Issue 175 The Publication of the Linn County Blues Society- lcbs.org February 2009

Cover: Johnny Kilowatt at Chappy’s Safari for 2009 Blues Caravan. See page 42009 Blues & Buffett Chili Challenge at The LongbranchCraig Erickson CD release party at Mahoney’s Irish PubEric Sardinas headlines at Winter Blues Blowout at the Electric Park Ballroom!Big Mo’s CD reviewDiplomats of Solid Sound kick off New Bo Benefit #2 at 1st Avenue LIVE!Local LIVE music schedulesBlues in Czech Village and MORE!!!!

In this stuffed-like-a-pizza issue —

Break those winter Blues!New Bo Benefit 2, CD Release Party,

Winter Blues Blowout, Blues Caravan& 2009 Chili Challenge!

Don’t complain about nothing to do in February!

Feb

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2009 Ch

ili Ch

allenge-Feb

ruary 22

KUNI Blues Blowout!

Eric Sardinas

Feb. 21

New Bo Benefit 2Feb. 14

toward 1 domestic draw(clip coupon on back)

Craig EricksonCD release partyMahoneys-Feb. 15

This is a really crazy issue of the February Bluespaper. There’s so many events going on that I had trouble jamming them all in. Be sure to check these out and make it a point to get out of the house to support LIVE music! What a great way to break dem winter Blues!

� / Linn County Blues Society ©�009

The Linn County Blues Society is a way cool, non-profit organization dedicated to the preservation of Blues music in Eastern Iowa as well as to provide charitable contributions to other commu-nity organizations. LCBS is an Affiliated Organization in the Blues Foundation’s international network. The BLUESPAPER is a monthly publication of the LCBS.

Website: lcbs.org

LCBS OfficersPresident - Andy DergoVice President - Evan VulichSecretary - Steve SpringerTreasurer - Sue Dergo

Directors at Large-Bob De Forest, Bill Meeks, Frank Wilson

ChairsEducation - OpenEntertainment - Greg WestMembership - Kevin CutsforthMerchandise - David Andrews

The Bluespaper & LCBS folksEditor - Evan Vulich Photographers - See bylines each issueStaff Writers - See bylines each issueDistribution - Andy Dergo, Bill MeeksParliamentarian - Bill MeeksProgram - Bob De ForestPublic Relations - OpenWeb Administrator - Evan Vulich

MembershipTo learn more about the Linn County

Blues Society or to join, see the member-ship form in this Bluespaper or the LCBS website. Your membership includes;

• Discount admissions to many local Blues activities.• Monthly LCBS Bluespaper.• Voting rights in the LCBS elections.• Simply being way cool.

Bluespaper Contact informationSend news, band or club live entertain

-ment listings or advertising to:Evan Vulich at: evulich@mchsi.com.

Bluespaper Ad Rates$15.00 - Business card size - 2” x 3.5”$25.00 - Quarter page ad - 3.5” x 4.75”$50.00 - Half page ad - 4.75” x 7.25”$100.00 - Full page - 7.5” x 10”

Submission Requirements- All ads, photos or scanned images, either color or black/white, need to be 300ppi. Native Adobe Illustrator, Photoshop, JPG, TIFF, EPS, PDF, BMP accepted. Ads created in Word may cause dimentia, severe cramp-ing and diarrhea. Deadline for submis-sions is the 19th of the month.

Moving? Send your new address to; LCBS, PO Box 2672, Cedar Rapids, IA 52406-2672 so you won’t miss a single issue of your Bluespaper.

Chili Challenge this month!9th annual B&B Chili Challenge February 22

Steve Springer

The Isle of Iowa Parrot Head Club and the Linn County Blues Society will hold their 6th Annual Blues ‘n’ Buffett Chili Challenge on February 22, 2-5 PM at the Best Western Long-branch Hotel & Convention Center on Twixt Town Road NE. The Chili Challenge is a friendly

competition between the two clubs to raise money for charity. Proceeds from the event will go to H.D. Youth Center and the Boys and Girls Club of Cedar Rapids. The Parrot Heads chose The Boys and Girls Club which is help-ing kids become responsible citizens. LCBS chose H.D. Youth Center which provides a safe place to go as well as food to under-privileged youth.Last year, the event raised over $5,000

