DW Gill and the Blues Prophets Harp -  wizard, sax player, and on-fire front man DW Gill returns to the Maine blues scene with the legendary Blues Prophets, one of Maine’s first major blues acts. Formed in the early 70’s, DW and the Prophets blazed the blues trail throughout the state, and their reunion at this year’s festival promises to be explosive! 

 

Eric Green -  www.myspace.com/ericgreenband Eric Green describes himself as a “Penobscot/Maliseet Native American soulman carvin’ out a livin’ clawin’ on my guitars” who’s played in a long list of “seedy dives, bars, taverns... and hell holes” and “wouldn’t give it up for nothin’ (unless perhaps six figures were involved)”.We feel Eric is entirely too modest, so we’ll say instead that Eric and his band simply ooze swampy, funky mojo! 

 

Kevin Kimball and the Steeldrivers -  www.kevinkimball.com This is raw, urban blues, straight up, no chaser. Comprised of slide guitarist and vocalist Kevin Kimball, master drummer Bub Lynch, and Don Whitcomb, “the bass player’s bass player”, the Steeldrivers feature slash-and-burn bottleneck blues and explosive arrangements. Wear loose clothing! 

 

Lex and Joe Blueswing -  www.lexandjoe.com Versatility is the keyword for this outfit. One minute they sound like the smooth swing bands of the 1930’s and 40’s; the next minute they sound like the “rave up” blues bands of the fifties and beyond. 

 

Luther James -  Luther James is a master luthier (that’s a “guitar-maker”), custom blues harp microphone designer, and longtime blues jam host. When he performs at the Festival he steps out of the background with his own distinctive brand of “slow burn” electric blues. 

  

Meantone -  www.meantoneblues.com Meantone is “Original Graveyard Blues”, a duo comprised of Meantone on fretless slide guitar and throat and Young Bret on drums and percussion. Meantone’s unique guitar tuning along with Young Bret’s maximal playing of his minimalist drum kit make you think there are four or more people in the band! 

 

The Mojomatics -  Want authentic “Old School” Chicago blues and West Coast swing? This band is all about just that. Fronted by vocalist and harp virtuoso Ton O’Connell and directed by Maine blues mainstay Mike Hayward (“Red Light Revue”), this is the original stuff! (Minus the scratches on the 78’s) 

The Mojo Romeos -  www.kevinkimball.com Originally called “The Shackdaddies”, the ‘Romeo’s are a semi-acoustic drummerless blues band that feature four accomplished instrumentalists, two of whom are frontmen in other bands. Think John Mayall’s “Turning Point” album. 

New Blues Revue -  All-Star Jam host Jerry Smith steps to the front of the stage with his own blues line-up this year. The Canadian- born Smith moved to Maine at an early age and spent his childhood surrounded by some of Maine’s greatest musicians. Today Jerry is one of our most respected musicians, and his playing style (using banjo picks on a Telecaster!) is truly unique among guitarists. 

The Blue Willow Band -  www.bluewillowband.com The Blue Willow Band is a six piece Rhythm and Blues/Jazz band featuring Diana Hansen on vocals, guitar, and percussion. With material that ranges from Robert Cray to Fats Waller, Blue Willow has been entertaining audiences from Bangor to Nantucket to North Conway for over twenty years. Dancing in the street is encouraged! 

Roundhouse  - www.roundhouseblues.com Roundhouse combines the Memphis blues with New Orleans Zydeco plus a bit of the Chicago sound to create a gumbo of jump blues and swing. The band's original material draws on influences such as the Neville Brothers and Roomful of Blues, producing sounds that make you want to groove. 

The Roy-Hudson Band - www.royhudson.com The Roy-Hudson Band is all about roadhouse boogie on a Saturday night. Led by veteran musicians Linda Roy on keyboards and vocals and Dan Hudson on guitar, slide guitar and vocals, this outfit is "blues with the bark still on!" Long time favorites in west central Maine, the Roy-Hudson Band will boogie until YOU drop!

Samuel James www.myspace.com/sugarsmallhouse Samuel James brings a rare level of authenticity to blues performances that make the audience almost forget that this is the twenty-first century. Close your eyes and you'll begin to believe you're in a 1930's juke joint listening to Robert Johnson - LIVE! Open your eyes and you'll do a double-take. This is as real as it gets!

