| Sunday Performers |
 David VestSunday August 21, 2:30PM From an old upright on the back of a flatbed truck in Alabama, to Steinways in concert halls, David Vest has been rockin' and shoutin' the blues since 1957. And now he’s touring to support his hot new CD, “Rock a While” on Portland’s Criminal Records. Whether you catch him in a small club, at a major blues festival, or in a large venue you'll know immediately why the Portland Oregonian called David Vest "one of the finest on the barrelhouse piano, with a ferocity few possess." Career highlights include performing with Big Joe Turner in his prime, sitting in with Bill Black's Combo, touring with Jimmy T99 Nelson and Lavelle White, and a long stint as co-leader of the Paul delay Band. A major festival tour with the Northwest Pianorama exposed David's music to new audiences, and his incendiary performance at Edmonton’s Labatt Blues Festival in 2008 was broadcast across Canada by the CBC. For his return to Edmonton’s Labatt Blues Festival this summer, this newly minted Canadian citizen( now living in the Victoria area) is bringing a Canadian blues legend, bassist and co-founder of The Powder Blues, Jack Lavin, Blues Music Award nominated drummer Jimi Bott and fellow Paul delay band member, guitarist Peter Damann with him. He has what Texas music writer Roger Wood called "impeccable blues credentials." His jazz credentials aren't too shabby, either. As a teenager, he sat in with the Jimmy Dorsey Band and jammed with members of Woody Herman's New Thundering Herd. He spent several years in a Houston combo featuring horn players from bands led by Maynard Ferguson and Charlie Parker. And as for roots music and alt country, he has shared the stage with artists such as Red Foley and Faron Young, and he wrote the first songs ever recorded by country music legend Tammy Wynette, who sang in his band before achieving stardom. After relocating to the Pacific coast in 1999, David toured up and down the coast with the Paul deLay Band. Their CD "The Last of the Best" reached No. 7 in the Billboard blues chart. A half-century into his career, David continues to boogie with amazing energy and unmistakable authenticity. He plans to keep on rockin' and shoutin' the blues "as long as the flavor lasts."  Sean Carney BandSunday August 21, 4PM “The next big thing has already been around the block,” a Canadian newspaper reporter wrote of The Sean Carney Band’s impressive victory at The 2007 International Blues Challenge in Memphis, Tennessee, explaining that Carney and his crew are no newcomers to Blues. The IBC is presented by The Blues Foundation, who also awarded 34 year-old Carney the Albert King Best Guitarist Award and Best Dressed in their 23rd annual competition, before an audience of 1,700 blues lovers from all over the world. A Columbus, Ohio native and veteran of the local scene like Carney, drummer Eric Blume has been performing with Carney in Columbus venues for over a decade, backing blues and R&B artists Christine Kittrell, Hank Marr, Jimmy “T-99” Nelson, Willie Pooch, Big Joe Duskin, Joe Weaver and Johnnie Bassett. In his early twenties, Carney’s passion for the Blues extended beyond the stage as he bolstered the scene in his hometown, organizing concerts featuring the likes of Jimmy Witherspoon and Charles Brown, writing blues-related articles, co-hosting a radio program called Spontaneous Combustion on WCBE 90.5 FM, organizing fundraisers for ailing artists and serving three terms as President of The Columbus Blues Alliance. In 1998, Carney released his first CD, “Provisions” – re-released in October 2007 as, “Provisions – A Second Helping,” featuring the final recording of Nashville R&B pioneer Christine Kittrell. Carney celebrated another significant professional milestone in a 2001 with a performance at The New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival backing Cincinnati Blues piano master Big Joe Duskin, along with drummer and Rolling Stone Magazine contributor Ben Sandmel. Carney and Blume formed Nite Owlz Records in 2006, for the release of their self-produced CD, “Life of Ease” and embarked on a summer tour of Western Canada organized by guitarist/producer Steve Gerard. Gerard, who joined the touring band on guitar, paired the visiting players with top-notch Canadian musicians, Graham Guest on piano/organ and Chris