Blue Prints

"Mr. Charlie" Frazier, host of WIZN's Blues for Breakfast radio show, previews a whole bunch of upcoming blues shows that you should not miss. Get reading and start planning.

Work on Best of the Green Mountain Blues-Volume Three is in high gear. Enough good stuff has been submitted for another double CD and it will hit stores in late fall, so it can be gobbled up as a Christmas stocking stuffer. Many bands from Volumes One and Two return, along with newcomers Quadra, High Pool, Rachel Bissex, The Nerbak Brothers, The Bailey Brothers, The Redneck Aliens and more.

What else is going on? National blues acts continue their treks to town. Upcoming:

1) Saturday, September 5th: Alvin Youngblood Hart @ Metronome. 7 pm: Our second chance to see this hot, rising young acoustic blues artist of whom Taj Mahal remarked: "He's got thunder in his hands!"

2) Saturday, September 12th: 1998 Harvest Acoustic Blues Benefit at Vermont College's Alumni Hall in Montpelier, 6 pm: featuring two-time W.C. Handy Award winners Cephas and Wiggins and Handy Winner Guy Davis, Blues/Jazz guitar master Woody Mann, Queen of the slide guitar Del Ray and local Bluesman Dave Keller. New England Culinary Institute gumbo and Magic Hat beer will be available at the show. Tickets are $20 available at Main Street News and Onion River Arts Council in Montpelier and Vermont Folk Instruments in Burlington. There will also be afternoon master classes from 2-4, with focus sessions on Memphis Minnie by Del Ray, Rev. Gary Davis by former student Woody Mann, Robert Johnson by Guy Davis and a harmonica workshop with Phil Wiggins. $15 tickets can be purchased at the door, but preregistration is suggested at Vermont Folk Instruments or Play it Again Sam's in Montpelier. All proceeds benefit the Vermont Food Bank and the Onion River Arts Council.

3) Walter "Wolfman" Washington and the Roadmasters return to Metronome on Wednesday September 9th for another New Orleans funk drenched evening.

4) Sunday September 13th, Coco Montoya at Club Metronome. John Mayall's longtime guitar player makes his first visit to Vermont! From those who have seen him, this is a DO NOT MISS show!!!

5) September 16th, Government Mule at Higher Ground! The Allman Brothers Band spinoff returns to the area, riding high on their Capricorn release Dose.

6) Friday, September 18th... Eric Clapton in Montreal! Probably not as much blues as the "From The Cradle" Tour, but still lots of fret burning!

7) Saturday, September 26th: John Mayall @ Higher Ground. The father of British blues and former mentor of Clapton, Peter Green, Mick Fleetwood, John McVie, and Mick Taylor returns with new guitar sensation Buddy Whittington.

8) Monday October 5th: The Radiators at Higher Ground. The New Orleans band with over 700 songs in their repertoire returns for another sweat soaked evening.

9) Sunday October 11th, Jimmy Johnson @ Club Metronome. The legendary Chicago guitarist makes a rare East Coast appearance.

For info on these shows: Club Metronome: 865-4563. Higher Ground: 654-7079 Check out these shows, so Club owners will continue to book blues. Talk to you next when the snow will be flying, and we'll all have a reason to have "the blues."

"Mr. Charlie" Frazier is the host of WIZN's Blues for Breakfast radio program and leader of the band of the same name.