To see Bobby Rush perform his club act in front of a standing-room-only crowd was a rare treat. Maybe I should have said a "raw" treat. Bobby had the audience in the palm of his hand from start to finish. Take the blues and mix them with the world of burlesque, and you're getting the idea. This show was for adults. We laughed until the tears rolled. By the end of the first set, my face hurt from smiling.
Give credit to the folks at the Malibu Bay Lounge for knowing how to throw a party. We arrived about 20 minutes after the free buffet was opened. There were so many cars in the lot that finding a seat was doubtful, however a reserved table was waiting for us. We enjoyed some of my favorite foods which included barbecue pork ribs, spicy meatballs, potato salad, and green beans. DJ Soulful Bill primed the crowd with tasty cuts from Bobby "Blue" Bland, Johnny Taylor, and Little Milton Campbell. The reserved seating sold-out before the doors opened but the latecomers were grateful for standing room at showtime!
The show opened with a few numbers that gave some of the band members a chance to sing. This was a tight veteran group with many years on the road backing Bobby Rush. Never was the band too loud - a rarity in itself. Sheriff Larry, our Master of Ceremonies for the evening, stepped up next sporting a dude western outfit complete with six-gun. We would learn more about the Sheriff's part in the revue during the second set. After an appropriate introduction from our MC, Bobby came out with two dancing girls. The crowd's attention was directed to the star of the show. His white suit contrasted with the dancers' black leather hot pants. After an extended first number, the gals went backstage for their first costume change. Bobby made a quick change during the first set too, on his way to four outfits for the evening. The set list included a variety of Bobby's own tunes along with some standards. Storytelling was prominent in the show but Bobby laid down some stellar raw harp work too. We were also treated to a preview of Mr. Rush's release due out in March on the Waldoxy label.
The second set took us back to when Bobby first started playing the blues in1951. We were in the alley now with a Muddy Waters tune, then just as we caught our breath, another tale would start to unfold. At times it was quiet enough to hear comments from the audience being tossed up to the master. During this set the gals on stage weren't the only ones dancing either. Sheriff Larry had to come out to monitor Bobby's moves. Bobby would get the Sheriff distracted with the crowd so that he could grind like his dancers. Just as Sheriff Larry turned back, Bobby would go back to obeying the law set down by the Sheriff. Their timing was impeccable as Bobby switched back to legal moves, pointing to the move and grinning for everyone's benefit. Sheriff Larry did catch him eventually and he was escorted off stage. Bobby then came back to get everyone dancin' and howlin' with his hit, "Sue." What an evening!
Let's hope for his return to the Malibu Bay Lounge for the blues festival in August. Keep an eye and ear out for his next appearance. It's hard to believe that Bobby is 62 years old. He looks like he might be 45 but he has the energy of a twenty-something. Maybe this is how Bobby Rush made us witness to one of the best shows ever to play Urbana-Champaign!!!!
When I started working on this idea, I settled on putting together a list of live recordings which have been featured on "Blues Live" on WEFT 90.1 FM (Friday nights 8-10pm). The list grew to about 30 recordings in a heartbeat. Before my bluesmobile was stolen, my CD changer held ten CDs, so I decided to pick out a top 10. To reduce it to ten meant leaving off legend after legend. How could I make such a list and not have any of the "Kings" on it? My only justification for this is that their live recordings are not among my favorites from their bodies of work. I would not even try to decide on ten faves without some qualifications. It would be an insurmountable task. So here it is - but not in any particular order.
1) Muddy Waters- "Muddy Mississippi Waters-Live" (Blue Sky)
2) Rod Piazza & the Mighty Flyers- "Live at B.B. King's" (Big Mo)
3) Ronnie Earl & the Broadcasters with Jimmy Rogers- "Guitar Virtuoso- Live in Europe" (Bullseye)
4) Anson Funderburgh & the Rockets with Sam Myers- "Live at the Grand Emporium" (Black Top)
5) Little Milton- "Live at Westville Prison" (Delmark )
6) Buddy Guy- "Live, the Real Deal" (Silvertone )
7) Roy Buchanan- "Livestock" (Polydor)
8) Little Charlie & the Nightcats- "Captured Live" (Alligator)
9) Albert Collins- "Live '92/'93" (Pointblank)
10) Lonnie Mack- "Live, Attack of the Killer V" (Alligator)
I did create a short wish list of artists that I would like to see do a live recording. It grew out of my initial efforts before I decided to do a live recording list. There are so many deserving artists for both lists. Again there is no particular order.
1)Debbie Davies
2)Lee McBee with Mike Morgan & the Crawl
3)Big Daddy Kinsey with the Kinsey Report
4)Smokin' Joe Kubek with B'Nois King
5)Kim Wilson
The last issue of the newsletter contained an article about Sam Burckhardt. After the newsletter went to press, I found out that Sam was no longer with the Mighty Blue Kings. I talked with Sam recently, and he told me they had parted ways over some differences of opinion on the direction of the band.
However, Sam is doing well and playing various gigs around Chicago. He had finished a recording session and met with some people about starting a new band.
He plans for the new band to play some swing like MBK but also some jazz and, of course, blues. As Sam said, "I can't stray too far from the blues." The band's first date was on New Year's Eve.