Author Archives: Alice

Missy & Heine Andersen Win the San Diego Blues Competition

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Congratulations to Missy and Heine for winning the solo/duo San Diego International Blues Competition (IBC).  They will represent us at the annual IBC in Memphis this coming January.  See the video of them from my post 2 weeks ago.

Also performing was Harmonica John Frazer, playing the harp and guitar while performing this well known Sonny Boy Williamson cover song, Help Me.

As well as Ben Powell, who won the local competition two years ago.  Here is Ben performing a Blind Willie Johnson cover tune, Bye and Bye I’m Going to See the King.  As Ben shared with us, the songs he likes to perform are the older country blues songs of the 1920s and 30s, and they are wonderful tunes.

Here’s Ben playing and singing his tune Away From Home.

And another one of Ben performing Sitting On Top of The World

And last but not least, Andres Acuna (who used to play in Annette DaBomb’s band) and Eddie Sadler were also in the final round.  I didn’t get video of them (ran out of memory ;( , but they were also very good.

San Diego Blues

A Little Smooth Jazz with the Blues

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Last Thursday night I caught Tony Petersen, who is the drummer in Annette DaBomb’s Bomb Squad bluesy jazz band, singing and playing a George Benson cover tune This Masquerade.  He’s accompanied by Alan Zundelevich on keyboards, and a bass player who was filling in last week.

They were playing at the Gaslamp Speakeasy, and you can catch them there the next two Thursday nights and this coming Friday night.  Don’t miss Annette before she leaves us at the end of the month.

San Diego Blues

A Jammin Birthday Night

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We celebrated Victor Franklin’s 60th birthday at the JammingOut at HOB blues jam, and many of his friends showed up to play with him.  Unfortunately most of the video I took didn’t turn out so well, but this one of his good friend Theo Bellow on accordion turned out pretty well.

Theo is singing and playing Big Chief, with Victor on bass, CJ Hutchins on guitar and Ric Lee on drums.

San Diego Blues

San Diego Blues Calendar: Oct 13th – 19th

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Blues Calendar - Oct 13We’ve got blues every day this coming week, even Sunday, which is a treat.  For those of you who go to the weekly blues jam at the House of Blues (JammingOut at HOB), be aware that it will be held Thursday this week (not Wednesday).

Saturday afternoon at Tio Leo’s will be the final round of the San Diego blues competition for duo performers, where the finalist (from the 4 who have been selected out of the first 2 rounds) will represent us in the International Blues Competition (IBC) in Memphis next January.  Missy & Heine Andersen, John Frazer, Ben Powell, and Andres Acuna with Eddie Sadler are in the final four.

JammingOut Blues Jam with a Fun Twist

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This Wednesday night jam at the House of Blues, Robin Henkel (winner of this year’s San Diego Music Awards for best blues in San Diego) came to the jam with Mama Tokus (visiting San Diego once again from southwest England).

They have been performing together all around town during her visit, and here is a delightful song called Too Much Butt by Saffire, the Uppity Blues Women.  On stage with them is drummer Ric Lee.

We also heard Jacinto Casteneda singing that great cover song Got My Mojo Working and playing guitars along with a newcomer to town Jo Hell.  They were joined by Harmonica John Frazer, Reggie Ford on drums and Sam on bass.

San Diego Blues

Stoney B Blues Summit Rocked the House – Michele Lundeen & Annette DaBomb

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Two of my favorite soulful blues singers in San Diego were at the Stoney B Summit last Sunday night, and they were fantastic.

Michele isn’t called the Queen of Steam for nothing.  Here she is singing one of her original songs, Song Inside Me (title of her CD – great CD!, which you can get link to it on my Tunes page).  She’s singing with Charles Burton on guitar (who also performed on her CD), Ric Lee on drums, John Simons on bass and special guest Irv Goldstein on the organ.

In this video Michele is singing another one of her originals, also on that same CD, called Blues is a Feeling.  Great song.

Here is Annette DaBomb singing cover song Got My Mojo Working, with Andres Acuna on guitar, Doc Holiday on keyboards, Bob Prater on bass, Tony Peterson on drums, and Zach Cole harmonica.

San Diego Blues

Stoney B Blues Summit Rocked the House – Gomez Blues Project

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Stoney B hosted his third annual blues summit Sunday evening at the TinRoof, and dozens of blues musicians and blues bands participated to a packed crowd.  It was a fantastic event, and I was able to get a lot of great video.

Alex Gomez was there with his Gomez Blues Project band, including a new blues singer in town, Cerissa Cole.  Wow, she has an incredible voice.  Here she is singing Aretha Franklin’s cover song Rock Steady.  She is with Alex Gomez on guitar, Victor Franklin on bass, Tony Peterson on drums & vocals, Walter Gentry playing the sax & Doc Holiday on keyboards.

And this next video is of them performing cover song Chain of Fools.

And last they did a Poppa Chubby cover song Stoop Down Baby, This tune features Walter Gentry on sax doing a solo and Alex Gomez on guitar.

San Diego Blues

Stoney B Blues Summit Rocked the House – Lady Star & Bustin’ Loose Band

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Lady Star was one of the many performers at the Stoney B annual blues summit.  She doesn’t play downtown too often, so it was a real treat to see her and her band in town.

Here she is, with that great blues voice, singing Etta James cover song I’d Rather Go Blind, with her band… Randy Summers on guitar, Ken Kinley on bass, Fred Sannipoli on drums and Pat Kelley on keyboards.

And then they did Bobby Blue Bland’s cover sone Love of Mine.

San Diego blues

Stoney B Blues Summit Rocked the House – Stoney B & Phil Diiorio

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I didn’t catch Stoney B when he had his own band on the stage during his annual blues summit Sunday, but here he is playing guitar with Phil Diiorio, who is singing I Will Never Take You Back. They are performing along with Irv Goldstein on keyboards, Chuck Arcilla on sax, Bob Prater on bass and Paul Carlomango on drums.

San Diego Blues

San Diego Blues Calendar: Oct 6th – 12th

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Blues Calendar - Oct 6It’s another good line up of blues bands and jams around town this week, and a full day of blues on Saturday.

The International Blues Competition is in full swing, and the 2nd round of competing duos will perform at Tio Leo’s this Saturday from 1-5pm.  Check out my last post to see Missy & Heine Andersen competing this last weekend.

It appears Hennessey’s Tavern will now be hosting the Youth Blues Jam (sponsored by BLUSD – our local blues society) and hosted by Leilani Kilgore (an incredibly talented young woman) twice a month, where kids under 21 will blow you away with what they can do.  It is a reflection of the success of the BLUSD’s Blues in the Schools program.  If you have kids who can play, or know of kids who can, invite them to join in.  It’s free and it’s fun.