for these two fine organizations. Over $16,000 has been raised and donated to local charities in the first six years of the event’s existence. Both are re-bounding from flood damage, so this year is the most critical and they need our help. You’re invited to attend to taste the

various chilies and vote for your fa-vorite. Admission is $6 which includes five vote tickets and the tasting of the chilies. Children ages 6 and under will be admitted free when accompanied by an adult, and senior citizens ages 65 and older receive a $1 discount on admission.Additional vote tickets for the Peo-

ple’s Choice award will be available for 50 cents each. The club receiving the most votes will receive a plaque and their club’s charity will receive 51% of the proceeds from the event; the runner-up club 49% of the pro-ceeds for their charity. Chili Chal-lenge contestants are members of the two clubs and each brings their own special chili to share. There will be up to 30 chilies for tasting.

Advance tickets are available for $5 through February 22 by calling; Steve Springer at 395-9516, or Keith Wright at 377-4913. Celebrity Judges will be on hand to taste and vote on the Best Chili. The club receiving a majority of judge’s votes for the Best Chili will re-ceive a traveling trophy and bragging rights for their club.A Silent Auction will again be featured

at this year’s event. All monies raised from the auction will be included in the donations to charities.

Thanks in advance for your support

Steve Petersen 395-9520Kate Sanders 842-2393Steve Springer 395-9516

Eric Sardinas brings his signa-ture brand of delta dynamite to the Electric Park Ball-room in Waterloo on February 21 for the 2009 Win-ter Blues Blow-out, presented by the Friends of KUNI/KHKE on behalf of Iowa Public Radio.

Opening the show is Iowa City area’s Kevin “BF” Burt & the Instigators. Show-time is 8 p.m. (doors open at 7 p.m.).

Tickets are $20 in advance ($25 at the door). Advance tickets can be or-dered online at www.iowapublicradio.org or by calling 800-772-2440, ext. 0. Advance tickets are also available at the KUNI Studios and Bob’s Guitars in Cedar Falls. All proceeds benefit Iowa Public Radio.

Eric Sardinas & Big Motor to headline

2009 Winter Blues Blow-out for Iowa Public Radio

©�009 Linn County Blues Society / �

Paul Reddick Sugarbird – Northern Blues Release Date – October 14, 2008

Truth and Music

Canadian Paul Reddick’s website says, “Paul Reddick is a singer, song-writer and harmonica player whose songs help keep the roots music tra-dition moving forward. His songs ex-plore the beauties and mysteries of the blues, country and folk music, and take the road less traveled around the lost and found landscapes of longing and love”. I couldn’t have said it bet-ter myself. Truth and beauty abound in Paul Reddick’s Sugarbird CD (pro-duced by Colin Linden). We all know that the truth is not always beauti-ful and can at the least be puzzling, provoking and even inspiring, but the “truth shall make you free.” Reddick digs around in lots of styles but never condescends or makes you feel like you’re listening to something deriva-tive. Some subjects he “picks up” and examines and in other songs he lays out a phrase and then lets the listener decide what it means. All this is done in Reddick’s own easily recognizable style. We admire artists who can syn-thesize and combine and Paul Red-dick is one of the best. Sugarbird is not strictly blues by any stretch but it’s one of the better CD’s I’ve heard in a while. I give it four hummingbirds and a robin.

—John Heim (A.K.A. “Big Mo”)

Porch of Planet Pluto part 1Erickson CD release party!

by Ric Holmquest

4651 1st Ave SECedar Rapids, IA 52402319.378.1720guitarcenter.com

Helping people make great music and pursue their dreams for over 43 years.

