Bobby Bryan @ The Brink Lounge - 8 May 2008

The Dulcinea and I spent Thursday night down at The Brink Lounge listening to Bobby Bryan and The Original Downtown Players. It was the first time I'd seen them since they represented the Dairyland in the 2008 International Blues Challenge down in Memphis. Bryan told me that, while they had played well, they didn't take home a gold medal. Despite this Bryan and his fellow band members plow on enthusiastically here in Madison.

The band put on another great show which moved seamlessly from more traditional blues ala Albert Collins & Robert Cray to more funky numbers with a bit of rock thrown in for good measure. Lon Walker was still on bass while Steve Skaggs was once again behind the keys. This time around, though, there was a new drummer - Terry Galloway – who was dressed up for the occasion with a tie.

As happened the last time we saw Bryan play, The Brink had only a smattering of folks early on but the crowd grew as the night wore on. He jokes with his audiences a bit in between songs and keeps things entertaining. When folks want to dance, he obliges. Bryan also maintains the long tradition of blues showmanship. He wandered out into the audience during one song and gave a rousing solo by putting his guitar up to his mouth.

"Forty Days" is proving to a favorite for The D and me. I love how Bryan's guitar work is alternately salacious and just plain rockin' here as well as on "State of Emergency". He has great confidence and, unlike most blues players in Madison, he inhabits the blues. A lot of bands here love the blues, to be sure, but they sound like they are outside of it, like they're paying tribute. On the other hand, Bryan is right inside with his guitar sounding like an extension of it and his vocals dripping off his lips seemingly without effort. There was some slow blues but these songs were followed up by something funky or more up-tempo which drew folks out onto the dance floor. As The D remarked, Bryan's music always makes her feel good. Indeed there were smiles all around.

I recognized some of the people in the audience from the last time I saw Bryan and, chatting with folks outside during the first break, it was obvious that he has a small but dedicated following. I spoke with Bryan himself for a spell and, during our chat, he introduced me to a couple friends who were there. He also recognized The D as she is a friend of his on MySpace. The guy eminently approachable - a real class act.

Bobby Bryan and The Original Downtown Players will play next at Stella's Speakeasy in Stoughton on the 16th. Their next Madison gig is on 16 June at JT Whitney's.

Bobby Bryan @ The Brink Lounge

Friday night saw local bluesman Bobby Bryan and the Original Downtown Players performing at The Brink Lounge. It was the first time that either The Dulcinea or myself had been there and we both found it to be a nice place. The couches looked comfortable and it was dimly lit giving a nice mellow atmosphere. However, the establishment was not meant for the likes of your humble narrator. An extensive wine list warranted its own menu while the more general drink list included abundant fine spirits including lengthy columns of scotch and tequila. The lounge was dead when we arrived and I was the only person donning a t-shirt. I was on-call for work and was, much to my chagrin, unable to drink and I the bartender was visibly unamused at my order of their finest 7-UP. Bryan could be heard tuning up in an adjacent room.

Shortly before the show was set to begin, a large group of middle-aged folks came down the stairs as I was heading up. My fears that the show would be severely under-attended were allayed. Indeed, the venue filled up shortly after the performance began. The room featured a goodly sized stage flanked by an ornate spiral staircase with a dance floor before it. The lights were down low, which I appreciated, but the joint was, in my opinion, just too fancy for a night of gritty music. There was just something wrong with the scene. The audience consisted mostly of graying folk with the majority of men still clad in their business casual uniforms accessorized by the obligatory cell phone holster. However, when Bryan got down to business, the odd juxtaposition of music born of the hard times of Delta life and a mostly white audience which bespoke of at least a modicum of affluence, dissipated.

The band was in fine form. Bryan his trademark funky shirt and vest and The Dulcinea opined that such a shirt in a color more suitable for my melanin-deprived skin would look good on me. Drummer Rick Flowers had a Gustav Klimt t-shirt on and he spent his time behind the kit with a big toothy grin plastered on his face as he always does. Bassist Lon Walker's lanky frame didn't move much but his fluid playing was solid. Steve Skaggs' was off at the side of the stage hidden by shadows like Robert Fripp. He may be the least appreciated member of the band but his organ work is more than that of a mere yeoman. His playing fills out band's sound perfectly and his solos are always great.

