Little Joe McLerran Quartet 2010 tour dates for Rhythm Road: American Music Abroad

Middle East Tour Dates Announced for 2010 –

 

March 10, 2010 – Jazz at Lincoln Center and the U.S. State Department’s Bureau of Educational & Cultural Affairs announced that the Little Joe McLerran Quartet will tour to the Middle East with The Rhythm Road: American Music Abroad program. The blues quartet from Tulsa, Oklahoma, was selected from a pool of 132 applicants to travel abroad and promote cross-cultural understanding. International tour activities will include public concerts, master classes, lecture-demonstrations, workshops, jam sessions, collaborations with local musicians and media outreach.

Little Joe McLerran Quartet will tour the Middle East as part of the The Rhythm Road: American Music Abroad program

The Little Joe McLerran Quartet is a collective of seasoned musicians drawn from the ranks of Tulsa’s finest, who came together specifically for The Rhythm Road: American Music Abroad. The ensemble brings blues to life through the study and performance of this unique American roots genre, and all players are deeply committed to keeping the blues alive and bringing the music to diverse audiences. Little Joe McLerran Quartet believes that blues explores music from many cultures and is filled with possibilities. In its unique approach, this ensemble presents blues and American roots as a “Soup Recipe,” which has been stirred, mixed, handed down, and revised by generations of people who brought their music from all over the world to America. Little Joe McLerran Quartet members describe their style as simple, supportive, inspired and, above all else, inventive.

The band members are: Joe McLerran (guitar), David Berntson (harmonica), Robbie Mack (bass), and Ron McRorey (drums)

As part of The Rhythm Road, Little Joe McLerran Quartet will also perform two concerts in the United States. In Washington, D.C., the National Geographic Society will present the first concert on June 3, 2010 at 7:15pm at the Grosvenor Auditorium, 1600 M St. NW. The second concert will be presented by Jazz at Lincoln Center on June 5, 2010 at 2 pm at Dizzy’s Club Coca-Cola at Fredrick P. Rose Hall, home of the Jazz at Lincoln Center.

Little Joe McLerran Quartet will tour Bahrain (March 29 – April 2), Saudi Arabia (April 3 – 11), Kuwait (April 12 – 15), Oman (April 16 – 21).        *Dates and locations subject to change

The Rhythm Road: American Music Abroad

 

Where/When:

 

Little Joe McLerran Quartet tour will take them to Bahrain (March 29 – April 2), Saudi Arabia (April 3 – 11), Kuwait (April 12 – 15), Oman (April 16 – 21).        *Dates and locations subject to change

 
U.S. Concert Dates:

 

 • Washington, D.C.: June 3, 2010 at 7:15pm at the Grosvenor Auditorium, 1600 M St. NW

• New York City: June 5, 2010 at 2pm at Dizzy’s Club Coca-Cola at Frederick P. Rose Hall, home of Jazz at Lincoln Center

How:

For more information visit The Rhythm Road: American Music Abroad at jalc.org/TheRoad, now with additional elements including featured countries, bands, stories from the road, and more.

Sponsorship:

The Rhythm Road: American Music Abroad program is made possible with underwriting support from the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs of the United States Department of State.

Jazz at Lincoln Center proudly acknowledges National Geographic Live as the Washington, D.C. concert series partner. WPFW-FM is the media sponsor for this series.

Jazz at Lincoln Center is dedicated to inspiring and growing audiences for jazz. With the world-renowned Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra and a comprehensive array of guest artists, Jazz at Lincoln Center advances a unique vision for the continued development of the art of jazz by producing a year-round schedule of performance, education and broadcast events for audiences of all ages. These productions include concerts, national and international tours, residencies, a jazz hall of fame and concert series, weekly national radio programs, television broadcasts, recordings, publications, an annual high school jazz band competition and festival, a band director academy, jazz appreciation curriculum for students, music publishing, children’s concerts and classes, lectures, adult education courses, student and educator workshops and interactive websites. Under the leadership of Artistic Director Wynton Marsalis, Chairman Lisa Schiff and Executive Director Adrian Ellis, Jazz at Lincoln Center will produce thousands of events each season in its home in New York City, Frederick P. Rose Hall, and around the world. For more information, visit jalc.org

U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs promotes mutual understanding between the United States and other countries through international educational and exchange programs. Through its Cultural Programs Division, the Bureau supports a variety of cultural exchanges that support U.S. foreign policy, foster America’s artistic excellence, and demonstrate America’s respect and appreciation for other cultures and traditions. The Rhythm Road: American Music Abroad program presents selected professional American performers on concert tours in countries with limited exposure to live American culture. For more information, visit exchanges.state.gov/cultural/rhythm.html.

