Virginia Beach

456-1675

4 p.m.

Free

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YOUNG BLUE BLOODS: Holly Road.

Hampton Roads Blues Bands

The Hampton Roads local blues scene is alive and well. We encourage you to seek out the bands listed below and go see them perform at such venues as the Jewish Mother, Goodfella’s, JM Randall’s, O’Sullivan’s Wharf, Baker Street and Taphouse Grill.

Beale Street
Big Brewster & the Blue Rocks
Big Fun
The Black Rose Blues Band
Black White Blues
Blues at Eleven
Blues Empacts
Blues Xchange
Bobby "BlackHat" Walters
Bryan Dunn
dc3
DOAD
Fat Tony
Freeborn Blues
Planet Full of Blues
Funky Blues Kings
Hammerhead Blues

Holly Road
H.M. Johnson
Hurricanes
Incognito Brothers
The Incomplete Strangers
John Baldwin Group
Michael Clark Band
M.S.G., The Acoustic Blues Trio
Rhythm Kings
RTB (Right Time for the Blues)
R.Y.L.O.
Shelly Craig-Potter The Straight Up Blues Band
Sweet Papa & the Too Hot Blues Crew
Suzy-Ray-Vaughn
Grant Austin Taylor Band
Tim Morgan & the Mojo Brothers