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
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
I’ve been hearing about the Little Kings, but hadn’t heard them until this week. They were the featured band of the month (last Wednesdays of the month) at JammingOut at HOB. And they were great! They play again tonight downtown at the SpeakEasy.
Here are some videos of them: The first one is a Magic Sam cover song, You Belong to Me, sung by David Mosby with his band.
This second video is also of a Magic Sam cover tune, Look What You’ve Done to Me.
And third is an Ike Turner cover called Rocket 88.
The night wasn’t complete without jammers, and here we have Nicolas Butterfield performing a Bill Withers cover Use Me Up, which he does so well. On stage with Nick was guitarist Dave Keefer, Justin Fools on harmonica, Samuel on bass and Reggie Ford on drums.
San Diego Blues
JammingOut at HOB had a full house and one good set after another Wednesday night. It was a great night.
Returning for a third time to the jam was Willie Simmons, who got up to perform a song I’ll call Good Woman (not sure what the song is really called), and rocked the house. He was on stage with Jacinto Castaneda and Rich Giglio on guitars, Matt Casey on drums, Earl Pratt on bass and two sax players I don’t know.
In the next set, Kammie Thomas sang BB King’s cover song Thrill is Gone, with Jacinto Casteneda and Fuzzy Rankins on guitars, Kevin Cooper on bass, Reggie Ford on drums.
The night ended with Fuzzy Rankins and Lafayette Falkquay singing and playing guitars together, along with Kevin Cooper on bass, Timothy on drums, and the two sax players whose names I didn’t catch
San Diego Blues
I’ve said it before, but you really never know who will show up at a jam and amaze you. An unknown, but local blues singer from Atlanta, showed up at the JammingOut at HOB last night, and he gave us a great performance of a song I think is called Break It Down.
Check out this delightful song with Willie Simmons singing, David Lewis is on harmonica, Nicholas Butterfield and Doyle Thomas are on guitars – and Lafayette Falkquay too in back, Harry on bass, and Rio Rhythm on drums.
San Diego Blues
As readers of this blog know by now, I’m a regular at the JammingOut at HOB (House of Blues Voodoo Stage in the Gaslamp) on Wednesday nights.
Last night Carrie Shannon, who I’ve never heard before, got up and sang a sassy ZZ Top cover song, Tush. On stage with her was Nicholas Butterfield and Junya Isogawa on guitars, Kevin Cooper on bass, David Lewis on harmonica and Edward Cleveland on drums.
Later Will Lovalot performed that great Freddie King song Big Legged Woman, along with David Damaso (and then Lafayette Falkquay) on guitars, Harmonica John (Frazer), Dino on trumpet, Kevin Cooper on bass and Michael Minor on drums.
San Diego Blues
It’s a fairly typical San Diego blues week around downtown, although a bit light for straight up blues at Patrick’s and just one night of blues at Humphrey’s.
There is more R&D/soul bands performing than blues bands, so you might want to check out the jams if you want blues on Monday (SpeakEasy), Tuesday (Patrick’s – often has some R&B too) and Wednesday (JammingOut at HOB).
Many of the regular musicians were at the JammingOut at HOB last night, including Nick Butterfield and Rich Giglio – on guitars together (once again) and performing “English Invasion” songs. As Rich explained to me, from British bands in the 60s and 70s who brought their blues rock to America, which they both enjoy.
Here they are playing a Cream cover song Crossroads, with Nick singing. The vocal mic didn’t pick up as well as it usually does – not sure why. They are on stage with David Falkquay on bass, Duke Ventra on drums and Dave Lewis on harmonica.
If you have been following this blog for a while, you know I often go to the JammingOut at HOB. I can’t always get to the other jams around town, so I try to make it to this one as often as I can. It’s always good and often there are newcomers to the jam who rock the night. There were quite a few musicians there who I hadn’t seen before.
One of them was Maria Woodard, a jazz and Latin singer in San Diego, who got up and did a number of tunes. Here she is singing the Fats Domino song Kansas City. With her on stage was Rich Giglio and Doyle Thomas on guitars, Tom Safreed on harmonica, Dale Davis on bass and Steve Douglas on drums.
Nick Butterfield was back again, and he gave us an awesome performance of that great Creedence Clearwater Revival cover tune Born on the Bayou. He’s joined by Rich on guitar, Dale on bass, Dave Good on saxophone, Richie Strell playing the accordion, Reggie Ford on drums, and I’m not sure who was playing the harmonica. Enjoy!
Later, Harmonica John Frazer played and sang Steve Miller band cover song Your Cash Ain’t Nothing But Trash with Will Lovalot on guitar, Steve Welles on bass, and I believe it was Max on drums.
San Diego Blues
I got to the blues jam late, but I still caught a few sets with musicians who have become regulars at the jam.
Here is Rich Giglio performing cover song Jump Jive An’ Wail, supported by Junya Isogawa on guitar, Victor Franklin on bass, David Lewis on harmonica and local newcomer to the jam, Jonathon Bachelor on drums, who says he’ll be back!
Next up on stage was Nicholas Butterfield playing guitar and singing cover song Fire, with Judd Austin on guitar, Lisa Viegas on drums, Kevin Cooper on bass.
And then they did cover song Freight Train.
San Diego Blues
