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It’s big city sound in your own backyard!
The festival is held every third weekend at the beautiful
Tri-Lakes facility located at 2100 South Bunn Street
in Bloomington, IL. |
2 0 1 0 F E S T I V A L S C H E D U L E
Friday, July 16th
Performances from 6pm - 11pm
Denise LaGrassa
Hounds Tooth
Duke Tumatoe and the Power Trio
Big Ray and Chicago's Most Wanted
Saturday, July 17th
Performances from 1pm - 11pm
Sugarcane Collins
Steve "The Harp" Harmonica Workshop
Blurklezurps
Chicken Shack
Lazy Lester
Toronzo
Thornetta Davis
Chubby Carrier and the Bayou Swamp Band
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2 0 1 0 M U S I C I A N B I O S
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All the way from Cape York in the hot and humid tropical far north of Australia, comes Sugarcane Collins. With fire and skill and passion and commitment, Sugarcane plays guitar and sings with the deep heart of a bluesman in this fourth American tour. His album “Way Down the River” won the 2007 Australian Blues Album of the Year! American audiences have always enjoyed his big hearted blues voice, his dynamic driving guitar playing, and his info-tainment storytelling. He tells stories, sings loud and proud, and he spanks his guitar like no one else around.
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Toronzo and The Cannonball Express
Modern, loud and funky blues...one of the striking new talents on the Chicago blues scene...Cannon dazzles with his guitar playing.”—Blues & Rhythm(UK) “No matter how wild he gets, he’s always saying something in his solos, not just slinging notes around for the sake of it. His vocals are equally expressive, whether he’s testifying on a soul-tinged number or braying a blues anthem.” —Chicago Reader I've also been featured in Blues Matters (UK) and Living Blues (USA) magazines.
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What is a Blurklezurp? Every day, normal people who love God and love music. They will put a smile on your face and get your legs to dancin’! The Blurklezurps have all been singing and playing music for many years in various bands and on local church worship teams. They do a variety of fun and positive music from the Doobie Brothers, Stevie Ray Vaughan, Men at Work to Evanescence and Flyleaf. Their great combination of Rock, Blues, Pop, and R&B is filled with plenty of funk, guaranteed to keep you out your seat!!!
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For over 15 years, Thornetta Davis, a native Detroiter has graced and dominated Michigan’s most attended events. Her voice is strong, commanding, melodic, and smooth. She tells her stories with incredible delivery and leaves her audiences wanting more. She first gained attention in 1987 when she became a backup singer for the Detroit soul band “Lamont Zodiac and The Love Signs”. In 1996, Thornetta recorded her first solo album “Sunday Morning Music”, which received a rave review in the national Entertainment Weekly magazine. Her song, “Cry” from that album was featured on the HBO cable drama, “The Sopranos”. Thornetta has opened for legendary blues and R&B greats such as Ray Charles, Gladys Knight, Smokey Robinson, Etta James, Buddy Guy, and many more.Thornetta was inducted into the Detroit Music Hall of Fame in 2001. She has electrified audiences worldwide with tours to Italy, North Africa, Switzerland, Sweden, France, Canada, and all over the United States.
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Chubby Carrier and the Bayou Swamp Band have been rockin’ the party scene worldwide with their style of “high energy, swamp funky Zydeco” for the last twenty years. Chubby, a third generation Zydeco musician, formed his band in January 1989. Getting his inspiration from the musical greats: Clifton Chenier, BB King, Bobby Blue Bland, Ray Charles and adding a good dose of 70’s funk; his style of music has resonated worldwide. He has shared the stage with great musicians such as Santana, BB King, Eddie Money, Buddy Guy, Travis Tritt, Weird Al Yankovic, and many more.
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Singer/songwriter/keyboard player, Denise La Grassa has been winning over audiences with her mix of jazzy/folk/rock music since her debut of The Tracks in 1999. With the release of her third CD, April Dreams, this talented musician has played in Chicago, IL at places such as: The Green Mill, Pops for Champagne, The Velvet Lounge, Green Dolphin Street, and Andy’s Jazz Club, as well as abroad in Germany, Switzerland, and England.
