Jackson Clarion Ledger - 8/6/2009
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 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.
