Wednesday, May 7, 2008

Blue Shoe Project commemorates Grammy with festival in Colleyville

By Andrew McElwee

If you missed the Jimmy Buffett show out in Frisco last month, why not consider a healthy blues alternative? The Blue Shoe Project will be hosting their first ever Blue Shoe Blues Festival at The Village in Colleyville, this Saturday, May 10th.

The event is free and open to the public.

There’s good reason to celebrate. After all, it’s not every year someone local wins a Grammy. That’s right—the Project took home the prestigious award last February.

Their live album, Last of the Great Mississippi Delta Bluesman, won Best Traditional Blues Album at the 2008 Grammy Awards.

The festival features an impressive lineup of crooners not unknown to DFW (and beyond). Opening the show with a hoop and holler will be Elvis T. Busboy and the Blues Butchers.

Following (and even matching) their lead, Tutu Jones will introduce his untamed guitar talent to fans. Like Red Bull and gin, this blues veteran’s style is explosive and exceedingly personal.

Many concert-goers already familiar the Project’s reputation will witness 17-year old guitar prodigy Marquise “Big Daddy” Knox and the Hard Knox Blues Band. A product of Blue Shoe’s successful educational programs, this Gen-Y bluesman is steadily gaining ground across Texas.

“He’s way ahead of his age to be playing this stuff,” said Mike Dyson, co-founder of The Blue Shoe Project. “Blues is where Marquise really shines. We look at him and say, this is the future, right here.”

Following the performances, specialized blues workshops will be taught personally by Marquise and Mike.

The Blue Shoe Blues Festival kicks off at 2:00 PM and jams until 9:00 PM. The event is presented by Tivoli Wines plus a host of other generous sponsors.

And for those who don’t believe in free lunches (or drinks, for that matter) VIP tickets will be available for $100. All proceeds go to further support The Blue Shoe Project’s educational ventures.

“This event is the first of its kind in Colleyville,” remarked Dyson. “It’ll show folks what we’re up to--continuing to foster blues while showing people a good time.”

Founded as a non-profit organization in 2004, The Blue Shoe Project is committed to advancing awareness of blues and roots music in education. For more details on the festival, visit www.blueshoeproject.org or call 1-800-714-6019.

This review was submitted by a member of the Pegasus News community.

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