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Tuesday, 31 August 2004 18:00

The one-year anniversary of “From the Corner” falls conveniently on the weekend of the 2004 Big Muddy Blues Festival, the biggest blues event of the year in St. Louis.

There’s something magical about seeing musicians who perform regularly in our fair city playing next to some of the top national acts. At Big Muddy, you can see a monster musician wailing on one stage, then walk a few blocks and hear another, and another…all for free.
There’s no good way to express the power wrought by so much blues in a single space over one weekend. Watch for everything from electric to acoustic to Chicago to New Orleans, some R&B, some old folks, some new folks, and some folks that are going to absolutely blow your mind.

Don’t misunderstand. The festival isn’t just any show with any band that plays on any corner in St. Louis on any given day. There are, of course, the regulars: Soulard Blues Band, Rich McDonough, Cryin’ Shame, Keith Doder, and the like. There also are some folks you can’t see all the time: Piano Slim, David Dee, Willie Johnson, J.R. Reed. And there are a few folks that you just hands-down should not miss, no matter how much you want a beer: Bennie Smith and the Urban Blues Express, Kim Massie and the Solid Senders, and The Ground Floor Band featuring Charles Hunt, to name just a few. The truth is that they are all good, most of them great.

A quick note about some of the national acts stopping by to take the main stages this year:

Clarence Gatemouth Brown is a true American treasure. He blends a mixture of blues, R&B, country, jazz, and Cajun into anything he wants: guitar, violin, harmonica, mandolin, viola, and even drums (which he played during WWII—who knew?). In his late 70s, Brown still takes his unique sound all over the world. There’s usually a surprise jam when he shows up; you never know who will be sharing the stage this year.

The Holmes Brothers (bassist Sherman Holmes, guitarist/keyboardist Wendell Holmes, and drummer Popsy Dixon) are not to be missed. The last time they performed in St. Louis at B.B.’s left our jaws dropping and hearts jumping. They’ve recorded with Van Morrison, Peter Gabriel, Odetta, Phoebe Snow, Jungle Brothers, and Joan Osborne, none of which reflect their style of blues and gospel. While their rhythm and hard-driving guitar playing will force your head to nod and hips to swing, it’s the multilayered sound from their amazing, three-part harmony that will bring down any house.

Alvin Youngblood Hart has been playing acoustic blues for the last 20 years, but it wasn’t until 1997 that he won the W.C Handy Award for Best New Artist and, later, two Living Blues Awards. He’ll be the first to admit that the customary definition of traditional delta blues doesn’t fit his style, but then he’ll also tell you that what people think is traditional is a load of crap. Just don’t miss a master of acoustic blues on both the 6- and 12-string guitar.

It’s been a busy summer here in St. Louis, lots of candy for our ears. Labor Day weekend signals the beginning of the end of the summer, our last chance to get out and enjoy some of the world’s best blues music. It’s also our chance to show the world (or at least the folks who drive in from towns around the area) that St. Louis deserves a place on the map with the other blues cities. And like I said last year, it’s freakin’ free!

The Big Muddy Blues Festival runs Sept. 4–5 at Laclede’s Landing, Sat 3–11/Sun. 2–11 p.m.


Budweiser Main Stage:
Saturday, September 4th
3 p.m. - David "Honeyboy" Edwards
4:30 p.m. - Bennie Smith & Urban Blues Express
6:30 p.m. - The Holmes Brothers
9:30 p.m. - Clarence "Gatemouth" Brown

Sunday, September 5th
2 p.m. - Cry of the Mighty Gospel Choir
3:30 p.m. - Alvin Youngblood Hart's Big Iron
5:30 p.m. - Fontella Bass & The Voices of St. Louis
7:30 p.m. - John Mooney & Bluesiana
9:30 p.m. - Mavis Staples

September 4th
Missouri Lottery/Bacardi Stage - Second St. & Lucas Ave.
3 p.m. - Pennsylvania Slim
5 p.m. - Soulard Blues Band
7 p.m. - Rich McDonough Band
9 p.m. - Beau Shelby & Fly

Embassy Suites/Regional Arts Commission Stage -
Second St. & Laclede's Landing Blvd.
3:30 p.m. - Bottoms Up Blues Gang w/ Brian Curran
5 p.m. - Arthur Williams Blues Masters w/ Boo Boo Davis
6:30 p.m. - Leroy Pierson
7:45 p.m. - Kim Massie Band
9:30 p.m. - Alvin Jett & Phat NoiZ Blues Band

President Casino Stage - Casino Entrance
3 p.m. - Piano Slim Blues Band
5 p.m. - Inner City Blues Band
7 p.m. - Melissa Neels Band
9 p.m. - Big George Brock

September 5th
Missouri Lottery/Bacardi Stage
3 p.m. - The Ground Floor Band
5 p.m. - Cryin' Shame
7 p.m. - Keith Doder & Blue City Band
9 p.m. - David Dee & Hot Tracks Band

Embassy Suites/Regional Arts Commission Stage
3:30 p.m. - Tom Hall
4:30 p.m. - Uncle Albert
6 p.m. - J.R. Reed Blues Band
7:45 p.m. - Renee Smith & Sole Blue
9:30 p.m. - Willie Johnson Band

President Casino Stage
3 p.m. - Patti & The Hitmen
5 p.m. - The Mighty Big Band
7 p.m. - Jimminem w/ Marsha Evans
9 p.m. - Mojo Syndrome