Mahajibee

That act was Pittsburgh’s Mahajibee Blues. They performed at the recent Pittsburgh Blues Festival, but I didn’t get to see them there, so this would be my chance to check them out. Featuring Tim Ambrass on bass, Brent McConnell on drums, Lonnie Holbdy on guitar and bass, Patrick Tevis on vocals and keys, and Ray Sherman on guitar; Mahajibee tastefully mixed various flavors into their blues mix, from the blues rock of their original song “Little Man” to the slower blues of their version of Guitar Slim’s “The Things I Used to Do,” to the funkier stylings of “Funkified Blues” and all things in between. It was all smoothly done and confidently executed, as Mahajibee locked into a steady groove and never let up for the duration. While many fair-goers walked by, a growing number of people procured seats on the nearby park benches to watch Mahajibee do their thing. It was good-sounding blues, and Mahajibee was clearly a band I would like to see again sometime.

http://www.rockpage.org/phpbb2/topic28772.html?sid=2c306b29803fd7997f5314f88f7c6fb1
- The Pennsylvania Musician Magazine

From the Steel Town to the Cotton Fields (I)
-- Mahajibee Blues

The drive from Pittsburgh to the Delta was a more than enjoyable trip, especially knowing that we were actually going to Helena, Arkansas to play “The Biscuit!” Our final destination in Mississippi was Hopson’s Plantation(http://www.hopsonplantation.com/) just outside of Clarksdale. It proved to be worth all of the time and miles it took to get us there! Climbing out of the van, I wondered if the blues that I was hearing was in my ears or in my head. From that point until we left, there was blues music everywhere. We entered The Hopson Commissary and listened to The Marshall Drew Blues Band, a local group (of twenty–something’s) from Clarksdale who sounded fantastic! The Commissary is a large room full of history, antiques, and pictures. It was an acoustic lounge...a very cool place to relax and listen to music. Feeling the “van lag” from the trip, I decided to turn it in while some of the boys went to “Red’s Lounge” (http://www.jukejointfestival.com/venues.php). I guess I ignored the saying that I had heard quite a few times from the locals, “You can sleep when you die.”

I paid the price by not going to “Red’s” because as it turns out, “The Oil Man” - Big Jack Johnson (http://www.myspace.com/bigjackjohnsonblues) was playing there that night. Deak Harp sat in and lit it up blowing a mean harp (http://www.myspace.com/bigjackjohnsonblues). Jon, Lonny, and my brother Mike said that, “Going to Red’s juke and seeing Big Jack Johnson was the real deal, blues in its pure state!”
When I woke up on Saturday morning at The Shack Up Inn, there was still a buzz about how cool it was to go to Red’s Juke Joint. I was in a hurry to get to the balcony. The first thing I noticed was the Cadillac Shack with the bottle tree in front of it. That is the front cover of our CD and it was the first time I laid my eyes on it. Someone suggested that we get a beverage in a blue bottle, pass it around until it is gone and then put it on one of the unoccupied tree limbs. Another band member who happened to be more awake reminded him that we had a show in Helena to do. In retrospect, I think we should’ve done it. Off to the right of our balcony was a view of a beautiful cotton field and the cotton was in full bloom, matured and opened, as far as you could see. Just an unbelievable site!
Most of the guys were hungry for breakfast so we headed into town, Clarksdale, MS. It was literally like riding in a tour bus. Things like the Highway 61/49 signs were pointed out as well as the painted silhouettes of airplanes on the highway reminding you that a crop duster uses this road to LAND! Once in town our heads were on a swivel as my Brother Mike, the authority on Clarksdale to us, was pointing out The Cross Roads sign, The Riverside Hotel where many a great blues man stayed (Rat sez that Muddy walked out of the hotel and onto a train to Chicago), Red’s Juke Joint, Ground Zero and the Delta Museum. We couldn’t look quick enough to see everything. We parked in front of The Delta Amusement Lounge. Sitting on the bench in front was none other than Mississippi Delta blues man, Mr. Tater. http://www.myspace.com/mrtaterthegreatestmusicmakeralive
He seemed more than happy to meet us and take a picture.
He assured us that he would be in Helena later that day.

