September was an incredible month out here at the JUNCTION. More people visited this website than in any previous month. Of the several thousand words and dozen or so features it was 4-5 paragraphs in the middle of an article entitled Catching the Next Blue Wave that garnered the most attention. I have been literally overwhelmed by the response to this piece and humbled by the kind words that I have received from so many of you. That particular article passed up the essay entitled The Red Bass (see archives) to become the most read story in the short history of this ezine. 

Countless working blues musicians out there were aware of this article as it had been on the shelf for many months. It had become sort of an urban myth, as several cats had a hand in writing it and were aware of its existence. I kept hearing from the musicians asking me to publish this piece. I felt like I was in a huddle and the quarterback said to me, “Hey Mac would you please block that dude over there. He is beating the crap out of me.” My response is “Sure. Who the hell am I? I am just a big lineman. I am not the star. I am not the quarterback. I am not the musician being treated so poorly out in the marketplace.” They are the stars and they deserve better. 

I didn’t want to make the block, only to find the quarterback fumbled the snap. You cats didn’t fumble anything. You copied and pasted this article and shared it with others. You also said some very kind things to me both publicly and privately. Your shout outs from the stages were humbling but appreciated nonetheless. Thank you all for your kindness and support. 

I also appreciate all the letters that I received. I read them all and responded to as many of you as I could. In this month’s Letters to the Editor, I dispensed with most of the “atta boys” but those were, of course, welcome. I thought it would be a good forum for others to provide alternate points of view. I am disappointed that nothing came in from anyone who has read the piece that objected to any of it. No fact was disputed or a different perspective expressed. There are several letters however from prominent and important people in the Southern California blues community who make some salient points as they relate to this article and others that appeared in the September edition of BLUES JUNCTION. I hope you find those letters to the editor interesting and thought provoking as well. That’s the good news…

There seems to be a word that keeps finding its way onto BLUES JUNCTION over the past few months. That is the word cancer. I know I am being Captain Buzz Killington here but we are adults and this is a part of life. It isn’t all cool horn arrangements and swinging back beats all the time. Back in July, I published an interview with the legendary Texas guitarist Anson Funderburgh. He is a recovering cancer patient. Julie Jenkins did a fine piece on Candye Kane a few months back and as many of you know, Candye is a survivor of pancreatic cancer. A year ago this month I covered a wonderful event that was Art Martel’s 50^th birthday party. The headliner that Art booked was the extremely talented 34 year old musical sensation Nick Curran. Nick at that time was recovering from tongue cancer. Since then Nick has had a reoccurrence and was hospitalized to receive further treatment. 

Since that great day last October, Art’s father fell victim to brain cancer. It was a tough time for Art as he spent much of the next several months at his dad’s bedside. My discussions with Art during this time had been a very moving experience for me. We all know someone that has been lost or is suffering from this terrible disease. My own mother for instance is a cancer survivor. It is almost impossible to think of a family that hasn’t been affected by cancer. 

It is why I feel very honored and privileged to be asked to help fight this battle on a couple of different fronts. When called upon to help, we here at BLUES JUNCTION try and answer that call. This is why you see Candye’s open letter in this month’s BLUES JUNCTION. We are re-running the piece Julie wrote that originally appeared in the March edition of this ezine on the one and only Candye Kane as well. Candye is an inspiration. 

A few weeks ago I was asked to make available to our readers an album called Mill Block Blues by a band called the Ruff Cut Blues Band. The proceeds from this album, which features and was produced by Anson Funderburgh, go to the Handy Artist Relief Trust (HART) administered by the Blues Foundation. To date $8,000 has been raised for this trust which is a fund that helps blues musicians with their medical expenses. For more information on this check out the tab that reads, The Ruff Cut Blues Band and the HART fund. 

In this month’s BLUES JUNCTION there is a story and a photo essay of an event to help one of our own battle this disease: The Paul Fasulo Jumbo Jam. Read about that and enjoy the great photography of Alex Gardner and Dewey Dewzignz. Thanks guys for all your help and sharing your talent with us.

That event took place on the tenth anniversary of perhaps the worst single day in American history. September 11, 2001, is a day none of us will ever forget. I dedicated last month’s edition of BLUES JUNCTION to the memories of the victims of that tragedy. 

We tend to look at things in big, round, even numbers, so I thought it might be interesting, and hopefully entertaining, to look back on what we were listening to in 2001. Read about Ten Songs from Ten Albums from Ten Years Ago. Even with all the new material I listen to every day, these ten very diverse sounding albums from ten very different artists who were at different stages of their careers hold up quite well.

Yesterday ,October 1^st, I caught up with some old friends, the Mighty Mojo Prophets at the Orange County Marketplace. These guys won over the audience if not the judges in what was billed as the Road to The Battle of The Blues Harps. Check out what’s going on with the band and read an interview I did with founding members, Mitch “Da Switch” Dow and Tommy “Big Son” Elliff some time ago. Also enjoy some fine photography from Alex Gardner. 

We have another fine piece from Erwin Bosman from Belgium. Erwin wrote an essay about a pre-war Piedmont blues man, named Fulton Allen. We know him better as Blind Boy Fuller. Check that out in a piece entitled, Let me Play with Your Poodle. 

Ms. Marci is a songwriter, bass player and vocalist. She is a member of the Boston Blues Society and is active on the east coast blues scene. She was also a friend of Willie “Big Eyes” Smith. She reached out to me just days after the death of her friend and one of my musical heroes. She wanted to share with our readers some of her thoughts on Willie “Big Eyes” Smith whom we lost on September 16^th. Willie is our October Monthly Artist Spotlight.