Brzezicki on upright bass. Following Canada, The Sean Carney Band toured the Midwest performing at Chicago’s House of Blues and The Slippery Noodle Inn in Indianapolis, among other notable venues. Summer of 2007 saw The Sean Carney Band performing at prestigious events including The Waterfront Blues Festival in Portland, Oregon, The Telluride Blues and Brews Festival in Colorado and The Long Branch Blues & Jazz Festival on the New Jersey Shore, The New York State Blues Festival, The Honesdale Roots & Rhythm Festival in Pennsylvania, an exclusive June date in Carpentras in The South of France, a weekend headlining at The Yale in Vancouver, British Columbia and a VIP performance at the prestigious Blues Music Awards in May. Respected publications such as Blues Revue Magazine have awarded both “Life of Ease” and “Live Blues On Whyte” enthusiastic praise and the discs enjoy frequent airplay on Listener’s Choice and XM Radio’s “Bluesville”. Sean Carney and Eric Blume will once again be joined by local standouts Graham Guest on keys and bassist Chris Brzezicki for their encore performance at Edmonton’s Labatt Blues Festival.  RJ Mischo with Mike Morgan and the CrawllSunday August 21, 5:30PM Every year Edmonton’s Labatt Blues festival brings you combinations of musicians that are more than the sum of their parts. This year, we are fortunate enough to be blessed with the talents of 2 great bands rolled into one. Fayetteville, Arkansas based RJ Mischo is teaming up with Dallas’ guitarist Mike Morgan and his band The Crawl for what will be a memorable performance. RJ Mischo is an award winning, world renowned Blues Singer, Harmonica player and Band Leader. He is the kind of entertainer that only 20 years of International touring experience can bring to the stage. RJ’s music is a combination of originals and obscure gems that create an exciting mix of Grooving Boogies, Bump & Grind Shuffles and Electric Chicago Blues. RJ is endorsed by Hohner Harmonicas and has 9 Globally Distributed CDs out to date. RJ can also be heard on 21 additional CDs as a guest or on compilations with Jimmie Vaughan, James Cotton, G. Love, James Harman, Kim Wilson, Candye Kane, John Mayall and others. RJs Harmonica playing is on Nationally Aired TV Commercials as well as documentaries on the Discovery Channel and Independent Movie Scores. He has contributed his Harmonica expertise to two published Harmonica instruction books and has conducted workshops at Music Schools in the US, Europe and Brazil. In addition to fronting his own bands, RJ has been hired to play in bands alongside Grammy Award winners Pinetop Perkins and Willie “Big Eyes” Smith; Jimmy Thackery, Earl Cate, Junior Watson and more. RJ Mischo has toured in 18 countries performing at top Showcase Night Clubs and on Major Festival Stages including the King Biscuit Blues Festival, San Francisco Blues Festival, Monterrey Jazz and Blues Festivals, International Harmonica Festival in Brazil, Spring Blues Festival in Belgium, Lucerne Blues Fest in Switzerland, Great British Rhythm and Blues Festival and many more. Joining RJ is Mike Morgan and the Crawl. Mike Morgan was born in Dallas on November 30, 1959, and grew up in nearby Hillsboro, Texas. Morgan displayed an avid interest in music as a youngster, listening intently to the impassioned soul sounds of Otis Redding and Wilson Pickett on local radio stations. He received his first guitar while in the third grade, but didn't begin to take playing seriously until he discovered Stevie Ray Vaughan's album, Texas Flood, in 1985. "When I heard Stevie's first album, that was it," Morgan recalls. "I already knew how to play the guitar, but Stevie showed me a lot of things I didn't know. After that, I dove headlong into playing the blues." As his prowess on the guitar developed, it became clear that he was not merely a Stevie knock-off, but rather an original player with a sound and style that was all his own. Mike moved to Dallas in 1986 and soon hooked up with experienced vocalist Darrell Nulisch, (formerly with Anson Funderburgh and the Rockets and Ronnie Earl) to form The Crawl, named after an old jukebox hit by guitar great, Lonnie Brooks. Darrell had a tremendous knowledge of blues and a deep collection of blues records, and he exposed Morgan to the music of the Chicago blues scene and many of its key players.