Our breakfast was the biggest, greasiest southern style breakfast you could order. The waitress was getting a kick out our accents. She informed us that “Big Daddy” makes his own jam…but don’t tell him otherwise she would have to deal with his ego all day. Once we were fueled up, we walked over to The Ground Zero Blues Club (http://www.groundzerobluesclub.com/). A few people were cleaning up. They informed us that they weren’t open yet but permitted us to walk around and check the place out. If I owned a club, I would design it after Ground Zero. From Ground Zero, straight across Blues Alley is The Delta Blues Museum which was (http://www.deltabluesmuseum.org/) our next stop. You can spend a day in the museum but our time was limited. There’s an amazing collection of artifacts, instruments, recordings, sheet music, posters, photographs, costumes, folk art and paintings. The Muddy Waters exhibit is really impressive and it includes the cabin that he once lived in!

We headed back to Hopson’s to get ready for the festival. Some of us walked around Hopson while we took turns getting ready to go to Helena. On the ride to Helena I could sense the excitement about playing in ABHF. You could see the smoke and smell the BBQ before we reached the Festival. After parking behind the Emerging Artist Stage, we agreed to meet 30 minutes before we were to go on. Walking around Cherry Street, checking the booths, street buskers, seeing The Delta Cultural Center (http://www.deltaculturalcenter.com/exhibitions/blues.asp), the second stage and the main stage, we knew that this was going to be a lot of fun. We ran into Dusty Blues for th - Blues Society of Western Pennsylvania

From the Steel Town to the Cotton Fields (I)
-- Mahajibee Blues

The drive from Pittsburgh to the Delta was a more than enjoyable trip, especially knowing that we were actually going to Helena, Arkansas to play “The Biscuit!” Our final destination in Mississippi was Hopson’s Plantation(http://www.hopsonplantation.com/) just outside of Clarksdale. It proved to be worth all of the time and miles it took to get us there! Climbing out of the van, I wondered if the blues that I was hearing was in my ears or in my head. From that point until we left, there was blues music everywhere. We entered The Hopson Commissary and listened to The Marshall Drew Blues Band, a local group (of twenty–something’s) from Clarksdale who sounded fantastic! The Commissary is a large room full of history, antiques, and pictures. It was an acoustic lounge...a very cool place to relax and listen to music. Feeling the “van lag” from the trip, I decided to turn it in while some of the boys went to “Red’s Lounge” (http://www.jukejointfestival.com/venues.php). I guess I ignored the saying that I had heard quite a few times from the locals, “You can sleep when you die.”

I paid the price by not going to “Red’s” because as it turns out, “The Oil Man” - Big Jack Johnson (http://www.myspace.com/bigjackjohnsonblues) was playing there that night. Deak Harp sat in and lit it up blowing a mean harp (http://www.myspace.com/bigjackjohnsonblues). Jon, Lonny, and my brother Mike said that, “Going to Red’s juke and seeing Big Jack Johnson was the real deal, blues in its pure state!”
When I woke up on Saturday morning at The Shack Up Inn, there was still a buzz about how cool it was to go to Red’s Juke Joint. I was in a hurry to get to the balcony. The first thing I noticed was the Cadillac Shack with the bottle tree in front of it. That is the front cover of our CD and it was the first time I laid my eyes on it. Someone suggested that we get a beverage in a blue bottle, pass it around until it is gone and then put it on one of the unoccupied tree limbs. Another band member who happened to be more awake reminded him that we had a show in Helena to do. In retrospect, I think we should’ve done it. Off to the right of our balcony was a view of a beautiful cotton field and the cotton was in full bloom, matured and opened, as far as you could see. Just an unbelievable site!
Most of the guys were hungry for breakfast so we headed into town, Clarksdale, MS. It was literally like riding in a tour bus. Things like the Highway 61/49 signs were pointed out as well as the painted silhouettes of airplanes on the highway reminding you that a crop duster uses this road to LAND! Once in town our heads were on a swivel as my Brother Mike, the authority on Clarksdale to us, was pointing out The Cross Roads sign, The Riverside Hotel where many a great blues man stayed (Rat sez that Muddy walked out of the hotel and onto a train to Chicago), Red’s Juke Joint, Ground Zero and the Delta Museum. We couldn’t look quick enough to see everything. We parked in front of The Delta Amusement Lounge. Sitting on the bench in front was none other than Mississippi Delta blues man, Mr. Tater. http://www.myspace.com/mrtaterthegreatestmusicmakeralive
He seemed more than happy to meet us and take a picture.
He assured us that he would be in Helena later that day.

