Blues at Centrum

2008 Blues Performance Guide: Saturday Afternoon, 8/2

Although we are in workshop mode right now at the Port Townsend Country Blues Festival, we are getting close to our Friday and Saturday mainstage performances and club shows.

Next up in our Blues Performance Guide Series is the Saturday, August 2, 1:30pm show at McCurdy Pavilion, the Fort's WWI-era balloon hangar. Since it is an afternoon show, we open the Pavilion's huge hangar doors allowing seat-holders inside to wander outside and enjoy the music on Littlefield Green if they wish.

There are still good seats available, and you can purchase tickets online. Tickets for Saturday afternoon are $22 and remember--if you're 18 and under, your seat is free!

The afternoon show features a slew of great guitar players, before we close the show with some piano fireworks from Arthur Migliaza and Daryl Davis.

Rick Franklin opens the show, and is a terrific Piedmont blues guitarist with a sensitive appreciation of the style.

Reverend John Wilkins learned guitar at the feet of  his father, the legendary Rev. Robert Wilkins. You'll learn the essence of what it means to pass down a legacy from this inspirational player.

Festival favorite Mike Dowling is a guitar-player's guitar player. His engaging voice, self-deprecating wit, and arsenal of elegant interpretations of old blues tunes are favorites of audiences.

• Purchase tickets online.

We're thrilled to have Jerron "J-Dog"Paxton with us this year. J-Dog is a 19 year old, blind, multi-instrumentalist who plays with a confidence and perspective that belies his years. We recorded a podcast interview with J-Dog the day before he came to Port Townsend. You can listen to that interview here.

Ari Eisinger hasn't been with us in some time, and we've missed him. Ari is one of the most talented players anywhere, and he specializes in the really beautiful, and VERY difficult tunes of the 20s and 30s.

Before he became known as a blues singer, Reverend Robert Jones hosted a radio show in Detroit, and hosted jam sessions at a local club. He is a highly regarded interpreter of acoustic blues, influenced by Son House, who was also a minister.

• Purchase tickets online.

John Cephas and Phil Wiggins are the preeminent blues duo in the world. We'be been extremely fortunate to have Phil as our artistic director for the past 5 years. HIs passion and interests are deeply interwoven in the Festival. Needless to say, this set will be a memorable performance by two of the absolute best.

Blues prodigy Arthur Migliazza was heavily influenced by Otis Spann, Jimmy Yancey, and Professor Longhair. By the time he was in high school, he was already fronting his own band. In 2004, he released his debut CD, and in 2006 released his second: Pumping Ivories. This year, he makes his first visit to the Port Townsend Country Blues Festival. 

Daryl Davis has played with such legendary artists as Chuck Berry, the Jordanaires, Muddy Waters’ Legendary Blues Band, The Coasters, and Bo Diddley to name a few. Daryl is much more than a musician, however. On a quest to explore racism, Daryl met with dozens of Ku Klux Klan members, many of whom gave him their robes and hoods to symbolize the rescinding of their beliefs.

• Purchase tickets online.

After Saturday night's mainstage show ends, join us downtown and uptown Port Townsend for Blues in the Clubs. $15 provides admission to all clubs, where you'll hear the likes of the Gallus Brothers, Cooke & Taborn, the Rev. Robert Jones, J-Dog Paxton, and many many more. Get the complete list at our performance page.

Stay tuned for our next post about the Saturday evening show....

J-Dog's Back Porch Jam

Jerron "J-Dog" Paxton leads a jam on the back porch of building 204 Tuesday night. We also recorded a podcast interview with J-Dog the day before he came to Port Townsend. You can listen to that interview here.

Interview with Rev. John Wilkins (Part 1)

Rev. John Wilkins, the son of blues legend Rev. Robert Wilkins, talks about learning how to play the guitar.

Rev. Wilkins plays for the public Saturday, August 2, 2008 at 1:30pm at McCurdy Pavilion at Fort Worden State Park. Purchase tickets online.

2008 Blues Performance Guide: Friday Night, 8/1

Although we are in workshop mode right now at the Port Townsend Country Blues Festival, we are getting close to our Friday and Saturday mainstage performances and club shows.

Over the next day or so, we'll detail each mainstage performance, and share some 'don't miss' moments in the clubs. There are still good seats available, and you can purchase tickets online. Tickets for Friday are $16, and remember--if you're 18 and under, your seat is free!

Friday night's 7:30pm mainstage show is a big, brawling blues dance in McCurdy Pavilion, the Fort's WWI-era balloon hangar that was converted into a 1200-seat performance hall in the late 80s. We've blocked off a dance section off of stage left for some serious blues dancing, and of course, we'll have all of the great seating you'd expect.

We'll start the evening off with Del Rey and Craig Flory. Del is a favorite in the Pacific Northwest, and for good reason. She's a fierce guitar/mando/uke player, and brings a stage presence that matches the size of the venue!

Following Del and Craig, we present a special treat--the Warner Williams Big Band. You're reading this correctly--we're going to pack the stage with an all-star collection of musicians alongside one of the truly great blues guitarists. Warner and his partner Jay Summerour took the train out from the D.C . area to be here, and as these jam videos show, they are inspired this week!

We'll close the mainstage on Friday night with one of our favorites--Terry "Harmonica" Bean. Terry is a one-man band in his home state of Mississippi, but here in Port Townsend, he's created his own all-star band to back him in this set. If you haven't seen Terry live, you really must--he's not only a great blues musician, he's also one of the funniest people you'll ever meet. Watch a video of him jamming this week, and listen to him explain where and how he learned the blues.

• Purchase tickets online.

After the mainstage show ends, join us downtown and uptown Port Townsend for Blues in the Clubs. $15 provides admission to all clubs, where you'll hear the likes of the Gallus Brothers, Cooke & Taborn, the Rev. Robert Jones, J-Dog Paxton, and many many more. Get the complete list at our performance page.

Stay tuned for our next posts about the Saturday shows....

An Interview with Terry "Harmonica" Bean (Part 1)

"Terry "Harmonica" Bean reflects the true nature of the blues. His style is raw and pure. He does not like the use of effects on his music. He uses a style of finger picking that students of the real origins of American music appreciate and understand. His music is perfect for those who appreciate the fact that most American Music finds its roots in the Delta Style Blues." - CD Baby

Faculty After-Dinner Jam

Last night, the after dinner jam on the back porch of building 204 featured faculty members:

• Rev. Robert B. Jones
• Rick Franklin
• Jay Summerour
• Warner Williams
• Rev. John Wilkins
• Terry “Harmonica” Bean
• Jerron Paxton.

Wednesday Blues Dance

Jack Olmsted has been showing you what's happening outside on the back porch of Building 204. On this Wednesday night at 8pm, we'd like to invite you to the inside, upstairs part of 204 that we all the "Juke Joint." Get your dancing shoes on, and join us as Festival faculty bands get the Juke hoppin.' You can get tickets in advance, or pay at the door. $10, and if you're 18 and under, it's free. See you there.

An Interview with Jay Summerour

Jay Summerour, harmonica, sits down and talks about playing the blues in the Commons Lobby. Part 1 of 2

210 Country Blues Jam

Jay Summerour (Left), Warner Williams and Jerron Paxton lead a jam outside the Commons right before dinner.

204 Porch Jam 4-5pm

Terry Bean lead a jam on the 204 back porch before dinner. This clip also features Rick Franklin and TJ Moor on Guitar. If you can ID somebody else in this video, please post their name and instrument in comments.

Podcast: An Interview with Jerron Paxton, Guitar

Click To Play Podcast

Jerron Paxton, a 2008 Centrum's Country Blues Workshop faculty member, will be teaching guitar this week at the Port Townsend Country Blues Festival.

The Los Angeles based, legally blind, teen plays the banjo, guitar, harmonica, pinao and washboard. He is part of a rising crop of young African-American musicians learning country blues in the communities from which it arose. This is the second part of a conversation that was set-up with Jerron 24 hours before his very first flight to the Pacific Northwest. Listen to Part 1.

Jerrod covers Cincinnati Flow Rag / Where'd You Get Your Liquor From

Roots of Rock Welcomes Legend Wanda Jackson

Post by guest author Rebecca Agiewich.

Are you ready to rock? The Roots of Rock workshop starts in less than two weeks. The gathering will not only give you the chance to learn from master musicians, but to meet (and play with!) rock legend Wanda Jackson (aka “The First Lady of Rock” and the “Rockabilly Filly.”)

Grammy-nominated Jackson, who has been inducted into the Rockabilly Hall of Fame and the Oklahoma Country Music Hall of Fame (among other honors), will be on hand to share wisdom from her storied 50+ years in the rock business.

Jackson got her start playing guitar and singing country music as teenager in the 50s, and-- after encouragement from her friend Elvis Presley--turned her hand to rock. With hits like “Fujiyama Mama” (which made her a sensation in Japan) and a cover of Elvis Presley’s “Let’s Have a Party, ”which became a top 40 hit in the 60s, Jackson made an indelible mark on the music world at a time when women were supposed to be keeping house and having babies.

