ooh ooh ooh what a little 3 chords can do...No comment, Al...simply no comment...

Submitted by Al Kanovsky 3/16/13

You don't have to be a musician to know that the BLUES are fairly uncomplicated. 3 basic chords contained in a 12 bar structure. Easy enough for people to understand.

You have to be a MUSICIAN to create the songs that make up the BLUES. It's all in how you put those chords together and play them in a song. Last night I was treated to a display of that, live and in living color. David Shelley and Bluestone were at the Funky Biscuit for a CD release party. Unfortunately the discs hadn't been delivered but it was a party just the same. A party filled with good music played to a packed house. Along with Shelley was Charles Gasper(bass), Randy Ridenour(drums) and last, but definitely not last, was the brilliant David Scott. The band did "Living With The Blues". Dave's vocal is emotional and really can move you. David’s guitar solo transfixed the audience. Talk about "git box" players. There wasn't a soul in the joint talking as he played. My opinion of his playing was shared by my bar-stool mates, Lucy and Dennis. Lucy is a full-blooded Native American Cree and loves the BLUES. The Cree Nation is from Dakota and Lucy shared some of their history during the break. Talking about breaks, Dave and Blue Fire played for an hour and forty-five minutes before they took their first. As is usual at the "Biscuit", guys and gals get up to dance. Lots of times the ladies dance by themselves and with themselves. A few truly give themselves to the music and it makes for, to say the least, interesting viewing. Especially from a dirty ol' dawg like me. As they say in south Texas and 'weeziana, "Shake that thang" or is it thong? 

One couple dancing to a slow tempo BLUES were doing a step that requires the gentleman hold the lady tight and close. "Back in the day" my friends and called it "The Fish". A two-step with a slight dippy bounce. Sometimes we called it "Why Dance?.” The couple, Teresa and John are visiting from D.C. He called the step a "Slow Drag". The holding part is no "drag". The band did an Allman Brothers tune and it reminded me that the Allmans had tremendous influence on the bands that followed. Albert Poliak(known as the B man) sat in on B3 when the band played "Sunshine". Shelley paid tribute to BLUES legend Bobby "BLUE" Bland with a rendition of "Ain't No Love". The night drew to a close and I asked Dave what his favorite line from a BLUES song was. His answer "You Can't Lose What You Never Had". I will try to ask other BLUES players the same question in the future. 

I have to mention that the audience at the "Biscuit" is growing up. During almost the entire performance no one was "chatting" or being boisterous. A little unusual for "BLUES" listeners but give credit to the bands performance skills. My server at the bar was Naomi and it was her first night at the Funky Biscuit. She did a fine job in serving up a "Jack with a splash and a dash". 

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