BLUES N'AT

Musicians will travel from both near and far as they converge on the Mecca of Blues Music, Beale Street in Memphis, TN to compete in the International Blues Challenge from January 21-25. Some will have a distinctive homefield advantage, Memphis Blues Society's Ghost Town Blues Band. Others, such as France Blues' Blues Power Band and Croatian Blues Forces' Zamba, will travel across oceans and continents for the chance to compete. They will bring horns and harps, guitars and drums. One thing is for sure, they will all bring the blues. It could be funky, earth-shaking rhythms or laid-back low country blues or pulsating piedmont blues. They will compete in the band and solo/duo categories, representing the best their respective blues societies have to offer. There will be a youth showcase category that helps the next generation of blues artists get their foot in the door to help keep the blues alive. Some familiar musicians who were able to parlay their success at the IBC into international superstardom include, Trampled Under Foot, Teeny Tucker, Selwyn Birchwood, Little G Weevil, MonkeyJunk, Homemade Jamz Blues Band and Sean Carney, to name a few. This year the competition will be tight with an estimated 125 bands and 80 solo/duo acts expected to participate. This weekend, many blue societies had send-off parties to wish their participants a fond farewell and good luck. The Blues Society of Western Pennsylvania has acts competing in every category. Billy the Kid and the Regulators will represent in the band category, Gary Prisby and Matt Baranti will be the solo/duo act and Zoe Zielinski will perform in the youth showcase. Another band with ties to Western PA, Ron and the Rumpshakers will participants for the West Virginia Blues Society. And who knows what blues legends may drop in during the proceedings? It's an opportunity for the blues community to get together, network, share ideas, jam and have one good old, leg-shaking time. If you get the chance, get to Memphis and hear some of the fantastic blues that will be wafting out of the clubs around this time. Until next time boys and girls, keep it bluesy.