Friday night, March 28th 2008, 10:30 PM, I had a religious experience. I went on a blues ride with a master. The master. From the day I started to really appreciate The Blues - one name has summed everything up for me for what style I like to listen to - Buddy Guy. From all the clips I've watched on YouTube to the over 100 songs of his I have on my iPod - it is nothing compared to seeing the man live. He literally had the crowd in the palm of his hands for 70 minutes straight. When he was in his falsetto, you could hear a pin drop in a place that had 750 crazy blues fans in it. When he growled and played a lick to the crowd's appreciation the yells and positive feedback were deafening. The man was born to entertain. I could watch him for 7 hours let alone 70 minutes. He had so much material that he wanted to play that he literally would stop songs in the middle only to call up another classic to start. He started to play "Fever" and I don't think he got the response he wanted from the opening chords so he stopped the band and asked the crowd if they wanted to hear it or not. I guess he didn't like that response either because he said "then I bet you'll like this...." and he went into a superb rendition of "Hootchie Cootchie Man". He also paid tribute to some of his favorites by naming them and playing snippets of their material - most notably "Voodoo Chile" by Hendrix along with some Clapton and John Lee Hooker. I can't say enough good things about the concert - especially when he took his signature stroll through the crowd as he played and flirted with the audience. While on his walk he even left the room only to reappear through another door - taking his walking solo to the hallways. Insane. Also making the trip notable for me was hooking up with my childhood, high school, college, post college...friend of a lifetime whom I hadn't seen in over two years. We got all caught up over Grey Goose and Patron....and Hooters, which we could walk to from our hotel. I also got to meet two of the stars from the Berks County Jazz Festival - first, when we came back from our nightcap - Buddy Guy's guitarist Ric Hall was standing outside of a bass workshop talking to a hotel employee. Side note: How weird is it to have a workshop thats going on at 12:30 AM? Anyway - I walked right up to Ric who was super friendly and shook his hand and told him how good I thought he played for the show. He was so nice and very appreciative. I would pay to just watch Ric and Buddy's Damn Right Blues Band as they are super tight. I found this clip of Ric and Buddy online. It's funny as the person who's filming can't find Ric during his solo as he can't believe it's not Buddy playing. Then as we were paying for breakfast this morning, Brian Bromberg was standing in the entrance gettnig ready to go in. We caught the beginning of his set before we went to the Buddy Guy show and he was literally playing 10 feet from where we were sitting. He was up for a Grammy this year against Herbie Hancock who eventually won. He is an outstanding bass player. Very rhythmic. Incredible fingers. Anyway - I also shook his hand and told him I enjoyed his show. Again, he was very friendly and appreciative. As I got my things to go to my car and walked back past the restaurant - he (Bromberg) was at a table eating and unless the rest of his people were at the buffet, he was by himself. How cool would it have been to go back in and chat him up? He was telling a story during his set of a party last week where he was with Hancock. I bet he has some great stories. It's weird to hear him jam like he does because he looks like a 50 year old college physics professor. Anyway - I had a superb time and I'm going to start watching for more blues shows by the legends and take them in while I can.
Saturday, March 29, 2008
Religious Experience
Friday night, March 28th 2008, 10:30 PM, I had a religious experience. I went on a blues ride with a master. The master. From the day I started to really appreciate The Blues - one name has summed everything up for me for what style I like to listen to - Buddy Guy. From all the clips I've watched on YouTube to the over 100 songs of his I have on my iPod - it is nothing compared to seeing the man live. He literally had the crowd in the palm of his hands for 70 minutes straight. When he was in his falsetto, you could hear a pin drop in a place that had 750 crazy blues fans in it. When he growled and played a lick to the crowd's appreciation the yells and positive feedback were deafening. The man was born to entertain. I could watch him for 7 hours let alone 70 minutes. He had so much material that he wanted to play that he literally would stop songs in the middle only to call up another classic to start. He started to play "Fever" and I don't think he got the response he wanted from the opening chords so he stopped the band and asked the crowd if they wanted to hear it or not. I guess he didn't like that response either because he said "then I bet you'll like this...." and he went into a superb rendition of "Hootchie Cootchie Man". He also paid tribute to some of his favorites by naming them and playing snippets of their material - most notably "Voodoo Chile" by Hendrix along with some Clapton and John Lee Hooker. I can't say enough good things about the concert - especially when he took his signature stroll through the crowd as he played and flirted with the audience. While on his walk he even left the room only to reappear through another door - taking his walking solo to the hallways. Insane. Also making the trip notable for me was hooking up with my childhood, high school, college, post college...friend of a lifetime whom I hadn't seen in over two years. We got all caught up over Grey Goose and Patron....and Hooters, which we could walk to from our hotel. I also got to meet two of the stars from the Berks County Jazz Festival - first, when we came back from our nightcap - Buddy Guy's guitarist Ric Hall was standing outside of a bass workshop talking to a hotel employee. Side note: How weird is it to have a workshop thats going on at 12:30 AM? Anyway - I walked right up to Ric who was super friendly and shook his hand and told him how good I thought he played for the show. He was so nice and very appreciative. I would pay to just watch Ric and Buddy's Damn Right Blues Band as they are super tight. I found this clip of Ric and Buddy online. It's funny as the person who's filming can't find Ric during his solo as he can't believe it's not Buddy playing. Then as we were paying for breakfast this morning, Brian Bromberg was standing in the entrance gettnig ready to go in. We caught the beginning of his set before we went to the Buddy Guy show and he was literally playing 10 feet from where we were sitting. He was up for a Grammy this year against Herbie Hancock who eventually won. He is an outstanding bass player. Very rhythmic. Incredible fingers. Anyway - I also shook his hand and told him I enjoyed his show. Again, he was very friendly and appreciative. As I got my things to go to my car and walked back past the restaurant - he (Bromberg) was at a table eating and unless the rest of his people were at the buffet, he was by himself. How cool would it have been to go back in and chat him up? He was telling a story during his set of a party last week where he was with Hancock. I bet he has some great stories. It's weird to hear him jam like he does because he looks like a 50 year old college physics professor. Anyway - I had a superb time and I'm going to start watching for more blues shows by the legends and take them in while I can.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
2 comments:
I saw the show. I've seen him several times; typical Buddy, always a great show. He always seems interested to be there unlike many other musicians, The part when he brought the child onstage was priceless, but too long. It wasn't Buddy's fault though. He is a legend and always a great show.
Sounds like a great show. Good that you got to see one of the legends. So many of them pass before we get a chance to see them.
I echo the sentiments from above. A typical Buddy Guy show. As I may have stated in an earlier topic, the best time to see Buddy is when there are other accomplished guitarists on the bill with him. He is a true showman and enjoys showing off for his peers.
And NOBODY can play VooDoo Chile any better ever since Hendrix passed. If you close your eyes when Buddy's playing it you'd swear Jimi is in the house.
Another thing I love about the blues is that the artists do not have an air of stardom about them. You see them on the street or in a bar or at a concert you can just walk up to them and carry on a conversation.
I've forgotten the names of all the ones I've had conversations with. I'll never forget watching a Steeler football game with James Cotton though.
What relation is Bruce Bromberg to David Bromberg? David was a hell of a string player. Guitar, Mandolin, you name it. He retired to Delaware last I heard. He basically collects vintage guitars now. Only plays out a couple times a year. Probably down at Gator's or the Big Kahuna which many of you may have seen if you've ever stopped in Wilmington on a train ride between Washington and Boston.
Post a Comment