The Chicago Blues Harp bash is
the brain child of Joe Filisko and
friends and is a showcase for the
Chicago Blues Harmonica
sound. Held annually, this is the
fifth of what appears to be a
monumental series!
This year’s annual Bash will be on Sunday, September 30, again at SPACE
in Evanston. The headliner is the east coast blues legend Sugar Ray
Norcia.
Other harp talent will include:
•
Billy Flynn
•
Dave Waldman
•
Corporate Kirk Manley
•
Highway RickEy
•
Tim Spahn
Grammy award winning Billy Flynn and his band will be providing backing
for this amazing event. Joe Filisko will once again be the
master of ceremonies.
Tickets are not yet available, but you will want to buy them in advance as
we expect a full house once again this year! Check back later for ticket
info.
Copyright (c) 2008-2012 Chicago Blues Harp Bash. All Rights Reserved
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A yes man by day and a blues man by
night, “Corporate” Kirk Manley is a vocalist,
harmonica player, and songwriter with a
sound deeply rooted in classic Chicago
blues, Memphis soul, and New Orleans
R&B. Since 2006, Manley has performed
in and around the Windy City with The
Shakes and The Manley Diehl Blues
Band. one of Manley’s biggest thrills was
performing with Muddy Waters’ former
drummer, the late Willie “Big Eyes” Smith,
at the inaugural Chicago Blues Harp Bash
featuring Billy Boy Arnold. Manley has a
passion for music that swings hard and
touches the soul. junior Wells, Little Walter, Junior Parker, Magic Sam, Smiley
Lewis, Louis Jordan. Honoring these greats and showcasing his originals keep
his spirit in the groove. Piano is next on Manley’s bucket list. He’s currently
learning from Chicago’s own blues, jazz and boogie-woogie master, Erwin Helfer.
Dave Walthman grew up in Croton-on-Hudson,
New York and started playing harp when he
was an early teen. He moved to Chicago
in 1976 ans was hired for his first gig by
Louis Meyers. Since the 1980s, he has
shared the stage with Taildragger, Big
Smokey Smothers, Jimmy Rogers, Eddie
Taylor, Willie James Lyons, Hubert Sumlin,
The Legendary Blues Band, Big Wheeler,
Little Willei Anderson, Jimmy Lee Robinson,
Jon and Grace Brim, Joe Carter, Yank
Rachell, Floyd Jones, and Sun recording
artist James Scott. Dave has also recorded
with Big Smokey Smothers, Big Wheeler,
John Brim, taildragger, Billy Flynn and Elmore James Jr. and has been involved in
the University of Chicago Folk Festival since the early 1980s. Since 1979 hs has
done a regular Monday night blues radio show on WHPK-FM (88.5 FM).
A unique entertainer, Rick Trankle sings,
plays harmonica and droms - sometimes
all at the same time! He is “The World’s
Greatest Tonecup Player”. Rick leads
his own blues band performing classic
traditional electric blues music - everything
from Little Walter, Big Walter, Muddy
Waters to Sonny Boy Williamson and
anything in between. Also known as
Harmonica Einstein, Rick is the inventor
of the only one of its kind device called
the Tuning Table to aid in tuning
harmonicas. What will he think of next?
Tim Spahn splits his time between
Milwaukee and Chicago and has
learned from some of the blues greats
from both cities. Although he has a
demanding day job in Evanston, where
he really wants to be is out playing
the blues. Don’t tell all his hardcore
blues buddies but he really likes
singing on the R&B side. He just loves
a melody and his singing and harp
playing prove it.
Sugar Ray Norcia’s carreer kicked into high gear in
1979 when he formed the original Sugar Ray and the
Bluetones line-up with guitar giant Ronnie Earl, and
it’s stayed there ever since. The elegant singer has
appeared on over 50 albums including discs with the
Bluetones, Ronnie Earl, Roomful of Blues, Otis Grand,
Ann Peebles, Michelle Wilson, J. Geils, Duke Robillard,
Pinetop Perkins, Jimmy “T-99” Nelson and his 1999
“Best Traditional Blues” Grammy mominated
collaboration with fellow harmonica virtuosos James
Cotton, Garlie Musselwhite and Billy Branch called
Superharps.
In the 1990’s Norcia spent seven high-profile years
years with the legendary Roomful of Blues. He cut five albums with the group including 1996’s
Turn It On, Turn it Up, which also received a “Best Traditional Blues” Grammy nod. Norcia
followed that period of playing 250 dates a year fronting the revered jump blues institution with
his solo recording Sweet and Swingign and the reformation of Sugar Ray and the Bluetones.
Today he continues to tour the world with his flexible group and make acclaimed ablums like
2007’s My Life, My Friends, My Music --- which drew Blues Music Award nominations for
“Album of the Year”, “Instrumenatalist--Harmonica, Instrumentalis----Bass”, and “Song of the
Year” (for “Last Words of a Fool”).
Grammy Award winning Billy Flynn was born
in Green Bay, Wisconsin. in addition to
releasing nine albums under his own name,
he has worked and recorded with Sunnyland
Slim, Jim Liban, Kim Wilson, Luther Allison,
Mighty Joe Young, Jimmy Dawkins, Little
Smokey Smothers, Willie Kent, Snooky Pryor,
Big Bill Morganfield, Joe Brim, Jody Williams,
Little Arthur Duncan, Dietra Farr, The
Legendary Blues Band and Billy Boy Arnold.
Billy is widely regarded as one of the world’s
most accomplished blues guitarists in the
post-war stylings and tours the world year
round.
Copyright (c) 2008-2012 Chicago Blues Harp Bash. All Rights Reserved
