{"id":43573,"date":"2019-08-19T06:00:54","date_gmt":"2019-08-19T10:00:54","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.unionvilletimes.com\/?p=43573"},"modified":"2019-08-18T11:23:32","modified_gmt":"2019-08-18T15:23:32","slug":"on-stage-blues-legends-come-to-sellersville","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.unionvilletimes.com\/?p=43573","title":{"rendered":"On Stage: Blues legends come to Sellersville"},"content":{"rendered":"

By Denny Dyroff<\/strong>, Entertainment Editor, The Times<\/em><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>

John Mayall<\/p><\/div>\n

If you\u2019re a fan of blues music, the only place you should want to be on August 20 is the Sellersville Theater (24 West Temple Avenue, Sellersville, 215-257-5808,\u00a0www.st94.com<\/a>).<\/p>\n

The two acts on the bill, both of whom specialize in the blues, have been making music for a combined total of 118 years.<\/p>\n

John Mayall, a British blues legend, has been plying his trade for 63 years. Rory Block, one of America\u2019s top blues artists, has been playing the blues for 55 years.<\/p>\n

Mayall\u2019s first album \u2013 \u201cBluesbreakers with Eric Clapton\u201d — was released in 1966. Since then, he has released more than 30 albums, the most recent of which is 2018\u2019s \u201cThree for the Road.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>

Rory Block<\/p><\/div>\n

Block released her first album \u2013 \u201cHow To Play Blues Guitar\u201d \u2013 one year after Mayall\u2019s debut LP. She also has released more than 30 albums. Her most recent release is \u201cA Woman\u2019s Soul: A Tribute to Bessie Smith,\u201d which came out in 2018.<\/p>\n

If music fans want to learn about the history of the genre known as blues music, a great place to start would be Block\u2019s impressive catalog — especially \u201cThe Mentor Series\u201d and the \u201cPower Women of the Blues\u201d series.<\/p>\n

\u201c\u2018The Mentor Series\u2019 is six CDs,\u201d said Block, during a break in a recording session at her studio in rural Kentucky. \u00a0\u201cIt\u2019s dedicated to the rediscovered blues masters who I met in person, those who I spent time with.\u201d<\/p>\n

The highly acclaimed blues guitarist\/singer not only is a stellar player whose music is steeped in authenticity, she also is a living conduit to blues greats such as Son House, Rev. Gary Davis and Robert Johnson.<\/p>\n

One of her albums a decade ago was \u201cBlues Walkin\u2019 Like A Man\u201d, which was a tribute to Son House.<\/p>\n

\u201cI have a uniquely personal feeling about this recording (\u201cBlues Walkin\u2019 Like A Man\u201d) because of spending quality time with\u00a0Son House,\u201d said Block.<\/p>\n

\u201cPeople thank me for keeping the old music alive. \u201cBeing able to bring historic music to a current day audience has always been very important to me. I feel that I am on a mission to keep the old music alive- to prevent it from disappearing into the mists of time – and always to mention the names of the original writers, lest we forget.\u201d<\/p>\n

When Block was in her early teens, her\u00a0father was deeply involved in the folk revival scene in the\u00a0West\u00a0Village\u00a0and hosted regular Saturday afternoon jam sessions in his sandal shop. In 1964, Block heard an album called \u201cReally The Country Blues\u201d and immediately became dedicated to learning how to play blues.<\/p>\n

\u201cI met my first boyfriend\u00a0Stefan Grossman\u00a0when he was playing music at the\u00a0Sunday afternoon\u00a0jam sessions in Washington Square Park,\u201d said Block. \u201cHe handed me an album called “Really The Country Blues” and I was immediately hooked. All I knew was that it was the most beautiful, soulful, haunting music I had ever heard, and it resonated with what was in my heart.\u201d<\/p>\n

The blues came knocking and Block eagerly opened the door.<\/p>\n

\u201cStefan was part of a small, incredibly dedicated group of blues fans- just a handful of aficionados — players like John Hammond, John Fahey, and Jo Ann Kelly —\u00a0plus record collectors and historians who drove through the South looking to find the original blues players. As they were located, they were brought through New York City to perform. Stefan and I were there and got to meet and play music with them too,\u201d said Block.<\/p>\n

Block took full advantage of the opportunity that was presented to her.<\/p>\n

\u201cI was extremely fortunate to have been in the right place at the right time,\u201d said Block. \u201cMy father\u2019s sandal shop was a musical hub where all kinds of great musicians would gather to jam, and I just happened to be right there in the middle of it.\u201d<\/p>\n

