© 2024
NPR for Northern Colorado
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

Nine O'clock Blues: The Greeley Blues Jam

Greeley Blues Jam

It’s time for the Greeley Blues Jam, which runs next Friday and Saturday (June 8th & 9th). Coming up this week on The Nine O’clock Blues we’ll hear a couple of songs from each of this year’s headliners.

The Blues Jam is presented by the City of Greeley and the Greeley Chamber of Commerce. Every year the lineup entices blues lovers from across the state and around the country to converge on Island Grove Regional Park to celebrate the wonderful music style that is an American treasure.

The party kicks off in downtown Greeley on Friday, the night before the ticketed part of the Jam at Island Grove, with music beginning at 3 p.m.as Friday Fest features the Johnny O Band at 9th Street Plaza. This is a free event. There’s more free music from 8 to midnight scheduled at various venues around Greeley, including The Clarion Hotel, Kress Cinema Lounge, Dutch’s, Sky Night Club, Rio Grande Mexican, The Jager, The Penalty Box, Patrick’s Irish Pub, Roasty’s, and Batter Up Cakes.

This year the headliners include Texas guitarist Jimmie Vaughan who spent many years as a member of The Fabulous Thunderbirds and has played with most of the top blues artists of our time. Vaughan will be joined by his latest group, The Tilt-a-Whirl Band with Lou Anne Barton.

http://youtu.be/NU65d-owOdQ?t=19s

Otis Taylor is a multi-instrumentalist whose banjo playing has won wide acclaim and awards and his unique, hypnotic and droning approach is expanding the limits of the Blues.

http://youtu.be/SM4Nn5XstsA?t=8s

Another boundaries pusher is guitarist Eddie “Devil Boy” Turner. You never know what you’ll get with Eddie, but you can be sure it will be worth hearing and will include some blazing guitar.

If New Orleans is your thing, The Soul Rebels Brass Band has you covered. They mix the Jazz parade tradition of The Big Easy with a very modern sensibility that will surprise with a variety of modern styles, sometimes even including Hip-Hop.

http://youtu.be/l7_cNJilGiQ

And Kelley Hunt is a Blues singer/songwriter who is also a very talented pianist and guitarist who has an open-minded, exploratory attitude and takes on social and political issues.

Between the headliners the Back Porch Stage will feature Young Austin & No Difference, Rob Wilson, Dave Dardine & the Blues Cats, Blues DoGs, Delta Sonics and an All Star Jam with Al Chesis.

Another part of the Jam this year is the Blues 101 Stage, where kids of all ages can learn about blues music and meet some of the most talented young blues performers in the country. The Blues 101 Stage lineup includes Rex Peoples, Al Chessis, the All Star Youth Jam hosted by Bad Brad & the Fat Cats, and Dan Treanor with a history lesson on slide guitars and harmonica lessons.

Related Content