Our breakfast was the biggest, greasiest southern style breakfast you could order. The waitress was getting a kick out our accents. She informed us that “Big Daddy” makes his own jam…but don’t tell him otherwise she would have to deal with his ego all day. Once we were fueled up, we walked over to The Ground Zero Blues Club (http://www.groundzerobluesclub.com/). A few people were cleaning up. They informed us that they weren’t open yet but permitted us to walk around and check the place out. If I owned a club, I would design it after Ground Zero. From Ground Zero, straight across Blues Alley is The Delta Blues Museum which was (http://www.deltabluesmuseum.org/) our next stop. You can spend a day in the museum but our time was limited. There’s an amazing collection of artifacts, instruments, recordings, sheet music, posters, photographs, costumes, folk art and paintings. The Muddy Waters exhibit is really impressive and it includes the cabin that he once lived in!

We headed back to Hopson’s to get ready for the festival. Some of us walked around Hopson while we took turns getting ready to go to Helena. On the ride to Helena I could sense the excitement about playing in ABHF. You could see the smoke and smell the BBQ before we reached the Festival. After parking behind the Emerging Artist Stage, we agreed to meet 30 minutes before we were to go on. Walking around Cherry Street, checking the booths, street buskers, seeing The Delta Cultural Center (http://www.deltaculturalcenter.com/exhibitions/blues.asp), the second stage and the main stage, we knew that this was going to be a lot of fun. We ran into Dusty Blues for th - Blues Society of Western Pennsylvania

We're honored that "Little Man" was chosen for the Big City Sampler #5 CD.

15. Mahajibee
“Little Man” (4:08),
MAHAJIBEE,
Steel City Mojo band besides holding down the bluesbeat in the Three Rivers area of Pennsylvania have with the release of Mahajibee, their first original CD, have begun traveling down the blues highway.
Open The Door.— Robert Jr Whitall

http://www.bigcitybluesmag.com/

"Little Man"
Peaked #1 added to station 8/24/2008 8:47:14 PM
has been #1 for 7 weeks!

The Cashbox Indie Picks are selected by Cashbox Magazine professionals. The song choices are based on the criteria of quality songwriting, performance and production. "Little Man" has been chosen to appear on the Cashbox Charts. Songs appearing in the TOP 10 here will become listed in the same order on CASHBOX MAGAZINE'S R&B / HIPHOP TOP TEN PICKS Charts this week.

Cashbox R Station 3562 at KIAC and IACmusic.com

Also added to KIAC Internet Radio's THE COOL TUNES Station 5755 at KIAC & IACmusic.com

http://iacmusic.com/stations/KIAC5755.htm

www.mahajibeeblues.com
- Big City Rhytm & Blues Magazine

We're honored that "Little Man" was chosen for the Big City Sampler #5 CD.

15. Mahajibee
“Little Man” (4:08),
MAHAJIBEE,
Steel City Mojo band besides holding down the bluesbeat in the Three Rivers area of Pennsylvania have with the release of Mahajibee, their first original CD, have begun traveling down the blues highway.
Open The Door.— Robert Jr Whitall

http://www.bigcitybluesmag.com/

"Little Man"
Peaked #1 added to station 8/24/2008 8:47:14 PM
has been #1 for 7 weeks!

The Cashbox Indie Picks are selected by Cashbox Magazine professionals. The song choices are based on the criteria of quality songwriting, performance and production. "Little Man" has been chosen to appear on the Cashbox Charts. Songs appearing in the TOP 10 here will become listed in the same order on CASHBOX MAGAZINE'S R&B / HIPHOP TOP TEN PICKS Charts this week.

