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
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
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
Every Wednesday night, “JammingOut at HOB” hosts a blues jam that has developed a wonderful following in its first year, and this past Wednesday they celebrated their 1st anniversary downstairs at the House of Blues. It was a fun evening, and here are some videos I got – the lighting wasn’t great so its a bit dark and grainy, but most of it is good.
Here is Dona Aguinaldo, one of a number of wonderful female vocalists that night, who got up to sing Etta James’ cover At Last. Wow! I just wish the lighting had been better… On stage with her (and doing their own jamming solos) is Bob Sortillon (standing next to her) and Rich Giglio on guitars, Tom Safreed on harmonica, Dave Lindgren on bass, and Steve Douglas on drums. Bob, Rick and Dave also each sang some great songs, but the videos didn’t turn out.
Then Christine Gilardi performed Bonnie Rait’s cover song Love Me Like a Man. She rocks it with Somerset Barnard on guitar, Tom Safreed on harmonica, Yasha Susoeff on sax, Victor Franklin on bass and Michael Minor on drums.
Afterwards Victoria Wasserman got up with them and nailed it with that so familiar BB King (amongst others) cover song Stormy Monday.
Somerset Barnard, visiting from Brisbane Australia for a few weeks, got us up and dancing to another favorite, Got My Mojo Working.
And to end the evening we had Len Rainey, a favorite local bluesman, take the stage and sing, as only Len can do it, the cover song Kiddio. He’s joined by Doyle Thomas on guitar, Kevin Cooper on keyboards, Michael Minor on drums, David Lewis on harps – as well as Steve Lang. Again the video is a bit dark, even after lightening it up as much as I could.
The final song brought Lafayette Falkquay on the stage to join Len on bass, and they had a fun exchange as they performed Slow Down Baby together.
I only captured a bit of the evening. We also had a number of brass players (more sax, trumpet and trombone), and other performers who made it a special anniversary evening.
Next week the jam is back upstairs, but it starts 2 hours later at 9pm (for just this week).
San Diego Blues
LaMonte DeMille is back in town with his Chicago Blues after being away this past year. He was at Humphrey’s Backstage this weekend with his band, which includes many familiar faces in our blues scene (Walter Gentry on sax, Victor Franklin on bass and Ernie Ferrel on trumpet).
San Diego Blues