International Blues Rock guitarist Craig Erickson will have a CD re-lease party for his new acoustic re-

cording “The Porch of Planet Pluto Part 1”, from 6-10 p.m. Sunday February 15 at Mahoney’s Irish Pub, 1602 E Avenue N.E. Cedar Rapids.Erickson’s own Traintown Music release

was recorded at his Rivertown Studios in Cedar Rapids, before and after the flood. The Porch of Planet Pluto Part 1 is unique to Erickson’s vast catalog, in that Craig performs all vocals, acoustic guitar, elec-tric guitar, banjo, lap steel, fretless bass, percussion and drums. Natalie Brown is the sole contributor, adding some incred-ible violin on “Infinite Light” and the gypsy feeling “You’re With Me Now”.Erickson told me this project has been in

the back of his mind for over two years, conceived on planes and in airports tour-ing Europe and back in Iowa. The record-ing is influenced by Craig’s experiences amassed over four decades of performing and recording. The Porch of Planet Pluto Part 1 weaves a fine tapestry of stringed

instruments and showcases Erickson’s phe-nomenal musicianship, creating and layer-ing truly beautiful acoustic guitar sounds with an array of stringed instruments. The Porch of Planet Pluto Part 1has a best

of 70’s Country Rock feel, reminiscent to me of Joe Walsh’s early solo recordings. Erickson, ever introspective, reveals an ultimately positive look at life and love. The disc’s standout track and aptly named “Beautiful Here” is a bittersweet love song, featuring some extraordinary lap steel gui-tar. The island inspired little ditty “Choco-lat” will definitely make you smile! The Porch of Planet Pluto Part 1 leaves us with the intricate instrumental “Midnight Bou-levard”, giving us pause to anticipate what will come with Part 2.

A l l i g a t o r Records is proud to a n n o u n c e the signing of musi-cal legend Buckwheat Zydeco. The L o u i s i a n a acco rd ion master and vocalist will begin recording his debut for the label on January 10 at the famed Dockside Studios in Maurice, Louisiana with Steve Berlin (Los Lobos) produc-ing. The multi-Grammy nominee will celebrate his 30th anniversary as a solo artist with the new CD and a lengthy tour.

Buckewheat Zydeco

ALLIGATOR RECORDS SIGNS BUCKWHEAT ZYDECO

NEW CD SET FOR SPRING 2009 RELEASE

It was stumbling on to really the bible of the blues, you know, and a very powerful drug to be introduced to us and I absorbed it totally, and it changed my complete

outlook on music. — Eric Clapton

� / Linn County Blues Society ©�009

Kilowatt to kick off 2009 Caravans

At times highlighted by a horn section, Johnny Kilowatt is a four-to-six-member band

featuring some of Iowa City’s best veteran musicians. The Kilowatt band shared billing with the legendary Lu-ther Alli-son shortly before his death as well as fellow Alligator Records recording artistLong John Hunter. The band has

also played the 2000 Taste of Iowa in Cedar Rapids, the 2001 Court Ave. Blues Fest in Des Moines, the 2003 Iowa City Jazz Festival, and the 2008 New Bohemia Festival in Cedar Rap-ids. The band is scheduled to make a return to the Iowa City Jazz Festival in 2009.

PATRICK HAZELL AND MOTH-ER BLUES (1997-present)Klinkowitz occupies the guitar chair

once filled by Bo Ramsey and Joe Price. He is the newest member of this group with 40 years of history. Hazell is a 2000 Iowa Blues Hall of Fame inductee. Mother Blues was inducted into the Iowa Rock ’N Roll Hall of Fame in 2007 in Arnolds Park.

KILOWATT AND THE COUNT (2003-present)Klinkowitz is Kilowatt, and

Hammond Organ wizard Nate Basinger of the Diplomats of Solid Sound is the Count in this instrumen-tal Hard Bop and Soul Jazz group. Saul “Can-nonSAUL” Lubaroff often joines the group on sax.

BLUES INSTIGA-TORS (1990-95)Klinkowitz is a found-

ing member of this legend-

ary Iowa band. The Instigators won the University of Iowa RiverFest Battle of the Bands in 1994 and the inau-gural Iowa Blues Challenge in 1995 with Klinko-witz on lead guitar. As a member, Klinkowitz backed Bo Did-dley in 1993, played the Mississippi Valley Blues Festival in 1993 and the Iowa City Jazz Festival in 1995. During Klinkowitz’s tenure, the band opened for Lonnie Brooks and Rod Piazza at Buddy Guy’s Legends in Chicago and appeared on the syn-dicated T.V. showChicago Blues Jam, now available on

DVD.Klinkowitz served as emcee for Iowa

City’s Monday Night Blues Jam at the Green Room and other venues from 1993 to 2004. Guests with national exposure included Gloria Hardiman, Robert Bradley’s Blackwater Sur-prise and the Der- ek Trucks Band.

