Index page * Friday 2nd April, 1999 * Sunday 4th April, 1999 * Daily Line-up

Saturday 3rd April, 1999

12:15pm - Gerry Hale's Uncle Bill

This is a very talented group. Gerry Hale alone played in several sets on the Sunday, including those of Vika and Linda Bull, Andy White and Paul Kelly's along with his own band. This Australian bluegrass band contrasted heavily to the blues being played over the weekend, which made them stand out - in a good way. It was really good, though, to see such variety in the Australian music scene. Gerry Hale's Uncle Bill have just released a new CD with the likes of Paul Kelly, and they have embarked on a tour, traveling Australia wide. Kelly is a huge fan of Gerry Hale's Uncle Bill, and in the April 99 issue of 'Rhythms' magazine Kelly is noted as saying "When Gerry Hale plays, melodies flow out of him naturally." This great Australian band were crowd pleasers, and were a very entertaining lead-up for the rest of the day ahead.

2:15pm - John Hammond

My only regret about seeing John Hammond is that I didn't know much about him at the time. After seeing and being impressed, I found out some things that were quite amazing in this great artists life. Hammond has spent thirty five years traveling around playing to blues, folk and rock audiences of the world. He plays solo and plays pure traditional blues tunes. John Hammond comes from a line of well known people, especially his father, a legendary producer. He produced the likes of Bob Dylan, Aretha Franklin, Bruce Springsteen Billie Holiday, plus many more.
John Hammond dropped out of college to pursue his love for music, and has never looked back, having recorded twenty five albums. It's amazing to look back on these albums, and the people he has been on a stage with, and notice the number of names that look familiar - The Band, Duane Allman, Mike Bloomfield, Dr. John, Muddy Waters, Willie Dixon, John Lee Hooker, Howlin' Wolf and Jimi Hendrix just to name a few. I'm sure that there is a lot more to Hammond that I don't know, but he is pretty legendary himself, when you look at his credentials.
It is a must to experience John Hammond for yourself and take in his very rich, strong voice, which has only developed into something better, over the years. Hammond is a pure blues experience, and seeing him live won't be regretted.

2:45pm - Guitar Shorty

Guitar Shorty was one of the most memorable artists I saw on the weekend. He was amazingly athletic for his age, and a true entertainer. It was one of the most bizarre things, though, when his band started playing, and obviously, Shorty wasn't there. A man sitting beside me, though, informed me that Shorty tends to come on and surprise everyone - so much for my surprise!!! He also pointed out that if I listened, I would be able to hear Shorty playing a backstage. This was true. In the end Guitar Shorty came on playing his guitar, and I was surprised (along with everyone else) because I thought he was going to come in from one side of the stage when he came in from the other. Something that always interests people about Guitar Shorty is that he was Jimi Hendrix's brother-in-law, as Shorty married Marsha, Hendrix's stepsister. It was very weird when I was watching Jimi Hendrix at Woodstock on TV, after the blues festival, and I noticed how much Guitar Shorty and Hendrix's characteristics were similar when they played. Some years ago Shorty was suprised to learn that his guitar playing had been a big influence on Jimi. He was noted as saying "After hearing songs like 'Purple Haze' and 'Hey Joe,' I heard a lot of my licks in there." Shorty even did a rendition of 'Hey Joe', doing the typical Hendrix thing of extending the song to twenty minutes long, and then going into the 'Star Spangled Banner.' Shorty's performances will always keep Hendrix alive...in spirit, and his renditions of 'Hey Joe' and 'Star Spangled Banner' almost seem like a tribute to the legendary Hendrix.
I loved Guitar Shorty's performance, and he obviously has pure talent when it comes to playing his guitar. He has a tendency to show off his athletic ability by getting a run up and doing flips along the ground, whilst still playing. The great thing about Shorty is that he brings fun into his set. People are always laughing at his antics, and the faces he pulls when his guitar makes a funny noise. Shorty is a true entertainer that shouldn't be missed. Even I saw him a second time!

4:15pm - Keb' Mo'

I don't know why, but Keb' Mo' appeared to be awe-struck. I don't think he could believe the recognition that he was receiving and the huge crowds that he was attracting. He was very quiet, yet very smooth, and was a hell of a guitar player.
At this stage in the day, we were still sitting in chairs, but people were starting to get restless. Slowly the chairs began to disappear as the people standing led a revolt against the chairs, and we prepared for the rest of the night on our feet.
It's been a long road for this 44 year old artist, who seems to have finally become recognised in this competitive industry. In 1996 Keb' Mo' won a Grammy for his album 'Just Like You.' His music isn't the full on traditional blues that you'd expect, but a more folky acoustic/electric blues that is recognised by the greats, such as B.B. King, who recorded Mo's 'Dangerous Mood'.
Keb' Mo' started his set by sitting in a chair, but in the end he stood up as the crowds grew. People flooded into the Mojo tent just as a result of hearing this amazing artist outside. This quiet, New Orleans based bluesman is a must see...so much so, that I saw him again on Sunday.

