Thursday, February 25 - Saturday, February 27, 2010
- Paul Oscher - Thursday, February 25
- The Richie Pollack Band - Friday, February 26
- Keith Hallett - Saturday, February 27
Get out of your house! Make the winter blues go away! StirCrazy Blues festival concerts are at Art Gallery of Swift Current in the R.C. Dahl Centre at 411 Herbert Street East. Doors open at 8:00 pm and music starts at 9:00 pm. Advance tickets and festival passes available at Art Gallery of Swift Current and Pharmasave. For credit card orders or more information, call Shann at (306) 778-2686.
Paul Oscher - Thursday, February 25 at Art Gallery of Swift Current
Doors open: 8:00 pm; Music starts at 9:00 pm.
Advance tickets: $25.00 available
at:
- Art Gallery of Swift Current in the R.C. Dahl Centre at 411 Herbert Street East
- Pharmasave ticket centre
- Or call Shann at 778-2686
www.pauloscher.com • Paul Oscher on MySpace
Legendary former Muddy Waters Blues Band Member & Multiple Blues Music (W.C. Handy) Award Winner
Paul Oscher - blues singer, songwriter and multiinstrumentalist (harmonica, guitar, piano, bass harp and melodica) was the first white musician to become a member of the great Muddy Waters blues band (1967- 71). He was Muddy’s harp player and recorded with Muddy for the legendary Chess label. Paul lived in Muddy’s house on Chicago’s Southside and shared the basement with the great Otis Spann.
His latest release Down in the Delta won two (WC Handy) Blues Music Awards for “Acoustic Album of the Year” and “Acoustic Artist of the Year.” Paul’s Album Alone with the Blues on the Electro-Fi label was nominated for four W.C. Handy awards.
Paul has a new live album which is expected to be released later this year. This album contains performances from his acclaimed solo show “Alone with the Blues” which has garnered rave reviews from critics, fans, and promoters.
Paul Oscher’s been playing those low down blues for over four decades. Besides Muddy, Paul has performed and/or recorded with a who’s who in the world of blues including John Lee Hooker, T-Bone Walker, Big Mama Thornton, Otis Spann, Buddy Guy, Big Joe Turner, Eric Clapton, Keith Richards, Jimmy Rogers, Hubert Sumlin, Johnny Young, Johnny Copeland, Keb Mo, Mos Def, Victoria Spivey, Louisiana Red, Levon Helm, the list goes on.
In 2000, Paul Oscher moved to L.A. with his wife, playwright and novelist, Suzan-Lori Parks (the first African-American woman to win the Pulitzer prize in the drama category, for her play "Topdog/Underdog"). Urged on by his wife, Paul is also trying his hand at writing down his experiences in the blues. Excerpts from his almost finished book “Alone with the Blues” have already been published in the companion book to the PBS series Martin Scorcese Presents the Blues.
Paul Oscher has lived such a rich and adventurous life, yet he is humbled by those experiences. “I always try to thank the high power. The real gift of talent is not the ability to be able to play, it is the gift of the love you have for the music. That’s what takes you over the hurdles.”
AMAZING BLUES harmonica with The Richie Pollack Band - Friday, February 26 at Art Gallery of Swift Current
Doors open: 8:00 pm; Music starts at 9:00 pm.
Advance tickets: $25.00 available
at:
- Art Gallery of Swift Current in the R.C. Dahl Centre at 411 Herbert Street East
- Pharmasave ticket centre
- Or call Shann at 778-2686
www.richiep.net • Richie Pollack on MySpace
Blenders: art + music @ art gallery of swift current are thrilled to present the Richie Pollack Band. This amazing blues harmonica player will perform at Art Gallery of Swift Current on Friday, February 26.
Considered by many to be Western Canada’s “cross-harp ambassador”, Richie Pollack is a diatonic harmonica player known for his versatility and unique style. He blends his influences from New Orleans rock to African influenced instrumental, “vibey” gospel to down and dirty blues into blues music that is uniquely his. He has been deliberately challenging the stereotype of the diatonic harmonica by challenging himself with every opportunity to tackle different styles of music on his own and with much encouragement from the fantastic musical community that surrounds him. One thing for certain is that Richie Pollack plays the livin’ tar outta that little ‘ole tin-sandwich!
Richie received his first harmonica (like most of us do) in a Christmas stocking one year and immediately took a liking to the instrument. He began figuring out how to play a little when big brother gave him a rare live Paul Butterfield record. Time passed and Richie persevered and by the time he had just about driven everyone at home, everyone at school and everyone at work nuts, a friend offered him a seat in a blues band. His training regime was listening to and playing along with Paul Butterfield, James Cotton, Big Walter Horton and Jr. Wells and being talked into entering a harmonica contest in a downtown bar. Although he didn’t win, Richie placed third and won a few new harps. The real prize for him though was the experience of playing in front of a crowd. Very cool (and contagious)!
For the last twenty years Richie fronted such bands as The Jump Daddies and the Real Deal before stepping out as leader, and shared the stage with such names as Shannon Powell (Harry Connick Jr.), Charlie Wood, Billy Branch and Amos Garrett. Over the years Richie has managed to land some great session experience making him one of the first call “harmonicators” in Alberta. His most recent recording, “Stew” was nominated for the 2006 Western Canadian Music Award for Outstanding Blues Recording.
Keith Hallett - Saturday, February 27 at Art Gallery of Swift Current
Doors open: 8:00 pm; Music starts at 9:00 pm.
Advance tickets: $25.00 available
at:
- Art Gallery of Swift Current in the R.C. Dahl Centre at 411 Herbert Street East
- Pharmasave ticket centre
- Or call Shann at 778-2686
www.keithhallett.com • Keith Hallet on MySpace
Nineteen year-old blues guitar player, Keith Hallett of Fredericton, New Brunswick, has been turning heads for a few years now. He has something to say through his music and the audience feels it instantly. Keith has been playing guitar since the age of 13, got into the blues at 15 and has enjoyed studying and playing it ever since. In a very short period of time, Keith has been able to play many festivals and special events such as the Mont Tremblant Blues Festival, the Dutch Mason Blues Festival and Fredericton's prestigious Harvest Jazz and Blues Festival. He has had the opportunity to open for such groups as Grady, Paul Rishell & Annie Raines, Watermelon Slim and the Workers, and has shared the stage with names such as Matt Andersen, Ross Neilsen, Morgan Davis, John Cambelljohn, Thom Swift and The Lee Boys.
Last year, Keith's hard work paid off in the form of the 2007 CBC Galaxie Rising Star Award, presented to him during the annual Harvest Jazz and Blues Festival. Keith Hallett's future is a bright one. Loaded with a ton of talent and audiences falling in love with his infective style on a daily basis, he is sure to be around for a long time to entertain us.
SitrCrazy Blues Festival is sponsored by:
