Hot August Blues: Oregon Ridge Park, Cockeysville, MD 8/21/10

The rolling hills of Oregon Ridge Park, Maryland, with its sky-reaching, ski-slope-like hill dropping down to a bandstand at the bottom, provided the perfect setting for the blues-music event.

Anyone who went to the Hot August Blues Festival at Oregon Ridge Park  on August 21 knows that blues music is not a remedy for high-humidity and sweltering summer heat; the blues makes it hotter, so many attendees were probably wishing that the ski-slope-like hill actually was snow covered!  Luckily, the festival’s vendors provided plenty of cold water, chilly beer and wine, fun food, and lots of great crafts, including T-shirts, jewelry, and much more.  And these items were available at very reasonable prices, which is much appreciated in a blues-inducing economy.  Of course, it was the stellar bill of rhythm and blues artists that attracted and delighted the crowd.  The line-up included Sweet Leda, Higher Hands, Dean Rosenthal, Jackie Scott, The Bridge, Black Joe Lewis and the Honeybears, Keb’ Mo’, and Lyle Lovett and His Large Band.

Here is an overview of some of the many highlights:

The Bridge gave an energetic, inspired performance for a very appreciative crowd.  The band, which plays an eclectic mix of rock, rhythm, roots, and blues, made it clear they were excited to play the show, and Cris Jacobs (guitar, vocals) stated that they “drove all night” to get to the festival.  This Baltimore-based group is “in residence” Wednesday nights at the 8 X 10 in Baltimore.  Their Bayou-blues flavored “Took My Love on Down” started out with some soulful slide guitar, which expertly set the tone of their set.  They then ripped through a tight and crowd-pleasing set, including “Rosie,” “Big Wheel,” “Honey Bee,” “Sanctuary,” “Geraldine,” and “Dirtball Blues,” to name some of their set’s songs.  Clearly, the Bridge is enjoying and accelerating its career as a blues-Americana music powerhouse; they played Bonnaroo this summer, too.

Black Joe Lewis and the Honeybears . . . wow!  This group, if you haven’t seen or heard them, knows how to command a stage, especially Mr. Joe Lewis with his heartfelt vocals and lively guitar work.  Their set was smokin’ hot, including the James Brown-esque “Sugarfoot,” and surely recruited many new fans and pleased the hardcore ones.  And the recession-friendly “I’m Broke” was a highlight.

Over on the side stage, Dean Rosenthal, Sweet Leda, and Higher Hands took turns entertaining those fans adventurous enough to venture from the main stage. Julie Cymek of Sweet Leda sported some funky sunglasses as she demonstrated her “sweet,” soulful vocals on one sultry or hip-shaking blues-rock song after another.  They “paid their dues” and should be promoted to the main stage for next year’s festival.

And the same goes for the funky, infectious Higher Hands, who featured artful sax, trumpet, percussion, sing-a-long vocals, and bouncing melodies.  Their set was like the best sort of house party, the kind with Trouble Funk playing live.

Keb’ Mo’ … well, Mr. Kevin Moore was a one-man-band dynamo, performing without his backing band.  He used several guitars, including a beautiful steel one, to flesh out his classics, which included “Soon as I Get Paid.”  Clearly enjoying himself, Mo’ bantered with the crowd, adding that he’d “like to be invited back next year.”  He played a short but powerful set.   

The fest’s headliner, Lyle Lovett and His Large Band, had the sweaty, tired crowd on its feet, and they stayed standing throughout the long set. Four-time Grammy Award-winner, Lovett and his band played such crowd pleasers as “The Church,” with the crowd happily clapping along and hollering amen’s. Lovett’s band’s mix of blues, Texas-stomp, rock, finger-flying guitar playing, soul, and folk is beyond seductive.  The thing that is impressive about this act is Mr. Lovett’s selection of outstanding musicians to back up his signature vocals.  Once the glimmer of his head of hair and his Holly-weird past fades, we are left with what matters – real knee-slappin’, infectious music.   Book-ended with Lovett’s banter, the band delivered “The Blues Walk,” “Farmer Brown,” and many others until it was late and dark.

All considered, an amazing blues fest.  One couldn’t ask for more blues for one’s buck.  If you missed this summer’s Hot August Blues fest in Maryland, or haven’t been in its eighteen-year history, start planning now.  Next year will be hot!

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