Additional Information at Little Joe’s website:
http://www.LittleJoeBlues.com

Photo by R J Whetstone
Graphic by R J Whetstone

 

Little Joe McLerran reaches the #1 spot on the Roots Music Report

    

RootsMusicReport - Top 50

Jan. 29, 2010 – Roots Music Report is the number one independent music chart in the world. RMR compiles radio airplay data from radio stations around the globe that play all forms of roots music, so that each week you can see which independent artists are being played the most by what stations…   

    

Little Joe has reached the #1 spot on the Roots Music Report in the blues catagory for the week of Jan. 29th !  

Here is a sample from the RootsMusicReport, in the
blues category for Jan. 29. 2010: 

TW	LW	Artist	CD Title	Label	Location
1	3	LITTLE JOE MCLERRAN	BELIEVE I’LL MAKE A CHANGE	ROOTS BLUES REBORN	TN
2	4	DEBBIE DAVIES	HOLDIN’ COURT	VIZZTONE	CA
3	29	RAY BAILEY	RESURRECTION	TONDEF	CA
4	50	LONG JOHN HUNTER	LOOKING FOR A PARTY	BLUES EXPRESS	TX
5	7	ARTHUR ADAMS	STOMP THE FLOOR	DELTA GROOVE	CA
6	0	ERIC BIBB	BOOKER’S GUITAR	TELARC	NY
7	22	VICTOR WAINWRIGHT AND THE WILDROOTS	BEALE STREET TO THE BAYOU	WILDROOTS	TN
8	9	ANDREW JR. BOY JONES	GETTIN’ REAL	ELECTRO-FI	TX
9	10	SAMUEL JAMES	FOR ROSA, MAEVE AND NOREEN	NORTHERN BLUES	ME
10	11	DAVID MAXWELL & LOUISIANA RED	YOU GOT TO MOVE	VIZZTONE	MA
11	5	DARRELL NULISCH	JUST FOR YOU	SEVERN	MA
12	2	JOE LOUIS WALKER	BETWEEN A ROCK AND THE BLUES	STONY PLAIN	CA
13	15	SUPER CHIKAN	CHIKADELIC	BLUESTOWN RECORDS	MS
14	21	MIKE ZITO	PEARL RIVER	ECLECTO GROOVE	TX
15	12	ZORA YOUNG	THE FRENCH CONNECTION	DELMARK	IL
16	14	SEAN CHAMBERS	TEN TIL MIDNIGHT	BLUE HEAT	FL
17	8	HARRISON KENNEDY	ONE DOG BARKIN’	ELECTRO-FI	NY
18	17	ROBERT CRAY	THIS TIME	VANGUARD	CA
19	18	DELBERT MCCLINTON	ACQUIRED TASTE	NEW WEST	TX
20	6	TINSLEY ELLIS	SPEAK NO EVIL	ALLIGATOR	GA

 

Visit Roots Music Report online for expanded listings
in a multiple of catagories:

http://www.rootsmusicreport.com/

Little Joe’s website:
www.LittleJoeBlues.com   

 

damprock
aka R. J. Whetstone   

Little Joe McLerran nominated as a finalist for the Best Self-Produced CD

Jan. 7, 2010 – Little Joe McLerran’s newest CD, Believe I’ll Make a Change, is selected as a finalist in the Blues Foundations annual awards for the Best Self-Produced CD…  The winner to be announced at the 26th Annual International Blues Challenge (IBC) in Memphis in late January 2010…

In the meantime, you can now order 
Believe I’ll Make a Change online through CDBaby.com

Visit Little Joe’s website: www.LittleJoeBlues.com

Little Joe McLerran – Believe I’ll Make a Change – NEW CD

Little Joe’s website:
www.LittleJoeBlues.com

Little Joe McLerran releases new 2009 CD – Believe I’ll Make a Change

 

Little Joe McLerrans new 2009 CD

It’s has been a very busy and rewarding year for Little Joe McLerran, Piedmont style, roots blues guitarist from the Tulsa, Oklahoma area.  On February 7, 2009, he received First Place honors at the International Blues Challenge (IBC) in Memphis during its 25th annual blues competition, sponsored by the Blues Foundation.  Little Joe won center stage at the historic Orpheum Theatre on Beale Street, where the finals took place in the Solo/Duo category. 

