Jes a L'il sunshine can go a long way...and Al will travel to the end of the earth to find out just how far....

Submitted by Al Kanovsky 1/21/13

Sunday morning and this little fat cat (see the picture above) is feeling low-down. But, the sun is shining and there's a BLUES Fest goin' on in town. So, I take a cold shower, put on a rusty-dusty pair of jeans a somewhat tattered and wrinkled shirt, a well worn pair of shoes and get my a-- over there. ( I remembered that I  forgot underwear when I went to bed later on).

The day is bright, the first sunny day for this Inaugural BLUES Fest. The Bobby Nathan Band w/ Bobby(vocals/guitar), Andy G(drums) Muggy Doo(B3, the real one), Al Ferrera(bari/tenor/flute/vocals) and Richie Goldman(bass). They take the stage, Bobby wearing a classic "panama" hat, Andy a white "Miami skimmer", Muggy a black "stingy brim", Al sports a "cowboy pork-pie(ala Lester Young)" and Richie a--- you've heard of a Bahama Mama?? Well Richie has a Bahama Yama (ke) on his head. They count it off and the BLUES fills the air. I start feeling much better about 12 beats into the song. Dynamite!! Explosive!! The band takes us on a tour of the U.S.A.,to New Orleans, Chicago, Memphis, the Coast(west) and Detroit. They play stuff covering from T-Bone Walker to Louis Jordan. The audience continues to grow and I am happy for Harald Neuwig, the founder, financier, and promoter of the First Annual Las Olas BLUES Fest.

That brings me back to Saturday. It was a dark, cold and raining. Truly a dreary morning on Los Olas. The rains forced the cancellation of Stan Street and Piano Bob(Saturday opening feature). It gave me a chance to catch up on some BLUES history as remembered by Stan. At 3PM the Pat Hunter project, Pat(vocals), Chris Jackson(guitar), Peter Feld(keys) and Guiseppe Pucci(drums). Pucci also appears with some of the better JAZZ players in town. Pat and The Project got the audience clappin' tappin' and dancin'. 

They were followed by Kelley Hunt. Stan Street was sitting in as M.C. and had to do a 15 minute rehearsal to make sure he got the name right. Kelley(keyboards/guitars/vocals) had John Rhodes(guitar)--sorry, didn't get the rest of the band. The good mood of the attendees continued. 



I had to leave early to go to the South Florida BLUES Society's Pre Cruise BLUES Party. Clay Goldstein and Julius Sanna were playing a pre-party set pool-side at the Hilton. There were no lights where they were playing. Listening in the dark made their music even more interesting. The party moved inside to a packed ball-room and Otis Cadillac & The Eldorados and the Sublime Seville Sisters. "Otis Cadillac" was an imaginary character who lived only in the minds of a few at Boston’s in Deerfield Beach. Joe Fodera and his brother Mark and a bunch of other musicians brought him to life as a spoof. Spoof or not this is a heck of a band. BLUESin' Rockin' and Rollin'. Behind "Otis" are Doug Treane(Tenor), Niles Blaize(harp/trumpet/vocals), Bobby Goldman(drums), Dan Newman(guitar), Bernie Rose(keys) and Bernie Shlumbar(bass). The Sublimes trio has Nicole Hart, Holly Doherty and Sistah Mary Beth. If you want to see a stage full of musicians having fun doing what they do, make sure to catch Otis Cadillac, The Eldorados and the Sublime Seville Sisters whereever they might show up. Thanks to Peter(blewzman) Lauro for providing some of the above story.

I left after their set to get back to Los Olas and catch the last notes of Graham Woods Drout and Iko Iko. Literally, I caught the last 7 notes. Maybe next time.

To continue Sunday. King Muddfish followed Bobby Nathan. They were now playing to an "every seat taken crowd". Uh-oh, had to leave. Nicco Wayne Toussaint(harmonica) an artist from France was doing an early starting set at Fishtales on 33d St. He was backed by Bobby Nathan, Andy G and Richie Goldman. Bobby still in the "panama" Andy still in the "skimmer" and Richie in the "yama". Nicco is a favorite of mine and unfortunately only spends a couple of months in the States every year. Fishtales was crowded with fans and fellow musicians who listen and learn. In the second set, a jam started and these are some of the stars who got up to sit-in. Clay Goldstein(harp)

Sistah Mary Beth(vocals) young J.L. Fukes(guitar) Mark(Bass-Blue Dragon), Liz Sharpe(vocals), Shea (drums), Mike(harp) and a guy who can really hit the high notes, "Pixie"(harp).

Pushed my now draggin' a-- out of its seat and walked(read crawled) across the street to hear Lisanne Lyons with Danny Burger(drums), Jaimie Ousley(bass) and Brian Murphy(piano). The American songbook, some amazing scats, improvisations by Danny, Jaimie and Brian what more could ask for if you love music.

It all started early Thursday night and finished up late Sunday night. With His help the story will continue. 

~ ~ ~

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