The Nottingham Blues Society is currently running The British Blues Awards. Go to http://www.britishbluesawards.com for details. Please nominate in various categories and the top 4 or 5 will go to the final vote. There is no hidden agenda here, it is free and open and run by a group of people purely for the love [...]

Some great pictures as always from Paul Webster. Here’s Chantel McGregor. You can see the rest here. http://www.flickr.com/photos/bigoax-blues/sets/72157623228746029/

J&J Blues Bar is not a blues venue in this region but I have happy memories of my first trip to the US over 10 years ago.  In that trip I went to J&J Blues Bar two times and the experience was fabulous. J&J’s closed at the end of Jan after many years. Hard sad [...]

Here’s Doctor John performing the Professor Longhair classic Tipitana. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y4M_spGbZiI

I just discovered a good music blog that does feature blues related material and review.  I’m listening to a great track by John Henry posted on the site as a best of 2009. http://tonemarrowreviews.wordpress.com/2010/01/10/best-music-of-2009/ The main site is here http://tonemarrowreviews.wordpress.com

New Muddy Waters concert listed at Wolfgang’s Vault, from Newport 1969 (solo acoustic) http://www.wolfgangsvault.com/muddy-waters/concerts/newport-folk-festival-july-16-1969.html Also, new Willie Dixon concert with Lafayette Leake and Big Walter Horton from 1972: http://www.wolfgangsvault.com/willie-dixon/concerts/ash-grove-march-10-1972.html

Best historical album winner The Complete Chess Masters (1950-1967) Andy McKaie, compilation producer; Erick Labson, mastering engineer (Little Walter) [Hip-O Select/Geffen Records] http://bit.ly/bFhGFc All the other blues are in the American Roots category http://bit.ly/b9NpOZ

BBC News – Blues legend Etta James in hospital http://bit.ly/96tUKA

Hello all I travel a bit as part of my day job but normally my trips are just a couple of days.  This week however, I am away all week from Mon until Friday in the beautiful city of Madrid. It looks like the weather over there will be sunny and cold. http://news.bbc.co.uk/weather/forecast/43 I may [...]

What a great idea. Just get some musicians together, let them play and record the results. http://www.livefromdarylshouse.com/index.php?page=ep27

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Top albums of 2009 Omar Kent Dykes – Big Town Playboy – Up to his usual high standards with a variety of well-chosen covers from the likes of Eddie Taylor, Jimmy McCracklin, Slim Harpo and, of course, Jimmy Reed. Duke Robillard – Stomp! The Blues Tonight – The Duke doing what he does best, honking, [...]

Guitar Player poll http://www.zoomerang.com/Survey/WEB229YRRKA22D

Stockport’s award winning Roots & Fusion show (winner of Pure Radio’s “Best New Programme 2009″) was host to the amazing talent of Lucy Zirins recently. A podcast of the session is available at www.pureradio.org.uk. Click on the podcast link on the right hand side of the front page and scroll down the list of shows [...]

This week our US cousins can see a tribute to Jimmy Reed on their local cable PBS station. The great news for us is that this programme is also available online. http://video.pbs.org/video/1346550491/ Program: Austin City Limits Episode: Tribute to Bluesman Jimmy Reed Blues luminaries James Cotton, Delbert McClinton, Lou Ann Barton, Jimmie Vaughan and Omar [...]

Just a quick not to say that due to what looks like an administrative mistake between the band and the venue, there is no Wildcards gig next week at Telfords. http://www.wildcardsweb.com/