Author: Ari Strauss

Interview: Joe Louis Walker (New Album: Blues Comin’ On)

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Blues Comin’ On, the latest offering from blues guitar legend Joe Louis Walker, was released on June 5, 2020, from Cleopatra Records.)

Blues artist Joe Louis Walker has been making music with his voice and guitar for over a half century. A 2013 Blues Hall of Fame inductee and a four-time Blues Music Award winner, Joe has learned from, been a mentor to, or simply played alongside just about everyone in the business.

His new album, Blues Comin’ On, which was released on June 5 by Cleopatra Records, features guest performances by fellow blues icons Keb’ Mo’, Eric Gales, and Albert Lee, Detroit soul singer Mitch Ryder, harmonica virtuoso Lee Oskar, Hot Tuna’s Jorma Kaukonen, punk rock vocalist Charlie Harper, and legendary session player Waddy Wachtel among others.

Parklife DC’s Ari Strauss had the opportunity recently to speak with Joe by phone to discuss the new album, his career, and the many wonderful artists he’s played with over the years.

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Interview: Shirley King (New Album: Blues for a King)

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Shirley King’s latest album, Blues for a King, releases June 19, 2020, via Cleopatra Records.

Just in time for Father’s Day, Shirley King, the daughter of iconic Blues legend B.B. King, releases a new album, Blues for a King, today via Cleopatra Blues, a division of Los Angeles-based Cleopatra Records.

In this latest offering, Shirley steps out of her musical comfort zone to cover diverse range of musical genre including soul, R&B, rock, and her native Blues. The album also features a roster of legendary guitarists including Steve Cropper (Booker T & the MGs), Duke Robillard (Roomful of Blues/Fabulous Thunderbirds), Elvin Bishop (Paul Butterfield Blues Band), Martin Barre (Jethro Tull), and Junior Wells to name a few.

Parklife DC’s Ari Strauss had an opportunity to speak with Shirley by phone recently to discuss the new album, her career, and what it’s like to be the daughter of Blues royalty.

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Interview: Scott Terry (of Red Wanting Blue)

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Scott Terry, frontman for Red Wanting Blue, on stage at Gypsy Sally’s, May 4, 2019. (Photo by Ari Strauss)

Scott Terry is a road warrior. Red Wanting Blue, the Columbus, Ohio-based band he founded in 1996 while a student at Ohio University, has spent the better part of two-plus decades on what seems like a perpetual tour.

Comprised of Eric Hall on lead guitar, Dean Anshutz on drums and percussion, Greg Rahm on keys and guitar, Mark McCullough on bass, and Scott on lead vocals and ukulele, Red Wanting Blue regularly plays 200 or more live shows a year.

With no touring scheduled due to the national coronavirus emergency, Scott chatted with Parklife DC’s Ari Strauss from Brooklyn about his thoughts and activities during the lockdown.

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Livestream Preview: ARWB @ Rockwood Music Hall (NYC), 3/25-3/28/20

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Eric Hall (left) and Scott Terry (right) of Red Wanting Blue perform on stage at Gypsy Sally’s, May 4, 2019. (Photo by Ari Strauss)

Back in December of 2017, Eric Hall and Scott Terry from Red Wanting Blue went out on a two-week experimental tour with close friends, Tim Warren and Eric Donnelly from The Alternate Routes. They called the combined group ARWB and played small venues, crafting the show town to town, singing each other’s songs and sharing stories from their many years of friendship and travel.

Red Wanting Blue will steam the concert film in four parts over four days via YouTube from Wednesday, March 25, through Saturday, March 28.

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Live Review: The Lil Smokies @ 9:30 Club — 3/7/20

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The Lil Smokies jam on stage at DC’s legendary 9:30 Club, March 7, 2020. (Photo by Ari Strauss)

The Lil Smokies had March 7 circled on their calendar for quite some time. For several months, the progressive bluegrass band from Missoula, Montana, anxiously anticipated stepping onto the stage at DC’s legendary 9:30 Club for the very first time.

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Snapshots: Eli Lev @ DC9 — 2/28/20

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Eli Lev performs at DC9, Feb. 28, 2020. (Photo by Ari Strauss)

Local folk/Americana artist Eli Lev recently put in a performance at DC’s DC9 Nightclub. The Silver Spring, Maryland native, fresh off a three-week European tour that included stops in France, Spain, and Andorra, played the opening set for Hannah Jaye and the Hideaways who were hosting their debut album release party.

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Snapshots: Hannah Jaye and the Hideaways @ DC9 — 2/28/20

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Hannah Jaye fronts her band, Hannah Jaye and the Hideaways, during an album release performance at DC9, Feb. 28, 2020. (Photo by Ari Strauss)

DMV folk-Americana quartet Hannah Jaye and the Hideaways hosted an album release party at DC9 recently to mark the release of their debut self-titled album.

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Live Review: Tedeschi Trucks Band @ Warner Theatre — 2/21/20

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Derek Trucks (left) and Susan Tedeschi perform with their 12-piece supergroup, Tedeschi Trucks Band, at Warner Theatre, Feb. 21, 2020. (Photo by Ari Strauss)

February in DC, for the past five years, means the Tedeschi Trucks Band, the 12-piece blues-rock supergroup lead by married couple Susan Tedeschi and Derek Trucks, holds an annual residency at historic Warner Theatre. This year’s residency included four sold out shows over two consecutive weekends, Feb. 14 and 15, and Feb. 21 and 22.

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Live Review: Amanda Shires @ Sixth & I — 2/16/20

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Amanda Shires performs at Sixth & I, Feb. 16, 2020. (Photo by Ari Strauss)

Amanda Shires’ Atmostphereless Tour rolled through DC recently for a sold-out show at Sixth & I in Chinatown. The self-described “singing, songwriting, fiddle-playing Texan” performed songs from her catalog of seven solo LPs and from The Highwomen, the all-female country supergroup she formed in 2019 with Brandi Carlile, Natalie Hemby, and Maren Morris.

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Live Review: Andy Frasco & the UN @ 9:30 Club — 2/13/20

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Andy Frasco jams out on his Hammond B3 organ at 9:30 Club, Feb. 13, 2020. (Photo by Ari Strauss)

Andy Frasco & the UN was in DC recently to co-headline a show with Big Something.

The show began with some stand-up comedy by Kyle Ayers to warm up the crowd. Kyle would go on to emcee the rest of the evening, which was structured as a battle of the bands in a professional wrestling theme, complete with luchador masks.

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