Soccer (or futbol, if you prefer), and music

As astute readers (both of you) know, I have two stepdaughters, the younger of whom is on a soccer scholarship to Georgetown College. This is her senior year there.

Jenn told me Friday morning that Saturday was "Seniors Day" on the soccer field. Jenn and Brad (the father) were to be on the field for the celebration after the game.

I have long said that I cannot and will not take credit for what Rachel has accomplished. Her accomplishments are her own, and stem from who she was well before I met her in 2007. I can be proud that she is doing well in school, and of who she is, but I cannot take credit for creating her. I was not upset that I wasn't part of the on-field celebration (although I was there to take pictures). It was good to see her. Her team won the game, which is always a plus. They looked much better as a team than when I last watched them--their efforts in practice and in the games since are starting to pay off.

Bracketing our trip to Georgetown were our two trips to the Garvin Gate Blues Festival. I've been a fan of this festival since I first learned of it in 1989. Indeed, it was that festival that got me started doing a lot of photography, focusing, if you will pardon the pun, on blues musicians as they played. I spent a lot of time and more money shooting pictures of guys playing in night clubs around town from fall of 1989 until some time in 1991 or '92 before realizing that I was not going to be able to spend the time and money to make a great photographer of myself. I got some images published, and am proud of some of those images.

I've missed a couple of the Garvin Gate festivals over the years, but not many of them.

Anyway, after work on Friday, I pedaled furiously to get home so that we could go, and we got there in time to see the Walnut Street Rhythm and Blues Band play their set. This band, largely made up of sons and a nephew of the late Foree Wells, has been playing together since they were kids, and it shows. They are TIGHT on stage. Their singer is very good, too.

After they left the stage, we were treated to a set from Karen Lovely. Wow. Her song, "Still the Rain," is nominated for a song of the year-type award, and if it doesn't win, it's up against some amazing competition. The woman has some pipes! Her voice has some hints of Grace Slick from the 'plane days, but with more dynamic range. Her album, "Still the Rain," is worth getting if you like blues, or rock, or haunting pop, or...

Saturday night's headliner was Grady Champion. After hearing Karen Lovely the night before, I was disappointed. His show was mostly a string of his interpretations of blues standards the crowd had already heard four or five times in the weekend, and while his band has talent, their show was not as moving as a show of more original music like the one I had seen the night before.

In other good news I learned at the Festival, Cee Cee James is coming to town! I learned of her music through XM radio a bit more than a year ago, and became a fan instantly. Her voice is often compared to that of Janis Joplin, and while I hear the resemblance, it seems to be more coincidental than intentional. Either way, I consider it a compliment to her. She's worth a listen or twenty. I'm looking forward to meeting her next month when she is in town.