5:45pm - Taj Mahal

Taj Mahal is a legendary bluesman who I was looking forward to see. I must admit, though, that I was slightly disappointed in this set that Taj Mahal and the Hula Blues did. I expected to hear some of the classic blues tunes that Taj is so well known for, but all we got were his new songs which were very Hawaiian influenced. I wasn't the only one that his newly found passion for the sound of the islands disappointed. I over heard a number of people openly display their surprise. Apparently his set on Sunday was better and very bluesy. It would have been good if we could have experienced both styles of music in the one set.
Don't get me wrong, though, I love Taj Mahal and his music, and he obviously loves to explore the musical universe and the possibilities and varieties it holds. He is a legend in his own right having been involved with the likes of people such as The Rolling Stones. Recently, you may have seen Taj on the TV show, Party of Five performing in a blues club, and in the movie '6 Days and 7 Nights,' starring Harrison Ford and Anne Heche.
If you get the chance to see Taj Mahal, it's an opportunity of a life time. I'm hoping Taj will be back next year so I can experience his music again, and hopefully this time his blues.

7:30pm - Paul Kelly

To tell you the truth, I hadn't really had much of an interest in Paul Kelly's music before the blues festival, but as a result of seeing him play there, I find I am following his successful career with interest. This very talented Australian has been around for a long time, and has developed into an amazing song writer. One of the things I remember about seeing Kelly were the number of avid fans he had in the audience. My friend and I were talking to some girls who were comparing the their favorite songs, the number of times they had seen Paul Kelly and the various photos they had taken. This made me realise that I was probably missing out on something, or someone, really good. Kelly played pure, original rock with his great band, and showed amazing energy on the stage. One memorable scene was when he went crazy during the song 'To Her Door," swearing like it was going out of style. He then threw himself in a possessed manner on to the drummer's stage at the back, jumping around and playing his guitar with sheer gusto.
This great Australian artist may not have been very bluesy, but he definitely has the roots in his music from the bluegrass genre, as he has openly admitted that a lot of his songs are secret bluegrass songs. One thing's for sure, I can't wait to see Paul Kelly on his latest tour around Australia...I wouldn't miss it!

9:15pm - Dr. John

At this stage in the night we were still only in the second row, but whilst waiting for Dr. John to come on, an opportunity arose when two people left their spots in the front. I will admit, I almost got into a fight trying to claim these spots, but managed to get them without any violence, in the end.
I had been looking forward to seeing Dr. John (aka Mac Rebennack) all weekend. This legendary musician is a musical embodiment of New Orleans and has been around for a long time. Blues, R&B, funk, jazz, rock and pop are all a part of the ingredients that make up Mac's musical interests and style. Starting out as a studio musician, his career kicked off with his 1968 album 'Gris Gris.' By this time Dr. John was creating a psychedelicized Voodoo persona, complete with wild costumes and headdresses. This is something that he became quite well known for.
The Dr. John I saw hadn't changed much, as he still had that Voodoo persona thing happening. He probably lost the whole psychedelic thing over the years, as he didn't appear to be dressed in anything too out of the ordinary. I vividly remember Mac's Voodooish dances as he came onto the stage, and as he left. He had some sort of long object that he waved over the audience and continued moving it to the beat. I'm guessing that this is a bit of a trademark thing.
The most memorable thing I remember is every now and then Dr. John would look and smile at us. It was almost creepy, but really cool as he's on of the music industry's biggest legends! Another thing was, at one stage his guitarist broke a string and while they waited for him to re-string, Dr. John left his piano stool, picked up his tambourine and evolved into a Voodooish swirl of jazz and rock that bubbled under the excitement of the crowd. Even though he didn't play my favorite song of his, 'Such a Night' (apparently he did on Sunday), Dr. John was someone I will never forget seeing, and he was definitely one of my favorite acts.

10:45pm - Angelique Kidjo

I had never seen so much energy on stage, until I saw Angelique Kidjo and her band perform. This talented artist originally comes from Benin, in West Africa. Her music is based around her culture and she creates a bridge that unites the rhythms and spirits of Africa with the grooves and vibes of her heritage. Her two back-up singers were amazing dancers and hardly stopped for a breath. This athleticism displayed is typical of Kidjo's sets as she encourages the crowd to groove to the rhythms her music creates. An amusing thing happened towards the end of Kidjo's set when a hyper male fan jumped over the fence and climbed up onto the tall stage. This also amused Kidjo, who waved the security away. The Hawaiian shirt clad man stayed up there till the end, and was eventually joined by a large number of others. Angelique basically said 'come on up,' and a lot of people managed to do this, much to the objection of the security guards, who were trying to do their jobs. It was a great finish to a great day, as we ended it on a high note with Kidjo's amazing high energy set.

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Index page * Friday 2nd April, 1999 * Sunday 4th April, 1999 * Daily Line-up

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