#661 : Winter Blues Fest 2024 (PhillyCheezeBlues.Blogspot.com)

 

Winter Blues Fest 2024

Downtown Marriott

Des Moines, Iowa

February 10, 2024

By Phillip Smith; Feb. 12, 2024

Original source : phillycheezeblues.blogspot.com

 

I finally made it to Des Moines for the Central Iowa Blues Society’s Winter Blues Fest, and it was a blast.  Although the festival runs for two days, I was only able to make it over to the Capital City for the Saturday shows which included Matt Woods, Studebaker John, Heath Alan’s Iowa Blues Expo, Rush Cleveland Trio, Gabe Stillman Band, Jimmi & the Band of Souls, Tony Holiday, Indigenous, Max Kaplan & the Magic, McKinley James, Josh Hoyer & Soul Colossal, Tom Holland & the Shuffle Kings, Cashbox Kings, & Toronzo Cannon.   The Friday shows, which I unfortunately missed, consisted of Ben Levin Duo, Josh Hoyer, The Cold Stares, JD Simo, Mike Morgan & the Crawl, and Carolyn Wonderland.  With five stages for music, choices had to be made.  I did not get the opportunity to see everyone, but I did see some fantastic acts.  Although the snow and ice were kept at bay this year, there was certainly a “Blizzard of Blues” going on at Winter Blues Fest. 

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·         * All photos by Phillip Smith 

Matt Woods

Jimmi & the Band of Souls

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Heath Alan's Iowa Blues Expo

Tony Holiday

Rush Cleveland Trio

Studebaker John

Indigenous

Josh Hoyer & Soul Colossal

Toronzo Cannon

·         * All photos by Phillip Smith 

For more information about Central Iowa Blues Society and Winter Blues Fest, visit their website at https://cibs.org/

#489 : The Rush Cleveland Trio - Vintage Folk Rock and Blue Ribbon Blues

2021 – Wild Midwest Records

By Phillip Smith; Mar. 6, 2021

 

There’s something fascinating about the songs of Rush Cleveland.  His lyrical prowess goes toe-to-toe with the best of the best.  His music flows like aged whisky right from the cask.  This Iowa treasure ranks right up there with other favorite artists of mine like Watermelon Slim and Lucinda Williams.  

The Rush Cleveland Trio is comprised of Rush Cleveland on vocals and guitar, Gordon Sankey on bass and vocals, and Will Quegg on drums, with guest vocalist Sophia Landis appearing on four tracks.  Their latest release Vintage Folk Rock and Blue Ribbon Blues is a stellar nineteen track album of hardscrabble folk rock songs and from-the-gut blues all written by Cleveland.

Cleveland opens the album in a rocking Neil Young fashion with “Waterloo Land” where a trip to jail always seems to be waiting just around the corner.  “River Flows”, another great rocker, reels me in with a killer riff, and a captivating beat.  Decorated with memories of being carefree and hanging out at the river, this is one of my favorite tracks.  It’s really touching to hear Rush’s personal reflections on “Jose’s Blues” a memorandum of his friend.  Pat Garret, Geronimo, and Billy the Kid vividly come to life in Cleveland’s western outlaw ballad “Rush Meets Billy the Kid”.   

“He Always Comes Home”, featuring Landis on vocals, initiates the second half of the album.  I love the Chrissie Hynde/Pretenders vibe which radiates from her voice on this song.  Paradigms associated with contemporary love songs are abruptly demolished in “Crack House Row”, while blues paradigms are solidly reinforced with “Liquor, Lines, and Loose Women”.  Chicago, where blues meets electricity, is the backdrop of “Blues Electricity.  Here we get a brief history lesson of the genre and a terrific dose of raw guitar blues.  The album comes to a close with a wonderful instrumental called “Blues in D”.  It’s a track that puts me quickly at ease with every listen.

Vintage Folk Rock and Blue Ribbon Blues is bold stew of folk, blues, country and rock and is a standout slice of Americana.  I highly recommend it.                      

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For more information about the artist, visit their Facebook page : https://www.facebook.com/TheRushClevelandTrio

  

Take a listen to the album on Apple Music.