Season’s greetings and welcome to the Christmas/Chanukah/Funkmas/Kwanzaa/Festivus/Holiday jubilee edition of BLUES JUNCTION. It is this time of year, regardless of your affiliation, or if you have one, that many of us reflect on that artificial passing of time represented by the last twelve months. I try and spend most of my life looking forward, but hey it’s good to reflect back now and again.

I thought this would be a perfect time to review how things went at the JUNCTION in 2015. I guess it depends on how you look at it; for instance nobody in my immediate circle of family and friends were shot to death as a result of the ongoing  epidemic of violence that my country continues to embrace. I  feel very bad for those who died or lost loved ones in this recent spasm of violence. It is just heartbreaking to think about the suffering so many have endured as a direct result of America’s gun fetish. The entire saga is downright depressing and of course frightening. It is also a national disgrace.

I am lucky, I suppose, that I concern myself with one of the greatest features of the American experience, our music. It is music that falls just outside the carnival of commerce and the voracious appetite of corporate America and survives, and even thrives, in some interesting places here on the third rock.

As always, in 2015, I was in contact with some exciting musicians from all over the world. It is a great joy to introduce some of these performers to our large international audience and watch their careers flourish. It is also a real kick in the pants to watch these like minded individuals who speak the same language of the blues find one another. It is even more exciting to see young people with dedication and talent, learn this language and imbibe this music with the excitement and enthusiasm that comes with youthful exuberance.

Without covering all the great records and live shows that were part of the 2015 calendar, one band seemed to be in the center of it all. That was (is) the Igor Prado Band out of Sao Paulo, Brazil. Their inter-generational and inter-continental CD, Way Down South on Delta Groove Music, which came out earlier this year, kind of sums up all that is good about this wonderful American music which helps to make life tolerable in these troubled times. This record, which I reviewed prior to its release last winter, sits in our December Monthly Album Spotlight.   

On May 13, 2015, I attended one of the most inspirational evenings of music in many years. It reaffirmed my faith that the blues can be a potentially viable commercial entity without sacrificing the elements which make it so beautiful in the first place. Artists from several countries, including the Igor Prado Band came together and thrilled a packed house on a Wednesday night. The show closed with the Swedish band Trickbag, who also played at the huge Doheny Blues Festival a few days later. It was a spectacular display of musical prowess and empathy. In the archive section of our site you can read about that show under the tab, International Rhythm & Blues Review.

There are great young American musicians as well. One of whom is the exciting songwriter and vocalist, Jai Malano. She fronted the Igor Prado Band on that May evening. She sang with Igor and an all star assembledge a few days later at the Doheny Blues Festival. This Austin based musician released her debut “solo” album last March which was recorded in Germany’s Black Forest with the French band Nico Duportal and His Rhythm Dudes. I caught up with Jai a few times last year as she, like so many others, found my home state of California particularly hospitable to traveling musicians.

On various trips to the Golden State, the 33 year old Malano hooked up with California based guitarist Tommy Harkenrider and his band, The Memphis Kings last spring.  This past September she sat in with Germany’s B.B. and the Blues Shacks who were also barnstorming the state. You can read an interview I conducted with Jai as well as a review of her album, Rocket Girl in the archive section of our site.

2015 also marked the year we started a brand new feature that has emerged as a consistently popular piece and has garnered tremendous feedback. It is called, ‘Re-Visited’. Our readers seem to enjoy revisiting these old albums as much as I do writing about them. The 12^th and final installment for 2015 of this series of essays celebrates the 20^th anniversary of one of my favorite Christmas albums of all time, Black Top Records presents:  Blues, Mistletoe and Santa’s Little Helper.

The holiday season wouldn’t be complete without my examination of the 20 greatest Christmas Albums of All-Time. For years I tried to avoid Christmas music, but it’s pretty hard. If you grab a handful of these bad boys before heading off to your next holiday party, you and your friends will be glad you did.

As our Christian nation becomes more tolerant (just kidding) of different cultures and customs around the world, I thought that it would be a good time to remind our readers that it is Funkmas time. Just as Jesus was not a Christian or Mohammad not a Muslim, James Brown who died on December 25, 2006, was not a Funkalogian. I thought I’d share with you my thoughts and a brief primer for those not familiar with this already popular holiday and some of its festive trappings.

There is one man associated with this time of year who needs no introduction. No, I’m not talking about James Brown, but the one and only Santa Claus. Enjoy a timely interview I had with his Kringleness.

On December 4, 2011, we lost a very important musician, Hubert Sumlin. One of the great blues musicians of our time and space is Steve Freund. He was kind enough to share a very personal piece he wrote about this very special person. I think I am on very firm footing when I say with great conviction, if we had more Hubert Sumlins in the world, we would be a hell of a lot better off.

I thought it would be entirely appropriate to put Steve Freund back in our Monthly Artist Spotlight feature this month. We appreciate his contribution to this month’s ezine.

For many people the holidays are a difficult time as many, for whatever reason, can’t be with family and loved ones. For others it is a hard time because they are with family and loved ones. Regardless of the circumstances in which we find ourselves, many of us take sanctuary with our blues family. With this in mind I hope you enjoy a piece entitled, Our Blues Family.

Finally, I have a special Christmas message for you entitled: Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas Now.

As many of you have noticed we have put PayPal buttons on the bottom of some of our features. We hope that if you enjoy what you read here at the JUNCTION you will feel compelled to give us a hand by making a modest donation to our cause. This is a virtually all consuming labor of love we have and hope to continue to make available to everyone. With that in mind, I urge you to double back and read this month’s Re-Visited piece. There is a Christmas stocking stuffer for the benevolent amongst you.

As we put a bow on 2015, I want to give a big gigantic THANK YOU to all the musicians who toil in this field. As many of you are hustling up gigs and trying to get CDs made, so many of you often take time to give me a call or write with a note of thanks and encouragement for what we are doing at BLUES JUNCTION. It means a lot. The fact remains I do this for you.

Thanks always to our readers for your continued steadfast loyalty to our fearless endeavor. We hope to continue to provide you with a unique experience in blues journalism. Welcome to all of our new readers. It is always great to hear from so many of you. Thanks for traveling down these tracks with me.

What we all have in common is the knowledge that blues music represents hope that the light at the end of the tunnel is not another freight train coming our way. It is the light of peace. It is the light that tomorrow just might be better than today.

Remember coming in January is “The Best of 2015” issue of BLUES JUNCTION. Until then, I hope all of you have a peaceful holiday. Be well and be in touch.

- David Mac

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