;,l ;;z,~t~ - . J~' ; ~ ; . \ ~ t?.:.t;y, ...-:-•,.:· • 7tlt Annual MZZ Gfy ,..,..,_ffonal ,..,,,,_, ... ,lune27• • ,1ufy6, 1986 ... . . ..,..., .... .._.cay ,,.......,.._~ fiJ:14:mvrat:M,t,biM,•~I•I @monton •• Alb?na CULTURE • • GRANT MACEWAN COMMUNITY COLLEGE AND THE JAZZ CITY FESTIVAL SOCIETY From the Minister of Culture It is with great pride that I convey my bravo to all involved in the seventh annual Jazz City Festival. With the continuing combination of exciting artists, dedicated volunteers, animated audiences, and a caring staff, Jazz City has proven it is a vital component of the arts in Alberta and is here to stay. May the spirit of spring and the spirit of music unite to lift all our hearts for a wonderful festival of Jazz. Message from the Mayor Proudly Present the first annual JAZZ CIT SUMMER JAZZ MP Marv J. LeMessurier C ongratulations to Jazz City for launching yet another successful season of the finest jazz music either side of the Rocky Mountains. From dixieland to the latest in experimental jazz, Edmontonians happily experience it all as you present the 7th Jazz City Festival in Edmonton. The sites and sounds of Jazz City are becoming a summertime tradition. I am impressed by the energy and enthusiasm you generate among music lovers throughout Northern Alberta. C'mon Edmonton! Let's all have a musical feast, served up by Jazz City, 1986 style. Sincerely yours, Laurence Decore Mayor @monton ...... ~ June 29 July 5, 1986 ~ ' From the Official Host Hotel We are delighted to have been once more selected the "Official Host Hotel" for Jazz City '86. This year's programme promises to be bigger and better, and we at Chateau Lacombe are pleased to have the opportunity to play a part in this Edmonton summer tradition. From the staff and management, our very best wishes for continued success. Bobby Carins BobMffler BotiStroup and nlOt&lft Yours sincerely, U. Dennis Eyolfson c~~•• General Manager ·--- ·- ·· For information tlld application forms write: •• - 986 - Grant MacEwan Music Outreach J004S · 15e;Sbwl Grant MacEwan ~ . Albeffa CommunllrCollege Jftl w 4 ~ • • •• • NEW JAZZ CITY SERIES "Phoenix Downtown Jazz" is a new Jazz City series this year that will provide a focus for alternate music in an intimate informal downtown performance space Monday, June . 30th through to Saturday, July 5th. The series presents local, national and international jazz artists whose musical stature is much greater than its amount of international acclaim. If you have eclectic tastes and enjoy being pleasantly surprised, this is a series for you. "Phoenix Downta.vn Jazz" is presented in co-operation with Edmonton's Phoenix Theatre. •• Tuesdari July 1 From Toronto BILL SMITH - saxophones DAVID PRENTICE violin From Montreal JOHN HEWARD - percussion YVES BOULIANE - bass Location: 4th Floor 10170 - 100A Street (on Rice Howard Way) Time: 10:30 pm each evening. Doors open at 10:00 pm Admission Fee: $6 at the door only. Package ticket: a $25 package ticket for all 6 shows is available by mail order only. Please see our ticket order form on page 31. Mondari June 30 From Vancouver The PAUL PLIMLEY OCTET The Phoenix Theatre ••• The Paul Plimley Octet brings together eight musicians of highly varied performing background who share a common desire to develop a music which affords a complete spectrum of ensemble tone colours and melodic invention. Music that covers the musical gamut from Thelonious Monk to Sousa and back again. The Phoenix is a vibrant Edmonton theatre company on the cutting edge of the theatre scene in Western Canada. The Phoenix Downtown is established to encourage and develop new forms of theatre and art. This space has proven to be one of the most popular late night entertainment alternatives. The Phoenix "Hot Summer Nights Hotline" number