Alright Capital Region let’s get ready to freeze and get sad, Winter Blues on “Live At The Linda” starts right now.
Durham County Poets are a “BAND” in the truest sense of the word! Each member writes and arranges, and brings something unique to the table. You’ll hear a variety of genres and a broad range of styles. Be it Blues, Soul, Folk, R&B or Gospel, it all weaves seamlessly together to create a truly authentic contemporary Canadiana sound. Their fourth album, Hand Me Down Blues, would remain on Roots Music Report’s top 50 charts in Canada for more than 12 months. And they were nominated for a JUNO AWARD for (Best Blues album of the year 2020) so now what? (A new album! OUT OF THE WOODS is coming out May 20th.) The band is back in the groove, seeing the light at the end of the tunnel. You’ll hear original, uplifting compositions from the Blues, R&B, Soul, and Gospel genres. Every song tells a story and touches the heart!
As Nate Dow from the Fallout Shelter in Massachusetts said “Lead singer Kevin Harvey and his band are sonic shape shifters of the first order. Whether it’s blues, folk, soul, country, gospel or New Orleans swing, they purvey it with skill, aplomb and pure honesty.”
Here is the Durham County Poets live at The Linda.
Guy Davis once said, “I like antiques and old things, old places, that still have the dust of those who’ve gone before us lying upon them.” Blowing that dust off just enough to see its beauty is something Guy has excelled at for over twenty years of songwriting and performing. It’s no wonder his reverence for the music of the Blues Masters who’ve gone before him has been evident in every album he’s ever recorded or concert he’s given.
Guy has had his musical storytelling influenced by artists like Blind Willie McTell and Big Bill Broonzy, and his musicality from artists as diverse as Lightnin’ Hopkins and Babatunde Olatunji. However, there’s one man that Guy most credits for his harmonica techniques, by stealing and crediting from him everything that he could, and that man is the legendary Sonny Terry.
Guy has played The Linda a few times and this was a real treat. Fun fact, although he’s not on the remarkable soundtrack, Guy Davis was the lead actor in the seminal 1980s breakout hip-hop culture film “Beat Street,” a favorite of mine. But here is Guy with the blues live at The Linda.
Led by harmonica master and songwriter Pierre Lacocque, Mississippi Heat is a world-class Chicago blues band. Their motto is “Traditional Blues with a Unique Sound” as they present fresh yet vintage-based musical ideas.
Mississippi Heat’s name is a reflection of Pierre’s reverence for Mississippi’s blues culture and music. The band’s conviction is that there is no deeper music than Delta-inspired blues to express what lies in everyone’s soul. They have received world-wide critical acclaim, including from Living Blues Magazine: “MISSISSIPPI HEAT delivers its traditional urban blues with a freshness, energy and competence that makes them a treasure on today’s Chicago scene.” Well, they certainly brought the Heat on this day and hopefully some of that heat radiates through the radio and melts the Capital Region ice just a but tonight. Here is Mississippi Heat live at The Linda.
Thanks for sticking with us this week. Tune in next week for selections from Tim Coakley’s 35th Anniversary Show last November, and a special “Liner Notes” conversation with Tim. For more information about The Linda or any upcoming events follow us on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram, or visit thelinda.org.
