By Chris Nixon
For the Union-Tribune
May 17, 2007
From the Delta to Chicago, from a beat-up old acoustic to a shiny Fender Strat, the blues historically has adapted and found a home at each stop in its long, storied past. But among the media din and pop culture obsessions of the 21st century, the blues faces a crisis: The number of young people listening to the blues dwindles while the masters of the art form (and the people listening to them) grow older.
“Honestly, the SoCal blues scene is pretty much nonexistent at this point, except for festivals or multi-act shows,” said North County blues musician Nathan James, who teams with Carlsbad resident Ben Hernandez to play the blues circuit. “A lot of the world's best players live here and can't find work in the clubs. There are not many young fans coming to blues shows these days. I guess the lure of the discos are too hard to resist.”
Whether it's Robert Randolph singing I need more love every day of my life and whaling on his pedal steel or The Reverend Al Green crooning I can't get next to you, the blues comes to listeners in many forms. Festival organizer Rich Sherman knows the key to the blues' future lies in expanding the boundaries of the genre while keeping true to its roots. As president of Omega Events, a festival production company based in Orange County, he's been booking the talents for the Doheny Blues Festival in Dana Point for the past decade.
DATEBOOK
10th annual Doheny Blues Festival, with The Reverend Al Green, John Fogerty, Robert Randolph & the Family Band, The Blind Boys of Alabama, Nathan James & Ben Hernandez, and many others
11 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. Saturday and Sunday; Doheny State Park, 25300 Dana Point Harbor Drive, Dana Point; $45-$165; (949) 360-7800
“The last several years, we have looked forward,” said the 40-year-old Sherman on the Doheny State Beach blues festival, which spans Saturday and Sunday with 26 performances on three stages. “We have to try and find artists that are still musically appropriate for the show but also bring something new to the table and bring a younger crowd. Eventually, your crowd gets older, so you have to look elsewhere for inspiration.”
Case in point: Last year, Sherman brought in young guns like James Hunter and G. Love and Special Sauce. This year, Omega continues the trend with artists like Robert Randolph and Susan Tedeschi. While Doheny is still largely a traditional blues festival, the door is opening slightly for younger artists with a new take on American roots music.
“There's a mission in trying to do younger artists, and it's a challenge to put them in front of people in their 30s, 40s, 50s,” said Sherman, who brings headliners John Fogerty and Green to Doheny this year. “Robert Randolph is almost a perfect artist to bridge all of those demographics. It's always fun to shake the show up a little bit.
Part of Doheny's successful formula and Sherman's imperfect science lies in the intimate vibe of the Backporch, the small third stage tucked behind one of the main stages hosting acoustic blues acts like Nathan James and Ben Hernandez.
“People just dig it,” Sherman said. “Some people buy the ticket just for the Backporch. It gives you the opportunity to sit a few feet away from people, like Robert Lockwood a few years ago. And you just don't get opportunities like that. And people like Rory Block this year, these are world-class acoustic blues performers that if you wanted to, you could sit in the front row and call out a request.”
James added: “We've performed at Doheny several times. It is a very nice, laid-back vibe in the audience.”
By combining Randolph's emotional bluesy gospel rock sound with such traditionalists as James Cotton and Kim Wilson, Sherman is striving to ensure the longtime health of his festival and the blues.
“Our goal every year is just to improve the festival,” Sherman said. “We felt like last year was a tremendous year. We felt like last year was almost the perfect show. The response from fans was great. Ticket sales are up from last year, so it's going to be fun.”
Chris Nixon is a San Diego music writer.
DOHENY BLUES FESTIVAL
Home: Doheny State Park
Past performers: John Lee Hooker, Robert Cray Band, Fabulous Thunderbirds, Etta James & the Roots Band, Wilson Pickett, Keb' Mo', Bo Diddley, Little Feat, Johnny and Edgar Winter, Bobby “Blue” Bland, Kenny Wayne Shepherd, Clarence “Gatemouth” Brown, B.B. King, Jonny Lang, Little Richard, Los Lobos, Chuck Berry, Ike Turner, Dr. John, Solomon Burke, Taj Mahal, John Mayall, Blues Traveler, Koko Taylor, Mavis Staples, Neville Brothers and Buddy Guy.
FESTIVAL LINEUP
SATURDAY
The Reverend Al Green
Susan Tedeschi
The Fabulous Thunderbirds
John Németh Band with special guests The Rockets, Junior Watson and the Texas Horns
Roy Rogers and the Delta Rhythm Kings
Roy Gaines and the West Coast Blues Band
The Oreo Divas
Tricia Freeman Band
Shawn Jones at the Breakfast Set
ON THE BACKPORCH
Rory Block
Jo' Buddy and Down Home King III
Rhythm Council
Nathan James and Ben Hernandez
SUNDAY
John Fogerty
Robert Randolph and the Family Band
The Blind Boys of Alabama
Rod Piazza & the Mighty Flyers with guest James Cotton
The Lowrider Band
Steve Copeland & Raging Sun
Missiles of October
Gino Matteo at the Breakfast Set
ON THE BACKPORCH
Cephas & Wiggins
Kim Wilson Band with James Cotton
Harry Manx and Kevin Breit
All artists are subject to change without notice.
