Reggae Rising Makes Second Batch of Major Announcements

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So far seven performers, including returners Tanya Stephens and Sly & Robbie, are set to blaze Piercy, CA for the 2nd annual Reggae Rising Festival. With a runnning slogan including the phrase "accept no substitutes," organizers People Productions may still be coming off as a bit cocky, considering the fight they had to go through to start the first one. Then again, these announcements seem drive the nail even further into the coffin for rival organization the Mateel Community Center, in regards to who will hold a reggae festival, whether it's billed as "Reggae on the River" (under Mateel's direction) or "Reggae Rising" (under that of People Productions).

Early bird camping and three-day general admission tickets are now available, at $160 and $40 a pop, respectively. Find out more about the announcements here.

The State of The 2008 Chicago Bluesfest (As of February)

                                             Photo Credit: how stuff works
With the fourth night of the Chicago Blues Festival announced, with none other than B.B. King set to cap this year's proceedings, the folks running the Chicago Blues Festival have given us a pretty decent amount of the festival's lineup (though it will eventually get up to 90 performances, according to the organizers). With a fairly diverse lineup so far-- from the acoustic subtelty of David "Honeyboy" Edwards to the vocal pyromania of Koko Taylor, it would be interesting to see how this range stacks up with that of past lineups.

As it turns out, the Chicago Bluesfest has been dealing in musicians from throughout the blues stylistic spectrum (as opposed to focusing solely on the host city's bread-and-butter electric style) since the first 1984 run; indeed, during those first three days, some of the same performers playing this year, such as Pinetop Perkins and Buckwheat Zydeco, could be found on stage.

During the late '80s, with themed stages first being introduced in 1986, the festival's ranks were filled with decidedly un-blues performers, such as Zydeco, Solomon Burke, and Keith Richards (local r&b crooner Cicero Blake, who performs this year, could also be included on this list). The trend is also reflected this year in the addition of soul divas Jackie Ross and Ruby Andrews to the lineup.

Sadly for those who are going this year and have never gone before, they will miss out on a fair amount of legends that frequented the festival in the past that won't be present in 2008. Buddy Guy, the most glaring example, has already played the festival five times but will not be in Grant Park this year. To be fair, the aformentioned Edwards and Taylor came back this year, and Guy can always be confirmed later this spring.

One thing that festivalgoers won't have to worry about this year is a lack of guitar fireworks. With players like Johnny Winter, Bobby Parker and Lurrie Bell already set, the festival's working out to be quite rigorous in terms of fretboard shredding and mean string bends.

While it's not confirmed to continue this year, the festival has demonstrated a trend of branching out lately, not in terms of artists so much as the very nature and type of its attractions. In 2002, one of the stages, the Route 66 Stage, began hosting everything from panel discussions to a Langston Hughes 100th year retrospective, and the stage has shown signs of this type of programmatic experimentation every year since, up to 2007. However, exactly what sorts of presentations on that stage that are in store for blues fans this year are still up in the air.

So what we have so far is a decent helping each of guitar heroes, soulful vocalists and blues megastars, though the latter category may not be as voluminous as some might hope. Keep those fingers crossed, though-- there may be plenty upstart performers about to tear King, Winter and Cotton a new one in June.

-- By Ross Moody

4th Lineup Announcement for the Chicago Blues Fest

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For all of the talk by the promoters of this year's Chicago Blues Festival getting the royal treatment, they finally have a lineup to back up this assertion. This is because the "King of the Blues," B.B. King, has been scheduled to perform at the festival on Sunday, June 8th. The announcement of King's addition to the Chicago lineup came with additions of five other performers-- Little Willie Littlefield, Bobby Parker, Karen Carroll, Charlie Love, and Lurrie Bell:

Chicago's in for a royal treat this summer at the 25th Annual Chicago Blues Festival, June 5-8, 2008. With the announcement for Sunday night's line-up, adding the crowning touch, Blues legend B.B. King, the festival goes for the gold!

