I am now in Downtown Memphis, in a very nice new Marriott Hotel. Free WiFi and a working Mobile! So things are still on the up despite the booking agency booking me in here last week! It was a tiring two leg flight from Ft Laudedale via the enormous complex of Atlanta airport, the hub for many internal airlines.
The Internation Blues Competition organised by the Blues Foundation doesn't start until Wednesday, so tomorrow I hope to visit the foundation's new museum, Sun Studios and Elvis's home as a prelude.
The entrants to the IBC are sponsored by their local Blues Societies who are affiliated to to the Foundation. The blues societies abound here in the states, but entrants can come from worldwide. A German duo, Schroeter & Breitfelder who were on the cruise, (Google 'em on you tube), were winners here last year for example. So it's a great showcase for the up and coming. Trampled Under Foot were winners in 2008 and they were top of the bill at this year's Maryport Festival.
There are classifications as I understand it, for solo,duo,trio and bands run on a knockout, governed by panels of judges. There many venues on Beale Street used, so it's pot luck who you watch early on. It's only a short trolley car ride from the hotel.
Monday 30 January 2012
Sunday 29 January 2012
Ashore again!
Hi blues fans!
Ashore again! No Internet that was reliable (or cheap!) whilst on the ship although oddly mobile phone connectivety was. Back on land it's reversed!!
The Cruise was all I expected and actually exceeded expectations. Organisation was superb with shore runs on Puerto Rico, St Croix and St Maartens where some of our bands went ashore. So many stories to tell, My diary on Word runs to 12 pages already.
Have met and spoken with all my blues heroes and discovered many more. On morning at breakfast a fella asked to join my table and we chewed the fat some. We only introduced ourselves at parting. i had speaking with legend Buddy Flett! Damn me next morning the same thing with keys man with the great voice, Mike Finnegan. it's that sort of gig.
Hung out with a bunch of Californians who were wacky in extremis, I called them the Californian dreamers. very difficult not catch their slow youall drawl. Most guests, 2000 of them (looked after by 1000 crew). are from the southern states so everyone's laid back.
The ship is Holland America's newest Niew Amsterdam, launched last year and has won best cruiser 2011 already. Gob smacking luxury and have shot hours of video re ship's interior as well as performances. Life will never be the same again. Food available 24 hrs a day and some look as if they never left the cafe's (6of them) Five sound stages running simultaneously from 11.00 am to 6 a.m. Some folk running on uppers! Provision manager had to radio ahead to Puerto Rico to have an additional 20,000 cans of beer ready.
The Americans live up their noisy and loud reputation so I fit in very well!
At St Croix I went to a school with Joe Louis Walker's band as a follow up to my article in the last Blues Matters mag. Joe found playing to 400 disinterested 11 - 16 yearolds hard going with no applause between the first two numbers so he switched to a funky groove which made a few sit up and clap. A certain elderly gent in the wings then persuaded the senior girl to go onstage on the next number and perform a wild dance routine. The place erupted. At the close Joe shouted to the audience " Who says white men can't dance" As we were walking back to the bus, a big ( and I mean BIG) black kid stepped out of the bushes in front of me. God I thought he's going to flattenen me for some reason. He gave me a fixed eye stance hands on hips, lent forward and grumbled into my ear, "Man you got style" Gave me a high five and walked away! In the bus I was ribbed by the band and our roadie Shrek. Joe jokingly asked me if I was free to join his road show but I told him he couldn't afford me.
The whole event was captured by the ship's videographer and subsequently played out on the ship's CCTV system. This was followed up by a TV interview back on board so the British Invasion ( We had badges) presence (16 of us) was truly established.
Like the Boogaloo weekender events there is a very large core of regulars. They had already sold 1600 cabins for next year by the time we got back!!
I was cabin sharing with a great guy and now good buddy Joe Rosen, the Cruise's stills photographer. He was an encyclopedic in his information and knows all the musicians which was a great help. I was included by the organisers with the media/musicians pack so we were all on the same floor of staterooms. The ship has 11 floors of accomodation!
Saturday morning in the main theatre we had Gospel Brunch. It was fantastic with the cream of all the bands jamming. Got a lot of it on video including one lady singer tripping into me as she came off stage into the wings. Will life ever be the same? So many new found friends are urging me to return nest year so be warned I'll be coming around with the begging bowl. And I'm only one week in!
There's a bunch of Canadians who are also going up to Memphis with me for the Blues Foundation's IBC event so I'll have more company for that tomorrow, albeit located in other hotels. We also plan to visit the famous Sun Studios, the Foundation's musem and Elvis's old pad.
As for N'oleans, I met a lady aboard who runs a twice weely blues radio programme and a resident musicman who told me to get in touch to get to the right places and he knows and plays with Jon Cleary, Duke Robbialard and Dr John et al so that could be interesting! The Mardi Gras will also be getting going although I'll miss the final days. However I shall hopefully be seeing Buddy Guy and Janiva Magness up in Clearwater instead - well someone has to support them!
Love to yo'all folks. now to the Jim Beam!
Mike
Ashore again! No Internet that was reliable (or cheap!) whilst on the ship although oddly mobile phone connectivety was. Back on land it's reversed!!
The Cruise was all I expected and actually exceeded expectations. Organisation was superb with shore runs on Puerto Rico, St Croix and St Maartens where some of our bands went ashore. So many stories to tell, My diary on Word runs to 12 pages already.
Have met and spoken with all my blues heroes and discovered many more. On morning at breakfast a fella asked to join my table and we chewed the fat some. We only introduced ourselves at parting. i had speaking with legend Buddy Flett! Damn me next morning the same thing with keys man with the great voice, Mike Finnegan. it's that sort of gig.
Hung out with a bunch of Californians who were wacky in extremis, I called them the Californian dreamers. very difficult not catch their slow youall drawl. Most guests, 2000 of them (looked after by 1000 crew). are from the southern states so everyone's laid back.
The ship is Holland America's newest Niew Amsterdam, launched last year and has won best cruiser 2011 already. Gob smacking luxury and have shot hours of video re ship's interior as well as performances. Life will never be the same again. Food available 24 hrs a day and some look as if they never left the cafe's (6of them) Five sound stages running simultaneously from 11.00 am to 6 a.m. Some folk running on uppers! Provision manager had to radio ahead to Puerto Rico to have an additional 20,000 cans of beer ready.
The Americans live up their noisy and loud reputation so I fit in very well!
At St Croix I went to a school with Joe Louis Walker's band as a follow up to my article in the last Blues Matters mag. Joe found playing to 400 disinterested 11 - 16 yearolds hard going with no applause between the first two numbers so he switched to a funky groove which made a few sit up and clap. A certain elderly gent in the wings then persuaded the senior girl to go onstage on the next number and perform a wild dance routine. The place erupted. At the close Joe shouted to the audience " Who says white men can't dance" As we were walking back to the bus, a big ( and I mean BIG) black kid stepped out of the bushes in front of me. God I thought he's going to flattenen me for some reason. He gave me a fixed eye stance hands on hips, lent forward and grumbled into my ear, "Man you got style" Gave me a high five and walked away! In the bus I was ribbed by the band and our roadie Shrek. Joe jokingly asked me if I was free to join his road show but I told him he couldn't afford me.
The whole event was captured by the ship's videographer and subsequently played out on the ship's CCTV system. This was followed up by a TV interview back on board so the British Invasion ( We had badges) presence (16 of us) was truly established.
Like the Boogaloo weekender events there is a very large core of regulars. They had already sold 1600 cabins for next year by the time we got back!!
I was cabin sharing with a great guy and now good buddy Joe Rosen, the Cruise's stills photographer. He was an encyclopedic in his information and knows all the musicians which was a great help. I was included by the organisers with the media/musicians pack so we were all on the same floor of staterooms. The ship has 11 floors of accomodation!
Saturday morning in the main theatre we had Gospel Brunch. It was fantastic with the cream of all the bands jamming. Got a lot of it on video including one lady singer tripping into me as she came off stage into the wings. Will life ever be the same? So many new found friends are urging me to return nest year so be warned I'll be coming around with the begging bowl. And I'm only one week in!
There's a bunch of Canadians who are also going up to Memphis with me for the Blues Foundation's IBC event so I'll have more company for that tomorrow, albeit located in other hotels. We also plan to visit the famous Sun Studios, the Foundation's musem and Elvis's old pad.
As for N'oleans, I met a lady aboard who runs a twice weely blues radio programme and a resident musicman who told me to get in touch to get to the right places and he knows and plays with Jon Cleary, Duke Robbialard and Dr John et al so that could be interesting! The Mardi Gras will also be getting going although I'll miss the final days. However I shall hopefully be seeing Buddy Guy and Janiva Magness up in Clearwater instead - well someone has to support them!
Love to yo'all folks. now to the Jim Beam!
Mike
Thursday 19 January 2012
Fort Lauderdale!
Well, after god knows how many bus and rail links arrived somewhat pooped at the Airport Hilton in one piece, well three including luggage, at 6.00pm local time. Seemed abouth three days ago that I left home!
Having booked a KLM flight to Miami International, I was amazed to be put on a Delta flight. I know they have an indifferent reputation but service was excellent, in part due to the fact the plane was only 20% full! So could stretch out over three seats and constant attention from cabin crew.
The latter was fortunate in that enquiring of them of the TRI rail link arrangements to Fort Lauderdale, one of them offered to show me the way. As well she did as it was buried in some dark corner of the airport. She also was going home the same route and in fact lives not far from Craig Norton in Boca Raton with whom I'll be staying at the tail end of the trip.
Now I find Virgin haven't unlocked my mobile despite requesting them so to do.
The last leg was the hotel shuttle bus from Ft Lauderdale airport, full of cruisers one of which promptly gave me a CD.
So a quick shower before finding something to eat with a crowd from Oregon.
Let the partying commence!
Having booked a KLM flight to Miami International, I was amazed to be put on a Delta flight. I know they have an indifferent reputation but service was excellent, in part due to the fact the plane was only 20% full! So could stretch out over three seats and constant attention from cabin crew.
The latter was fortunate in that enquiring of them of the TRI rail link arrangements to Fort Lauderdale, one of them offered to show me the way. As well she did as it was buried in some dark corner of the airport. She also was going home the same route and in fact lives not far from Craig Norton in Boca Raton with whom I'll be staying at the tail end of the trip.
Now I find Virgin haven't unlocked my mobile despite requesting them so to do.
The last leg was the hotel shuttle bus from Ft Lauderdale airport, full of cruisers one of which promptly gave me a CD.
So a quick shower before finding something to eat with a crowd from Oregon.
Let the partying commence!
Wednesday 18 January 2012
This is it!
Right,this is it, gathering up loins and luggage and about to head to the bus terminal in Plymouth for the Heathrow link. Must admit to a few collywobbles in case there's anything I have missed doing but I'll have to busk it if anything does malfunction. We won't discuss liners lying akimbo off Italy will we?
Everyone look after yourselves whilst I'm away. I don't want any dire messages. Toodle pip old things.
Everyone look after yourselves whilst I'm away. I don't want any dire messages. Toodle pip old things.
Thursday 12 January 2012
Better News
The good news. Tracy Jones who works for the Cruise organisers has been a great help since I first got involved nearly eighteen months ago. You have to get in on these cruises early as veteran cruisers get priority booking for the next trip. I'm a virgin cruiser! At my age! It turns out her husband Dave Jones, no not the one with the locker, is Joe Louis Walker's manager! So I shall be hustled into the school gig and hopefully get an interview with this blues icon.
Tracy also found me a new Festival in Florida to replace the postponed one I was supposed to go to in Ft Lauderdale. It's the Konology Clearwater Sea-Blues Festival (http://clearwaterseablues.com/) obviously in Clearwater (as in Revival).Headliners are (fanfare) Buddy Guy, Janiva Magness, Curtis Salgado, Ronnie Baker Brooks! And it's FREE! Icing on the cake or what?
The Bad. I think I have cold coming on despite the 'flu jabs. Yours Ahhhchoo.Where's the whiskey?
Tracy also found me a new Festival in Florida to replace the postponed one I was supposed to go to in Ft Lauderdale. It's the Konology Clearwater Sea-Blues Festival (http://clearwaterseablues.com/) obviously in Clearwater (as in Revival).Headliners are (fanfare) Buddy Guy, Janiva Magness, Curtis Salgado, Ronnie Baker Brooks! And it's FREE! Icing on the cake or what?
The Bad. I think I have cold coming on despite the 'flu jabs. Yours Ahhhchoo.Where's the whiskey?
Tuesday 10 January 2012
Final checks
Double checking everything now. As you can see from the posts I now have folk joining me up to the Memphis week post cruise so I'm experienced hands.
The messages on and from the cruise chat board show that everyone including the veteran cruisers are getting hyped up with just over a week to go. One port of call is St Croix whose Blues Festival coincides with our ship's visit.3000 visitors expected! That day also includes a blues in school session by Joe Louis Walker and The Homemade Jamz Band which I hope to attend as a follow up on the article I wrote for the last edition of Blues Matters with The Spikedrivers.
I have also got an invite to a recording studio in New Orleans where Ruthie Foster latest CD was recently cut due for release on 31st Jan. Tracks I have heard sound great, a must buy I think.
The one disappointment so far is my last weekend in Fort Lauderdale when there should have been a w/e Waterfront Blues Festival which I hear is now postponed until April dammit. Shall have to check out Daytona race circuit instead and/or the Everglades.
Sunday 1 January 2012
Pre-flight checks
Happy New Year Folks!
Today on New Year's day I'm double checking all my travel plans re flights,buses, ship and hotels. Composing shopping lists for sunscreen and lightweight summer wear not that conspicuous here tho' I may have to wait until I get to stateside where I'm told everything is cheaper!? Also on a crash course on my new camcorder and audio recorder.
For the Blues Cruise (http://bluescruise.com/) I have a cabin share with the official photographer Joe Rosen (www.josepharosen.com) from NY who as a veteran of these trips is a font of knowledge and has useful connections with the musicians. I have booked into The Airport Hilton at Ft Lauderdale three days early not only to acclimatise but for the pre-sail parties and to shop for suitable gear for the theme nights!
I shall also have to get stuck in on background research on the musico's for the Blues Matters articles.
Today on New Year's day I'm double checking all my travel plans re flights,buses, ship and hotels. Composing shopping lists for sunscreen and lightweight summer wear not that conspicuous here tho' I may have to wait until I get to stateside where I'm told everything is cheaper!? Also on a crash course on my new camcorder and audio recorder.
For the Blues Cruise (http://bluescruise.com/) I have a cabin share with the official photographer Joe Rosen (www.josepharosen.com) from NY who as a veteran of these trips is a font of knowledge and has useful connections with the musicians. I have booked into The Airport Hilton at Ft Lauderdale three days early not only to acclimatise but for the pre-sail parties and to shop for suitable gear for the theme nights!
I shall also have to get stuck in on background research on the musico's for the Blues Matters articles.
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