HOT & COOL
FOND FAREWELL TO THE 18TH, LOTS OF SHOWS (NOW AT CHROME) BY B.J. HUCHTEMANN
B
HOODOO
g 6 , g . s 7 -
CURTIS SALGADO (PHOTO CREDIT JESSICA KEAVENY)
HOODOO focuses on blues, roots, Americana and occasional other music styles with an emphasis on live music performances. Hoodoo columnist B.J. Huchtemann is a senior contributing writer and veteran music journalist who received the Blues Foundation’s 2015 Keeping the Blues Alive Award for Journalism. Follow her blog at hoodoorootsblues.blogspot.com and on www.thereader.com.
38
CURTIS SALGADO (PHOTO CREDIT JESSICA KEAVENY)
MARCH 2017
| THE READER |
HOODOO
ig news in the local blues community happened after the February Reader went to print. Omaha’s 21st Saloon closed abruptly Jan. 30. The venue was under Scott Kirks’ ownership. Since 2013, Kirk had run the venue in the tradition previous longtimeowner Terry O’Halloran had established at the 96th & L address. The 21st Saloon presented touring blues shows on Thursdays, as well as other nights of the week, and provided a welcome home for national blues artists and local blues fans. The initial announcement about the closing came from the Blues Society of Omaha, penned by O’Halloran, who is a board member of the BSO and is back in Omaha. The buzz was felt nationally, with many artists from Gracie Curran to Jim Suhler reacting on Facebook with praise for Kirk and his staff. “Heart-felt appreciation goes out to Scott Kirk and his team for their support of BSO, BluesEd, and blues music,” O’Halloran wrote in the BSO press release. “Unfortunately, while blues shows were generally well-attended, it was not enough to pay the bills.” The BSO leadership team quickly set wheels in motion to find a new home for the popular Thursday blues series, which has landed at Chrome Lounge, 8552 Park Dr., at least through the month of March. At present, the BSO is also taking the financial risk on booking and paying the bands, so it is more critical now than ever for fans to support these shows. Weekly Blues Series The Thursday “BSO Presents” blues series at the Chrome Lounge for March features harmonica virtuoso Jason Ricci Thursday, March 2. The Claudettes hit the stage Thursday, March 9. This band is generating a buzz for their self-described, piano-fueled “fanatical fusion of blues and souljazz—like Ray Charles on a punk kick” paired with a vocalist who sings often in French, reminding me a bit of the Austin band 8 ½ Souvenirs. Thursday, March 16, Curtis Salgado Band hits Chrome, with Brad Cordle Band opening with a 5 p.m. set. (See below.) Big-voiced K.C. vocalist/bassist Danielle Nicole plugs in Saturday, March 18, 5 p.m. Alvin Youngblood Hart’s Muscle Theory mixes roots music from Southern fried rock to hill country blues Thursday, March 23. See ayhmusic. com. Guitar star Coco Montoya rounds out the month on Thursday, March 30. Thursday shows are 6-9 p.m. Please see Facebook. com/BluesSocietyOfOmaha and omahablues.com
for updates and for any breaking news about future shows. Salgado Soars This month sees the return of treasured Portland, Ore., soul-blues vocalist Curtis Salgado. Salgado’s latest disc burns hot with plenty of funk and soul. The Beautiful Lowdown (Alligator), showcases the vocalist at his fieriest and delivers not only soulful muscle but also some forays into swampy blues and reggae. The disc is up for three Blues Music Awards this year including Song of the Year for “Walk a Mile in My Blues,” written by Salgado, David Duncan and Mike Finnigan. Get your soul-blues dance grooves on with Salgado and his superlativeinducing band Wednesday, March 15, at Lincoln’s Zoo Bar and Thursday, March 16, at Omaha’s Chrome Lounge. Both shows 6-9 p.m. Zoo Bar Blues Other shows of note at Lincoln’s Zoo Bar include Danielle Nicole Wednesday, March 8, 6-9 p.m. Webb Wilder is up Sunday, March 12, 5 p.m. Billy Bacon is back Thursday, March 16, 6 p.m., Friday, March 17, 5 p.m., and Saturday, March 18, 9 p.m., after an early 6 p.m. show by Denver-based keyboardist Andy Sydow. Sydow, influenced by New Orleans music and Mississippi blues, is well worth catching. The Bel Airs play Wednesday, March 22, 6-9 p.m., Kris Lager Band has a CD release party Friday, March 24, 9 p.m. and Coco Montoya plugs in Wednesday, March 29, 6-9 p.m. Earl & Them are back Friday, March 31, 5 p.m., and Saturday, April 1, 6-9 p.m. Hot Notes The Sunday Roadhouse series is back Tuesday, March 7, 8 p.m., with the vocal-driven Lake Street Dive at Slowdown. Chuck Prophet is scheduled Tuesday, March 14, 8 p.m., at Waiting Room. See SundayRoadhouse.com. Austin’s Black Joe Lewis & The Honeybears are up at Waiting Room Tuesday, March 7, 9 p.m., with Dams of the West. Lewis’ soul-blues rock with a punk edge is front and center with his new disc Backlash. See blackjoelewis.com. Iconic Texas singer-songwriter Billy Joe Shaver is at Waiting Room Sun., March 26, 7 p.m. Lincoln’s Rococo offers a couple of notable shows. Rickie Lee Jones and Madeleine Peyrouz
perform Friday, March 24.The legendary Kris Kristofferson plays Thursday, March 30. See rococotheatre.com for details.