
Delta
Blues Newsletter
December 2010
there's a lot of blues news that makes us grateful for our
many blessings here at the Delta Blues Museum.
,
a new book with photographs by Ken Murphy and text by Scott
Barretta, shows that the contemporary blues scene throughout
Mississippi is alive and thriving. The book includes many
colorful, full-page photos of blues scenes in and around
Clarksdale, from performances at the Sunflower River Blues
and Gospel Festival and Red's to portraits of Super Chikan
and Jimbo Mathus. Could I just hint that it would make a
perfect holiday season gift for that blues-loving friend
who has just about everything else?
Click here to order a signed copy.
or given a blues brick, this is a
good time to do it. We're getting very close to starting
construction on the new building expansion: bids from contractors
have been received and shortly, the groundbreaking will
begin. Personalized Museum bricks will be placed in the
walkway to the renovated building. Bricks with the names
of donors and/or those who donors want to memorialize are
$50, and can be ordered here.
- over 5,000 of them to be exact, on the
Delta Blues Museum FaceBook page that was started
last summer. That's the size limit that FaceBook allows!
Our thanks and apologies if you are one of the people on
the waiting list. Thanks to Joe Sunseri who administers
the page.
, I attended
the annual Southeastern Museum Conference in Baton
Rouge. I sat in on a workshop, "Art Concept + Design Team
= Interactive Gallery," that provided much useful information
for our upcoming exhibit redesign.
The Sonny Boy Club has been started by
Jon Gindick on behalf of blues harp players world-wide to
raise money for the Tutwiler Medical Clinic and the Tutwiler
Community Education Center. Funds will go toward medical
services and to create a music program. Sonny Boy Williamson
is buried in Tutwiler, which is 15 miles from Clarksdale.
Jon teaches the harmonica "Jam Camp" every summer in Clarksdale.
Donate and get more info at
www.sonnboyclub.com
was spotting Tom Waits in our gallery. Sugar
Blue, Charlie Musselwhite, and Michael Feinstein
were visitors, too!
I hope to see you in the gallery soon!
A special thanks to the Mississippi Arts Commission
for helping fund this newsletter.
This newsletter is supported in part
by funding from the Mississippi Arts Commission, a state
agency, and, in part, from the National Endowment for the
Arts, a federal agency.
who died in September. "Mr. Tater" as he was affectionately
known, was a longtime living landmark in Clarksdale, whose
ever-present smile and flavorful blues entertained visitors
and residents alike. On display are one of his guitars
and the bicycle on which the Music Maker got around
town and a photograph taken by Panny Flautt Mayfield of
Mr. Tater grooving on the dance floor at Margaret's Blue
Diamond Lounge. Many thanks to John Ruskey for his assistance with the exhibit.
cowgirl
boots worn by the late, great, one-of-a-kind Jesse Mae
Hemphill.
and other classic bluesmen of the '30s ("Type O," National's "flagship" guitar-it's still in production!)
was donated by National Reso-Phonic Guitars. Thanks to Don and Shanon at Reso-Phonic for making this gift happen.
,
best known for his harp playing on the Rolling Stones'
"Miss You," has given the Museum two iconic artifacts, his
signature blue "newsboy" cap and one of his Hohner C64 chromatic
harmonicas.
It is the model that sat in many
a juke joint during the pre-war blues heyday. After cleaning
and refurbishing, it will go on display in the gallery.
Thanks to Shirley Shive and her family for this generous
donation.
of photographs of various blues artists.
is in-progress, thanks to the generous support of the New Hampshire Charitable
Foundation. Previous Explore and Learn units have featured Muddy Waters and Son House. You can see "Follow Muddy"
and "Follow Son House" here. We are also in process of getting permissions to add Son House music to "Follow Son House."
Thanks to Bug Music.
in coming months. Here's
the schedule: Rouen le 106 Feb 1 - Mar 26 www.le106.com
Lille Apr 4 - June 25 www.mairie-lille.fr
Vannes Jazz Festival July 4 - 30 www.mairie-vannes.fr
Rennes Sept 19 - Oct 30 www.lestrans.fr
April 11-18, to
be led by David Alan Harvey. The sessions will focus on
using artificial light to develop photographic stories.
It's a serious technical skills workshop using the Delta
and blues as subject matter. BBBQ photographer Michael Loyd
Young, a Mississippi native and former student of David
Alan Harvey, will be on hand for the class. For
more info, contact Michelle Smith, workshop coordinator/producer.
Donations were collected to help with Big Jack Johnson's medical expenses. Contributions are still needed, and can be sent to Red's, 395 Sunflower, Clarksdale, MS 38614.
our classroom is sporting a new paint job and a new floor. The fresh paint will help preserve the historic depot building
we call home and will spiff up the looks of the room-a lot! To enhance our new look, additional Patterson and Barnes paintings
of blues greats were hung on the walls and in the hallway.
These incredible works add colorful atmosphere to this room where so much learning about the blues takes place.
a six-minute video by producer
Carolyn Presutti made for the Voice of America. The clip
shows students in class and in performance at the Ground
Zero Blues Club. See it here.
The Band also performed in the Jonestown and Clarksdale
holiday parades.
the
CD recorded by the Band any day. The debut CD features musicians and instructors from the Museum classes,
as well as guest appearances by Charlie Musselwhite, Bill Abel, and other local musicians. Thanks to the New
Hampshire Charitable Foundation and the Mississippi Arts Commission for supporting this project.
is now
on sale (see Director's Note, above). The beautiful photographs
by Ken Murphy and the insightful text by Scott Barretta
show that the blues are rollin' on in and around Clarksdale.
Signed copies are available for $60 here.
both
Clarksdale natives, by legendary blues photographer Dick
Waterman, is now available through the Museum. Printed in
a limited edition, size 12" x 16," on archival paper. The
price per print is $75. Order
here.
limited
edition of nine each, printed on inket, 300-year archival
paper. They come in two sizes, 12" x 18" for $500, 16" x
20" for $600 (both unframed). Copies of the BBBBQ book are
also on sale, at $40. ALL proceeds are donated to the
Museum. Order
here.
Sessions recorded in
the repair shop of the Clarksdale Greyhound Bus Station,
where Turner set up a makeshift studio in 1954, the year
he refined his classic band lineup. Includes "Rocket
88" and other songs with other singers-Dennis Binder,
Little Johnny Burton, Lonnie "The Cat," and "Lover
Boy" (Turner under an alias).
Turner's 2006 Grammy-award winning effort, featuring covers
(Fats Domino), classic jump blues ("Caldonia"),
and several Turner originals, including instrumentals that
really move.
Gift
Shop
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Delta Blues Museum
Board of Directors
William H. Gresham, President
Yvonne Stanford, Secretary
Johnny Lewis
Dr. Frank Marascalco
Jim Herring |
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