But she did a lot more than that, according to Daryl Davis, who is running the Roots of Rock workshop. Jackson had a black piano player in her band—Big Al Downing—at a time when rock music was just starting to break down the racial divide between black and white people, but when bands still weren’t integrated, says Davis.

Because of that, that there were places her band couldn’t play if she brought her piano player. But, says Davis, Jackson refused to play without him. “I really, really admire her for that,” says Davis, a Grammy-winning piano player and an author who has written about race relations in his book Klan-Destine Relationships.

“She was a big contributor to integrating musical groups. She integrated her band; she didn’t care what color they were; she didn’t care about someone’s political leanings – she just put her band together according to what she liked. And this was at a time when women did not have a voice in things. It really took a lot of courage for her to do what she did.” 

As a Roots of Rock participants, you’ll learn about these kinds of social, cultural, issues as they relate to the birth of rock. You will also, of course, learn to play it, with tracks for guitar (taught by Keith Grimes), piano (taught by Davis), and bass (taught by Eduardo "Cha Cha Mundo" Garcia-Maynez).. Stay tuned over the next few days as we post more blog entries about the upcoming workshop and about Daryl, Wanda, and the other teachers! 

Meanwhile, to see Wanda in action, check out this recent video of her singing Fujiyama Mama

or this oldie but goodie of Let’s Have a Party.

One More Guitarist on Staff!

We're jumping with excitement with the news that the gracious Eleanor Ellis has been added to the guitar staff for the Country Blues Workshop. Attendees from last year will remember Eleanor's honest singing, tough Piedmont style picking, and understated presence felt throughout the gathering. The late addition of Eleanor (and Reverend John Wilkins) makes this years' guitar staff perhaps the strongest ever. For more information on this remarkable woman:    http://www.eleanorellis.com/   

Why We Love Crossroads Music

Here at Centrum, we take great pleasure in creating environments that enable transformational experiences for artists. Of course, we can't do it on our own--it really does take a village (so to speak).

One of our favorite partners is Crossroads Music in Port Townsend. This independent music store is run by Dan and Sarai Lopez, and they are an important part of our Blues week (not to mention Centrum's other music gatherings).

If you come to a Centrum workshop, and want to avoid airport security hassles, you can rent instruments from them. When you are at our 2008 Country Blues Festival, Dan and Sarai will be on-site here at Fort Worden to supply you with everything you'll need to keep the music playin.' That includes instruments, books, CD's, DVD's and official Centrum merchandise.

Perhaps the coolest thing they do, however, is support Centrum's core mission. Dan and Sarai are underwriting scholarships that are making it possible for three participants from the North Olympic Peninsula to attend the 2008 Port Townsend Country Blues Festival workshops.

Thank you Dan and Sarai--we truly couldn't do it without you.

Dobro Demons at the Wheeler

Dobro players from all over the country are arriving today for a long weekend of workshops and jamming. To cap off the intensive, we've got a special dobro show happening at 7:30 pm, on July 12 at the Joseph F. Wheeler Theater that will include some of the best players on the planet--including Mike Witcher, Mike Neer, and Centrum's Artistic Director for Slide and Steel, Orville Johnson.

General Admission Seats are $16; 18 & under can attend for free with prior reservations. You can follow this link to purchase tickets or, call Centrum at 360.385.3102, x117.

The name “dobro” originated in 1928 when the Dopyera brothers formed the Dobro Manufacturing Company. “Dobro” is both a contraction of “Dopyera brothers” and a word meaning “good” in their native Slovak.

The sounds that the instrument produces are known as the closest sound to being able to approximate the human voice.

The show will feature each musician will playing a set; the show culminates with everyone playing together.

“This will be the first time in Centrum’s history that we have presented an all-dobro concert,” says program manager Peter McCracken. “These are top-drawer, first-tier players who will have been brought to a fever pitch after an intensive weekend-long dobro workshop for avid students. These guys are soaked in the music and the stories of the dobro.” 

Announcing the Contemporary Stringband Workshop

We've just opened registration on an exciting new workshop here at Centrum.

Somewhere beyond or behind all musical borders lies a creative terrain where bluegrass, jazz, classical, pop, and various world musics mingle, played by musicians who care more for inspiration than they do for genre.

Our Contemporary Stringband Workshop is designed to take you there, and there is no better guide than Darol Anger, along with his fellow faculty members Scott Nygaard, Tristan Clarridge, and Matt Flinner.

Visit our CSW page for complete information on this premium experience taking place November 13-16, 2008 here at Fort Worden State Park.