A few of you faithful may not know how much Amy B loves the blues. Then you should check out her show every Wednesday from 3-5 p.m. on KABF, 88.3, and you’d know.
Anyhow, the Eureka Blues Festival in Eureka Springs is in full swing, having ushered in a few blue notes last night, but tonight is when it gets cranking up there, about three hours from here, at the City Auditorium and other venues around town.
Here’s what AmyB has to say about that (show her some sympathy, please):
My heart is hurting about the fact that I can’t go see Taj Mahal, blues/folk legend ($40, 9:30 p.m., the Auditorium) tonight as part of the Eureka Blues Festival going on this weekend. There’s other great acts in Carolyn Wonderland, Reba Russell, Sonny Landreth, Jimmy Thackery, Chris Duarte and more. There are a few tickets left, either for a single show or multi-show passes, and you can check that out on www.eurekaspringsbluesfestival.com.
I truly regret not being able to go tonight; I play a Taj Mahal song at least once on my blues show. “Lovin’ In My Baby’s Eyes,” and “The Fishin’ Song” remain among my favorites. And “Big Legged Mamas are Back In Style Again.” He’s a mentor to Alvin Youngblood Hart and part of has sought out and helped musicians (Etta Baker comes to mind) that have been long forgotten by the big-named record companies. Taj covers Mississippi John Hurt, Langston Hughes, Robert Johnson with authoritative authenticity. Crazy guitar/mandolin/12-string playing, literate songwriting that swings. No bull. The real thing. He’s looked up to by so many.
He also starred in the ’70s movie “Sounder” as the character“Ike.” Bet you didn’t know that.-AmyB