Cashbox R Station 3562 at KIAC and IACmusic.com

Also added to KIAC Internet Radio's THE COOL TUNES Station 5755 at KIAC & IACmusic.com

http://iacmusic.com/stations/KIAC5755.htm

www.mahajibeeblues.com
- Big City Rhytm & Blues Magazine

Mahajibee Blues, described by the members of the Pittsburgh band as “not your mama’s blues” definitely got the fans out of its seats Saturday at the 15th annual River City Ohio Blues Competition.

The band has been around for at least the last seven years, but this was their first year at the Marietta competition. With a good chemistry between all the members and a playful laid back attitude, the band seemed to be having a good time.

“It's definitely a blast anytime you can get together with this many bands," said the band’s keyboardist and harmonica player, Pat Tevis.

Brent McConnell, the drummer, said the band kind of developed out of some simple jam sessions and grew from there.

"It's started on a whim,” he said. “We just decided to pound some beers and play and then somebody got the crazy idea to take it out on the road once, so we've been going ever since."

Lonny Holbdy, one of the guitarists in the band, said the blues, especially their particular sound, is hard to define but he was confident people would enjoy it. He said blues in general, though, is the source for a lot of different types of music people hear today.

"To me it's just close to the root of music," he said.

Mahajibee Blues was one of 18 bands from Ohio, Michigan, Pennsylvania and other surrounding states that showed up to perform their best to a panel of judges and an excited crowd Saturday. The event, which has grown in popularity over the years, was sold out by 1:30 p.m., too.

Angie McCutcheon, of Waterford comes every year and has always bought a ticket at the door. This year, she couldn’t get in, so she listened to the music from the lobby.

"I like the talent, having multiple people from different regions come in and play,” she said. “You get lots of opportunity to see different versions of what people believe the blues is."

Peggy Bolen, treasurer of the Marietta Blues, Jazz and Folk Music Society, said last year sold out as well. So this year, the organization actually toned down their promotions, to avoid having too many people be disappointed that they couldn’t get in.

Although space is limited for both bands and audience members, Bolen has been pleased with the growth and success of the event.

"We really like 18 bands, that's a full day right there," Bolen said.

Bolen said she believes eventually the event will grow into a two-day affair.

John Gifford, director of the blues competition, said competition to come up with the 18 bands this year was stiff.

"We went through 27 applicants and had to eliminate nine of them, which was kind of a hard ordeal because they were all good," Gifford said.

Gifford said there was a great deal of diversity among the bands, though, making the event a good time for all blues lovers. Charlene Vaughn, a blues lover from Charleston, W.Va. was a judge for this year’s competition. Her job was to judge each band on originality, blues content, talent and stage presence.

"I'm pretty much judging on what I like,” she said. “I'm really learning the blues. I like Mississippi."

The event went from noon to midnight Saturday with a special appearance by the Blues Brothers Review, a new addition to the entertainment lineup this year. The band did not compete, but put on a performance reminiscent of the original Blues Brothers.
DIANA DeCOLA - The Marietta Times (Feb 19, 2007)
© 2008 Mahajibee
- The Marietta Times (Feb 19, 2007)

Helena, Arkansas, September 5, 2008: The Arkansas Blues & Heritage Festival, recognized as one of the largest free blues festivals in North America announced the artists selected to participate in the festival’s 2008 Emerging Artist Contest. This year over 200 artists, bands and performers applied to participate in the contest. A local favorite, Mahajibee Blues was selected by the Festival to take the stage and show the fans their version of blues.

The Arkansas Blues & Heritage Festival is recognized for its efforts to preserve the traditions of the Delta Blues. Launched in 1986 as the King Biscuit Blues Festival, it attracts over 100,000 blues fans to the banks of the Mississippi River. The festival takes place in Historic Helena, Arkansas home to blues legends Robert Johnson, Sonny Boy Williamson, and at one time Muddy Waters.