Fresh from her latest triumph at the May 2019 Blues Music Awards in Memphis, where she won \u201cAcoustic Blues Artist of the Year\u201d honors, the now six-time BMA winner continues to tour in support of her first \u201cPower Women of the Blues\u201d album series CD, \u201cA Woman\u2019s Soul.\u201d The album is a tribute to the legendary Bessie Smith.<\/p>\n

According to Block, \u201c\u2018Power Women of the Blues\u2019 is a project that has been simmering in my imagination for 54 years. It has been my longstanding mission to identify, celebrate and honor the early founders\u2014men and women\u2014of the blues. This series is dedicated to the music of some of my all-time favorite iconic female blues artists, many of whom were shrouded in mystery during the sixties blues revival, while the recordings of others had simply disappeared.\u201d<\/p>\n

For a long time, it was a challenge to find records by early blues artists who were male. Finding music by female blues artists was extremely challenging.<\/p>\n

\u201cWith ‘Power Women of the Blues\u2019\u201d said Block, \u201cI\u2019m reaching into the archives again to celebrate both known and less-known female artists who were among the greatest in the genre.\u00a0After doing the \u2018Mentor Series,\u2019 the \u2018Women\u2019s Series\u2019 was a no-brainer. I thought \u2013 why not do tributes to my favorite women of the blues. It just felt like it was time.\u201d<\/p>\n

While many of the tracks by these musical pioneer women have been covered in recent years and are familiar to listeners, the source of the tracks has been frequently ignored.<\/p>\n

“I am determined to celebrate the artists who created this powerful, influential style of music,\u201d said Block. \u201cAnd I feel ever more inspired to bring the history of the blues to life so that people will again hear the names of the original artists.\u201d<\/p>\n

Block first heard Bessie Smith\u2019s life-changing voice in 1964 as a teenager living in New York City.<\/p>\n

According to Block, \u201cFilled with grit and incredible vocal prowess, it was the ultimate soulful wail — so compelling, so honest, so rich with meaning and information about the female soul.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cA Woman\u2019s Soul\u201d was produced by Rory Block and Rob Davis and recorded at Aurora Studios in Chatham, New York. All vocals are by Block, who also played all the guitar and bass parts on her Signature Model Martin Guitars. Additionally, all of the percussion — guitar bongos, hat boxes, plastic storage tubs, oatmeal boxes and wooden spoons \u2013 was played by Block.<\/p>\n

\u201cBessie was one of the most successful and influential early blues\/jazz performers of her day,\u201d said Block. “I loved her music from the moment I heard her voice. Starting the ‘Power Women Of The Blues’ series with\u00a0Bessie Smith\u00a0was an obvious choice. She was always among the strongest inspirations in my career. And there was also always a lot of her music available, which was not the always case with a great many other female<\/p>\n

Deciding which Bessie Smith songs to use on the album wasn\u2019t that hard a task for Block.<\/p>\n

\u201cI do it by feel,\u201d said Block. \u201cIt’s as if the songs just pick themselves. They essentially leap out of the speakers and scream \u2013 \u2018record me.\u2019 Bessie\u2019s music has a terrific combination of elements that appeal to me. It\u2019s all about energy, drive and drama- all the elements that make music exciting.<\/p>\n

\u201cI have always had an overwhelmingly\u00a0strong connection to early music \u2013 to the spirit of it \u2013 so I know right away if I can resonate with a specific song.\u201d<\/p>\n

Even though Block is touring and has a new album, she is not out on an \u201calbum support tour.\u201d Her set list is too comprehensive to overload it with many songs from one project.<\/p>\n

\u201cOver time, a musical retrospective has come into focus,\u201d said Block. \u201cIt\u2019s really the story of my whole life. And there are now so many songs and recordings \u2013 I’ve lost count- probably around 30 albums including compilations. I\u2019ve been recording my whole life so there is just this vast array of material.\u201d<\/p>\n

Video link for Rory Block \u2013 https:\/\/youtu.be\/lQ_PKvC4v7k<\/a>.<\/p>\n

The show at the Sellersville Theater, which also features John Mayall, will start at 8 p.m. Ticket prices range from $39.50-$55.<\/p>\n

Other upcoming shows at the venue are Clap Your Hands Say Yeah on August 17, Mipso on August 18 and Ten Years After on August 21.<\/p>\n

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\u0e3f\u2c64\u20ad\u20a6 \u2c60\u00d8V\u0246<\/p><\/div>\n