is 429-4019. • •• Thursdari July 3 Gwtanst REG SCHWAGER and his TRIO Reg Schwager - guitar David Piltch - bass Michel Lambert - drums Schwager has made his mark on the Canadian jazz scene very quickly. He played Montreal clubs in his teens (he is from Sudbury, Ontario) and at 23 is embarking on a promising recording career. He has accompanied veterans such as Peter Appleyard , Ruby Braff, Joe Newman and many others. Building on his bop base, he is now moving further afield musically. His trio has just returned from a European tour where he played in clubs and Festivals. - Downbeat Mar. '86 With Paul Plimley, piano; Graham Ord, saxophones; Coate Cooke, saxophones/guitar; Gordon Bertram, baritone and clarinet; Bill Clark, trumpet; Hugh Fraser, trombone; Paul Blaney, bass; Buff Allen, drums. Fnday, July 4 Wednesdari July 2 Bill Smith and David Prentice have played together in the Bill Smith Ensemble since 1979. They have two albums on Sackville and two on Onari. John Heward and Yves Bouliane are two artist/musicians who have just released their first album, mass3 control, on ciac records. John sees their music as a "continuing series of extending circles. It returns on itself as soon as it settles on the mind. That's how it gets its momentum." "The Bill Smith Ensemble practically defines an emerging new style of Canadian improvisation." - Alex Varty (Vancouver Free Press) Alto Saxophomst ALEX DEAN From Sao Paolo, Brazil CELSO MACHADO - guitar CARLINHO MACHADO - guitar with the Bill Emes Trio Dean is fast becoming one of the brightest lights on the Canadian jazz scene. He has a new record available on the Justin Time Canadian record label and is an eclectic performer who favors strength of statement and a swinging sound. Pianist Emes has been a mainstay of the Edmonton scene for over 10 years. He has recently played with Fraser Macpherson, Joe Farrell , the Jim Pinchin Quintet and Judi Singh to name a few. Traditional Brazilian music with jazz elements from two masters of the guitar. 6 7 Saturday, July 5 From Toronto THE SHUFFLE DEMONS • "The first thing you notice is the regalia. The second thing you notice, very quickly, is the music. These guys can play - bebop, TV music rock classics and originals like the rap tune "Spadina Bus", all done with a vivacious sense of style." Mark Miller Globe and Mail •• • • AZZ •• STREET •• The free, outdoor component of JAZZ CITY '86. 10 days of free concerts featuring local, national and international jazz stars. Shows run noon till 1:30 pm; 4 pm - 6 pm ; 6 pm - 7:45 pm daily with special shows at 2 pm on June 27 and 28, July 1, 5 & 6. The JAZZ CITY "Jazz Street Stage" will run concurrently with The Works: A Visual Art Experience. June 27 - July 6 The Works/JAZZ CITY OPENING CEREMONY Friday, June 27th at 7:30 pm Sir Winston Churchill Square The first 500 on site will receive an EXTRA! for ten days of special treats and special treatment during JAZZ CITY and The Works. New rleans •Extravaganza SBANDS including: From Edmonton • • New Orleans • Connection 9 PM -1:30 AM Chateau Lacombe Hotel - 101 Street and Bellamy Hill Ballroom and Grill Room One $10 ticket for both rooms!!!! •• • ... ~ ~ • The first annual the WORKS : A Visual Art Celebration establishes the basis for a nationally acclaimed festival showcasing the visual and environmental arts. The WORKS will present the visual arts to an estimated audience of over 100,000 and will attract national attention. For 10 days, the downtown will become Edmonton's largest art gallery when empty building spaces come alive with art exhibitions and our parks and avenues host an array of art, music (produced by JAZZ CITY) and food. Watch Sir Winston Churchill Square, Rice Howard Way and Abbey Glen Park come alive with the joy and beauty of the WORKS!!!!!!!! - Canada's first ever visual arts celebration . - presenting over 250 Canadian artists working in all media: fibre, sculpture, jewelry, painting , video and film to name a few. - a line-up of over 25 art exhibitions presented by 20 art organizations and institutions from across Alberta. workshops for artists. demonstrations, discussions and walking tours for the public. an artist's market. 