Volume
34; Issue 4 August-Sept
2013
2013 Hall of Fame Inductees Events! Local Festivals reviewed Elections are Coming
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Blues in the Schools—By Cynthia Jaynes Blues In The Schools (BITS) has wrapped up another heart." - GN successful school year of providing the blues experi- "...I was not going to join ence to students in the Sacramento region. We enterbecause I was too afraid. tained and informed over 1500 students through But luckily I did. Blues Socischool assemblies, after school lessons, mini conety has been one of the best certs, and a wonderful end of the year celebration at experiences of my life and I Norwood Middle School. am very thankful of it."- MW "...the past two years have We are particularly proud of the two sessions held at been memorable. Thank you!" the Sacramento Children’s Receiving Home. These "This is the first extracurricular activity I have are kids who have been placed at the Home temporarever done in school, and it was amazing." - TW ily because their families are unable to care for them at the moment. These displaced students range from HELP WANTED!! BITS is looking for that certain indi5-17 years of age and have been pulled away from vidual to be our student liaison. We want to use social their homes, families and friends through no fault of media and other ways to stay in touch with our their own. Their Valley Oaks School is often over- alumni, inform blues loving students of activities and looked and rarely receives any type of special enrich- opportunities for them to play and appreciate the ment services. BITS brought a much needed program blues, and to keep them connected to each other. of music, joy, and soul to the institution and was This is the next generation of blues lovers and we warmly received by students and staff alike. Much want to help build that community. It is a great opporrespect and thanks to Lisa Phenix, accompanied by tunity to preserve the Blues, connect to an energetic Steve Wall, and Steve Boutte for two wonderfully inti- and creative group, and experience the new blues mate, interactive and touching experiences. This pro- they will develop. If you’re interested please contact gram was funded through a grant from the Sacra- Cynthia Jaynes, 916 202 5075 or Liz Walker 916 712 mento Metropolitan Arts Commission. We hope to 7277. continue this throughout the coming year, as funding allows. A few individuals and organizations have supported BITS through their generous contributions to the proLetters! We received thank you letters from students gram. We wish to thank Mary Carrera and Carrera at Rosemont High School who participated in the after Productions, the Sacramento Metropolitan Arts Comschool lessons and performed at the annual BITS mission, the Rex Foundation, Any Given Child, WalShowcase. Here are a few excerpts: Mart, Kathie Lambert, Tammie Madill, Yolo County Arts Council, Jim Beilgard, and over 25 individuals "...thanks for helping me bring out my inner Elvis." who made donations during the Day of Giving. - AL "...now I have and will always have the blues in my The Sacramento Blues Society (SBS) is one of the oldest blues societies in California, founded in1979, and is a 501 ( c ) 3 nonprofit corporation formed to preserve and promote blues music as an art form. SBS has kept the blues tradition alive in the Sacramento area by promoting the local blues music scene and bringing internationally renowned artists to the region and produces and mails a newsletter, “Blue Notes” six times a year for our membership. SBS is an affiliate member of The Blues Foundation, and provides educational opportunities for young people with The Blues Foundation’s “Blues In The Schools” Program. Please note changes in the Board of Directors. These changes reflect action taken by the Board (per the by-laws) to fill vacancies due to multiple resignations.
Sacramento Blues Society is a Proud Member of
2013 Board Officers
Jan Kelley—President Mari Lu Onweller—Vice President Cynthia Jaynes–Secretary Liz Walker—Treasurer Cynthia Juarez-Parliamentarian Board Members at Large
Sharon Allen Guitar Mac McKnally Kim Duvall Tammie Madill Sally Katen
2013 Committee Chairs
Board of Directors Meetings 2nd Tuesday Each month 7:00 PM at the SMUD Building, 6301 S Street, Sacramento All SBS members in good standing are invited to attend.
Blues in the Schools —Cynthia Jaynes/Liz Walker CD Reviews—Mindy Giles Editor—Val Anderson Events/IBC Competition —Mari Lu Onweller Finance—Val Anderson Sacramento Blues Hall of Fame—Sally Katen Membership/Volunteers —Sharon Allen Merchandise/Concessions—Tammie Madill SacBlues e-News/Calendar—Willie Brown For advertising rates contact editor@sacblues.com
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2013 Blues Hall of Fame Inductee Nate ‘Snakeboy’ Shiner Born in Shiner, Texas, his family moved when he was young from Texas to Sacramento and he began playing alto sax and singing pop tunes.
the acts who played there. The Grinding Stone featured some of the best artists in Sacramento at its monthly art shows and musicians from the Fifth String came in for Thursday night jam sessions. Nate also found time to do a blues radio show for KYDS public radio, started by the founders of KVMR in Nevada City. Rick Estrin, among others, played live at the station.
