NCPA Soulful Blues Festival Review: Reliving the Best Moments
There is no better way to enjoy a live music concert than to sit in an auditorium with near-perfect acoustics, and an audience that has solely gathered to appreciate the music.
And when you add a fare of lively bands on display, it all comes together rather nicely.
Three nights of American bands, all playing the blues, brought with them a revelation: that despite playing the same genre of music, each group had a different style and approach to it. It was almost like different gharanas playing their own interpretations of Hindustani classical music; each version of the Blues felt distinct, adding to the festival’s rich variety.
Alvon Johnson and his band from Oakland, California, opened proceedings on the festival’s first day. Though the evening began a little tamely, Johnson and the band quickly got in the groove of things, leaving the audience spellbound. The presence of saxophonist Stabe Wilson, playing tenor, alto, and soprano saxophone, further solidified the band’s impact.
Hitting the tried-and-tested blues and R&B numbers, Johnson went through “Stand by Me”, “The Thrill is Gone”, “Let the Good Times Roll”, “I Just Want to Make Love to You”, and even threw in a Bossa Nova version of “Besame Mucho” for good measure. He won over the crowd by walking through the aisles, even inviting a couple of fans to play a few bars on his guitar. Alvon Johnson and his band were a total package of joy, setting the tone for the rest of the festival.
On Day 2, Thornetta Davis and her octet from Detroit, Michigan, the home of the Motown sound, built on the mood created by Johnson. With two backing vocalists, keyboards, bass, percussion, guitar and drums, Davis’ set flowed with an unbeatable rhythm. Her band started things off with an instrumental song, a version of “Mercy, Mercy, Mercy” by Joe Zawinul, that demonstrated the close links between jazz and the blues form. Just like Johnson the previous day, Davis engaged her audience by gracefully moving through the crowd as she captivated them with her songs
Her rendition of “Ain’t No Sunshine When He’s Gone” with just two backup singers was particularly moving. While “Got My Mojo Working” was another crowd-pleaser, she truly excelled with her powerful take on Janis Joplin’s classic, “Take a Little Piece of My Heart.”
Day 3 featured the brightest voice of the festival: Tia Carroll from San Francisco, California. However, her backing band lacked the punch of the other festival acts. When compared to Johnson’s band, which featured a saxophone, and Thornetta Davis’ performance, which included backing vocals and a percussionist, Carroll’s band felt slightly underpowered. Nevertheless, she compensated with several original compositions, each with a story to tell.
James Brown’s hit “I Feel Good”, along with “Let the Good Times Roll”, “Cold Sweat”, and a slow rendition of “Try a Little Tenderness”, were all familiar favorites. But it was her original compositions that served as a storytelling masterclass. “There Was Sarah” came with a message and a warning for young women, while “I’m a Blues Woman” painted a powerful self-portrait for listeners. And with “Ready to Love Again” and I’m a Voodoo Woman”, Carrol offered ample evidence of her songwriting and singing prowess.
Her singing was brilliant, as was her stamina — she sang for well over 2 hours without a break. However, she could have been better served in her performance if her band had more support than just guitar, bass, keyboard, and drums to match her forceful voice.
In the end, it was a festival of uniformly high sound quality celebrating the Blues. More importantly, the way each artist deeply connected with their audience over the three days was a pleasure to watch. We believe that most, if not all, of the attendees at the Soulful Blues Festival left taking back some of the joy they felt on the stage.
