As I sit here and write this post, the temperatures in Kansas are coming off 100 degree days and it has cooled down to the mid-80s. Summer is smoking, but that isn’t all that is smoking! The Hoodoo Brothers have had some cool things happen (and will be happening) since early March!
On April 16th the band performed at “Mama” Diane Ray’s Hope House Benefit at BB’s Lawnside BBQ. Mama Ray asked if we would donate our time for this worthwhile event and course we said yes. Nic had surgery a week before and was unable to play guitar so their good friend Matthew Francis (Cleveland Blue) sat in on guitar while Nic handled the vocals. It was a great show and the amount of Kansas City talent that was there that day was off the charts!
April 27th the band made an appearance on KKFI 90.1 FM’s “Local Showcase” with Keith Washburn and Kansas City Blues Society board member Dennis Nelson. This was our second time on the show and we got to play a little, talk about the band, the addition of saxophone since the last time we were on the show, and where we we going to be playing in the future.
May was a busy month for the band. We played twice at the KC Juke House Blues & Jazz Restaurant in the historic 18th & Vine jazz district in KC. We also was the host band at Score Bar & Grill for the Kansas City Blues Society monthly meeting/jam. Lot’s of folks came out and Mama Ray herself mad an appearance. Paul had to have multiple surgeries and was not available for this, so once again, our buddy Matthew Francis stepped in, this time on bass, for the event.
The band also performed in Topeka at Gage Park for the Topeka Blues Society “Summertime Blues in the Park”. We had a fantastic crowd and the weather was absolutely perfect! It was great to meet up with and talk to the TBS folks (President Gerry Schmanke and board member Suki Blakely). The sound system (Thanks Frosty) was incredible and we are hoping to be able to be a part of bring the blues to Topeka next year as well!
The end of May found the band recording 5 of their original songs for a EP, aptly titled “EP”. We did a crash course, DIY recording session at our rehearsal space and what transpired was a good example of not only our original material, but a live performance of that material. Nic spent the first couple weeks of June creating the cover art and mixing and mastering the tracks at his home studio and sent the master off to be pressed around the middle of the month, with expected delivery sometime in July.
June was the breakout month for the band, however. The month started a whirlwind, hectic three day weekend starting with a last minute fill-in at BB’s Lawnside BBQ in KC on Friday, June 2. Jimmy Nickle and his staff were off the hook and the crowd was equally fantastic! If you’ve never been, the blues vibe here is powerful and it is definitely the place to be seen if you are a blues musician or fan!
Saturday June 3rd found us with two shows. The first for the Topeka Blues Society again at the Mulvane Art Fair in Topeka. We did an afternoon show between 2023 IBC finalist Mark Montgomery and powerhouse Orphan Jon & The Abandoned. Once again, the weather cooperated for the outside event. After the show we had a couple hours and had to then hustle to KC for a show one of our favorite places, Christine’s Firehouse in North KC. Casey was unavailable for both shows on this day, so our great friend, and master saxophonist Harry Muldrow, filled in for the show. The hectic weekend ended on Sunday, June 4th at KC Juke House Blues & Jazz for a Sunday matinee show.
The band played a Wednesday midday performance at Evergy Plaza in downtown Topeka for the Live @ Lunch series on June 21st and that closed out June for us. We had a great crowd, good weather, and saw a lot of familiar faces!
So, here it is July. We have gotten more bookings at venues in KC that are upcoming (Christine’s, BB’s Lawnside) as well as some in Topeka (Dirty Girl Adventures: Compass Point), Perry (High Tide 21) and Lawrence (Trivedi Wine [with the KC Blues Society]. We also received our lot of 100 CDs which are now available for purchase on this site or at our shows!
September is the 2024 IBC at Knuckleheads Garage, which we have been working up our original material in anticipation of. We plan on bringing our A game (as we always do) and are hopeful for a win this year to represent the KC Blues Society in Memphis January 16-20th, 2024!
Look for us around the northeast Kansas and KCMO areas and don’t forget to keep supporting local, live music and musicians!! You are the reason we do what we do and are the the reason we are able to do what we love doing! Next update will be in October, until then!!