Nate formed his own band, first becoming Good Time Lovin' and then Tombstone Pillbox, eventually evolving into the Nate Shiner Blues Band (NSBB). In 1968, the group was asked to open for a touring blues act. The act was the legendary In 1984, Nate joined forces with vocalist/ Muddy Waters Blues Band. This event led guitarist G.G. Amos and for the next ten Nate to a life-long love of the blues and the years they toured as a duo and sometimes nickname “Snakeboy” after Muddy's guitarist Luther with a full band. After ten years, the duo split and GG formed GG and the Magic Band, touring extensively in “Georgia Boy” “Snake” Johnson. the U.S. Nate joined as vocalist and played harmonIn the late 1970's, the NSBB became the Sunland ica, lap slide guitar and keyboards. Nate and GG also Blues Band; many of these players became HOF in- coproduced the CD “Gots Ta Go”. Nate has an imductees. For ten years, Nate worked for Phil Givant pressive discography too numerous to mention here. and the Sacramento Blues Festival performing with his own band or backing others. He also produced After five years, Nate returned to his blues roots with videos of the festival using the equipment of Sacra- his group The Straight Ahead Blues Trio with drummer and long-time friend Tony Montanino and bassist mento Public Access television, among others. Nick Doud, whose mother, Cathy “Detroit” Rae he Nate and a partner also opened The Grinding Stone soon fell in love with and married. Nate and Cathy (now Luna's) on 16th Street and featured Steve currently reside in Texas and perform as the SnakeSamuels, Johnny Knox and Mike Andrews as some of boy Shiners, with Cathy on drums and percussion.
2013 Blues Hall of Fame Inductee Jim Monroe California born and raised, James Monroe learned to play piano by listening to such stalwarts as Johnnie Johnson (Chuck Berry’s piano player), the great Otis Spann, Floyd Dixon, Professor Longhair and others who would influence his playing. Although Jim has taken some music lessons over the years, he is primarily self-taught.
Throughout Jim's musical career he has backed some big name blues artists: Big Mama Thornton, Charlie Musselwhite, Luther Tucker, Lowell Fulson, Norton Buffalo and others at festivals and clubs. He also toured with the great blues pianist Floyd Dixon in the late seventies, as his bass player. Jim was also on tracks for the two blues CDs that recorded local performers in the Sacramento area. In 1991, he perThe Nate Shiner Blues Band was one of the formed for a couple of years with Mark leading blues groups in town in the late Hummel, then joined the Craig Horton 60’s, early 70’s and Jim would play with band around 2003, playing in his band for Nate's band for many years. He also learned quite a bit about playing the blues from Steve years, followed by a tour with Joe Louis Walker in Samuels (HOF Inductee), performing in Steve’s band 2007. during the late seventies. Jim was an original member of Little Charlie and the Nightcats in the mid- Jim continues to play with Craig Horton at festivals as seventies; during the early eighties Jim started his well as with local bands, such as Ray ‘Catfish’ Copeown group, the Bluescasters. land (HOF inductee) and his band The Crawdaddies.
Win a package for two to the Sin City Soul and Blues Revival on Sept. 15-17. 2013 at the Rio Hotel in Las Vegas!
will be held on August 3, 2013, at the celebration for International Blues Music Day at the Lions Gate Hotel. You do not have to be present to win.