As always, we also have information on the shows that BLUES JUNCTION Productions are proud to be a part of. Check out the information on these events this month. Mark Torch and the Hollywood Combo are hosting a monthly show at Big’s Grill in Fullerton, CA. I am fan of the Hollywood Combo and am a supporter of what Mark is doing as it relates to the music scene here in Southern California. Check out a photo essay from last month’s show at Big’s which was produced in association with BLUES JUNCTION Productions. The show featured the legendary Junior Watson. You can find out all about the goings on at Big’s under the tab

Junior along with James Harman and Nathan James played at a terrific show down in Costa Mesa, CA, on August 29^th that BLUES JUNCTION Productions was proud to be a part of as well. Read about that show and find out about what is going on at the Tiki Bar in Costa Mesa by clicking the tab World Class Blues in the O. C. 

As always you can find out what Art Martel and his Straight up Blues Productions are up to under the tab Straight up Blues. 

Another great piece of news as it relates to the Southern California live blues music scene is the opening of the second location of Harvelle’s. Appropriately enough Blowin’ Smoke and the Fabulous Smokettes christened the room that was the site of the Cellar on the Promenade in downtown Long Beach. You can read a review of this new venue in the November edition of BLUES JUNCTION. In the meantime we want our readers to check out their current calendar (see our links page).

BLUES JUNCTION is where the history and the future of the blues come together. We always spend some time looking back on what was going on back in the day and try and keep this traditionally based music moving forward by spotlighting some of the young artists that are pushing the music in new and exciting directions. There are many creative and forward thinking musicians that fall under the big umbrella we call the blues. Many of these artists are featured in this month’s Jukebox at the JUNCTION. We have new music from young cats from all over the blues landscape: Lightnin’ Malcolm from Mississippi, Shawn Pittman and Nick Curran from Texas, Big Pete from the Netherlands and Andreas Arlt from Germany are all loaded into the Jukebox. From right here in Southern California, Kirk Fletcher, the Fourty Fours, the Mighty Mojo Prophets, Lil A & the Allnighters and the Red Lotus Review all have new recordings we have been dancing to here at the JUNCTION as well. Also queued up are brand new and soon to be released albums by veterans Rod Piazza, Candye Kane, Duke Robillard, Sugar Ray and the Bluetones, Johnny Sansome, Anson Funderburgh, Big Joe and the Dynaflows and Elvin Bishop. 

Additionally, I received an extraordinary reissue in the mail a couple of weeks ago. The street date for the album, Barbeque Any Old Time: Blues from the Pit 1927-1942 was September 20^th. It is a generous helping (24 tracks) of digitally re-mastered gems from the Piedmont school of blues. This reissue traces the history of blues music and barbeque through the early part of the 20^th century. I included a track from this fascinating and entertaining document produced by Marshal Wyatt of Old Hat Records. 

Finally there as another event that took place here that we have been talking about for months. That is the return of the San Diego Blues Festival. 

It was eight years ago that I last attended the San Diego Blues Festival. The festival had been on hiatus ever since. To my great delight, it has been resurrected by the good folks at the San Diego Food Bank (see links). As our readers know by now, I am an unabashed fan of Blues Lovers United of San Diego. It is one of those worthwhile organizations we love to celebrate here at the JUNCTION. Michael Kinsman and his group of volunteers pitched in to help make this festival a success. 

I didn’t attend this year’s San Diego Blues Festival. I was touched that all Saturday afternoon my phone lit up with texts reading “Where the hell are you?” How I could be missed at an event with 4,000 people is a little weird but the reason I wasn’t there was just as weird, I suppose. In all seriousness my absence brought concerns of my physical well being as I had talked to several folks from San Diego and all over Southern California just hours before the event that I was planning on attending. It is my mental well being that is now under scrutiny. The rumors are true. I adopted a puppy. 

Here are the particulars. His name is Roscoe and he is a 4-6 month old terrier named after Roscoe Gordon. He is a shelter rescue who has had a tough young life. Roscoe and I have had separation anxiety issues. He has lived in at least four homes including a shelter in the past four months. I have left him for a few hours at a time as I have attended several shows over the past month but the all day San Diego Blues Festival was more than I could stand to be away from the little fella. 

I haven’t had a dog in years and haven’t had a puppy since I was one myself. Obviously that was a very long time ago. 

We are having a good time though. He likes chasing waves and seagulls at the big sand box down at the end of the block. His favorite musical artists are, of course, his namesake Roscoe Gordon and William Clarke. He loves the chromatic harp and he knows it doesn’t get any better than Bill. Roscoe doesn’t like to watch TV but seems to enjoy baseball and college football when that is on the tube, so he is having a blast this time of year. 

My friends and neighbors say they think Roscoe will keep me young. That’s very sweet but I say, too late. I don’t see any less gray hairs falling out of my head and this pup wears me out sometimes. Roscoe is starting to mellow and It’s high time this old dog does the same. I appreciate all the letters and tips from more experienced dog owners that I have received. Every time I was at a gig this past month, friends as well as total strangers would dispense puppy tips. The advice has been very helpful. Thanks a bunch. 

Thanks again to all the folks who contribute their talent to make BLUES JUNCTION a success. Thanks again to all of our readers for their continued support. Until next time be well and be in touch.　

- David Mac