Shawn Mercer and the Boondocks Blues Band - www.shawnmercer.com  This unique band was spotted by one of the festival organizers during a performance in Rockland, Maine, and was booked on the spot for the Festival.  Playing exclusively original material, the Boondocks deliver a fresh yet timeless version of American Blues.  Perhaps best of all, with dynamic front man/bandleader Shawn Mercer leading his crew through their high-energy set, these guys are just plain fun to watch!

 

Trailer Trash - Over the years, Trailer Trash has developed it's own unique sound, reminiscent of the raw energy a roadhouse band of another era. A well-oiled combination of acoustic guitar, electric bass, blues harp, and drums along with high caliber music craft and sly humor, when these guys play you can almost see the chicken wire!

What's the Catch - What's the Catch is an explosive performance-base power trio that embraces it's blues, rock and R&B roots while pioneering new sounds.  Two of the band's members have received awards in various regional and national jazz competitions, and after playing in a seven-piece horn band, these three young men (the oldest member is eighteen!) decided that "less is more" and went to a three-piece format to give each other more "elbow room."  Watch out!

 Mark Persky, MC - www.markpersky.com -  Grand Master of Ceremonies - Radio and television personality Mark Persky remains quite arguably the most recognizable voice in Maine broadcast media and is a passionate devotee of the blues. He has been with the Festival since its inception in 2006, and also serves as the MBF Official Spokesperson. After many years entertaining on radio and television, he continues to deejay weddings, reunions, and birthdays. His website, has won the coveted Cheap Website Award several years in a row.

50 -50 Blues Band - frino@megalink.net  “50-50" brings a very unique acoustic approach to both traditional and modern blues. The five-piece band was formed after two of its members decided that “after being on this wonderful planet for fifty years it was time to share our love for this music with the public.”

Bad Daddy’s - www.baddaddysband.com - Bad boys inevitably become Bad Daddy’s! As teens, these guys devoured the blues recordings of Buddy Guy, Howlin’ Wolf, Freddie King and Stevie Ray Vaughan. With an unyielding rhythm section, a pair of vintage tube amps, and a working class demeanor, The Bad Daddy’s create a gritty sound that sizzles and burns!

Bawlmer Slim and Meantone - These musicians met several years ago during some street playing at Portland’s Farmer’s Market. Now The Maine Blues Festival is proud to bring this authentic downhome duo to Bray’s Beer Garden. With Meantone playing those “ original graveyard blues” on his resonator guitar along with Bawlmer Slim blowing harp as well as foot tapping tambourine, they will shout the blues so that you’ll want to pitch a wang dang doodle for sure. Don’t miss ‘em cause these guys are finger lickin’ good.

Blind Albert - www.myspace.com/blindalbert - Vincent Gabriel , a.k.a. Blind Albert, is a must-see live performer who has been creating and performing his own brand of music for more than three decades. Forming the Blind Albert Band in 1991, Vince quickly established himself as a no-holds-barred blues and rock performer. In addition to opening the 2004 North Atlantic Blues Festival, Vince has shared the stage with countless blues legends including Jimmy Rogers, Eddie Shaw And The Wolf Gang , Johnnie Rawls, and Lucky Peterson.

The Disclaimers - The Disclaimers have been playing classic Rock and Blues together since way back when it wasn’t pre-empted by the word “classic”. More like brothers than band mates, Mark Accuosti, Craig Trend, Scott Davis and Tom Gill, started playing together in high school in 1974. They pride themselves with their selection of B-sides and lesser played material, and the 2 most commonly heard comments after a gig are “Great song selection” and, “You guys really look like you’re having fun!”

I.C. Waters Band - www.myspace.com/bluzguy A long established performer in the Portland area, Steve Bailey is all about playing and singing the blues right and with respect! At the same time, he’s also just as likely to infuse his high-octane performance and soaring guitar work with the understated yet hilarious wit that has become his trademark, so watch out!

Jimmy and the Soul cats - www.jimmyandthesoulcats.com  With more than 20 years at the top of New England’s music scene, a serious road history performing throughout the U.S. and Canada, and two internationally distributed CD releases, this band is sheer roots and blues enjoyment with a sound that speaks in world- class tones. Jimmy plays guitar without an excess of pyrotechnic nonsense - if you've seen Jimmy Junkins play, you've seen something of a rarity: someone who plays for the sheer love of music!