The Sacramento Blues Society is holding a drawing for three nights in a suite at the Rio Hotel along with admission to the on-site performances. The drawing
See any Board member for tickets, or contact the events organizer, Mari Lu Onweller, at 916-605-6969. 3
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2013 Blues Hall of Fame Inductee Patrick Balcomb aka Rat a Tat Pat Born and raised in Sacramento, California, Smith, Mark Hummel, Rick Estrin and Omar Patrick started out with pots and pans but (Sharriff) The Magnificent. Many of these eventually got a snare drum and learned to musicians are in the SBS’ Hall of Fame. read music from Mike Lawson. Pat’s father’s radio station job gave him access to In 1991 Arbess started her own band with the vinyl record vaults at KRAK and KCTC, Pat as her drummer. She loved his drumso Pat began listening to every kind of muming but couldn’t remember his name, so sic under the sun down at the radio stasomeone said it’s Pat, like Rat-a-tat, and tions and would take home recordings to that’s how he’s been known since. ‘Rat-alearn on the drums. This allowed him to tat’ Pat began working with and recording play with any style band due to his reperalbums with his mentors Arbess Williams, toire. In his teen years Pat wrote and Johnny Heartsman, Omar Sharriff and played original music with The Azari ProJohnny "Guitar" Knox. ject (w/Leo Bootz), Blind Man’s Treat (w/Paul Relvas), Landfall and The Jinx. ‘Rat-a-tat’ is also well known in the Rock and Roll world; a life-long study of New Orleans roots music Pat was in The Rhythm Method (w/Dave Garity) a 50's keeps this “Bluesman” playing Jazz, Cajun, Zydeco, and 60's band in the late 1980's, which took him to Rock, Country and the Blues all around Northern CaliSam’s Hof Brau that had blues seven nights a week. fornia. Pat has played and recorded with a plethora This is where Pat saw for the first time Johnny Hearts- of well-known blues musicians, always keeping the man, Arbess Williams, Johnny "Guitar" Knox, Gene rhythm going. He can be seen in many blues bands in Chambers, Lena Mosley, Big John Evans, Jimmy this area.
2013 Blues Hall of Fame Inductee Jimmy Pailer -3.5 Hailing from St. Louis, Missouri, Jimmy played the Reno circuit between St. Louis and Reno before coming to Sacramento in 1989. His musical style is deeply rooted from Delta Blues, International Blues, and Rock and Roll, but as most blues musicians feel, Jimmy says blues is always incorporated into all his music.
Tommy Castro, Chuck Berry, Bobby Vega, Leon Russell, Rare Earth, and Richie Hayward.
In 2009, he and Lew Fratis were selected to represent the Sacramento Blues Society in Memphis at the International Blues Competition. Jimmy has dedicated his time and talent as a clinician with the Sacramento Jimmy has played in a variety of local Blues Society’s “Blues in the Schools Progroups such as Funkengruven, and with gram” by volunteering at the inner city Lew Fratis, Bruce Spencer, Stacey Eakes, schools to perform, educate, and teach Mick Martin, Arbess Williams, and many students about the Blues. Jimmy has also others. He went on to form his own group known as served as emcee for charity shows at the Torch Club. Jimmy Pailer and the Bad Boys, later forming The He continues to perform every Thursday night at the Prophets. Jimmy has had the opportunity to work San Juan Club and can also be seen most Friday with many musical greats such as Walter Trout, nights at the Torch Club, along with Lew Fratis.
Board Elections are Coming!!—Cynthia Jaynes It’s almost that time again. SBS holds elections each year for your Board of Directors. We’ll be taking nominations beginning in September for the elections to be held in December. Some important qualifications to consider – a love of the Blues (duh!),current SBS member, ability to help bring funds into the organization, experience with non-profit Boards, previous attendance at SBS Board meetings, and able to commit to at least one full year of participation.
Board meetings are held on the Second Tuesday of each month, 7 pm at the SMUD Building at 65th & S Street, Sacramento. We are in need of an experienced Treasurer, someone to oversee merchandise, and a good PR/social media person. If you are interested in serving, please submit your name, contact info, and a brief (one paragraph) statement to introduce yourself to the membership. Send it to Jan Kelly at bobsled@winfirst.com. 4
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2013 Blues Hall of Fame Inductee Lew Fratis –3 Born in Sacramento and raised in West Sacramento, bands in town and were able to record CDs of their Lew started playing professionally at an own material. The Sacramento News and early age and by age 22 was on his own. In Review nominated the CD “Bright Idea” the mid-seventies, he did some stints in Los for Best CD of 1993. That same year, Lew Angeles and then returned to Sacramento. was nominated for a Sammie for Best Around 1989, Pat Balcomb and Lew formed Blues Guitarist and The Luminators won the Luminators and started playing at Sam’s for Best Blues Band. In 2009, he and his Hof Brau and the Torch Club. Around the good friend and fellow musician Jimmy same time, they became Arbess WilPailer were selected to represent the Sacliams’ (HOF Inductee) back-up band and ramento Blues Society in Memphis at the recorded her first CD. They also recorded International Blues Competition. For the with Omar Sharriff (HOF inductee) and conpast several years, they both have been tributed to the Sacramento Blues CDs. instructor/lecturer for the SBS’ Blues In The Schools program. Lew has played Lew and Pat soon became one of the most popular weekly at the Torch Club for 20 years and continues to entertain there.