As Mike and Lee's collaboration proved popular with blues aficionados, appearances at the Benson & Hedges Blues Festival, the Dallas Blues Festival, the Atlantic City Blues Festival and the Mississippi Valley Blues Festival soon followed. Shortly before a performance at the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival, Morgan's old pal Anson Funderburgh took Black Top owner Hammond Scott to a gig. Scott was so stunned by the band's talent and originality that he signed them to the label immediately following the Jazz Fest appearance. Mike Morgan and The Crawl found a national audience with the release of their debut recording, Raw & Ready, in 1990. Backed up by extensive national and international touring, Mike Morgan and The Crawl continued to amaze their fans throughout the 1990s by releasing five highly regarded albums, Mighty Fine Dancin, Full Moon Over Dallas, Ain't Worried No More, Looky Here!, The Road and I Like The Way You Work It. Morgan even kept a high profile during some down time away from the band in 1994 by recording Let The Dogs Run, a highly acclaimed record that paired him with fellow Dallas guitarist Jim Suhler. Meanwhile praise for Morgan and the band came flooding in. Guitar World Magazine called Morgan a “genuine blues guitar hero!!”Blues Access Magazine raved “Mike Morgan and the Crawl crank up an irrepressible of fresh gritty blues and romping Stax/Volt-era soul.” 2007 saw the release of the most current CD, Stronger Every Day. Stronger Every Day was released by Seven Records and has guest appearances by Lee McBee and Randy McAllister. Join us Sunday at Edmonton’s Labatt Blues Festival as we get the rare opportunity to hear two great acts rolled into one, both in Edmonton for the very first time.  Diunna Greenleafe and Blue MercySunday August 21, 7PM Diunna Greenleaf, who set all CD sales records and received a marriage proposal at the 2006 edition of Edmonton’s Labatt Blues Festival is coming back so hold on to your hats. She brings with her the second of two Albert King Award winners as best guitarist at the International Blues Challenge that we will hear on Sunday, Jonn “Del Toro” Richardson. Diunna Greenleaf, the leader of Blue Mercy, is a native Texan (Houston) who has a background steeped in gospel music. She is influenced by the likes of Koko Taylor, Aretha Franklin, Rosetta Thorpe, Sam Cooke, Charles Brown and her own parents Ben & Mary Ella Greenleaf (Gospel). She has developed "Diunna's style of Blues" in the same tradition as so many other great Texas blues men and women. She combines intricate patches of jazz, gospel and heartfelt soul to create a kind of blues that takes one on an emotional roller coaster ride. Diunna and her band Blue Mercy have performed throughout the United States and Internationally. She has performed at the Lugano Blues Festival and the Bern Jazz Festival, both in Switzerland, as well as the Cahors Blues Festival in France. Diunna has opened for and performed with the likes of Bob Margolin, Keb Mo, Willie “Pinetop” Perkins, Hubert Sumlin, Willie “Big Eyes” Smith, James Cotton, Carrie Bell, Big Bill Morganfield, Smoking Joe Kubek and B’Nois King, Anson Funderburge, Sam Meyers and the Rockets, Bernard Allison, Odetta, Rod Piazza and the Mighty Flyers, I.J. Gosey, Sherman Robertson, Kenny Neal, the late great Teddy “Cry Cry” Reynolds, and numerous others. Diunna's commitment to Blues goes well beyond performing on stage. She served for three years as President of the Houston Blues Society, making history as the first woman ever elected to this position. During her presidency she used her professional guidance and grant writing skills to produce the Willie Mae Thornton Blues Festival, bringing in such talent as “The Queen Of Blues” Mrs. Koko Taylor, Mr. Bernard Allison, Texas Johnny Brown, I.J. Gosey, Diane Price, Mel Waiters, Betty Lewis, Gary Clark, Jr., Jeremy And The Hotboys, along with many others. Diunna started the annual Houston Blues Society Founders Day and actively continued the Blues In Schools Program throughout the state. She is one of the founders of Friends of Blues Montgomery County. Diunna was again nominated for the "Traditional Blues Female Artist of the Year" at the 2009 Blues Music Awards held in Memphis on May 7th. Diunna's most recent achievement was her win for "Best New Artist Debut" at the 2008 Blues Music Awards in Tunica, MS. She was also nominated for "Traditional Blues Female Artist of the Year." Join us as we welcome back one of the great female blues performers on the scene today, Diunna Greenleaf.  Delta Groove Harp Blast With Bob
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Mike Morgan and The Crawl quickly made a name for themselves as one of the best contemporary blues bands in Texas, writing original songs that were on a par with the classics they chose to cover. After Nulisch left the band in 1989, Morgan set out to find a vocalist who would fit his desire for a broader-based R&B sound. He found the perfect match in Kansas City native and blues veteran Lee McBee, whose smoky, seasoned vocals were reminiscent of the legendary 1960s soul singers Morgan listened to while growing up. The fact that McBee was also an accomplished and revered harmonica player added more fuel to The Crawl's fire.