“The festival was started to preserve the traditions of the Delta blues. The organizers have realized the best way to preserve these traditions is to ensure that they are passed on to a new generation of blues artists. Artists are selected to participate in the contest by meeting several requirements like original music, blues traditions, and the festival organizers hope that while these new artists sit around backstage with blues legends they will learn first hand the history of the music”

The Emerging Artist Contest has created excitement in the music world as Blues Revue, and Beale Street Caravan a nationally syndicated radio program, joined as the national media sponsors. “We are proud to have these two music media outlets as partners. It demonstrates that preserving the blues, and building new artists is important to the world of music,”

Mahajibee will travel to Helena to perform at the festival October 10, 2008 and compete for the title of 2008 Arkansas Blues & Heritage Festival Emerging Artist. Although the recognition of being selected to perform at the festival should provide national recognition for the band they hope this time that having the blues will be a good thing.

For additional information please contact:

Rosie Swan

Band Contact Information:

Arkansas Blues & Heritage Festival
P.O. Box 118
Helena, Arkansas 72342
Festival Office 870-995-6569

Email: bluesandheritage@yahoo.com

- The Arkansas Blues & Heritage Festival

This is a hot five-piece Blues band. They consist of Tim Ambrass on bass, Lonny Holdby on guitar and bass, Chazz Kramer on guitar and vocals, Brent McConnell on drums, and Pat Tevis on harp, keys, and vocals.

There are two statements on their website, (a great website to check out), that summarize this band pretty good. First, they describe themselves as playing, “not your mama’s blues.” Brent then explains, “It started on a whim, we just decided to pound some beers and play. Then somebody got the crazy idea to take it on the road …that’s Mahajibee.” They are serious musicians who have fun at what they are doing! It shows not only in their CD but at their live shows, also.

They have been around since 2000 and have released two live CD’s at the Hard Rock and Rosebud and more recently a sampler. I think it was wise to test the waters as they did. They were able to draw from all three. Their patience paid off for this CD. This is their first studio release and their preliminary work really paid off!!

The CD starts off with a political statement, “Who’s Standin’ Up for the Little Man?” This is a great start with top-notch lyrics and guitar work. The rhythm section not only shines here but throughout the CD. (Wouldn’t it be nice if somebody in Washington would actually pay attention?) Nine of the twelve songs are original. They stay in the Blues throughout…. even on “Funkified Blues,” where Lonny takes a turn on the bass. It is funky but still true to the twelve bar Blues form. This is the part of their live show where all the ladies get up on the dance floor and strut their stuff. Lonny shines!!! “Blue Guitar” is just sensational. It is a beautiful, slow ballad. This is the song at their live shows that “us” guys grab our ladies and head to the dance floor. The guitar solo on “Find your Way Home” is searingly beautiful, the kind of thing that keeps this guitar fan coming back for more.

Mahajibee is a tight band and this CD shows that. See them live, too. You will not be disappointed. Blues lovers…the front and back covers of their CD depict a big chunk of blues history in Mississippi.
Jim Weber - Blues Society of Western Pennsylvania - Newsletter - Blues Society of Western Pennsylvania - Newsletter

People of Pittsburgh, what a great city you all have. Great traditions in everything: Sports, foods, arts and music. Some great music is coming out of Pittsburgh. Being a lover of the Steelers I am still in disgust with the Rooneys for not having the likes of Billy Price sing the National Anthem on Championship Sundays. By the results, even God was upset.

On July 21, 2007 I had the honor of seeing and listening to the Mahajibee Blues Band at the Endless Mountain Blues Festival in Elmhurst, Pa. If you haven't seen and heard them yet -- treat yourself.

I am sure you'll be glad you did and I hope that they will come back next year to the endless mountains.

Richard Marinucci
Scranton - Pittsburgh Post-Gazette (Blues Treasure)

For the first time in its 11-year history, a local rib festival will bring in musicians from outside Ohio.

The lineup of festivities for the 2009 Pickerington Jazz & Blues Ribfest, to take place Aug. 1 on Columbus Street in Olde Pickerington Village, will include a performance by Mahajibee Blues from Pittsburgh.