The festival's final night will be majestic with Sunday night headliners that include Little Willie Littlefield, Bobby Parker and Karen Carroll with Charlie Love and special guest Lurrie Bell, and of course, B.B. King.

B.B. King, known as the King of the Blues, has graced the stages worldwide, and at age 82, he continues to tour as often as he did in his youth. King last played at the Chicago Blues Festival in 1988, so this festival will be a welcome return! Born Riley B. King, B.B. King has recorded more than fifty albums, many of them classics. With his left-hand vibrato and vocal-like string bends, he has developed one of the most identifiable styles in the music business, and become one of the most renowned blues musicians.

King has influenced a myriad of talented musicians, including Eric Clapton, Jeff Beck, and George Harrison; has won numerous awards including a NARAS Lifetime Achievement Grammy Award, honorary doctorates, and in 1984, was inducted into the Blues Foundation Hall of Fame. B.B. King performs Sunday, June 8th at approximately 8 p.m. at the Petrillo Music Shell in Grant Park.

Little Willie Littlefield began his career at age 16, recording his first hit "Little Willie's Boogie" in Texas. His talent on the keyboard has influenced many performers that include Fats Domino, and he has played in various clubs and venues both in America and Europe. Littlefield last played at the Chicago Blues Festival in 1988.

Delmark Records vocalist Karen Carroll recorded with Lurrie Bell's father, Carey Bell in 1984. Festival-goers will enjoy her gospel/jazz influenced sound, paired with the talents of Charlie Love and special guest Lurrie Bell.

Blues Rock guitarist Bobby Parker, played with Bo Diddley, Paul Williams, Chuck Berry, Buddy Holly and Little Richard. His most famous hit Watch Your Step, has been covered by Dr. Feel Good and Santana. Parker spends most of his time performing in the D.C. area, where he resides.

Tickets For Essence Fest On Sale

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With the newest additions to the 2008 lineup including Grammy-winner Jill Scott, Chris Brown and Ne-Yo, it's not likely that Essence will lose any of its mojo for this year. Tickets for the New Orleans-based festival range from $56 to $110 floor seats and can be obtained through Ticketmaster. More developments on the soul and r&b blowout later.

3rd Chicago Bluesfest Lineup Announcement

They sure are rolling out the lineup for the 25th Chicago Blues Fest fairly slowly. However, we should probably be grateful, considering the fact that the Grant Park-based blues party isn't for another four months. Here's the latest from Chicago's Mayor's Office of Special Events:

No need to wear a costume to the 25th Annual Chicago Blues Festival, but Saturday night's lineup on June 7 will be hot, spicy and festive. Blues fans will get the royal treatment with more headliners fit for a King but available to everyone.

Chicago Blues Festival's third night will be majestic with Saturday night headliners Buckwheat Zydeco and Lil' Ed and the Blues Imperials.

The King of Zydeco, Buckwheat Zydeco, (born Stanley Dural Jr.) is a master accordionist and zydeco performer, who pioneered the music form into mainstream success. Several of his songs have been nominated for Grammy® Awards, and at age 60, he continues to record, with his latest album titled Jackpot! It's his first studio recording in more than 11 years.

Energetic local band, Lil' Ed and the Imperials, know how to entertain and have fun. An authentic West Side bluesman, Lil' Ed (Williams) is a gifted guitarist, soulful vocalist, and master entertainer. Lil' Ed and the Imperials, under Alligator Records, received three nominations for the 2007 Blues Music Awards, and won Band of the Year. Expect to see Lil' Ed perform some flying leaps, toe-walking and slides across the stage on his knees!

Buckwheat Zydeco and Lil' Ed and the Imperials join a list of headliners that includes already released names Koko Taylor, Eddy "the Chief" Clearwater, James Cotton and Johnny Winter.

The Chicago Blues Festival has grown tremendously in its twenty-five years and now features more than ninety performances on six stages and extended hours of 11 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. Chicago Blues Festival is known world-wide as one of the biggest and best Blues events on the planet, drawing hundreds of thousands of people from around the world to Grant Park, year after year.