Road Trip! A New Venue—By Sally Katen I received a Facebook message from Daniel Castro stating that he would be playing in Newman, California, at a venue called the West Side Theater. I have a personal connection to that area, as my Dad was raised in Gustine, which is only 4 miles away.
profit and recently joined the Sacramento Blues Society. There are openings on their calendar and they are always looking for new Blues musicians to come play the venue! Please check out their website at http://www.westsidetheatre.org/
So with my Cousin Barbara, (our Dad's were brothers) we did a road trip down Highway 5, we made a pit stop at the cemetery, and after putting flowers on our relatives graves, we drove into town and found a quaint little pub directly across the street from the theater to kill some time before the show started.
Also, if interested in playing there, you can contact Martin via the information on the website, and you may just want to take that 90 minute drive down I-5 and have a wonderful time in a great, friendly area!
Funny thing is my cousin has childhood memories of the West Side Theater as she spent some of her early childhood in Gustine. The theatre in Newman was basically a Saturday afternoon babysitter for her and brother where they would watch double features. The theater ultimately closed down and sat empty for years before a group of locals purchased, renovated and opened it up as a musical venue. The theater seats are gone, replaced by tables and chairs, and the candy concession is now a well stocked bar. The operator, Martin, and his staff (including the resident little pup greeting guests) were very friendly. There is no bad seat in the place, the acoustics are great and as expected we enjoyed the Daniel Castro Band. If you wanted to make a night of it, there are restaurants and motels nearby. Martin and his crew have been bringing in blues musicians for the last couple of years and he is trying to make this a Blues Venue for all to enjoy! Other than the Blues musicians they bring to town, they also use the venue for local plays (and I noticed a few cover bands on the calendar also)! The Blues bands coming next are Janiva Magness on July 27th and Volker Strifler on October 5th. The West Side Theater is a non5
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ISLETON CAJUN AND BLUES FESTIVAL—By Jan Kelley; photos by Bob Cosman If you haven’t been to what was once known as The Isleton Crawdad Festival lately, it’s now called the Isleton Cajun and Blues Festival, same location, different producers, currently Mindy Giles from Swell Productions. It’s also smaller and more family-friendly with less rowdy crowds than in days of yore, which makes for a more pleasant time.
ones. The Zydeco bands were the Creole Belles and the Magnolia Sisters but of course the blues bands were my focus that day.
The Saturday blues bands were: Sacramento Blues Revue; Catfish & the Crawdaddies; Howell Devine; Kyle Rowland Blues Band, Terry Hanck, Karen Lovely and Elvin This year’s festival fea- Bishop. Each act was tured some of our local delightful and well reand In- ceived by the crowd, especially so given it was a pretty warm day. Kyle performing with Karen topped my day and with Elvin closing it all out, it just made things all the better! If you’ve stayed away from Isleton on Father’s Day week-end because of negativity from past ternational blues musicians as well as some great festivals, you can be Zydeco bands, lots of good Cajun and standard fare assured this is the to eat, plus a nice kiddies' play area for the little place to be now!
Cajun Blues—By Mindy Giles—Photo by Capt. Ron A lucky girl, I am. I've been able to carve out a life in music beginning the summer day I turned 16. Now, I am approaching 60. I've heard many of my musical heroes, much of the time from backstage. I’ve seen the transformative, urgent power of a lyric, felt my heartbeat commandeered by sheer wattage, hair blown back like that old Memorex commercial; I’ve cried like a newborn because of the beauty of the human voice.
And so, at the final late afternoon golden hour of the wonderful 2013 Cajun & Blues Festival in Isleton, California, achy and exhausted from working three festivals in three weeks, I didn't exactly plan to have another BIG moment. But there it was, unfolding just in front of me. A white-haired, wiry, sun burnt-faced octogenarian, in a homemade cornflower blue print calf-length dress and matching visor was on the dance floor right in front of Louisiana's Lost Bayou Ramblers, Cajun two-stepping with her rolling walker. As couples swayed, Louie Michot's fiddle sawed, and the audience sang back to him in French, she stretched her arms out, let go of her walker and twirled. 6