According to Keely Weaver, who has chaired the event since 2006, the decision was a natural progression for the festival.

"When we added the blues in 2005, it ended up being a big hit and our attendance started increasing," Weaver said. "Since then, we've gotten a lot of requests from bands outside of Ohio who want to play."

The five members of Mahajibee Blues have played together for nine years and have performed at some of the largest blues festivals in the nation. Last year, the band appeared at the 23rd Arkansas Blues & Heritage Festival -- better known as "The King Biscuit Blues Festival' -- in Helena, Ark., which calls itself as the third-largest blues festival in the U.S.

The one-day Pickerington Jazz & Blues Ribfest is free and has drawn more than 12,000 people annually to the city in recent years.

This year's event will feature its first "celebrity judge," Angela An, from WBNS 10TV News. An and a panel of judges will decide which vendor will take home the title of "First Place Best Ribs."

As in past years, a "People's Choice Best Ribs" award also will be decided by festival attendees.

"We will have roughly six rib vendors competing this year," Weaver said. "Angela enjoys ribs and she's great about coming out to all the communities."

Also new this year will be youth-oriented music presented on the festival's two stages. Christian Bath and Ohio's Youth Entertainers Stage Show will perform jazz at approximately 11 a.m., and Pickerington-based Rock Factory Music will showcase three of its youth bands.

In addition to the first-time events and performers, this year's Jazz & Blues Ribfest again will feature crowd favorite, The Willie Phoenix band, as well as the beer garden and kids' inflatables.

"There will be other vendors if people don't like ribs," Weaver said. "If people love blues and jazz music and ribs, then they'll love this festival."

Wednesday, May 20, 2009 4:04 PM
By NATE ELLIS
ThisWeek Staff Writer


Additional information about this year's festival is available online at www.pickeringtonvillage.com.

http://pickeringtonjazzandribfe.homestead.com/Music.html

nellis@thisweeknews.com
- ThisWeek Community Paper

Magic Slim in a playful mood during his set at Moondog's Saturday night. A very obvious fan standing next to me Saturday night told me (when she wasn't busy bouncing to the blues) to be sure and welcome magic-fingered Magic Slim to Pittsburgh, since it was the legendary Chicago bluesman's first visit here.

Consider that done. For a pleasant change from recent shows, Moondog's was packed with appreciative fans, and Slim showed his own appreciation with a rousing lesson in real-deal Chicago blues.

He begged, he pleaded, he shouted the blues -- his magic fingers bending blues strings into tough notes that stab at the heartstrings.

Just playing the blues.Slim isn't one of those guys who's trying to take the blues somewhere it's never been. He takes you where it was when it was the best there was. Still is.

He takes the essence of this classic music and smacks you upside the head with it. And the only possible answer is "thank you, sir, please do that again."

He dug deep into the Chicago and the Magic Slim songbook, with irresistible blues like "Goin' to Mississippi," "I'm a Bluesman," "It Hurts Me Too," "Get Your Business Straight," "Key to the Highway" and many more in his two-hour plus journey back home to Chicago right here on the main street of Blawnox.

Slim is every bit as imposing as his reputation suggests. He bumped his big black cowboy hat on the ceiling as he took the stage, but he had all the room he needed to stretch out with the blues. He's got a deep, rich voice and the big fingers fly over the strings, but there's not a wasted note.

Slim (Morris Holt, if you must know), wasn't exactly without help on the stage. The band, as nearly as I could tell, included Lenny Media on drums, Danny O'Connor on bass, and the quite excellent in his own right Jon McDonald on guitar and vocals when Slim took a break.

They backed him with tight, crackling work, just what a Chicago combo should be.

Magic Slim toasting the blues with his fansSlim warmed up as the night went on, and eventually seemed like he would never stop -- at one point raising a double Slim-sized shot in a tribute and toast to his fans. Blues fans being what they are, they responded in kind.

There was plenty of joy in the music, lots of dancing (on the "multimillion dollar Moondog dance floor," as McDonald called it).

