MCLA's Third Annual Blues And Funk Fest Features 'Women of the Blues'
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| The festival will feature Charmaine Neville, of the legendary New Orleans Neville family on Friday night |
This year’s festival will feature “Women of the Blues and Funk.” On Friday, Charmaine Neville, third-generation singer of the legendary New Orleans Neville family, will perform. Then, on Saturday night, Canadian rocker Sue Foley will take the stage with the sounds of the Delta Blues. “Our annual Blues and Funk Festival is one of our most successful events,” said Jonathan Secor, MCLA director of special programs. “This year we turn the stage over to the talents of some amazing women, including New Orleans’ own Charmaine Neville, Canada’s hottest Blues guitar player Sue Foley, and the great local talents of Berkshire Idol winner Jill Gallagher, Sharon Foehl and MCLA students Haley Waugh and Brandee Simone. <L2>
“A resident and strong advocate for the rebuilding of the City of New Orleans, Charmaine Neville’s performance at MCLA is a rare appearance outside of Louisiana for her and her four-piece band – some of the Crescent City’s finest musicians,” Secor continued. “A chance to see Charmaine in person is a chance to be transported to the great music clubs of New Orleans to see the real deal – where funk meets jazz meets blues.” Opening for Neville will be the MCLA Jazz Band, featuring MCLA Alumna Katie Johnson, MCLA student Brandee Simone ’08 and local resident Sharon Foehl.
On Saturday night, Foley, a blues guitar player and singer, will perform. She brings with her more than 20 years on the road as a bandleader, lead guitar player and manager of her own band. Foley has shared the stage with performers including BB King, Koko Taylor, George Thorogood, Tom Petty and Joe Cocker. <R3>
In 2000, Foley was honored in Canada with her first Juno Award for Best Blues Album for her CD, “Love Comin’ Down.” Since 1999, she has received 17 Maple Blues Awards and three Trophee De Blues in France. In 2002, she was nominated for a W.C. Handy Award for best contemporary female artist. “It’s hard to find anyone – male or female – who can rock the guitar and sing the blues like Sue Foley,” Secor said.
<L4> Joining Foley on Saturday night will be Berkshire Idol winner Jill Gallagher and her band, as well as the MCLA Jazz Band and the MCLA student blues band, Haley Waugh ’08 and the Whiskey Barrel Blues Brothers. Tickets to “Women of the Blues and Funk Festival” are $12 for general admission, $5 for MCLA faculty and staff, and free to Patrons and MCLA students. A general admission for both nights is $18. For more information or to order tickets, call 413-662-5543, or go to www.mcla.edu/patrons .
