Charleston Blues Society</title>
Our mission: encourage musicians and communities across West Virginia to share blues music and history to enrich their lives and our state.

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 EACH SATURDAY: Marshall Petty’s Groove trio at Café Paris, 7-10 p.m. 26 Capitol St., downtown Charleston, (304) 343-4110


EACH SUNDAY: Dugan Carter & Marshall Petty and the Paris Project, blues and jazz, 7-10:30 p.m., at Café de Paris, 26 Capitol St., downtown Charleston, (304) 343-4110

 

First FRI.: TRI (The Real Inspiration )Café with Jonathan Wesley, 8-10 p.m., Capitol Roasters, 160 Summers St., Charleston , 304-720-7375

 


WV Intl. FILM FESTIVAL THIS WEEKEND presents, among other fine and thought-provoking movies, John Sayles' film "Honeydripper" about an Alabama juke joint, featuring appearances by blues stars Keb Mo and Eddie Shaw.
  THURSDAY night  April 24,8:30 p.m.,
Saturday matinee April 26, 3 p.m. 

Here's the  film festival website:
www.wviff.org/Spring.htm

and the details on the film:
HONEYDRIPPER
Drama, 2007 USA, 123 minutes
PG-13 for brief violence and some suggestive material
www.honeydripper-movie.com
Written and Directed by: John Sayles
Starring: Danny Glover, Charles S. Dutton, Lisa Gay Hamilton, Stacy Keach, Mary Steenburgen, Yaya DaCosta, Sean Patrick Thomas, and Gary Clark Jr.

"On Sayles Now!"
WVIFF presents a new film by one of our favorite filmmakers, John Sayles (Matewan). Continuing his exploration of American sub-cultures, Sayles tells a tale involving the debt ridden proprietor of the Honeydripper Lounge, a “juke joint” in 1950 rural Alabama. Desperate to restore the Honeydripper to profitability, Tyrone (Glover) spreads word of the booking at his club of the legendary "Guitar Sam". When Sam fails to show, Tyrone finds himself resorting to the help of a mysterious young drifter musician to try to save the Honeydripper.    
“ONE OF THE YEAR’S TEN BEST”  –  National Board of Review

 

 


Charleston Blues Society News April 2008


Biscuit Miller Cooks at UU’s for Charleston Blues Society April 17

 

Fiery and joyful Chicago blues bass player, singer and songwriter Biscuit Miller indeed buttered up Charleston at a special Thursday night concert, 7 p.m. April 17 at the Unitarian Universalist Congregation, 520 Kanawha Blvd. W.  The concert was co-sponsored by the UUs and the Charleston WV Blues Society.

 

Growing up on the south side of Chicago, Biscuit was always asking for more of his grandmother’s homemade biscuits, earning his nickname.  He picked up the electric bass guitar, a backbone instrument in Chicago blues, as a pre-teen. He traveled the world for 15 years playing in the bands of Chicago bluesman Lonnie Brooks, and guitar hotshot Anthony Gomes. Biscuit rolled out his own band in the year 2000.  He and his band, the Mix, rise up to put on a lively show suitable for all ages, full of blues, funk, rock and soul. Now based in Indianapolis, IN, he produced his own CD, Come Together, with original tunes such as “If it Make You Happy,” “Let’s Go Fishin’” and “Pretty Leg Woman.”

 

This was the second Charleston Blues Society concert presented at the UU Congregation.. The Blues Society sold raffle tickets for a toteback autographed by national blues stars such as Koko Taylor, and sold blue Charleston Blues society T shirts showing a sax player in a design by Wyatt Tolliver of Dunbar.

 

 Charleston Blues Society president Ron Wilkerson said, “We know how much a mid-week gig helps touring bands like Biscuit, and we’re looking for a piping hot good time to make everyone’s spirits rise.” 