Chappy’s, clean & dry, host first Caravan of the new year

Klinkowitz was host of Blues in Progress, a weekly two-hour program on public radio station KRUI in Iowa City in 1990 and 1991. As a journalist, Klinkowitz has writ-

ten for The Iowa City Press-Citizen and the Associated Press. His schol-arly work on Blues artists appears in the 2000 edition of the St. James En-cyclopedia of Popular Culture.Backing up Kilowatt for the Blues

Caravan will be his sidemen:Eddie McKinley on tenor sax – Ed-

die toured and recorded with Little Ed and the Blues Imperials in Chicago

for many years. He also currently plays with

the Diplomats of Solid Sound. Bill “The White Tor-nado” Peterson on keyboards and

vocals – A veteran Iowa City Blues jam-

mer, who often performs solo. Ed English on bass – A

fellow founding mem-ber of the Instigators.

Uncle Ed often plays with Hawk-eye Her-man when he’s in Iowa, and anchors the Beaker Brothers

all-star Classic Rock cover band. Paul Kre-

sowik on drums – Paul is an Iowa City native

who studied Jazz at the University of Northern Iowa.

Hearing the blues changed my life.

— Van Morrison

©�009 Linn County Blues Society / �

Diplomats of SS perform at 1st Ave. LIVE!New Bo Valentine’s benefit

The New Bohemia Winter Dance Party (New Bo Benefit 2) will be staged Feb. 14th, 6-

11 PM at the new 1st Avenue LIVE! (formerly Element, 3701 First Avenue SE, Cedar Rapids, Iowa).

The stage will feature music by the

incomparable Diplomats of Solid Sound featuring the Diplomettes with special guests Justin Crippen and the Revival. Prizes and drawings will be award-

ed throughout the evening including dinners from the Longbranch Restau-rant. The Longbranch Hotel and Res-taurant will be offering special din-ner/accommodation packages for you and your sweetheart! Call the Long-branch at 319-377-6386 to make your reservations. Make this Valentine’s Day one to remember! Proceeds, in part, will help the Iowa

Historical and Preservation Alliance continue emergency services to the businesses and property owners of the Czech Village/New Bohemia Cultur-al District. To donate to IHPA or to become a member, call Rod Scott at 641-648-4570.

For information about this and other

New Bohemia events and programs, go to newbohemia.org or email us at new.bohemia@gmail.com Hope to see you there! Help support

the New Bohemia Cultural District - Cedar Rapids own authentic Arts and Entertainment District!

The Diplomats of Solid Sound are: Nate Basinger - organ; Doug Roberson - guitar; Jim Viner - drums; Eddie McKinley - sax; David Basinger - sax; Kathy

Ruestow - vocals; Sarah Cram - vocals; Abbie Sawyer - vocals.

Congratulations to the LCBS! The Iowa Cultural Corri-dor Alliance has announced the nominations for the third annual ICKY Awards, and Bluesmore has made it to the ballot in the Reaching Out Collaborative Award catego-ry (must be a partnership between an ICCA member, Brucemore, and a non-ICCA organization, LCBS). Al-though the ICKY title is off-putting, the ceremony and actual award are meaningful on many levels. The awards ceremony will be at the Englert Theatre in Iowa City on Monday, January 26, beginning at 6:30 p.m. A recep-tion beginning at 5:30 precedes the ceremony, and the cost for the evening is $20 per person. Brucemore was nominated in four categories.

Tell me this ain’t cool! Bluesmore up for ICKY Award!

6 / Linn County Blues Society ©2009

Local Music Sat. - The Firehouse- Jam with various players 4-8PMSun.- Checkers Tavern-Blue Sunday-6PMSun.- Mahoney’s - Various artists-Never a Cover, 6pmSun.- Charlie’s, Coralville-Blues JamWed.- Checkers Tavern-Kevin BF Burt solo 6-9Wed.- Mahoney’s-D-Licious Vinyl w/ Bobby D 8-12Thurs.-J.M.O’Malley’s-T-Bone Giblin Jam FestEV

ERY

Specializing inRIBS, STEAK, PRIME RIB, LOBSTER & CRAB

Featuring our award winningBBQ Pork Ribs!