60 banners by talented high school artists. For information contact: The WORKS 616, 10136 - 100 Street Edmonton, Alberta T5J 0P1 (403) 426-2122 From Calgary Big Daddy and the IAxie Cats From Victoria, B.C. . Dixielllnd Express Sponsored by 8 QF/J!!Po,; and Chateau Lacombe Hotel 9 • •• • 9 PM • Chateau Lacombe Hotel STERN CARNIVAL PMENT ASSOCIA cooperation with ORKS~md Prese CKOR unday June Noon to 10 are, An Evening with = N ~ - nton arsldis El Rey! The King! Tito has been called the King of Mombo, the King of Salsa, the King of Tim bales, the King of Latin Music. The King returns to JAZZ CITY after an SRO appearance at last year's festival for a oncein-a-lifetime "Dance Party" of latin music. With Mario Rivera, Anastacio Rodriquez, Jose Manera. John Rodriquez Jr., Ray Gonzales Jr. and Vincente Frisaura and others. Trumpeter Marsalis is the young lion of the international jazz scene. The CBS recording artist is a Grammy award winner in both the jazz and classical categories. Don't miss this special JAZZ CITY '86 presentation. "We give it our heart and our soul" says Tito. Come dance with your heart and soul on Saturday night! Two Shows 7 & 9:30 pm Shoctor Theatre 9:00 PM Ballroom of the CHATEAU LACOMBE HOTEL Food and Refreshments available -~ LATIN DANCE _.,..__ _ party with the Salsa King ito Puente Sponsored by C:0::.1s1lfl / {,(o;[ .rl«M-«-'~ and the CHATEAU LACOMBE ll)I ', if<.-! ,._ H,·IIJro, H ,11 SEE PAGE 19 FOR FREE JAZZ CITY DRAW 10 11 77th Birthday Tribute to Benny Goodman anada ++++ ~ ,enny Goodman Day Come celebrate Canada's 119th Birthday with JAZZ CITY and the Works. Concerts at 11:45 am, 2 pm, 4 pm and 6:30 pm performed by Canadian jazz artists from across the country: Big Miller, The Shuffle Demons, The EdJE, Bill Emes and the Jim Pinchin Quintet. ALUMNI BAND All of these illustrious gentlemen have performed many times with Mr. B.G. We are very pleased to be able to present such a fine ensemble to you as part of JAZZ CITY '86. Swingtime music at its very finest!!! Billy Butterfield - trumpet Urbie Green -trombone Abe Most - clarinet Bucky Pizzarelli - guitar Hank Jones - piano Peter Appleyard vibrophone Slam Stewart - bass Don Lamond - drums These events sponsored in part by the Edmonton Canada Day Committee. Justin Time Records Presents Celebration qf Canadian Jazz Founded by Montealer Jim West in 1983, the JUSTIN TIME RECORDS label is dedicated to promoting and developing Canada's treasure trove of world-class jazz talent via the recording and concert mediums. We are honoured to support the efforts of the EDMONTON JAZZ FESTIVAL:s organizers in bringing you this very special Festival evening. Oliver Jones - piano Bob Mover - alto saxophone Reg Schwager - guitar 8 PM Shoctor Theatre with David Piltch - bass Michel Lambert - drums Karen Young - voice Michel Donato - bass Alex Dean - alto saxophone Denny Christianson - trumpet (and leader of a fine big band from Montreal) with special guests: Fraser MacPherson - tenor"_:_ saxophone :,. ~'- ·--Jerry Fuller - drums • . ·• One show only! 8 PM Shoctor Theatre 13 12 Look for the Justin Time Display in the Theatre Lobby. ·-- ·_ ,l '1" An Evening with indham Hill From New York teps Ahead Two special groups who are recording for the Windham Hill record label. SCOTT cossu Originally called "Steps," STEPS AHEAD is one of the finest groups in contemporary jazz. And they are contemporary' One look at the personnel will tell you that. Drummer Steve Smith, ex-Coliseum; Darryl Jones, exMiles Davis, bass; guitarist Mike Stern, ex-Miles Davis; Michael Brecker, tenor: one of the outstanding saxophonists of the '80s; Vibraphonist Mainieri has been a pace-setter on his instrument for almost 30 years, from the Buddy Rich band to Carly Simon and Michael Franks. 