Mitch Kashmaris one of the great West Coast harp men in the biz today. Noted by his peers as one of the most soulful and powerful blues singers in the business today, Mitch Kashmar has shared the stage with some of the most influential blues musicians including John Lee Hooker, Big Joe Turner, Eddie 'Cleanhead' Vinson, Lowell Fulson, Jimmy Witherspoon, Pee Wee Crayton, Johnny Adams and many others. Mitch played our festival in 2007 and his performance was released on the Delta Groove recording “Live at Labatt”.
"Big Pete" Van Der Pluijm may not be a familiar name to North American blues audiences, but he's already well established in the Netherlands, his native home base in North-West Europe. At 23, Pete was handpicked for a European memorial tour to honour the music and memory of legendary harmonica player and vocalist Lester Butler. Now 33, “Big Pete” is ready to take on North America.
Bob Corritorre is making his Edmonton debut and is up for 2 Blues Music Awards this year, as “Harmonica Player of the Year” and for “Historical Album of the Year”. Bob is one of the most active and highly regarded blues harmonica players on the scene today. His style passionately carries forward the old school of playing that Corritore learned as a young man directly from many of original pioneers of Chicago Blues. His sympathetic, yet fiery harmonica playing is featured on over 35 releases to date.
Randy Chortkoff's passion for music began at a very young age – his father was a jazz fan who used to bring Louis Armstrong and members of his band home for dinner and informal jam sessions, and young Randy soaked it all up. He’s also the man behind Delta Groove Records and Eclecto Groove Records. Rand is a fine harmonica player, singer and Master of Ceremonies, he’ll keep the show moving along, making sure everyone gets “solo time” and a chance to shine.
Kirk Fletcher is a two time W.C. Handy Award nominee, and nominated this year for a Blues Music Award as “Best Guitar Player”. Kirk has toured with Lynwood Slim, Janiva Magness, Charlie Musselwhite and The Fabulous Thunderbirds, as well as performing with James Cotton, Pine Top Perkins, Hubert Sumlin, Mojo Buford, Ted Harvey, Larry Carlton, Robben Ford, Michael Landau, Elvin Bishop, Ronnie Earl, Doyle Bramhall, and many more… Kirk Fletcher is considered one of the best young guitar players on the blues scene today.
Guitarist Frank "Paris Slim" Goldwasser is no stranger to those who've been paying attention to the West Coast blues scene over the last two decades. Born in Paris, France in 1960, his initial blues inspiration came from Hound Dog Taylor's "NATURAL BOOGIE" LP. After working his first professional gig at age 21 supporting visiting U.S. bluesman Sonny Rhodes, Rhodes invited him to move to the San Francisco Bay Area. With the commitment of a true believer, Franck packed his bags and moved to the Bay Area within a year, whereupon he was immediately hired by Troyce Key, who gave him the stage name of Paris Slim, to play in the house band at Key's legendary Eli's Mile High Club in Oakland.
Known by some as the "Boss of the Boogie", pianist/vocalist Rob Rio plays the boogie-woogie and jump blues of the 40's and 50's with a virtuosity and elan that has excited audiences around the world for more than 30 years. RIO was inducted into the Boogie Woogie Hall Of Fame in 2008. He has appeared with many of the original blues greats, such as Muddy Waters, Willy Dixon, Charles Brown, Joe Cocker, Paul Butterfield and many more, and has recorded with Mick Jagger, Canned Heat, Billy Boy Arnold, William Clarke, Coco Montoya, Finis Tasby, Walter Trout, Phillip Walker, Jody Williams, among others.
While still in high school drummer Jimi Bott started his professional career at the tender age of 17. At 19 he joined Mark Hummel and the Blues Survivors, starting what would be the beginning of a perpetual life on the road. On his 21st birthday he auditioned for and won the gig of his dreams with Rod Piazza and the Mighty Flyers. After a total of 8 years with the Fabulous Thunderbirds Jimi took a break from touring and started work in his Portland based recording studio and with his new band, Woodbrain. Jimi is again nominated at the Blues Music Awards as “Drummer of the Year”