Seafood • 30 item salad barKids menus • Specialty desserts

The LCBS meets the 1st Monday of each month.See you at the Longbranch on February 2,

6:30PM for the LCBS Board & Member meeting. Guests are welcome!

90 Twixt Town Rd., Marion • 377-6386

February Blues CalendarSun. 1 Mahoney’s Irish Pub Super Bowl Pot Luck

Mon. 2 George’s, Iowa City CannonSaul, Kilowatt & The Count, 8-12

Thur. 5 J.M. O’Malley’sCheckers Tavern & Eatery

Tim Daugherty & T Bone’s Piano FestMcMurrin & Johnson, 7PM

Fri. 6 Checkers Tavern & EateryErnie’sChrome Horse SaloonJerseys, CR

4Box O Rocks, 9PMMcMurrin & Johnson, 6-8:30PMFive of HeartsMike & Rob Show, 9-1

Sat. 7 Firehouse- JAM, 4-8PMYacht Club, Iowa CityChrome Horse SaloonGrand Slam, CR

Various Players, 4-8PMMcMurrin & Johnson/ Demo Band, 10-13 Musicians & A DrummerMike Williams solo, 9-1

Sun. 8 Mahoney’s Irish PubCheckers Tavern & Eatery

Euforquestra, 6-10PMJim Suhler & Monkey Beat, 6PM

Wed. 11 Next Door McMurrin & Johnson, 7-10PM

Thur. 12 J.M. O’Malley’sCheckers Tavern & Eatery

DDog & The BBits, 9-1Chris Miller, 7PM

Fri. 13 Checkers Tavern & EateryVolumeThe Englert, Iowa CityChrome Horse Saloon

Trux Band, 9PMBilly Janey Trio w/ Dan Johnson, 9-1Dr. John & The Neville Brothers - 8PMLarge Midgets

Sat. 14 New Bo BenefitFirehouse- JAM, 4-8PMChrome Horse SaloonFifth Gear

Diplomats of SS, 1st Avenue LIVE! 6-11PMVarious Players, 4-8PMGibbs BrothersElectric Mule, 9-1

Sun. 15 Mahoney’s Irish Pub Craig Erickson, CD release party, 6-10PM

Thur. 19 Blues CaravanJ.M. O’Malley’sCheckers Tavern & EateryThe Fire House

Johnny Kilowatt, Chappy’s Safari, 7PMSkeeter LewisNick Stika, 7PMMike & Rob Show, 9-1

Fri. 20 Checkers Tavern & EateryErnie’sShawn Ryan’sBlues On Grand, DMChrome Horse Saloon

Kantirocks Band, 9PMMcMurrin & Johnson, 6-8:30PMMcMurrin & Johnson, 9-12Smokin’ Joe Kubek & Bnois King, 10PMElectric Mule, 9-1

Sat. 21 Firehouse- JAM, 4-8PMTerence Simien, GrinnellChappy’s SafariBlues On Grand, DMKUNI Blues Blowout!Dam Bar, Troy Mills

Various Players, 4-8PMBilly Janey Trio w/ Dan Johnson 7:30PMFlat Cat, Mardi Gras costume BallMarci Ball, 8PMEric Sardinas, Electric Park BallroomMike & Rob Show, 9:30-1:30

Sun. 22 2009 Chili ChallengeMahoney’s Irish Pub

Longbranch Hotel, 2-5PMDaddy O’s Funky Posse, 6-10PM

Thur. 26 J.M. O’Malley’sCheckers Tavern & Eatery

Electric Mule, 9-1Karl Hudson. 7PM

Fri. 27 Checkers Tavern & EateryErnie’sPub MitchellChrome Horse SaloonCedar Lodge, Manchester

Strangely Familiar w/ Kathy Hart, 9PMTom Bruner w/ Dan Johnson, 6-8:30PMMcMurrin & Johnson, 9-12:308 SecondsMike & Rob Show, 9-1

Sat. 28 Next DoorFirehouse- JAM, 4-8PMChrome Horse SaloonOdies, Ely

DDog and the BBits, 9-1Various Players, 4-8PMBlack The SunMike & Rob Show, 9-1

LCBS would like to thank the following new or renewing members. Thank you for helping us

Keep the Blues Alive in Linn County!David “Biff” Andrews & Wendy Bouslog

Robert BrostAhmet Gonlubol

Marvin HeisdorfferRobert Johnson

Steve & Susanne SpringerJohn A. Willmsen

Look for the stars in the February music schedule (left).These indicate CAN’T MISS shows!