\u0e3f\u2c64\u20ad\u20a6 \u2c60\u00d8V\u0246, a New York-based rock band, has been around for less than two years but already has played Philly a few times. The band\u2019s show at The Foundry at Fillmore Philadelphia (1100 Canal Street, Philadelphia, 215-309-0150, www.thefillmorephilly.com<\/a>) on August 19 follows previous appearances at Voltage Lounge and Bourbon & Branch.<\/p>\n

The band originated as a solo project by Justin Benlolo, a young guitarist from Toronto, Ontario.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019ve been together for about a year-and-a-half,\u201d said Benlolo, during a phone interview Wednesday afternoon as the band travelled from Chicago to a gig in Nashville. \u201cI met the other guys through my management and the New York scene. He had a bunch of connections.\u201d<\/p>\n

Benlolo has been a performer for most of his life.<\/p>\n

\u201cI started in musical theater when I was seven or eight,\u201d said Benlolo. \u201cI took advantage of any opportunity to sing in front of people. I just picked up singing on my own. My uncle was a guitarist with his own band and that was inspiring. I started learning guitar when I was 12.\u201d<\/p>\n

Eventually, Benlolo started thinking about putting together a band of his own.<\/p>\n

According to Benlolo, \u201cWhen I first thought about starting a band, it needed all of the elements of rock \u2018n\u2019 roll that I respond to — big guitars, big drums, and big vocals. I didn\u2019t want it to be too complex. It had to be something everybody could digest in a short and sweet format.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s alternative, but it\u2019s also heavy. I try to get right to the point. There are so many of these kids still showing up to shows and moshing to real rock music. That\u2019s refreshing. There\u2019s still a place for something authentic. That\u2019s what I want to provide.\u201d<\/p>\n

Born and raised in Canada, Benlolo cut his teeth by obsessing over the likes of Kiss and then Soundgarden and Led Zeppelin in his youth, while learning how to write music. With the advent of bands such as Royal Blood and Highly Suspect, he recognized the potential for a \u201cdifferent kind of band — that\u2019s not too macho and slick, but edgy enough for the punks.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201c\u0e3f\u2c64\u20ad\u20a6 \u2c60\u00d8V\u0246 is a work-in-progress,\u201d said Benlolo, who describes the music as \u201calternative rock with a harder edge.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI had a record done before \u0e3f\u2c64\u20ad\u20a6 \u2c60\u00d8V\u0246 existed. So, I put a band together around the music. At first it was just me. As time went on, I found the guys that would fit what I was looking for.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe first \u0e3f\u2c64\u20ad\u20a6 \u2c60\u00d8V\u0246 album will be a fall release. I recorded the guitars and vocals myself and then hired guys to play bass and drums. I cut it at Studio G in the Greenpoint section of Brooklyn. I did it in two halves \u2013 six songs at a time. The guys on the album had their own things. I just hired them for the recording sessions.<\/p>\n

\u201cNow, the band has Kyle Duke on guitar, Nick Katz on bass, Russell Holdman on drums and me on guitar and vocals. We\u2019ve been playing together for almost two years. We\u2019ve been on tour for a while. Because of that tight schedule, we haven\u2019t done any recording together yet.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe album that is already done will come out on Spinefarm Records. They came to one of our New York showcases and liked what they heard. The album will drop sometime in the fall \u2013 maybe November.\u201d<\/p>\n

Video link for \u0e3f\u2c64\u20ad\u20a6 \u2c60\u00d8V\u0246 — https:\/\/youtu.be\/gkLMzGtZBOI<\/a>.<\/p>\n

The show at The Foundry, which has Dinosaur Pile-Up as the headliner, will start at 8 p.m. Tickets are $15.<\/p>\n

Other upcoming shows at The Foundry are Miyavi on August 20 and \u201cBomb Digz Present: The Gizzy Lyfe Tour\u201d on August 21.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

By Denny Dyroff, Entertainment Editor, The Times If you\u2019re a fan of blues music, the only place you should want to be on August 20 is the Sellersville Theater (24 West Temple Avenue, Sellersville, 215-257-5808,\u00a0www.st94.com). The two acts on the bill, both of whom specialize in the blues, have been making music for a combined […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":43575,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[8457],"tags":[12395,7426,12393,12394],"class_list":["post-43573","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-d-arts-entertainment","tag--ov","tag-featured","tag-john-mayall","tag-rory-block"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.unionvilletimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/43573","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.unionvilletimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.unionvilletimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.unionvilletimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.unionvilletimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=43573"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.unionvilletimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/43573\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":43574,"href":"https:\/\/www.unionvilletimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/43573\/revisions\/43574"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.unionvilletimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/43575"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.unionvilletimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=43573"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.unionvilletimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=43573"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.unionvilletimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=43573"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}