'MONTREUX" GROUP Just for fun, and for the lack of a better term, pianist-composer Scott Cossu calls his eclectic musical creations "cosmic National Geographic music". For music that's inspired by such far-ranging sources as Jazz artists Horace Silver and Monk, Impressionists Ravel and Debussy and a multitude of folk music and soul men Jr. Walker and Wilson Pickett, that's probably as good a name as anv. Scott Cossu 's latest album on Windham Hill is called "Islands". 8 PM Shoctor Theatre Darol Anger, Mike Marshall, Barbara Higbie and Michael Manring are pulling a fast one. Under the innocent sounding rubric, "New Acoustic Music" ... they are quietly but ruthlessly subverting a whole set of assumptions about the instrumental folk chamber music • that has been steeping over the past decade. They might be part of a conspirational vanguard, fomenting a revolution against the old regime of folkie pickers and fiddlers, a sort of white, post bluegrass parallel to the 1940 bebop evolution in jazz. - Derk Richardson East Bay Express STEPS AHEAD appeared at JAZZ CITY '84. They return in '86 with a new band and more of the same beautiful music! )> N N (') =i -< ~ o5 'E Q) ~ CD Ill 0 :::, Q) ·c: C: :::, m· 0 Ill ~ CD CD a fO ii, '<, >t- u "Chiaroscuro" is the new album by "Montreux" on Windham Hill Records. ~ teve ,.u ~ c.·no I. - Lacy • 8 PM c.... ~ rom New York Soprano Saxophonist ane Ira Bloom Steve Lacy is the first soprano saxophonist in modern Jazz. He has been performing music 'on the edge' in the company of some of the most illustrious names in postwar jazz for over three decades. His partners and employers have included Thelonious Monk, Gil Evans, Cecil Taylor and Don Cherry. Lacy left his home town of New York in 1970 and he has played a major role in the founding of an authentic European improvised music which has drawn extensively on the American tradition. He has rolled up all of his influences into an intelligent, probing and highly indiviGual music which in mood often resembles American free-form playing but which deploys and involves written pieces, frequently lyrics and a desire to create a central notion and work with it. with : Steve Potts - alto saxophone Irene Aebi - voice, violin , cello Jean-Jacques Avenel - bass Bobby Few - piano Oliver Johnson - drums and Pianist Fred Hersch "... a soprano saxophonist whose sound and approach are as distinctive as Steve Lacy's or Wayne Shorter's ... there's at least one young saxophonist who knows how to play the lyrics as well as the tune." Robert Palmer New York Times Fred Hersch echoes Bill Evans. And yet, his individual voice is one of the strongest among the new group of young piano lions today. Hersch provides Bloom with "very compatible support ... and also challenges her in her role as soloist. His music ranged from romantic reflections ... to some remarkably full bodied solo work by an unaccompanied right hand." John S. Wilson New York Times 6 PM 6 PM Centennial Library Theatre 15 JAZZ CITY '86 SCHEDULE J A z z s T R E E T Fri., J 11:45 pm to Sat., June 28 Sun., J M Big Miller and Band (Edmonton) Big Daddy and the Dixie Cats (Calgary) Oliver Whitehead Quintet (London, Ontario) Nexus (Sweden) Equinox (Sweden) Blockerama 27 1:15 pm 2:00 pm to 1i - --, - --- - - - Brian Hughes Fusion (Edmonton) Big Miller Band (Edmonton) Reg Schwager Trio (Toronto) Gettin' off Easy (Vancouver) Shuffle Demons (Toronto) J -- ·-· -- - Brian Dickinson