Blues at The Beach

By Linda Prendez, On-Line Forty-Niner

Tuesday, September 8, 1998

The wretched heat that has been torching Southern California these past weeks dissipated just in time for the 19th Annual Long Beach Blues Festival, much to the delight of blues enthusiasts who showed up for the three-day event at Cal State Long Beach's Athletic Field this Labor Day Weekend.

The festival, presented by KLON-FM, a nationally renowned jazz radio station that broadcasts from the Upper Campus of CSULB, brought together more than 20 performers from all over.

The Blues Brothers Band, with special guests Eddie Floyd and Wilson Pickett, gave the audience a live taste of what they may have only seen in the movies. Roomful of Blues, celebrating its 30th anniversary, played with guests Curtis Salgado and other performers.

Sunday's British Blues Reunion featured all the blues greats from England, including the "godfather of British blues" John Mayall. Peter Green (Fleetwood Mac), Mick Taylor (Rolling Stones), Kim Simmonds (Savoy Brown), and Chris Dreja and Jim McCarty (The Yardbirds) jammed together for the night's finale.

Taj Mahal and the Phantom Blues Band, Jimmie Vaughan and other bands drew more fans on Monday to round up the festival.

The festival began 19 years ago as an impromptu one-day affair where performers played for small crowds. Now it has become one of the largest in the world.