Journey to Memphis
Representing the NEBS at IBC 2002By George Deveny/Guitarist with the Tom Healey Band
For anyone interested in the blues, soul and rock 'n' roll, going to Memphis is like a pilgrimage to Mecca. Memphis - the home of Sun and Stax/Volt Records, Beale Street, Elvis, W.C. Handy, Rufus Thomas and many other musical legends. For me, the journey to Memphis meant a chance to compete in the International Blues Challenge and meet other performers and blues society members from around the country, and more. While we didn't win the competition, the Tom Healey Band got the opportunity to perform on Beale Street, network with blues society members from all over, and visit some of the most famous places in musical history. We also got to enjoy some Southern culture and great hospitality.
All the acts at the IBC represent a blues society. Last summer, The Northeast Blues Society held its qualifying contest, called the Colossal Contenders Competition, to determine who would represent them in Memphis. During the Colossal Contenders, we got to hear and compete against some of the best blues performers the Capital region has to offer. At the finals in July we won the opportunity to represent the NEBS at the IBC Challenge, held in the first week in February. Concurrent to the IBC, the Blues Foundation also runs BluesFirst, a convention for blues society members. The time from July to February passed quickly, and we were ready to head to Memphis for the IBC weekend.
After flying to Nashville courtesy of Southwest Airlines, we drove to Memphis and arrived just in time to check in. All IBC competitors met at the New Daisy Theater to get their venue and starting assignments. We performed at a club called Blues City Cafe, on Beale Street. Blues City is located at the eastern end of the blocked-off entertainment district, which is filled with nightclubs, restaurants, tourist shops and theaters. The competing band members seemed friendly, and the competition was strong. In our venue, there were bands from Boston, Kansas City, Wichita, Phoenix and Portland, Oregon. All the bands were strong, and a variety of blues styles were represented.
There were a total of 53 acts competing in the IBC, each representing a blues society. Ultimately, after three rounds of competition, the top honor went to Chef Chris and His Nairobi Trio, from Detroit, representing the Canada South Blues Society. The finalist from our venue, The Nicole Nelson Band, from Boston, came in third. Second place went to Tyree Neal, Kenny Neal's nephew, representing the Baton Rouge, La. Blues Society. Tyree also went home with the Albert King Award, for the most-promising guitarist. This was the first year for solo acts at the IBC, and the award went to Little Toby Walker from Long Island.
It's always good to meet musicians from other places, hear them and see their approach and performance. You come away with some new ideas and appreciation of the level of play at this type of event. With a dozen or more clubs featuring live music, there were plenty of opportunities hear great players. In addition to musicians playing in the IBC, I saw other great players on Beale Street, including former Nighthawk Jimmy Thackery and the Drivers; Giant People, a funky jazz quartet from San Diego; the Gamble Brothers, a New Orleans-style combo reminiscent of the Meters; and the Dempseys, a hot-rodded rockabilly trio, complete with upright bass.
Beale Street is sort of like a "blues carnival," with barkers trying to entice patrons to enter their establishments, neon lights, people walking from club to club, and a constant stream of sights and sounds that stimulate your senses. Our visit was full of interesting people and places, mouth-watering smells, and some of the tastiest food on the planet. When you walk around downtown Memphis, the scent of dry-rubbed ribs smoking permeates the air, as does the sound of music from inside the clubs, piped outside to attract fans walking up and down brick-paved Beale Street, which is closed to traffic. In the entertainment district, which has a 5 a.m. closing time, it's OK to take your drink with you, as long as you have a plastic cup.
In addition to the IBC, another great part of the trip was seeing some of the legendary music places in Memphis. I particularly enjoyed seeing Graceland and Sun Studio. I thought both would be larger, but, somehow, their intimacy only adds to the mystique of Memphis. While the duck-walk at the grand Peabody Hotel isn't a musical event, it is worth seeing as one of those Southern eccentricities that adds to the color and charm of Memphis.
We learned a lot about ourselves on this trip, as musicians and people. The experience like this has helped us focus on our strengths, and also how to improve. It would have been great to win, but life is about the journey. Win or lose, our participation in the IBC 2002 was a tremendous life-experience, full of unforgettable memories. Our journey to Memphis was a great adventure.
