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Kurt Koehler (Inside Straight) kicked off another excellent evening of blues at the Whiskey Junction's annual Blues Guitar Masters Series #9. I'm not sure if they have it every year or if it's the same time each year but when it does roll around (like its counterparts, Harmonica, Keyboard and Vocal Masters Series) you can bet there will be a good turnout for these Monday night shows (as there was tonight) and you can count on some excellent local guitar talent strutting their stuff or hitting their chops as the case may be.
This was Kurt's first time on the show and he acquitted himself with proficient flair on the guitar and strong vocals.
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Markiss (Shakey Jake Neuman) has been turning up in a variety of bands and jams around the Twin Cities for many years now and one of his current gigs is with the young harmonica sensation, Shakey Jake Neuman. Tonight Markiss demonstrated why he is an in-demand guitar slinger playing lighting fast licks to straight Chicago blues. Longtime friend, Daddy I, joined him at the end of his set.
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Mike Keller (Keller Brothers Band) along with his band mates has been lighting up stages around the Twin Cities for the past year since his move back to this area from Austin, Texas where he honed his chops for the 5 previous years. Mike is an electrifying guitar player who shows substance, maturity and excitement whenever his fingers hit the strings of his guitar. Tonight was no exception and we even got to hear some stunning slide.
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Scotty Graves (Big Walter Smith and the Groove Merchants) has always been a favorite guitar player around town. He started out his set doing some Robert Johnson tunes on acoustic and then switched to his bright-red electric as he brought up Big Walter and the rest of the Groove Merchants. He played a very intense solo of the Albert King song, "As The Years Go Passing By."
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Paul Mayasich (Big John Dickerson and Blue Chamber) is another one of the local guitar talent that you wish you could see and hear more often. I recall a memorable set a few years ago at this Series when Paul and Jimi Smith shared the stage and there was a similar repeat this year as Bernard Allison (who just happened to be in the audience tonight) joined Paul on stage for some exciting fun. He even played Paul's guitar from behind Paul's back at one point.
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Bernard Allison & Paul
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Dan Schwalbe (Rockin' Daddy and the Rough Cuts), one of the most respected guitar players in the area, can always be counted on to deliver some of the best traditional sounding blues guitar played on any stage. Joined by the rest of the Rough Cuts, Dan's playing, like a vintage wine, just seems to get better with age. He played one reverb-rich song that was a throwback to Robert Ward's exquisitely unique sound.
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Ted Larsen (Lamont Cranston Blues Band) has maintained his position of excellence in the Twin Cities blues guitar scene ever since he hit town with the Big Bang a number of years ago. The best way to describe Ted's guitar playing is precise - he rarely misses a note and every note he plays has a purpose. Currently playing with the Lamont Cranston Blues Band, Ted can be seen on a regular basis around the area which is fortunate for all of us.
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Pat Hayes (Lamont Cranston Blues Band) may be more well known for his harmonica blowing but he is no slouch on the guitar either. In fact, his raw guitar attack is always an exciting display of inspiring originality.
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Bernard & Pat. Bernard borrowed Ted's guitar and he and Pat lit some fire under the stage as they traded some "head cutting" guitar licks.
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Pat Hayes & Big Walter Smith waiting for their turn on stage.
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This review is copyright © 2001 by Ray Stiles, and Blues On Stage, all rights reserved. Copy, duplication or download prohibited without written permission. For permission to use this review please send an E-mail to Ray Stiles.
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