Even though it's not very big, Moondog's is a grungily great blues bar. It's not hard to get close to the band, the music is never far away, and the elbow-to-elbow crowd is a great place to share the communal nature of the blues. (Of course, elbow-to-elbow may not exactly be anatomically correct, but this is still a blog in a family newspaper's Web site).

After the show, some fans gathered to pay tribute in the back room, where Slim's table was surrounded by fans and lined with empty shot glasses. It was that kind of a blues night.

All in all, it was dark and bluesy night -- the best kind -- and it filled the all-too-cynical BlueNotes heart with that deep blue feeling that, at least for a while, takes you to a much better place.

The opening band was Pittsburgh's Mahajibee, a quintet playing rough and tough sweaty blues of their own. A very nice opener for Slim.
- Jim White, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

The Pittsburgh-based blues band Mahajibee got a chance in October to go to one of the biggest and a best of the blues festivals -- the Arkansas Blues and Heritage Festival, formerly known as the King Biscuit Blues Festival. The band was invited to perform as part of the fest's emerging artist program.

Pat Tevis, Mahajibee keyboard player and vocalist, has put together a journal of the band's journey, with a few photos, and he offers it for our reading pleasure. Congratulations guys, it sounds like a great adventure.

The drive from Pittsburgh to the Delta was a more than enjoyable trip, especially knowing that we were actually going to Helena, Arkansas to play “The Biscuit!” Our final destination in Mississippi was Hopson’s Plantation (http://www.hopsonplantation.com/) just outside of Clarksdale and it proved to be worth all of the time and miles it took to get us there! Climbing out of the van I wondered if the blues I was hearing was in my ears or in my head. From that point on up until the time we left there was blues music everywhere. We entered The Hopson Commissary and listened to The Marshall Drew Blues Band, a local group (of twenty–something’s) from Clarksdale who sounded fantastic!

The Commissary is a large room full of history, antiques, and pictures, an acoustic lounge...a very cool place to relax and listen to music. Feeling the “van lag” from the trip I decided to turn it in while some of the boys went to “Red’s Lounge” (http://www.jukejointfestival.com/venues.php). I guess I ignored the saying I heard quite a few times from the locals, “You can sleep when you die.”

I paid the price by not going to “Red’s” because as it turns out, “The Oil Man” - Big Jack Johnson (http://www.myspace.com/bigjackjohnsonblues) was playing there that night; Deak Harp sat in and lit it up blowing a mean harp (http://www.myspace.com/deakharp). Jon, Lonny, and my brother Mike said that, “Going to Red’s juke and seeing Big Jack Johnson was the real deal, blues in its pure state!”

Waking up Saturday morning at The Shack Up Inn there was still a buzz about how cool it was to go to Red’s Juke Joint, but I was in a hurry to get to the balcony. The first thing I noticed was the Cadillac Shack with the bottle tree in front of it. That is the front cover of our CD and it was the first time I laid my eyes on it. Someone suggested we get a beverage in a blue bottle, pass it around until it is gone, and then put it on one of the unoccupied tree limbs. Another band member who happened to be more awake reminded him we had a show in Helena to do. In retrospect I think we should’ve done it. Off to the right of our balcony was a view of a beautiful cotton field and the cotton was in full bloom, matured and opened, as far as you could see. Just an unbelievable sight!

Most of the guys were hungry for breakfast so we headed into town, Clarksdale, MS. It was literally like riding in a tour bus as things like the highway 61/49 signs were pointed out as well as the painted silhouettes of airplanes on the highway reminding you that a crop duster uses this road to LAND!

Once in town our heads were on a swivel as my Brother Mike, the authority on Clarksdale to us, was pointing out The Cross Roads sign, The Riverside Hotel where many great blues man stayed (Rat sez that Muddy walked out of the hotel and onto a train to Chicago), Red’s Juke joint, Ground Zero and the Delta Museum and things we couldn’t look quick enough to see. We parked in front of The Delta Amusement Lounge and sitting on the bench in front was none other than Mississippi Delta blues man Mr. Tater. http://www.myspace.com/mrtaterthegreatestmusicmakeralive

He seemed more than happy to meet us and take a picture. He assured us that he would be in Helena later on in the day.

