True Blues

Alvin Youngblood Hart & Corey Harris make their Rogue debuts in an evening of stories and songs about the history of the Blues

These two Blues artists were part of a live recording released on CD last year called True Blues (10 Spot Records.) Alvin covered Leadbelly's Gallows Pole - made famous by Led Zeppelin - and Blind Willie Johnson's Motherless Children Have A Hard Time, while Corey added Sleepy John Estes' Everybody Got To Change Sometime and Blind Blake's C.C. Pill Blues.  The album also featured the likes of Taj Mahal, Shemekia Copeland, Phil Wiggins, and Guy Davis. They all played on each other's songs as well. (I hope they will have that CD available at the gig!!)

Back in 2010, Vancouver guitarist Steve Dawson assembled an all-star cast to present two concerts at Capilano University to celebrate the musical legacy of the Mississippi Sheiks, a hugely influential and popular band which had a plethora of hit records in the 30s. Amongst the cast were Jim Byrnes, John Hammond, the late Bob Brozman, Oh Susanna, Daniel Lapp, Del Rey, Van Dyke Parks, and Alvin Youngblood Hart. I've added a photo (below, left) of Alvin that I took at the show. What amazing shows they were! Alvin sang The Sheiks' Livin' In A Strain, and joined in some of the ensemble numbers as well.

Last summer Corey Harris joined Guy Davis at the Mission Folk Music Festival to present a scaled-down version of the True Blues concert. He also sang a remarkable tribute to Wikileaker, Edward Snowden. Corey released Fulton Blues earlier this year, the latest in a catalogue of superb albums of Blues and originals. Having spent a year in Cameroon earlier in his life, he has become a  renowned performer of the African roots of the Blues, and he is also an accomplished reggae artist.

I don't know how you plan to spend Halloween, but not everyone has kids and some of us have either hidden behind closed doors or gone out to the movies or dinner to try to avoid Trick or Treaters! The show starts at 8, so most of the Trick or Treating will be over by then. We will have a few treats in store - and not just musical ones, either! So come on down and hear some of the best Blues you will ever hear. Come as you are, or come in costume. Just don't miss this rare chance to hear these guys solo and together on stage. We promise a memorable night!