Thanks to the Comfort Inn, Nitro, as well as Stray Dog Antiques , Chambers, Paterno & Assoc. CPAs, for co-sponsoring this concert with the Charleston Blues Society and Unitarian Universalist Congregation!  Also to Tudor's Biscuit World for supplying biscuits for our eating pleasure!

CHECK OUT BISCUIT's WEBSITE:

http://www.myspace.com/biscuitmiller


Gospel Concert at Chilton House features WV Finest
 
Saturday, March 29 the Charleston Blues Society supported Lady D and Wastelandic Paradise presentation of  the WestVirginia's  Finest Gospel Showcase Dinner  at the Chilton House, Loop Plaza, St. Albans. Lifting everyone's spirits were  W.Va's Finest Singing Contest finalists including  14 year old country gospel singing sensation, Corey Laney, gospel hip-hop artist Lamont Moore and powerful contempoary gospel singer,Jessica Liston; plus Leisha Gibson who sang in the Clay Center production of "Crowns." and Jonathan Wesley and Inspiration's gospel inspired jazz.

 

Heritage Revue  Feb. 29 Packs the House at UUs

On Friday Feb. 29, Leap Year Day 2008 and the last day of Black History Month, the Charleston Blues Society and NAACP and Charleston Unitarian Universalist Congregation present a Heritage Musical Revue to a packed house at the UU center, featuring  Lady D, the Paris Project and Barrelhouse Bonni. The concert was presented with a grant from WV Commission on the Arts.


“African American music tells not only the story of African Americans, but of America itself,"said Mel Hoover, co-minister of the UU congregation. “This concert  lifts up the sounds of some of West Virginia’s finest musicians, in a family setting where everyone is welcome.”

Coston Davis, president of the NAACP Charleston chapter, agreed, “The skill of black musicians, and their ability to express feelings shared not only by African Americans, but by people everywhere, is a source of pride in our community.”


Ron Wilkerson, president of the Charleston Blues Society, said, “We’re delighted to unite with these two forward-thinking groups to highlight a very important, under-recognized part of West Virginia music history. If we can work together to present music, we can work together on other parts of our lives as well.”


Capital High hosts Mac Cary teaching Jazz Improvisation

Nearly 40 adventurous Capital High students lined up for a chance to make their music sound even better by studying improvisation with Hammond B-3 organ, jazz and blues master McDonald Cary.  The course, held  during band club period taught by Mr. Bob Scott, is showing students how to listen to the other musicians in a band, play together and respond to one another.  Mr. Cary’s program is being presented by the Charleston WV Blues Society with grants from the Greater KanawhaValley Foundation and the West Virginia Commission on the Arts. Students heard a jazz concert by Mac Cary and the Blue Notes on Jan. 31. Principal Clinton Giles, who attended Gary District High in McDowell County where Mr. Cary taught for a year in the late 1960s, introduced the concert.  


Lady D Teaches How to Sing Your Own Blues Tune

In another Blues in the Schools program sponsored by the Charleston Blues Society using Greater Kanawha Valley Foundation and WV Arts Commission grants, Lady D and Barrelhouse Bonni taught Piedmont Elementary School students lin September 2007 how to "Sing Your Own Blues Tune."  Lady D's band Mi$$ion gave a concert at Piedmont on Sept. 7.  Lady D parlayed her classroom experience into a neighborhood workshop of her own held the following week at Asbury United Methodist Church. She encouraged folks of all ages to sing their tunes to open  an outdoor concert at the church, featuring the Martin Luther King Male Chorus.

Holiday Crowd Enjoys Jukin' at Miss Clo's

Local musicians brightened up the holiday season Saturday  afternoons from Thanksgiving til Christmas, at Clo's Uptown Eatery, 1219 E. Washington St. in a series sponsored by the Charleston Blues Society.  Neighborhood residents and visitors turned out to hear Lady D. and Mechanical Renegade;  Barrelhouse Bonni, Li'l Joe the Jesus Man and One Man Band, and McDonald Cary and eat Miss Clo's fish, ribs, greens, and chicken wings.

 


 

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