Box o' Chocolates yummier than ever!

Texas Blues History! Luther Moore finally bought his own resonator! But it was still in transit, somewhere in Kentucky...

We call our informal jam session at Blues Alley the "Box o' Chocolates." Just like the famous line in the movie Forrest Gump: "Life's like a box of chocolates because you never know what you're gonna get!"

Over the past year it has become a family... our local music family. Like families, this group of indivivuals have an unexplainable need to get together, knowing full well that the gathering often serves to highlight our differences. Still, the sense of belonging, of joining in the making of musical magic is irresisitible. Friday night the music was especially nice, when the Jacob Austin Band showed up and injected a strong bluegrass sound to our blues-rock foundation. Jacob just listened and when it was his turn, found blues in his bones, just like he knew what he was doing. It was sure fun to watch, and his sweet mandolyn sure spiced up the evening.

The family harmony of the Jacob Austin Band

Our "Sister" Misslette and "Uncle Smokey" had to miss because of a gig at Field's Store, but Chris Puente came and played his soulful American roots songs, and Luther Moore made everything feel like blues with Jenny's resonator.

Chris Puente

Jenny played, and our two jam-anchors George Ward and Jett McFalls were back between gigs, adding to the magic, which went down like a chocolate covered cherry.

George Ward can flat fingerpick that Fender!

Doug McCleod: I waited a year to say this...

A year ago Michael Havens and I saw Doug McCleod in Crockett and I came away drop-jawwed and not believing my ears. I was so excited, I accidentally erased all of my photographs of him on the way home. Just as well I thought, I am way too impressed to even write a blog, nobody would take my effusive blabbering seriously.

This time, my photos made it, and my confidence in my musical taste is greater.. so here goes... I waited a year to say this...

"Dub" McLeod is one of the greatest living American bluesmen performing today. Once again he rocked the house at Camp St. Cafe in Crockett. I brought along Navasota Mayor Bert Miller and Michael had a guest as well and we all agreed he was amazing. Playing all original songs, fanning that resonator guitar like it was a red hot Karo pie, he showed such great artistic virtuosity that it nearly shamed me to think how little my ticket cost to see him. But don't worry, I'm saving my money to stock his incredible music at Blues Alley!

It is impossible for me to capture him when he is really revved-up and playing furiously on his resonator. I had to really work to get shots of him in action that were not a total blur. Dub is simply the best in his genre, drawing upon over fifty years of playing blues with the likes of Pee Wee Crayton, Albert Collins and Muddy Waters. He is a wonderful link to our Texas blues heritage, having listened and learned from some of our greatest musicians. What an honor it was to see him again. He only comes to Texas once a year, so plan to catch him the next time, and learn what awesome music you are missing out on! And maybe next time, I'll even think to let everybody know about it in advance!