The Juke Joint Devils - The Juke Joint Devils, as the name of the band suggests, play a style of blues that goes back to the days of the juke joints. A time when every "joint" had at least a trio playing most nights of the week and the bands would "swing like crazy". The band features Tom O'Connell on vocals and harmonica, Gerry Byrne on guitar and Steve Bowman on baritone sax in the front line backed up by the driving rhythm section of Alfredo Grado on bass and Jeff Glidden on the drum kit. If you're looking for toe tapping, swinging blues the Juke Joint Devils is the band you want to hear!

Kevin Kimball: The Mad Captain’s Blues Circus www.kevinkimball.com  This is a one-time special event you won’t want to miss! Slide guitarist and Festival cofounder Kevin Kimball brings Blue Steel Express, Kevin and the Steeldrivers, and the Mojo Romeos together for the first time on one stage. Sultry vocalist Deb Danuski, master drummer Bub Lynch, veteran bassist Don Whitcomb, harp wizard Tom O’Connell, and flutist extraordinaire Ralph Thompson will deliver a “revue” type show that will run the gamut from intimate rural acoustic blues to classic 60's Brit-blues raves to incendiary modern originals.

Off - Mission Blues Band - The Off-Mission Blues Band was formed by faithful blues musicians within NFI North, a human service organization serving people in both Maine and New Hampshire. They play traditional blues covering Buddy Guy, Cream, Muddy Waters, B.B. King, and use hard driving, heart-felt expression to ignite musicians and listener alike into blues frenzy.

Paul Lowell and the Blues Trio - Lead guitarist and vocalist Paul Lowell has been playing for about 10 years both as a solo act and with bands, and is the Trio’s main song writer and arranger. Along with veterans Dave Fitzhebert on bass and drummer Fred Madore, The Paul Lowell Blues Trio play a variety of old blues standbys to original blues tunes, offering up an exciting and entertaining evening with plenty of Blues to listen to and get up to dance to.

Rick Miller & Gate Street Blues - Heavily influenced by the jump blues and swing styles of T-Bone Walker and his modern counterpart Duke Robillard, Jersey City-born guitarist, vocalist, songwriter and bandleader Rick Miller presents the audience with a blend of authentic, original tunes and styles from the delta to Chicago and from Memphis to West Coast blues, all with his unmistakably “fat” archtop guitar tone and feel. Along with veterans Bruce LeBlanc on drums, Tom Ambrose on bass, and Travis James Humphrey playing 2nd guitar. Rick Miller & Gate Street Blues have become one of Maine’s best known blues secrets!

Scott Davis - After twenty years of playing electric guitar in bands in New England and then California, Scott returned to Maine in 1998 and decided to turn his efforts to playing solo acoustic finger-style blues of long time favorites such as Reverend Gary Davis, Blind Author Blake, Big Bill Broonzy, and Sam “Lightning” Hopkins. Davis has also studied acoustic finger-style guitar with Jorma Kaukonen (Jefferson Airplane, Hot Tuna), Ernie Hawkins (a long time student of Reverend Gary Davis), and Roy Book Binder (who counts Pink Anderson and Gary Davis among his friends and influences). Scott is currently working on a full length CD of some of his original compositions to be released later this year.

Travis James Humphrey - Though Travis is comfortable playing a wide range of styles, he loves to stretch out on the root of all styles: the blues. He performs a wide range of original material and blues standards by BB King and Ray Charles as well as Stax and Motown soul artists. A former touring Air Force musician, Travis also works as rhythm guitarist for famed Chesky recording artist Murali Coryell (son of Larry Coryell). Recently, Travis and TJH Band bassist Tom Ambrose opened for BB King at Merrill Auditorium in Portland as members of the Murali Coryell Band.

Wooden Eye - www.harmonicaworkshops.com   www.woodeneyemusic.com Wooden Eye is a hot new Maine blues band with some old friends: Harp master Mike “Bullfrog” Rogers and his son drummer Joe Rogers (from “Roundhouse”) joined by journeymen musicians Dan MacLellan bass and Bob Halperin guitar nd slide guitar. This is Bullfrog more raw ‘n’ roots than you’ve ever seen him before!

The Zack Pomerleau Blues Band - There’s been a lot of buzz in blues circles about Zack over the past year, and for good reason: simply put, Zack Pomerleau plays blues harp with more mojo and authority at age fourteen (that’s right, age fourteen!) than seasoned players twice his age. Zack began hitting the blues jam circuit a little over a year ago and immediately caught the attention of many of the “old pros.” Zack’s debut at the Maine Blues Festival promises to be explosive!