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Hounds Tooth has been winning critical acclaim across the Midwest with their high-energy show of modern Soul-Rockin’ Blues! With a set list rich in modern blues, original material, and blues-rock numbers, Hounds Tooth’s Soul Rockin' Blues appeals to a wide range of audiences. Hounds Tooth has opened for national acts including Kenny Wayne Shepherd and Shannon Curfman, and they have appeared at some of the top blues festivals in the Midwest including: Big Bull Falls Blues Festival; Paramount Blues Festival; Summerfest; The Slippery Noodle; BB’s Jazz, Blues, and Soups; Blowtorch Blues Society; and River Rhythms.
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You may know him from his regular gig on the nationally syndicated, “Bob and Tom” radio program. Duke Tumatoe, formerly of the band, REO Speedwagon, plays over 200 shows annually, delivering nonstop musical mayhem that truly evokes the excitement of his legendary live performances. Throughout his illustrious career, Tumatoe has opened for legendary figures including Muddy Waters, Buddy Guy, B.B. King, and many more. Guaranteeing a good time, a little mischief, and a lot of great music, Duke Tumatoe will help us celebrate the 40th reunion of the Kickapoo Creek Rock Festival.
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Big Ray grew up on the south side of Chicago. He was surrounded by the musical influences of Buddy Scott and Johnny Dollar who would take him to the clubs they were playing. Big Ray began his music career as a singing bartender at Brady’s, and in 1989, he formed his own group—Chicago’s Most Wanted. Big Ray has played with the legendary Otis Rush as his drummer, Luther Allison, John Primer, Lefty Dizz, Syl Johnson and many more and has toured Japan, Europe, and all across the United States. Currently, Big Ray tours with Jimmy Johnson as his bandleader and drummer. Even though Big Ray and Chicago’s Most Wanted stays busy doing their own thing, they delight and amaze audiences and together, they form the best Chicago has to offer. That’s what makes them Chicago’s most Wanted!
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Chicken Shack was formed in the spring of 2007. While borrowing tunes from their favorite blues legends, the band has gone a step further and created a sound all their own. The 'Shack' puts a fresh twist on the swingin’ west coast blues style. The musicians are an eclectic mix of experience and influences. The music is soulful, classic, spontaneous, and sure to get your tail feathers shakin’.
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Steve "The Harp"
Vocals, harmonica, keyboards, songwriter.
Band Leader of Steve "The Harp" Blues Band
A native son of Bloomington, Illinois, Steve has been blowing harp around Central Illinois area since 1972.
Steve is a Master Harmonica Instructor with over 35 years experience. Steve "The Harp", an army veteran and a retired Normal Fire Department Lieutenant, was inducted into the Blues Hall Of Fame October 20. 2009.
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The last surviving member of the first generation swamp blues fraternity that includes Slim Harpo, Lightnin' Slim and Lonesome Sundown, Lazy Lester has always been one of the best. Whether he's playing his own killer cuts such as "Ponderosa Stomp," "Patrol Wagon Blues," "Out Of The Goodness Of My Heart," "You're Gonna Ruin Me Baby," "The Same Thing Could Happen To You," (or "Sugar Coated Love" or "I Hear You Knockin'" for that matter) or wailing through his all time favorite song-Al Ferrier's "Blues Stop Knockin' At My Door", |
Lester brings the spirit of Crowley, Louisiana-and the (please pardon the term) MUSICAL GUMBO, there, I said it, of J.D. Miller's genre-jumping recording sessions to life when he hits the stage. Possessing a head of hair that resembles Albert Einstein at his finest moment, a voice as warm as they come and a harp style injected with pure country twang, Lester simply epitomizes everything that's great about the state of Louisiana: Lightnin' Slim, Nathan Abshire, Rocket Morgan, Warren Storm, Joe Barry all of whose records he's played on. It might have been harmonica, guitar, drums, wood blocks, cardboard boxes, even a Shetland pony saddlebut Lester used it to the best and most tasteful effect, giving Miller's records that rhythmic edge of weird creative vision that made them so memorable.
Though known as a blues performer, to hear Lester play country-always his first love-is to stand at the crossroads of the magic that birthed rock 'n roll in the very first place. |
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