TheDay - New London, CT, USA
The Sunflower River Blues and Gospel Festival is recognized
internationally for its stellar lineups, but many fans
head to Clarksdale this weekend to take in the many
unofficial events and performances.
Big Jack Johnson, the elder statesman of the Clarksdale
blues scene, is booked both nights Aug. 7-8, 2009 at
Red's juke joint, located at the intersection of Sunflower
Avenue and Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard. On Friday
night Big Jack will be celebrating the release of his
new CD, Katrina, and on Saturday fans will gather to
celebrate his birthday.
The downhome venue is also hosting screenings of the
blues documentary M For Mississippi, which will be projected
onto the wall at 3 p.m. both days Its producers and
some of the featured artists just returned home from
Norway, where the documentary was shown at the Notodden
Blues Festival.
It's likely some blues fans will barely leave the premises
of Hopson Plantation, where Jimbo Mathus is performing
on Aug. 7 and Big George Brock will be tearing up the
house on Aug. 8. On Aug. 9 beginning at 2 p.m., Hopson
is hosting the third annual "Sam Carr Day"
in honor of the veteran local drummer, who has been
in poor health recently.
