Big blues names such as Sonny Landreth and Janiva Magness took over the CSUB Amphitheater Sept. 19 for the Fifth Annual B-Town Blues Fest. Put on by World Records, located on G St., the Blues Fest has seen an increase in ticket sales this year despite economic woes.
“Looks like we had about 20 percent more people here this year,” said Pat Evans, owner of World Records. ” We formed a committee back in May. Members of that committee went out and helped sell tables to businesses, friends and the general public.”
Evans has teamed with Houchin Blood Bank, donating all food and drink proceeds to Houchin’s Bone Marrow Program.
Ticket buyers flocked to CSUB, ready and waiting at 3:30 p.m. for the opening act. Sets by local blues bands B-Town Blues Band and The Flying Arvizu Brothers got the crowd warmed up and filled in on the lively tunes they would hear throughout the day.
An unexpected surprise came from A Piece of Joy, the final local band and the only gospel band to have played at Blues Fest.
The Soul of John Black started to play as the sun sank lower toward the horizon. With a combination of blues, soul and funk, singer and guitarist John Bigham brought a fresh sound to the festival. Using the hour and a half set to the fullest, Bigham took the same blues sound that drew fans to the amphitheater and gave a dash of rock, his fingers flying up and down the neck of the guitar.
Bigham’s music career has taken him across the borders of both nations and genre’s. From touring and recording with artists like Eminem, Everlast and Dr. Dre to recording and playing in Paris with Miles Davis, Bigham has spread his wings and flown to each corner of the musical world.
Bigham’s third and latest album, Black John, was release in February.
“It’s more of a party blues record,” said Bigham. The group has just recently finished their tour for this album. “We finished touring a while ago, our last show we played was in British Columbia last month,” said Bigham. “We’re just taking a break and doing shows again in October.”
As listeners sat eating food catered by Jake’s Original Tex-Mex Cafe, Fabious Corner Best BBQ and Frugatti’s, Janiva Magness took the spotlight. Having been in the business of blues for three decades, Magness become one of the bigger names of modern blues. She holds the 2009 National Blues Awards Female Singer of the Year Award as well as the prestigious B.B. King Entertainer of the Year Award.
Bringing a soulful and passion filled sound to the stage, Magness, 52, she also brings great banter with the crowd into her shows. Mid-song, she walks towards the audience, saying, “You’re kinda cute. You’re kinda cute too. I’m an older woman, baby. We got plenty to go around.”
As she pays homage to late blues great Koko Taylor, squints and said, “Lower that spotlight a little bit. I feel like I’m back in Detroit talkin’ to the police, okay?”
In 2003, Magness starred in the west coast production of the Broadway musical “Ain’t Nothin’ But The Blues.” After 60 of these musical shows, Magness said with confidence, “It was really fun, really exhausting and actors are completely insane.”
Magness, after touring in Spain starting Sept. 22, will go back into the studio to record her newest album. She hopes to return to Bakersfield within the next year with new tracks for her fans.
Sonny Landreth closed the night with an awe-inspiring mix of the sounds of blues and classic rock. Landreth recieved the 2009 National Blues Award of Guitarist of the Year and his performance shows he deserved it.
Having worked with musical greats such as Vince Gill, Jimmy Buffet and Eric Clapton, Landreth has shown his guitar skills are a highly valued commodity in the music industry.
World Records’ next shows will feature singer-songwriter David Mallet at Spotlight Theater Oct. 11 and Shana Morrison at the Double Tree Hotel Oct. 18.