“Eden Brent said to me after the finals, ‘Winning the IBC will launch your career.’  She was right!” said Little Joe in a recent phone interview.   Eden Brent won the IBC event in 2006 and has since collected numerous awards and traveled the world.  A Mississippi Delta native, Eden Brent is a masterful blues pianist and vocal stylist she has won awards for both Acoustic Artist of the Year and Acoustic Album of the Year at the recent 2009 Blues Music Awards.  

Touring more than a dozen states crowded Little Joe’s calendar following his winning performance in Memphis.  Coast to coast blues festivals, which included the Heritage Music Blues Fest in Wheeling, West Virginia to the Waterfront Blues Fest in Portland, OR were among multiple highlights. 

Little Joe and Eden Brent on stage at the Chautauqua Hills Blues Fest, May 2009

In June, a trans-Atlantic jaunt to the Roots n’ Blues Festival in Italy was his first European performance.  Staged in the scenic Parma countryside along the Po River, Little Joe made new fans with his brand of roots blues in the land of Parmesan cheese and ham!  The month of October was jam-packed.  From October 17-24, Little Joe joined cruise line Holland America’s Legendary Rhythm & Blues Cruise (San Diego, CA to Cabo San Lucas, La Paz and Loreto).  An Impressive array of performers on the cruise included Kenny Wayne Shepherd, Mavis Staples, Susan Tedeschi, Elvin Bishop, Buckwheat Zydeco, Tommy Castro, Phantom Blues Band, Rod Piazza & the Mighty Flyers, Coco Montoya, Shane Dwight, and Lionel Young Band, to name a few… 

The day after the conclusion of the cruise, Little Joe performed one set in New York City at Jazz At Lincoln Center on October 25^th.   He will be returning to The Big Apple on Dec. 2^nd for a performance at an intimate jazz club, Dizzy’s Club Coca-Cola. 

Little Joe on stage at Roots N' Blues Festival in Italy

October 2009 also brought the release of Little Joe McLerran’s newest CD titled Believe I’ll Make a Change, a Tulsa studio recording comprised of thirteen selections, several self-written compositions, along with several fresh arrangements from roots blues that date back to the 20’s and 30’s.  The CD is now available for online purchase at CDBaby,

http://www.cdbaby.com/cdljm3

 One can only imagine what the  future holds for this talented twenty-five year old in the coming years…

Reviews
“Little Joe plays Piedmont Blues, and since the death of John Cephas [3/4/09], may be the heir to the crown of “the best” around. For a guy that is only 24 years old, this guy oozes with talent. Surely another artist you want to make a point to see.” –Bob Keiser, Blues Blast Writer/Publisher 

 

…”Kicking off the main stage on Saturday was the 2009 International Blues Challenge solo/duet winner, Little Joe Mclerran. Joe and his bass player were so tight they were squeaking. He gave the crowd a clear picture of why he won!” – Simply the Blues Fest in Fort Madison , Iowa  

“Perhaps the finest Piedmont Blues player on the face of God’s green earth,” writes Billy Austin, editor of Blues News. 

For more information visit Little Joe McLerran’s website – www.LittleJoeBlues.com 

Little Joe & Eden Brent photo by R J Whetstone
Believe I’ll Make A Change CD design/Photography by R J Whetstone 

(C) 2009-2010 Richard J Whetstone

Little Joe McLerran – 1st Place at the International Blues Challenge in Memphis

Little Joe McLerran wins in Memphis

The Road to Memphis & the IBC

 MEMPHIS Feb. 5th-7th, 2009 – – Blues Societies from around the world sponsored sixty-five solo/duo acts and another eighty-five bands from around the globe, all arriving in Memphis for the annual International Blues Challenge. This year marks the 25th Anniversary of the event hosted along Beale Street, Home of the Blues.

Within a six block span along Beale Street, night clubs, blues bars, restaurants, as well as Mr Handy’s Blues Tent honoring the blues legend W. C Handy, all play host to over one-hundred and fifty musical acts competing for the honor to advance to the finals on Saturday night (Feb 7th) taking place in the historic Orpheum Theatre, on Main and Beale.

