The San Matean

Issue date: 5/27/08 Section: Entertainment

Media Credit: Ricky Light Professor Rudy Ramirez and student Clarissa Spiller performing John Lee Hookers song "Boom Boom" at the Blues Experience

Media Credit: Ricky Light Helen Souranoff

Media Credit: Ricky Light Chris "Kid" Anderson

"Tonight is a celebration of music," Ethnic Studies professor Rudy Ramirez said as he started the lecture and concert "The Blues Experience," a way of teaching he described as "edu-tainment."

Students and others looking for education and entertainment filled the theater as "The Blues Experience" concert and lecture came to the CSM theater for the second time on Wednesday, May 7 at 7 p.m., courtesy of CSM's Diversity In Action group and Rudy "El Professor" Ramirez.

The free event educated its attendees on the rich history of the blues, which Ramirez explained in the lecture portion of the event. He described the genre as the "roots" of many others, such as rap, R&B, Rock'n'Roll, and other American popular music.

"Music is cyclical. It's always evolving, always changing," he said.

The audience learned the blues started in the 1800's, and got its name because blues musicians sang about hardships and poverty. But, Ramirez told them, "Blues is not about pain, it's about healing."

At first, blues was called the devil's music because it differed from gospel and early blues musicians were "Ne'er-do-wells, drinking, getting into fights," Ramirez said, but by the 1900s it received widespread acceptance.

Some of the "ne'er-do-wells" Ramirez highlighted in his presentation were blues musicians Howlin' Wolf, John Lee Hooker, Robert Johnson and Muddy Waters, with photos and auditory examples of each. Also included was the music of new artists such as Keb' Mo' and Kenny Wayne Sheperd.

After the lecture, the musicians, including Ramirez on guitar and several special guests took the stage to play 12 songs.

"This is the divorce song," said Isis Johnsson, one of the night's main vocalists, as she introduced the show's first number, a blues shuffle entitled 'Don't Try to Convince Me.'

The night's set list was chosen by picking songs that represented different styles of blues, such as shuffles, Johnsson said.

One of CSM's own students, Clarissa Spiller, a 24 year old music major from Buffalo, New York, sang two blues standards and left the stage to applause.

"Rudy opened me up to blues," she said. Spiller met Ramirez at CSM's Monday night jazz band class, and said he invited her to perform at the show.

The next guest was Chris "Kid" Andersen, a guitarist and vocalist originally from Oslo, Norway, who took over the mic for two songs.

"I don't think they have classes like this in Norway," Andersen said about the concert and lecture. He moved to the Bay Area seven years ago, and plays regularly at San Francisco blues clubs.

Next, Helen Souranoff from CSM facilities sang the blues classic "Stormy Monday" before Johnsson sang one last song with the band.

Ramirez's guitar solos referenced a diverse range of songs like Jimi Hendrix's "Little Wing," and everyone's favorite childhood nursery-rhyme, "Mary Had A Little Lamb."

"I live on the edge- I just push the envelope as far as it goes," Ramirez said of his performance. He proved his point during the third song, "Dump That Chump," leaving his amp and the stage to get closer to the audience, a feat made possible by his wireless guitar system.

Once the music was over, the audience had a chance to talk to the musicians.

"We had a really nice turnout," Johnsson said. "It looks good, feels good, it's a wonderful auditorium."

Page 1 of 1

Article Tools