mvbs.org - Home

The blues is the foundation, and it's got to carry the top. The other part of the scene, the rock 'n' roll and the jazz, are the walls of the blues.
- Luther Allison

Bruce Katz, Hammond B-3 Master, to Play at Redstone Room, October 17

Bruce Katz

Bruce Katz, a 2008 Blues Music Award Nominee for Best Keyboardist, will bring his fiery, passionate and very original take on blues, roots and soul music to the Redstone Room, Davenport, on Friday Octber 17 at 8:30 p.m. Admission is $15, $12 for Mississippi Valley Blues Society members (at the door). The show is sponsored by the Mississippi Valley Blues Society.

An acknowledged Hammond B-3 master and acclaimed pianist, Katz will bring his top flight band with him as part of his CD Release Tour for his new album, Live! At the Firefly. Katz also actively tours with Gregg Allman and tours and records with John Hammond, who notes that “This man is as good as it gets—one of the greatest keyboard artists I’ve ever heard.” Bill Milkowski of Jazz Times says, “Katz cooks up a brilliant marriage of blues, jazz, gospel and soul.”

Over the past 25 years, Katz has been an in-demand sideman as well as leading his own band. He has played and recorded with many names in blues and roots music, appearing on approximately 60 albums with artists such as Ronnie Earl, Duke Robillard, Jerry Portnoy, Little Milton, Jimmy Witherspoon, Big Mama Thornton, Mighty Sam McClain, Debbie Davies, David “Fathead” Newman, and many others.

Billy Branch

In bringing 10 years’ worth of blues educators to the Quad City community, we have all learned from some of the very top blues educators—such as Rev. Robert Jones, Fruteland Jackson, John Jackson, and of course Quad Cities’ own born and bred Michael “Hawkeye” Herman. But in my opinion, none have done a better job of educating children and adults about the blues than master Blues in the Schools educator, harmonica player, and singer Billy Branch, who was here previously in 2001, 2003, and 2005.

Billy was born at the Great Lakes Naval Hospital just north of Chicago on October 31, 1951, and grew up in Los Angles where he learned how to play the harmonica, but no blues. Billy didn’t become interested in blues until he returned to Chicago to attend the University of Illinois where he earned a degree in political science. It was when he attended a festival at Grant Park, produced by Willie Dixon and featuring such blues legends at Muddy Waters, Junior Wells, Big Mama Thornton and many others, that changed Billy’s life forever.

Chris Avey

Congratulations to The Avey Brothers for winning the 2008 Iowa Blues Challenge, held Saturday, May 17 at the Hotel Fort Des Moines. This Quad Cities band consists of Chris Avey on guitar and vocals, Mark Avey on bass, Bryan West on drums and Chris Ryan on harmonica. Formerly collaborating in the Twin Towers Band and rock band Blue Ash Ink, Chris and Mark Avey have been a fixture on the Quad Cities music scene for the past ten years or so. While Chris was off in Phoenix playing lead guitar with the Big Pete Pearson Band, Mark had a successful stint playing bass with the Mercury Brothers, who also won the Iowa Blues Challenge and made it to the finals of the International Blues Challenge in Memphis, which is a significant feat in itself.