The IBC begins on Thursday night – Schedules and time slots for all performers provide every competing act with a twenty-five minute set to impress the three panel judges. Stage management is carried out with military precision, avoiding delays between acts.

Starting time for the competition begins at 6:30 PM and continues late into the evening. Because of the number musicians performing, it is impossible to see and hear them all.

Friday night, the semi-finals attract standing-room only as legendary Beale St lives up to its name. This is the night the huge crowds will learn which acts will advance to the finals at the historic Orpheum Theatre.

It is 12:30 AM on Saturday, and the finals start in thirteen hours with the announcement of the final ten bands, along with six solo/duo musicians competing.

Beginning Saturday afternoon, anticipation and excitement is creating a buzz between performers, as well as fans waiting the final announcement of this year’s International Blues Challenge winners.

I came to Memphis this year to see Little Joe McLerran perform as a soloist. For three previous years I have been witness to Little Joe’s performances with a band (2008), and twice before that as a duo (2006/2007). To this point, Little Joe has never made it past the semi-finals, to the real finals.

My annual sojourn to Memphis this year began in Tulsa, where I joined the McLerran’s and traveled almost four hundred miles to Memphis with Robbie, Candice, Casey and Little Joe all packed into “Bluesy.” We stayed again this year at the Marriott. It was convenient and we knew our way around from previous years – that’s an important item to understand, especially to minimize any tension that could distract from the true purpose of being here. The Main Street trolley was at the back entrance to the hotel and a short 10-12 block ride south to Beale Street. I went there to photograph the event and in particular, Little Joe.

In a random drawing that Saturday, Little Joe McLerran was placed in the third slot for the 2009 IBC Finals at the Orpheum Theatre. The final six finalists in the Solo/Duo category are allowed only 20 minute set tonight. Again, three judges are responsible for evaluating and grading the talent, based upon predetermined categories and standardized criteria.

Each act demonstrated their prowess along many subtle levels. At first observation, you would survey their stage persona, followed by their song selection and performance ability, including both instrumental & showmanship.

Blues can be a vague category, and the finalists confirmed their knowledge and depth of the subject. Some songs performed throughout the night, however didn’t exactly fall into the blues idiom. There were moments of brilliance and inspiration, but I didn’t see an act carry or dominate the entire set, before or after, Little Joe took the stage. His nimble and talented Piedmont style, together with his professional poise, and frequent smile warmed the room – he was in top form!

Little Joe’s 20 minute – award winning set included:

1) All By Myself- Bill Broonzy

2) Blues Before Sunrise – Leroy Carr

3) Lookin For A Woman – Snooks Eaglin

4) I’m Wild About It – Little Joe McLerran

5) Little Joe’s Breakdown – Little Joe McLerran

6) Mornin Blues – Gus Cannon

7) Gotta Move – Homesick James

Little Joe McLerran was selected by the Blues Foundation as this years 1st Place Winner of the 2009 IBC solo/duo division. The celebration and thrill of his accomplishment spread enthusiastically among all Tulsa attendees, which included a large delegation from the Blues Society of Tulsa. It was the Blues Society of Tulsa that once again provided Little Joe the opportunity to compete and this year it was a celebration to be shared with all who came.

The 1^st Place Winner in the Solo/Duo division was Little Joe McLerran, representing the Blues Society of Tulsa; and 2^nd Place went to Alphanso & Richard from the Crossroads Blues Society of Mississippi.

We return to Tulsa tomorrow, but for now, with the memory of a wonderful journey fresh in our minds we spill onto Beale Street. Little Joe is surrounded by well wishers and supporters all anxious to congratulate him.

In the band competition, 1st Place went to JP Soars & the Red Hots, representing the South Florida Blues Society; 2nd Place went to the Cascade Blues Association’s Ty Curtis Band and Ottawa Blues Societies Monkey Junk placed 3rd.

Here we are in Memphis, it’s late, and we’re on Beale Street, so let’s have another big-ass-beer !  This surely is a night to remember, and it’s even brighter under the neon glow of Memphis lights.

More at Little Joe McLerran’s website: http://www.littlejoeblues.com
Poster Graphic and Photograph by R J Whetstone

 damprock –
aka R. J. Whetstone

(C) 2009 R J Whetstone