The Neville Brothers with Dr. John at the Englert on Friday the 13. The New Bo Benefit on Valentine’s Day. Craig Erickson’ s CD

release party at Mahoney’s on the 15th. Blues Caravan with Johnny Kilowatt at Chappy’s on the 19th. Blues On Grand in Des Moines has some great shows coming up. Winter Blues Blowout with Eric

Sardinas at the Electric Park Ballroom.There’s no complaining now of nothing to do.

A very special THANK YOU to these business-es who have signed up to help us

Keep the Blues Alive!

• C.R. Bank & Trust• Chappy’s Safari• Chrome Horse• Longbranch• Dudley Bros. Co.• Cocktails & Co.• Ron Schantz Const.• J.M. O’Malley’s

• The Fifth Gear• 16th Avenue Prod.• KCCK 88.3• Checkers Tavern• Home Town Restyling• Next Door• Tomaso’s Pizza• Mahoney’s Irish Pub

A great time to support LIVE music!

©�009 Linn County Blues Society / �

Blues in Czech VillageCraig Erickson rings in a new year at Ernie’s!

Craig Erickson and his local group performed at Er-nie’s in Czech Vil-lage New Year’s Eve, December 31. The crowd reacted enthusiastically to the blues, soul, and reggae tunes pumped out by the band. Musicians and tavern-goers alike seemed eager to party out and be rid of the old year so full of trou-bles. No better way to do that than by playing and dancing to the blues. The newly remodeled Ernie’s is fast be-coming a favorite place of mine to hear local music in a friendly and inti-mate setting. Surprisingly, the acous-tics in the tavern’s corner band set-up area are excellent. This is a great place for musicians to play and show their stuff! Mahoney’s is hosting Also, plan to attend Craig’s CD release party on Feb. 15 at Mahoney’s. That’s gonna be a great time!

photo and story by Bill Ray

From left to right; Eric Madison on drums, Tom Giblin (inset) on keyboards,Al Robinson on bass, and Craig Erickson, guitar and vocals.

Tomaso’s Pizza

3234 Center Point Rd.

Official Pizzaof Bluesmore!

364-4313

Alligator Records is proud to announce the signing of blues/rock guitarist and vocal-ist Tommy Castro. Winner of the 2008 Blues Music Award for B.B. King Entertainer Of The Year, Castro is known not only for his scorching musi-cianship, but also for his gritty vocals and soul-drenched songwriting.

ALLIGATOR RECORDS SIGNS TOMMY CASTRO.

NEW CD SET FOR 2009 RELEASE

Tommy Castro

& E L Graphics• big & small signs• vinyl lettering• banners• business cards• print media• CD artwork• logos• photo retouch• newsletters• web design

A small company with BIG services!

This publication of the Linn County Blues Society is dedi-cated to the sole support of LIVE music. Karaoke has been known to cause constipation in laboratory rats. Prolonged exposure to this type of music can also lead to severe musi-cal dementia and social dilsxeia [sic].

©�009-Linn County Blues Society

Linn County Blues SocietyPO Box ����Cedar Rapids, IA���0�-����

Friday Blues-• 6-10 PM - Da Friday Blues• 10-11 PM - Backstage Blues• 11 PM to midnight - KCCK Jams• Midnight Blues CDSaturday Blues -• 6-10 PM - Da Blues with Bobby D• 10-11 PM - The Crawfish Circuit• 11 PM -midnight - The Melting Pot• Midnight Blues CD

kcck

.org

BluesCaravan

ARovingJukeJoint

Don’t cut me up-cut me out!

Bring this coupon toChappy’s Safari LoungeBlues Caravan-KilowattFebruary 19, 2009

Good torward 1 domestic draw