Our breakfast was the biggest greasiest southern style breakfast you could order. The waitress was getting a kick out our accents and informed us that “Big Daddy” makes his own jam but don’t tell him otherwise she’ll have to deal with his ego all day. Once we were fueled up we walked over to The Ground Zero Blues Club (http://www.groundzerobluesclub.com/). A few people were cleaning up and informed us that they weren’t open yet but permitted us to walk around and check the place out. If I owned a club I would design it after Ground Zero. From Ground Zero, straight across Blues Alley is The Delta Blues Museum (http://www.deltabluesmuseum.org/) our next stop. You can spend a day in the museum but our time was limited. There’s an amazing collection of artifacts, instruments, recordings, sheet music, posters, photographs, costumes, folk art and paintings. The Muddy Waters exhibit is really impressive and it includes the cabin that he once lived in!

We headed back to Hopson’s to get ready for the festival. Some of us walked around Hopson while we took turns getting ready to go to Helena. On the ride to Helena I could sense the excitement about playing in ABHF. - Pgh. Post-Gazette Blue Notes

Magic Slim in a playful mood during his set at Moondog's Saturday night. A very obvious fan standing next to me Saturday night told me (when she wasn't busy bouncing to the blues) to be sure and welcome magic-fingered Magic Slim to Pittsburgh, since it was the legendary Chicago bluesman's first visit here.

Consider that done. For a pleasant change from recent shows, Moondog's was packed with appreciative fans, and Slim showed his own appreciation with a rousing lesson in real-deal Chicago blues.

He begged, he pleaded, he shouted the blues -- his magic fingers bending blues strings into tough notes that stab at the heartstrings.

Just playing the blues.Slim isn't one of those guys who's trying to take the blues somewhere it's never been. He takes you where it was when it was the best there was. Still is.

He takes the essence of this classic music and smacks you upside the head with it. And the only possible answer is "thank you, sir, please do that again."

He dug deep into the Chicago and the Magic Slim songbook, with irresistible blues like "Goin' to Mississippi," "I'm a Bluesman," "It Hurts Me Too," "Get Your Business Straight," "Key to the Highway" and many more in his two-hour plus journey back home to Chicago right here on the main street of Blawnox.

Slim is every bit as imposing as his reputation suggests. He bumped his big black cowboy hat on the ceiling as he took the stage, but he had all the room he needed to stretch out with the blues. He's got a deep, rich voice and the big fingers fly over the strings, but there's not a wasted note.

Slim (Morris Holt, if you must know), wasn't exactly without help on the stage. The band, as nearly as I could tell, included Lenny Media on drums, Danny O'Connor on bass, and the quite excellent in his own right Jon McDonald on guitar and vocals when Slim took a break.

They backed him with tight, crackling work, just what a Chicago combo should be.

Magic Slim toasting the blues with his fansSlim warmed up as the night went on, and eventually seemed like he would never stop -- at one point raising a double Slim-sized shot in a tribute and toast to his fans. Blues fans being what they are, they responded in kind.

There was plenty of joy in the music, lots of dancing (on the "multimillion dollar Moondog dance floor," as McDonald called it).

Even though it's not very big, Moondog's is a grungily great blues bar. It's not hard to get close to the band, the music is never far away, and the elbow-to-elbow crowd is a great place to share the communal nature of the blues. (Of course, elbow-to-elbow may not exactly be anatomically correct, but this is still a blog in a family newspaper's Web site).

After the show, some fans gathered to pay tribute in the back room, where Slim's table was surrounded by fans and lined with empty shot glasses. It was that kind of a blues night.

All in all, it was dark and bluesy night -- the best kind -- and it filled the all-too-cynical BlueNotes heart with that deep blue feeling that, at least for a while, takes you to a much better place.

The opening band was Pittsburgh's Mahajibee, a quintet playing rough and tough sweaty blues of their own. A very nice opener for Slim.
- Jim White, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette