The cuts you hear are John Primer's
Every Day Brings by a Change and Add a Little Touch
 

The pictures that follow are
courtesy of DSBS members
Connie Dee Taylor and
BluesGirl Kelli Tome.
~THANKS, CONNIE and KELL!~
 

~ opening the show was...
those Rockin' Bad Boys of the Blues
     from Northern New Jersey
                   

~It was Saturday, MARCH 14, 2009 -- 2 to 9pm~

& the "Real Deal"
Blues Band

As the title of his critically acclaimed Atlantic Records CD suggests, Grammy Award Nominee and Handy Award Nominee, John Primer is truly "The Real Deal". At 8 years old, John borrowed his first guitar and started to strum. With the sounds of Jimmy Reed, Muddy Waters, Little Milton, Elmore James, B.B. & Albert King reverberating through his Grandmother Laura Nell's tube radio, John was instantly hooked. He was fascinated with Blues music and set forth on a life long path of becoming a musical force. Early inspiration came from his family steeped in spiritual, gospel, and R&B tradition. As a young boy, John first appeared on stage at the local Baptist church, and went on to play at house parties and fish fry's in and around his hometown of Camden, Mississippi.

At the age of eighteen, feeling restless and in search of further audiences, John followed the path of his mentors and migrated to Chicago in the fall of 1963. He quickly found work in an era when modern electric blues and West and South Side sounds were first taking shape. Forming his first band The Maintainers in 1964, John and his old Harmony guitar rocked such West Side clubs as The Place, The Bow Tie, and Lover's Lounge. By 1968 John had left The Maintainers when the opportunity arose to front the Soul and R&B group The Brotherhood. Jamming late into the night and practicing by day, John was forming his own unique style and expanding his repertoire. John's success would lead him in 1974 to replace John Watkins in the house band at the world famous Theresa's Lounge on the South Side of Chicago. Over the course of the next 5 years, John would play with such originators as Sammy Lawhorn, Junior Wells, Buddy Guy, Smokey Smothers, Lonnie Brooks, and a host of other innovators sculpting the sound of Chicago Blues.

It was during this point in John's career that quite a few people were taking note of this outstanding performer. In 1979, master songwriter and bassist Willie Dixon persuaded him to join his band The Chicago All-Stars. Traveling through the U.S. Mexico and Europe, John developed his Skills as a rhythm guitarist, a lead slide player, and a powerful singer. Another blues master who believed in John Primer was none other than the "Hoochie Coochie Man" himself, Muddy Waters. Muddy recruited John not only as a guitarist, but also as an opening act. As he did with so many other great musicians, Muddy served as a father to John, instilling in him an unrelenting passion for the music that gave birth to Rock and Roll. John stayed loyal to Muddy until his untimely death in 1983.

Fresh off the heels of his great success with the Muddy Waters Band, John signed on with the legendary Magic Slim. For the next 14 years, he toured with Magic Slim & The Teardrops, bringing tight, house-rocking sounds to every corner of the earth. But John's days as a sideman were numbered, and in 1995 the veteran blues man released his major label debut "The Real Deal". He has since toured extensively in support of his ten solo albums to date. With John Primer's strong traditionalist blues phrasing and lightning fast slide techniques, few artists can match him. A master storyteller and songwriter, his catalog of songs is endless and his sound is unforgettable. John Primer & The Real Deal Blues Band continue to electrify audiences at clubs and festivals around the world, and remain a driving force in the world of Blues music today.  ~Austin Bader

     Grammy Award and Handy Award Nominee, John Primer's history is the real deal!
     John's life started in Camden Mississippi on his grandmother's sharecropper land, dreaming of a better life and working in the fields. His biggest dream in life was to someday play his guitar with his idol Muddy Waters. John ended up doing that and much, much more!  John should be credited for helping Muddy Waters bring the Blues to Chicago and for taking it into the 21st Century. John has been that perfect liaison, filling the gap between the older traditional style and the younger Chicago Blues style.
John went from field songs and gospels, into traditional Blues, then R&B and Soul then finally pioneering the infamous Chicago Blues style we know today.
     All Original is a dream come true for John. 12 all original songs recorded for his very own record label, Blues House Productions, is another first. Cataloging his own music, writing, producing, teaching young musicians and sharing his experiences with the world is now his focus and life mission. This newest CD is only the beginning, putting 12 all originals into it's collection. All Original starts out fast with "Add A Little Touch", shaking you up and getting you ready for a for a full Blues Experience. "Going Back To Mississippi" pays tribute to his home and let's you into his heart. "I Called My Baby" is a slide guitar lovers dream! "Everyday Brings By A Change" is one of John's favorites and represents how he looks at life. "Blue Eyed Woman", "Other Man", "The Woman That I am Loving" and "Bad Child" are all great examples of John's diverse Blues skills. "Keep On Loving The Blues" is another Primer favorite. John sings this at the end of most of his shows to send the audience home remembering to keep on loving the Blues. "At Home Alone" is a great soul-felt, minor key song, highlighting Johns R&B, soulful voice. "Say Yes, Don't Say No" shows John's playful spirit. "All Original" ends with "Love In My Heart For You" a traditional acoustic duet with just John and Harmonica Hinds. John's 3 year old daughter Aliya Makayla Becker is with them dancing around the studio, keeping daddy's music alive and well!
     This is only the beginning for John's new label, Blues House Productions. Many more CD's are already being worked on. The label's intent is to preserve the Blues' precious past, helping less fortunate musicians, while producing original music for our future. ~LB

~ second band of the afternoon was                                        

The Porkroll Project, from the greater Philadelphia, PA area is hard rocking 6 piece blues band who play a high energy blend of fresh covers and originals.

The music is blues, but it's done up Porkroll style. Little bit of grease, good dose of funk, whole lotta drive and grind. Throw that together with some dangerous lead guitar and harmonica, powerful organ, and rippin' piano, and you have a recipe for a night where anything can happen!

What are others saying about The Porkroll Project?

"Having booked The Porkroll Project (and their former incarnation Mudboy) on soon to be three of my Annual Bandana Blues BBQ's, I testify to the fact they are a tough act to follow. PRP possess a healthy respect for the blues, plus songwriting that contains the essence of real life in all its irony. Add their deep in-the-pocket-grooves and you have the extremely tasty Porkroll Project. Put that on a potato roll please!"
                         Beardo
                         Senior Contributing Editor of Blueswax

"The opening track on "PORK ROLL PROJECT", one of eight originals out of twelve tracks, is a fast and furious funky number called "BORN READY" and from the sound of it, these guys certainly were born ready - ready to play some smokin' music that is. This one features the whole band at their best - the vocals are vigorous, the guitar work is gritty, the harmonica is hot and the rhythm section - led by JOEY on the organ - rips it up. I admire a band that has the courage to open with what may very well be the best track on the CD. That's confidence!

"GOOD MORNING BLUES", closes out the "PORK ROLL PROJECT" just like it started, with a smoker. This one is a red-hot shuffle that, unless it's in a coma, is impossible for a body to not respond to. Mine was shaking so much I had to stop typing. It's songs like these that make doing these reviews take so long. Counting the six times I hit replay on this one, it added a good
thirty minutes.
                           Peter "Blewzzman" Lauro
                           BluesWax Contributing Writer
                           www.mary4music.com

The Pork Roll Project photos that follow are by
Connie Dee Taylor and BluesGirl Kelli Tome!.    
THANKS Guys!!

Diamond State Blues Society
P.O. BOX  863
MIDDLETOWN , DELAWARE  19709

Artist Line-ups have been Announced!!
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