Hambone Art Gallery on Tuesdays

and

Red’s Blues Club for a Birthday

 

Red’s Lounge in downtown Clarksdale was the site of a serendipitous Sunday evening of fun, good eats, drinks, and some killer Blues performed by an array of heavy-hitters who were delighted to show up to help local transplant, Carol Vincent, celebrate her birthday. Husband Gary, owner of Vincent Productions studio in Clarksdale, hosted the gala for his lovely and most hip wife.

 

One of the highlights of the evening was a “chick only” dance–the one where chicks gather in a dancing circle and one chick at a time enters the middle to throw her thing (dancing for legalists)–where Harvey Fiser, way-cool wife of local realtor Hal Fiser, dropped it like it was “sizzling hot.” Harvey don’t play! You got to see the video!

In attendance was a bevy of visiting and local blues musicians who jammed long into the evening. The following is a list of those who think highly enough of the Vincents to show up on a Sunday evening to lend their talents to a fine birthday celebration:

—  James “Super Chikan” Johnson, winner of last year’s Blues Music Award (BMA) award for Traditional Blues Album of the year for Chikadelic and nominated again this year for BB King Entertainer of the Year and Traditional Blues Male Artist of the Year.

—  Bill “Howl-N-Madd” Perry, who recently took second place along with saxophonist Alphonso Sanders in the solo/duo category in the 2010 International Blues Challenge in Memphis.

—  Alphonso Sanders, “the extraordinary Dr.” (no shit–he has his doctorate in music, and is just as cool as Dr. J) is Chair of Fine Arts at Mississippi Valley State University. The good doctor has played all over the world and is a Fulbright Scholar–having studied abroad in
China exploring the culture of Chinese music and visual arts.

—  Terry “Big T” Williams, who used to watch Ike Turner play with his band one block from his home, recently released his awesome new CD, Jump Back, Big T’s in the House.

—  Mickey Rogers, who as a teenager in 1964 went to Europe with Howlin’ Wolf and Hubert Sumlin, where he played on stage with the Rolling Stones. Rogers has played with the Jackson 5, Jimi Hendrix, Gladys Knight & The Pips, the Temptations, Chi-Lites and Tyrone Davis, among many other musical greats.

—  Josh “Razorblade” Stewart, Vietnam veteran and the cat who sings the meanest “Don’t Let the Green Grass Fool Ya” anyone could ever croon.

—  Stacey Mitchhart, the indomitable, gravelly voiced Grammy nominee, who reportedly plays 200 plus dates a year all around the world. Bob Cianci from The Music Scene said, “Mitchhart may be one of the blackest sounding Caucasians this writer has ever heard.”

—  Watermelon Slim, along with his band The Workers, have garnered 17 Blues Music Award nominations in four years including a record-tying six during both 2007 & 2008. Slim is the only blues artist in history with twelve nominations in two consecutive years.

—  Stan Street, owner of Hambone Gallery in Clarksdale, not only is a wicked good painter, but also a talented harp player and singer.

—  Dixie Street, wife of Stan and a drummer in her own right, takes her turn on the “beaters.”

—  Sterling Billingsley, President of the Sonny Boy Blues Society and gnarly guitarist, also a headliner at The King Biscuit Blues Festival.

—  Sean “Bad” Apple, Hill Country Blues aficionado and player of tunes at Poor William’s “asking of the hand in marriage” and pirate wedding reception not long after the “askin’!

—  Cade Moore, bassist and wife of Chasiti, owner of Moxie Studio in Clarksdale.

—  Cameron Kimbrough, grandson of Junior Kimbrough, on the drums.

—  Gary Vincent, much needed addition to the Clarksdale music and Bohemian scene, and owner of Vincent Productions and the Clarksdale Sound Stage recording studio, was nominated for a Grammy for his co-production of a song on Elvin Bishop’s record “The Blues Rolls On.”  This was the first record to come out of the Clarksdale Sound Stage studio.

In attendance were no less than five area artists who all play music and own their own downtown Clarksdale studios: Joey Young, Stan Street, Austin Britt, Bradley Gordon, and Randall Andrews.

As Delta Bohemians might say in Canada, “Not a bad lineup, eh?”

WATCH THE VIDEO.

 

Magical and Sean “Bad” Appel at Red’s during Carol’s Birthday. Photo by The Delta Bohemian

Bill “Howl-N-Madd” Perry at Red’s Blues Club during Carol’s Birthday Party. Photo by The Delta Bohemian

Bill “Howl-N-Madd” Perry at Red’s Blues Club in Clarksdale during the Birthday Party. Photo by The Delta Bohemian

Magical and Sean “Bad” Appel at Red’s Blues Club in Clarksdale. Photo by The Delta Bohemian

Photo by The Delta Bohemian

Photo by The Delta Bohemian

Harvey Fizer and friends having a great time at Red’s Blues Club in Clarksdale. Photo by The Delta Bohemian

Magical and Sean “Bad” Appel. Photo by The Delta Bohemian

Alphonso and Magical. Photo by The Delta Bohemian

Musician Stan Street and owner of Hambone Art Gallery. Photo by The Delta Bohemian

Drummer Dixie Street playing at Red’s during Carol’s party. Photo by The Delta Bohemian

Howl-N-Madd Perry during the Birthday Party for Carol Vincent at Red’s Blues Club. Photo by The Delta Bohemian

Magical and Stan at Red’s. Photo by The Delta Bohemian

Alphonso Sanders and Watermelon Slim playing at Red’s Blues Lounge in Clarksdale, MS. Photo by The Delta Bohemian

Krystal and Magical enjoying the party at Red’s Blues Lounge. Photo by The Delta Bohemian

Poor William and Dixie. Photo by The Delta Bohemian

Magical and Gary. Photo by The Delta Bohemian

“Big T” Williams talkin’ to Alphonso Sanders during the party at Red’s Club. Photo by The Delta Bohemian

Happy Birthday to Carol. Photo by The Delta Bohemian

Gary Vincent, Carol’s sweet hubby, at Red’s Blues Club during the Birthday Party. Photo by The Delta Bohemian

Red, owner of Red’s Blues Club, in Clarksdale, MS. Photo by The Delta Bohemian

Classic shot of Super Chikan at Red’s Blues Lounge in Clarksdale. Photo by The Delta Bohemian

Super Chikan at Red’s Blues Lounge for a Birthday Party. Photo by The Delta Bohemian

“Super Chikan” playing at Red’s Blues Lounge for Carol Vincent’s Birthday Party. Photo by The Delta Bohemian

In front of Gordon Gallery on Delta Avenue in Clarksdale, Photo by The Delta Bohemian

Artists Joey Young and Bradley Gordon out and about Clarksdale with friends. Photo by The Delta Bohemian

Carol Vincent Birthday Party at Red’s Blues Club. Photo by DB