March 2010
On The Road with Big City Rhythm & Blues Magazine, Robert Jr & Shirley Mae: “We are “Happy To Have The Blues!”For the upcoming April/May 2010 Big City Rhythm & Blues Magazine returns to one of their favorite “Big Cities” - New Orleans—Robert Jr.’s muse. With its rich musical heritage, our new issue will be dedicated to Louis Armstrong entitled "The Horn Issue" with Trombone Shorty as the cover photo/story. Subscribe today at www.bigcitybluesmag.com and be the first to see the new issue out on newsstands in April and you will also be entered into our new autographed guitar raffle. Plus all subscribers will receive "Jump For Joy" CD Sampler #7 that features another photograph by Robert Jr. of a once famous New Orleans landmark--The House of Joy on its cover and the Dew Drop Inn on the inside. Our cover photo shoot “Horn Issue” began on Mardi Gras Sunday around Noon. Two hours later we were still unable to get to uptown Tipitina’s due to blocked streets due to parade routes. Thousands began to converge on sidewalks and neutral ground early to get a spot to catch a bead and see Saints hero Drew Brees as the King of Bacchus. Finally Robert Jr. somehow managed to get near Tipitina's where Troy Andrews aka Trombone Shorty had just finished up his sound check, waited for Robert Jr.’s arrival. Junior quickly got it together, set up the shoot in no time and his cover photo looks great!
Spy In The House Of Love - CD Sampler #8 is coming!
Speaking of CD Samplers, Big City Rhythm & Blues Magazine is so overwhelmed with the popularity of our CD Samplers. The positive response has been unbelievable, absolutely amazing that we are now working diligently with musicians/bands to help promote their music on our 2010 Summer CD Sampler--"Spy In The House Of Love." There are only a few remaining slots left! They fill up fast so get your song on it today! Our free CD samplers connect you with the well connected and with new/renewal subscribers, radio personalities and music/fest promoters. For more information: blues@bigcitybluesmag.com or 248-582-1544.
On The Road with Big City Rhythm & Blues Magazine Photos--We'll take you there!
As a travel destination music magazine, we shoot hundreds of shots and only a quarter of them can possibly be featured in our magazine. Therefore, we will be featuring our photographs monthly on www.BigCityBluesMag.com. Plus you can still check out Robert Jr.s past work including his historic group shots and cover shots plus Artwork On Website:
Rick Ruby,"Millenium Man"
Robert Jr," Happy To Have The Blues!"
Mark Arminski, "SRV"
Dane Tilghman"Janis Joplin"
Lindsay Shannon, "Running Shoes"
Eric Z Manning, "Willie Dixon"
Dagmar Chaplin, "Robert Johnson" & "Muddy Waters"
Check it out at www.bigcitybluesmag.com.Big City Rhythm & Blues Magazine hits the High Seas--LRBC & Super Mardi Gras 2010!
We began the year on the biannual Legendary Rhythm & Blues Cruise--Caribbean on the first class Eurodam. Since 2002 we have not missed a LRBC. Every cruise gets better and better. Tragically, eleven days before we sailed a earthquake hit Haiti. Quick thinking Robert Jr. thought how we could help by auctioning off a large Haiti flag and small Haiti flags would be given tothose who donated. Thanks to Joni Elensen & Rob Ramirez for finding & purchasing the flags and making it work. Thanks to all the LRBC musicians who signed the flag and money was raised for Doctors Without Borders. Besides working on fundraising efforts for theSailin' On The High Seas Auction, our highlights included jamming at Junior's Jukejoint with Deak Harp and many others who stopped by—Dave Fields, Billy Gibson, Steve Simon, Watermelon Slim, Washboard Jo, Steve Wiggins... We loved meeting Johnny Winter backstage to autograph items and he was in good spirits and loved being aboard. We do have to say that from 10 am
to 10 pm we have never been so busy, nonstop! Thanks to all the cruisers who subscribed and helped us out! Thank-you Scrap Iron! There are so many more highlights of the cruise. We love Taj Mahal with The Phantom Blues Band! Curtis Salgado blew everyone away and people are still talking; as reported, Johnny Winter was hot and it was great to see The Mannish Boys on board--no longer virgins! We barely caught up Keb Mo but it looked like he was also enjoying the cruise and his adoring fans loved him. Magic Slim had a natural ball and we always found him enjoying himself in his chair by the pool stage. We spied Johnny Winter checking Magic Slim out too. Deanna Bogart's stuning show in the Crows Nest was standing room.Tab Benoit did sets and then did VOW sets with Big Chief Monk Boudreaux, Jumpin' Johnnie & Mike Zito. Tommy Castro Band is lovin' it like us and has sailed on every LRBC. For his LRBC Revue it featured Kenny Neal. And always entertaining was Watermelon Slim. Jason Ricci also has a devoted following and fans seemed to follow him constantly. Ricci hosted the blues party at Half Moon Cay. Paul Richell & Annie Raines wooed cruisers as well with their authentic blues. And such an entertainer is Ruthie Foster who is a standout and the closest we have heard to conjuring up Sister Rosetta Tharpe.
Congrats to new Big City Rhythm & Blues subscriber and cruiser Louise Recktenwall from Colorado who won an autographed antique Fender guitar just by subscribing. All cruisers who subscribed (new/renewal) during the LRBC Jan. '10 were entered into the raffle. More on the cruise in the upcoming April/May Horn Issue....
Super Mardi Gras 2010!
When the Saintscome marching in! Who Dat!
When the Saints won the Super Bowl, New Orleans cranked up their festivities even more since it happened during the Mardi Gras season. We couldn't wait to get there. The grips of winter didn't want to let us go as we drove south in high winds and drifting snow.
We stopped first at our new neighborhood bar--BJ's where we found our cookie lovin' landlord & artist Lou. Soon we were unpacked and ready to roll but due to the rain and possible snow, all parades were cancelled that evening so we decided it was a perfect time for a carpetbagger steak at Jacque A Mo's. Friday we found Muses and parked near Napolean & Magazine in time to see the Rolling Elvi and Bearded Oysters. We caught 3 shoes! Saturday Little Freddie King performed at BJ's to a standing room only crowd. Sunday we focused on the cover shoot with Trombone Shorty & John Sinclair. Sugar caught a football thrown by Drew Brees! We have to thank our host Gina Farago who let's us invade her home to watch the parade outside her door. Thanks Gina! This year the King of Orpheus was Peyton Manning the Saints coach who held the Lombardi trophy tightly and let Sugar touch it.
On Mardi Gras morning we were up at dawn to make our way cross town to the Zulu Parade that rolls early--8am. Somehow we got behind a fully loaded Zulu fire truck with its sirens & lights blaring and a Zulu Krewe that we followed. After we saw the Zulu King & Queen and with plenty of coconuts in hand we found our big chiefs--Bo Dollis, Monk Boudreaux & John Sinclair. All on a Mardi Gras Day!
Hear Robert Jr. & Shirley Mae live every Monday on BB King’s Bluesville Sirius XM Channel 74, 5 pm on the Eastside of town.
Photos
by Shirley Mae Owens
