Happy Blues Holidays

I don't care what I get for Christmas. I've already received more than enough gifts as far as the blues is concerned this year, and I wanted to open some of my favorite blues memories and presents with you this month. I've already seen Guy Davis live, marveled at Paul Geremia's fingerpicking, and have experienced the Lord's music direct through the Campbell Brothers. I'm more spiritual than religious, but there's something about the Sacred Steel movement that really captures my attention.

Speaking of the Campbell Brothers, their two newest discs on Arhoolie are right on time for the holidays. Sacred Steel for the Holidays is a must for the Christmas celebration, and it sure beats those old records you only pull out once a year. The Campbell Brothers are a direct link to a unique musical heritage, born in worship. When they "Go Tell It On the Mountain" or ask "What Child is This," it is not the Sunday Mass of my memories in suburban Chicago. As Phil Campbell said in Port Townsend, "when we make a joyful noise in our homes and in our churches, we most definitely want Him to hear. We do not worship quietly. We shout. We stomp. We dance, and yes, oh yes, we sing." There's nothing like The Campbell Brothers. Sacred Steel on Tour features a dozen cuts recorded live, and my favorites include "I've Got a Feeling" and "Morning Train." This disc is different than the other Campbells I've mentioned on these Cosmik screens: it's live! The way the Brothers were meant to be heard.

Evidence Records has produced Blue Xmas, a collection of blues instrumentals. Make no mistake: this is not your father's traditional Christmas record. Imagine a holiday session featuring Tommy Castro, Rusty Zinn, Michael Burks, the B3 of Deacon Jones, Paul Oscher, and Charlie Musselwhite, just to name a few. This all-star line up of great blues talent plays traditional Christmas music, and it's quite a departure from, say, my dad's Dean Martin or Frank Sinatra holiday records (or 8-tracks). Nothing against Deano or the Chairman, but this year, I'll be kicking back to Son Seals and Sugar Blue as they "Deck the Halls" and "We Three Kings" played by Tommy Castro and Corey Harris on guitars, and a great horn section of Tom Jr. Morgan, Johnny V., and Rick Morings. Look for the guitar wrapped in Christmas lights at your record store, it's sure to be Blue Xmas: Christmas Instrumentals.

I hope your holidays are filled with cheer, but most of all, I wish you blues.

Before you open up some holiday blues presents, I hope you'll mark your Cosmik calendars for the first weekend in August of 2002. That's right, plan ahead to participate as a player or simply take in one of the most popular country blues festivals around. The weekend-long Centrum/Port Townsend Blues and Heritage Festival will be held on August 2-3, 2002 in the upper left hand corner of the USA here in Washington State. The festival caps a week-long series of workshops that culminate in a celebration of country blues at its best. Last summer, Associate Editor Shaun Dale and I took in a great deal of unplugged, country blues on the Centrum grounds at Fort Worden State Park, perhaps best known as the set for most of An Officer and A Gentleman, starring Richard Gere and Debra Winger.

Every summer, the Victorian seaport town of Port Townsend turns into country blues central. The Centrum organization recruits some of the top names in the blues to work as artists in residences for beginners and blues veterans alike. This year's line-up was, as usual, first-class. National treasures John Cephas and Phil Wiggins celebrated their 25th anniversary of playing together, and this guitar/harmonica duo was one of the festival's highlights. Old-school blues players like Big Joe Duskin and John Jackson were also on hand, as were the younger generation of bluesmen like Guy Davis and Joe Filisko. One of the many highlights of the weekend festival was the Campbell Brothers, who, along with Kate Jackson, turned the Tent Stage into an old fashioned Gospel revival, built around the pedal and lap steel work of Darick and Chuck, with Phil on guitar, and Carlton behind the drum kit. Katie Jackson roused the crowd that grew SRO by the third song in the set. This year began what I hope to be a new Centrum/Port Townsend Blues and Heritage Festival tradition: Blues in the Clubs flourished at venues like the Uptown Pub, the Surf, and The Upstage. Norton Buffalo in his trademark Spanish hat wowed The Public House, and my only complaint is that the organizers could have done a little better job rotating folks through the clubs. I may be jealous, though, of all the folks who caught Maria Muldaur and her blues set in a small club, as well as Annieville Blues' set with Big Joe Duskin and Michael Kaeshammer at The Upstage. For more information on Centrum, which also sponsors the Festival of American Fiddle Tunes, and many other unique arts programs, go to www.centrum.org.

(C) 2001 - Eric Steiner