Farmer Jason’s Moozapalooza will still take place tonight, February 22nd,
at 6:30pm at the Carleton Branch Library.
THE BLUES IS BACK!
Move aside, Memphis, and cuddle up, Clarksdale—Monroe County takes its turn as
“The Home of the Blues” during February with the Black History Month Blues Series. Recipient of The Blues Foundation’s 2009 Keeping the Blues Alive Award for Education, the project celebrates its 23rd year with another month-long schedule of free concerts for all ages throughout the county, culminating with The Big Gig! on February 27, 2010.
Monroe County's 23rd Annual Black History Month
Blues Series kicks off with Madcat, Kane & Maxwell Street performing live at Ellis at 7 pm on Monday, February 1st. Watch this space for the full schedule of events--coming soon! Check out their Video!
The Big Gig! Saturday, February 27, 2010- 7:00pm
Monroe County’s 23rd Annual Black History Month Blues Concert Starring:
All Blues Series events are FREE.
No tickets are required, general admission seating is first-come, first-served and limited to theater capacity. Doors will open at 6:00 pm. For more info, phone the Monroe County Library System at
(734) 241-5277 or (800) 462-2050
Other Blues Events Happening in February: As always, all events are free and open to the public. No ticket is required, and it’s general admission seating: first-come, first-served and limited to venue capacity.
Madcat, Kane & Maxwell Street - Monday, February 1, 2010 - 7:00pm
Ellis Reference & Information Center
Another harmonica genius, this one from Ann Arbor--and a Monroe County favorite, Peter Madcat Ruth kicks things off at the Ellis Reference & Information Center with the local debut of his new group, Madcat, Kane & Maxwell Street. Joined by his longtime musical partner, guitar master Shari Kane, Madcat’s finally found a blues rhythm section agile and powerful enough to keep up with the riffs and grooves he and Shari have been creating for over two decades.
Matt “Boogie-Woogie Kid” Ball - Tuesday, February 9, 2010Rescheduled to February 16, 2010 - 7:00pm
Bedford Branch Library Matt’s a Michigan native who’s been called “the Gen-X arrival to this uniquely American art form” while rocking the ‘88s around the world. Matt’s also a published author of two picture books, The Worm and the Caterpillar and Minnie and Melvira (and a teacher and an attorney…in his spare time).
Farmer Jason’s Moozapalooza! - Monday, February 22, 2010 - 6:30pm
Carleton Branch Library
“There’s never a shortage of sunshine” when “the rockingest folk singer who ever lived,” Farmer Jason, comes to town, so he’s back to perform at the Carleton Branch Library on February 21 as part of Monroe County’s biggest children’s music event of the year, Bluesapalooza! (In honor of Farmer Jason and his songs inspired by the madcap menagerie on his Tennessee farm, the 2010 event will, of course, be renamed Moozapalooza!) Recipient of an Emmy and a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Americana Music Association, Farmer Jason’s work (often confused with that of his “twin brother,” rocker Jason Ringenberg) caused the Los Angeles Times to rave about his “rousing songs about forest critters that encourage tykes to exercise their muscles and educate their minds.” The “Anarchy in the pre-K” begins at 6:30 pm—adults need not be accompanied by single-digits, honest.
Fiona Boyes & Rich DelGrosso - Wednesday, February 24 - 7:00pm
Dorsch Memorial Branch Library The blues series goes Down Under for the first time on February 24 when native Australian Fiona Boyes performs with mandolin master Rich DelGrosso at the Dorsch Memorial Library. Boyes, who’s been called “a one-woman blues tent revival,” proves that tent’s a big one (literally and figuratively) as she lets in former Detroiter Rich DelGrosso, to perform individual sets as well as numbers from their acclaimed recording (with Mookie Brill), Live from Bluesville.
The Black History Month Blues Series is presented by the Monroe County Library System and the 2010 Blues Coalition of community co-sponsors: Monroe County Community College, Friends of Bedford, Friends of Carleton, Friends of Dorsch, Friends of Ellis, Black Swamp Blues Society, DTE Energy Foundation, MCCC Diversity Committees, and Detroit Blues Society
