Hey Folks:

It’s been quite some time since I’ve written and for that I do apologize. I have had a lovely musical spring and am truly look forward to having just as much fun this summer!

The title of this post is not about me really having the blues or being sad; but it’s about NUTTIN’ BUT THE BLUES — blues music that is!

In honor of Black Music Month — which was designated by President Jimmy Carter in June 1979 — I want to take some time to talk about the blues.

According to Wikipedia–

Blues is the name given to both a musical form and a music genre created primarily within the African-American communities in the Deep South of the United States at the end of the 19th century from spirituals, work songs, field hollers, shouts and chants, and rhymed simple narrative ballads.

There are many types of Blues;  Delta, Piedmont, Jump, Chicago and Electric just to name a few. I personally prefer Delta which originated in the Mississippi Delta and Electric which is guitar heavy. The Blues tells a story, one that you can laugh at or cry with.
This week I had an opportunity to hang out with The Back Alley Players at the Sugar Bar in NYC; and boy did I get my fill of the Blues. The legendary Ashford and Simpson launched a brand new series on Tuesday nights that’s titled “Nuttin’ But The Blues”. Every Tuesday night folks come out in droves to share their brand of blues. This past week the show was hosted by Madam Pat Tandy with the Back Alley Players as the house band. She sang one of my new favoriate song “I want a Big Fat Daddy! Y’all I had a blast!
The music was awesome and the atmosphere and food was top notch! The celebrity attendance and participation was worth sitting in the rickety wicker chair! I had a chance to listen to Ms Ebony Joann sing about love, Lou Myers (AKA Mr. Gaines from seasons 3-6 of A Differnt World) sing about sleeping in ditch. Also in the house was Roz Ryan who played Amelia Hetebrink on the Sherman Hemsley hit TV Show Amen!
Did I say I had a blast? To top my night I received a kiss on the cheek from Nick Ashford and the pleasure of seeing my husband Stix Bones play the drums with Valerie Simpson on the keyboard.
If you are in NYC this month be sure to make some time on a Tuesday evening to visit the Sugar Bar and sing some blues. Be sure to call ahead and make your reservation 254 West 72nd Street New York, NY 10023-2851 (212) 579-0222
Stop by later on this week for a Blues Artist Spotlight.
Until then…
PEACE!