Quintet (Toronto) - - ... --- - - . --·· --· Al Jacobsen Quintet (Edmonton) Brass on Fire (Calgary) Carlos Lopez (Toronto) Carlos Lopez (Toronto) Big Miller Band (Edmonton) . - -- 3:30 pm 4:00 pm to 6:00 pm Jeff Antoniuk Band (Edmonton) Big Daddy and the Dixie Cats (Calgary) Shuffle Demons (Toronto) Gettin' Off Easy (Vancouver) The EdJE (Edmonton) Bill Emes Quartet (Edmonton) Gettin' Off Easy (Vancouver) The Machados (Brazil) Mike Gillespie (Edmonton) Shuffle Demons (Toronto) Perry White Band (Toronto) Peter Leitch Wayne Feschuk (New York/ Edmonton) -6:30 pm to 7:45 pm Kevin Elaschuk Band/New Orleans Connection (Edmonton) MAIN New Orleans SERIES Extravaganza Chateau Lacombe 900 pm Oliver Whitehead Quintet (London, Ontario) Blockerama (till 1000 pm) Shuffle Demons (Toronto) Jim Pinchin Quintet (Edmonton) Bob Mover/ Denny Christianson (Montreal) 5 Peter Leitch Wayne Feschuk (New York/ Edmonton) Bill Watrous/ Glenn Wilson Quintet (LA /New York) Pat LaBarbera Mike Nock (Toronto/Australia) Bill Watrous/ Glenn Wilson (LA /New York) Latin Dance Party with Tito Puente Salsa Allstars Chateau Lacombe 900 pm An Evening with Wynton Marsalis Shoctor Theatre 700 & 9.30 pm 77th Birthday Tribute to Benny Goodman Shoctor Theatre 800 pm Justin Time Records Presents Oliver Jones and Others Shoctor Theatre 800 pm An Evening with Windham Hill Shoctor Theatre 800 pm Steps Ahead Shoctor Theatre 800 pm Bobby Mcferrin Mike Nock Shoctor Theatre 8 00 pm Count Basie Orchestra Edm. Convention Centre 8 00 pm Blues Bash with Albert King, Koko and Little Ed Edm. Convention Centre 8 00 pm Steve Lacy Sextet (Paris) Jane Ira Bloom Fred Hersch (New York) Paul Bley (New York) The EdJE with Kenny Wheeler (Edmonton/England) Machados (Brazil) Reg Schwager Trio (Toronto) Alex Dean (Toronto) with Bill Emes Trio Shuffle Demons (Toronto) "6 O'CLOCK JAZZ" Centennial Library Theatre 7 Sir Winston Churchill Square at the Phoenix Theatre "Phoenix Downtown Jazz" 10170 - 100A Street 429-4019 10:30 pm each evening "If you're listening for something different..." Paul Plimley Octet (Vancouver) Bill Smith David Prentice Yves Bouliane (Toronto/Montreal) F R E E reat Vacation Giveaway obby McFerrin Time once again for the popular JAZZ CITY annual FREE Contest. This year the JAZZ CITY Festival Society offers you a chance to win: 'The Voice" How to ~.escribe_ th~. sound of Bobby Mc Ferrin? On his second album, aptly entitled The Voice, this sonic virtuoso uncannily imitates trumpets symbals, string basses - even, on a song called ''I'm my own Walk~an ," the sound of_ radio static. McFerrin is also the most innovative jazz singer to come along rn twenty years, an artist who merges traditions as divergent as the scat singing of Ella Fitzgerald and the smooth vocalizations of Al Jarreau to produce a musical form all his own. Esquire Opening tonight's show will be pianist MIKE NOCK. Mike was a featured artist at JAZZ CITY '80 and '81. He is currently living in Australia. He will be accompanied by one of the finest Canadian bassists, NEIL SWAINSON. 8 PM Shoctor Theatre TWO ROUND TRIP EDMONTON/VANCOUVER AIRFARES PLUS TWO 3 DAY EXPO '86 PASSES, COURTESY OF THOMAS COOK TRAVEL (Travel must be booked 30 days in advance and is subject to availability.) To enter, cut the entry blank from this page and deposit it at any of the following JAZZ CITY venues: Chateau Lacombe Strathcona Room (JAZZ CITY Hospitality) Yardbird Suite - 10203 - 86 Avenue, Edmonton Jazz Street Information Booth or at the shows at: Citadel Centennial Library Phoenix Theatre - 4th Floor, 10170 - 100A Street Convention Centre It costs nothing and you need not be present to win. Drop off your entry and catch some great jazz! DRAW DATE: SUNDAY, JULY 6, 1986 8 pm, Convention Centre E,:O°tn" The Solo Piano of au/ Bley • Paul Bley has been an