I don't recall the set but "Forty Days" and Jimmy Reed's "Baby What You Want Me To Do" were aired as were tunes by Robert Cray and Johnny Copeland. Listening to them, it was easy to understand why they won the Wisconsin Blues Challenge – they are tight. I don't have to tell you that Bryan has the chops but I will say that one of the great pleasures of the show was how seamlessly the guys were able to move from blues to funk. One second Bryan is hammering out some classic blues solo and then next thing you know his foot has gravitated towards a wah-wah pedal and the beat has subtlety changed for the funkier.

As with the band's performance at the Madison Blues picnic, the atmosphere on stage was light-hearted with between song banter and Flowers alternately being congratulated for recently lost his bachelorhood and being given grief. During a set break, I was outside having a smoke and was joined by a younger woman who was also enjoying the show. Flowers came out for a smoke himself and the woman commented on how much she loves his playing and watching him with that big grin he always seems to have. Clyde Stubblefield may get all the press, but Flowers is still brilliant.

The crowd enjoyed every minute. By the second set, folks began to migrate onto the dance floor. Some younger folks had wandered in and joined the older members of the crowd but the dance floor was all-ages.

Bryan's next appearance is on the 8th at The Harmony.

I Went to a Picnic and Got the Blues

The sun shone down favorably upon blues fans Saturday for the 5th Annual Blues Picnic sponsored by the Madison Blues Society.

The Dulcinea and I made our way to Warner Park around three o'clock and found it pretty crowded. Folks were hanging out on the lawn and milling about the food stands and, of course, the bier garten. I was pleased to see that Capital was a sponsor and immediately grabbed a Fest. Playing was the Charles Walker Blues Band. Here's the band's leader.

I thought they were pretty good but it just seemed like the performance was missing something. However, when Miss Shanna Jackson started singing, the situation improved dramatically. I loved her voice and she really tore it up on T-Bone Walker's "Stormy Monday Blues".

With their set over, The Dulcinea and I wandered around and was immediately attracted to Jada's Soul Food which had a stand. I got some ribs and peach cobbler. Curiously enough, The D, who earlier had said she wasn't that hungry, suddenly got all famished. Who can blame her. The ribs were outstanding! The meat was tender and juicy and the sauce wasn't too sweet. The peach cobbler was great as well. We are definitely going to have to get us some take out soon. For dessert I had some jerk pork from Jamerica, which is customary fare for me at just about any outdoor Madison event.

Needing a refill, it was off to the bier garten where we found a nice spot. Soon Old Man Standiford showed up followed a short time later by Pete. And a bit after that Dogger appeared along with Miss Regan. We drank beer and shot the bull before heading over an adjacent volleyball court which Regan took to be the biggest sandbox she'd ever seen. She managed to inveigle some other kids to bury her in the sand.

Hanging out on the lawn, I heard some of the other bands but really didn't pay too much attention. The Cash Box Kings sounded OK. I presume it was Livin' Will that did the cover of "Voodoo Chile" that I heard. They seemed to be on the rock'n'roll side of the blues and heavily influenced by Stevie Ray Vaughn whose music is not really to my taste. Not bad but SRV has never really been my thing.

As dusk approached, my friends had places to go and a child who needed a nap so it was just The D and I for the final set of the night by Bobby Bryan & the Original Downtown Players.

These guys were awesome! Musically, they were tight but loose with Robert Cray being an obvious comparison. The only song I can recall the title of is "The Devil's Playground".

They were able to play straight ahead blues ala Cray or Albert Collins and then seamlessly go into a song that veered towards rock only to follow it up with something that smelled like funk. I can see why they won the MBS Wisconsin Blues Challenge. Bryan had a great rapport with the audience and, as with all great bluesmen, he knew how to fire up the audience with a little showmanship. Playing with his teeth, playing on his knees - I was reminded of seeing the great Lonnie Brooks at the Crystal Corner several years ago.

I am rather hoping that Bryan can spark a blues renaissance, of sorts, here in Madison. The MBS' calendar has a number of weekly shows which is a good thing. But most of the rest of the events are blues festivals and none of them are in Madison. Don't blues musos swing through town anymore? Maybe I'm just not paying attention but it sure seemed that folks like Lonnie Brooks and Lil' Ed & the Blues Imperials would play here at the Crystal or the Harmony much more often than they do.

Anyway, a good time was had by all. I managed to catch a couple out by the pond at dusk.