important figure in Jazz since he emerged from Montreal (his birthplace) in the mid-fifties. He has been associated_with many of the greatest players in the music over the past 30 years including Mingus, Art Blakey, Ornette Coleman, Gary Peacock, Don Cherry and more recently, Chet Baker. His ECM album of the early ?Os "Open to Love" was one of the most important solo records of the decade. He has been a prolific recording artist, with music available on Savoy, Inner City, AristaFreedom Improvising Artists, ECM and most recently, Steeplechase. He is one of the few truly original minds in this music. ' Please Print Name ________________ Address _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __ 6 PM Postal Code _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __ Centennial Library Theatre (w) - - - - 18 THE WORLD FAMOUS ount Basie hildren's Jazz. Time Orchestra "THE MOST EXPLOSIVE FORCE IN JAZZ" The 1986 version of Chi_ldren's Jazz Time will again provide a stimulating event for the whole family. This popular festival feature always offers a good time, the opportunity to learn some songs, some music, some jazz trivia and a chance to meet new people or old friends. "Plink! Plank! Plink! Plank!" The sound comes at you softly, subtly. Single notes on a piano. Offbeat pauses. Instant recognition. And then one measure blends into the next. A right-hand chord. A stride bass. A surge of anticipation. And then - an avalanche of energy, of all-encompassing music. Wham! And the Basic Band is off and blowing. Come out to Children's Ja~z Time and sing, clap, laugh and learn. An exceptional musical experience for children of all ages. The pattern is familiar. The explosion of joy constant. The exuberance of the big-band sound. Musicianship. Accent. Punctuation. Humor. Power. Five decades of spreading consistent happiness around the world. Bring the whole family down to the fun . 11:00 am The band grew out of the Bennie Moten Orchestra after Bennie died. Kansas City was the home base then. It was 1935, and ever since, Count Basic made musical history in every phase of the entertainment field. FREE ADMISSION Edmonton Convention Centre Lee Pavilion Tucker Amphitheatre Citadel Complex 8 PM Tonight's concert is presented with the assistance of AIR CANADA @ s:o~------ The dJe (Edmonton Jazz Ensemble) Directed by Sean McAnally With Special Guest, from London , England KENNY WHEELER == - -------~ ~ Drop your contest entry at: The Edmonton Jazz Society's EdJE was formed in late fall, 1985. It is comprised of a group of young Edmonton-based players and writers in the jazz idiom who are interested in pooling their talents for a co-operative ensemble dedicated to both the traditions and the contemporary directions of Jazz. Trumpeter Sean McAnally was chosen by the EJS to lead this ensemble because of his very apparent dedication to improvised music. Our very special guest for this concert is composer/trumpeter/flugelhornist KENNY WHEELER. Wheeler is a favorite of Edmonton audiences having appeared at 4 of the past 6 JAZZ CITY Festivals. He is currently a member of the Dave Holland Quintet (with whom he played the Yardbird Suite in October '85), is a member of the United Jazz and Rock Ensemble and leads his own groups in concerts, festivals and on ECM Records. He also is an instructor at the annual Banff Jazz Workshop in Banff, Alberta. Chateau Lacombe Strathcona Room (JAZZ CITY Hospitality Suite) Ya~dbird Suite - 10023 - 86 Avenue, Edmonton (in Old Strathcona) JAZZ Street Information Booth or before shows at: Citadel Complex Centennial Library Phoenix_Theatre - 4th Floor, 10170 - 100A Street, Edmonton Convention Centre 6 PM 20 Centennial Library Theatre 21 • • • • • • • •• • ' ''The Godfather of the BLUES" lberl Ki,ng AND HIS BLUES BAND •• • • • Albert King is the Godfather of modern blues. You ca~·t go into a blues bar today without hearing a band paying some homage to this man. It may be the way a lead guitarist phrases a scorching solo or wrings full value out of a sustained blue note. It could be in the vocalist's adoption of King's nononense declaratory vocal style or more directly by including one of King's countless blues hits, performed true to King's foundational model. Some of his more notable pupils include Eric Clapton, Luther Allison, Son Seals, Otis Rush and Melvin Taylor. From Chicago, 3 Fabulous Bands 8 PM vko • Taylor and her Blues Machine Koko Taylor's brand of blues is the raw gut-bucket, barrelhouse blues of contemporary Chicago. Her vocal style ranges from a soft, introspective one-to-one communication to a controlled , yet uncompromising throaty blues howl. When she hits the stage the resultant rush of raw unreleased power is guaranteed to rivet any blues audience into steadfast attention. To this, patrons at her 1982 Jazz City concert can certainly attest. Koko was originally from the Memphis area where aside from weekly involvement in her church choir she was weaned on the sidewalk music of Memphis' notorious Beale Street and the recordings of Bessie Smith, Memphis Minnie and 8.8. King. King came out of the North Arkansas blues scene. His early influences included Robert Nighthawk and Elmore James through to Lonnie Johnson, and 8.8. King. His trademark style, the fusion of gutbucket electric blues with funky Southern Soul came to maturity in the Stax Studios with the aid of the Booker T. Jones rhythm section and Willie Mitchell's Memphis Horns. Hits like "Born Under a Bad Sign," "Crosscut Saw" and "As the Years Go Passing By" began to flow. Albert King remains state-of-the-art urban blues. JAZZ GITY gratefully acknowledges the assistance of Northwest Orient Ai~line; ,;,-~resentation of ~ht's concert. " . '\ ~ ' NORTHWEST ORIENT \ - - --~·\ Edmonton Convention Centre ~ ~\·-;') ·~:/"' -~~{: \:,:) - - ~ \'.;}l ittle Ed However, it was the loud and raucous Chicago ghetto blues of Muddy Waters, Howling Wolf and J. 8. Lenoir that served as her stylistic benchmark. With some tutorage from Willie Dixon, Koko sharpened her skills and hit the big time with her 1965 Chess million seller, Wang Dang Dodd/e. In 1974 Koko began her association with Chicago's Alligator Records. The result has been four strong LPs, four W.C. Handy Awards, a 1984 Grammy Award and a vast loyal international following. Koko travels with her Blues Machine which over the years has showcased hot new contenders along with seasoned veterans recruited from Chicago's vast pool of superb sidemen. AND THE BLUES IMPERIALS Lil ' Ed and the Blues Imperials are the hottest new torch-bearers in the great tradition of Chicago blues slide guitar boogie bands. Lil' Ed Williams is the nephew of the late J.B. Hutto, one of the grand masters of bottleneck guitar, and Ed is carrying on in his uncle's footsteps. The Blues lmpenals, with Just second guitar, bass and drums, can pump out more '.hythm1c raw energy than any Chicago blues band since Hound Dog Taylors legendary House Rockers. On the bandstand, Lil' Ed and the Blues Imperials create not only . infectious music, but Ed himself is a fireball showman , dropping to his. knees to crawl across the floor, careening into the audience, then rushing back to the microphone just in time to shout out the next verse of his tune. The band is a regular attraction on the Chicago blues circuit, as well as just beginning to win new fans from shows in places as diverse as Boston and Winnipeg. They just cut a tune for a new Alligator Records anthology of younger blues artists, and a complete album of Lil ' Ed and the Blues Imperials will be released by Alligator this summer. 23