Congratulations to the Quay Thomas Duo
2014 Iowa Blues Challenge Solo/Duo Champs
Quay and Elliott will join Band champs the Mercury Brothers representing the Central Iowa, Mississippi Valley, South Skunk, Southeast Iowa and Lizard Creek Blues Societies at the 2015 International Blues Challenge in Memphis TN in January.
Congratulations and thanks also to runner up, Rob Lumbard, as well as finalists Charlie Hayes & “Detroit” Larry Davison and the Zach & Mike Show for putting on a terrific show at the finals.
The 2014 Iowa Blues Challenge Solo/Duo competition is proudly sponsored by: Budweiser, Summit Brewing, Cityview, Junior’s Motel, the Muddy Waters, the House of Bricks, Zimm’s Food & Spirits, Southeast Iowa Blues Society, South Skunk Blues Society, Lizard Creek Blues Society, Mississippi Valley Blues Society and Central Iowa Blues Society.
Lineup set for Iowa Blues
Challenge Solo/Duo Finals
Sunday, August 24th at 6 pm
Zimm’s Food & Spirits
3124 Ingersoll Ave, Des Moines
Rob Lumbard 6:00 – 6:30
The Zach & Mike Show 6:45 – 7:15
The Quay Thomas Duo
7:30 – 8:00
Charlie Hayes & “Detroit” Larry Davison
8:15 – 8:45
CIBS congratulates the four acts who advance to the 2014 Iowa Blues Challenge Solo/Duo Finals on Sunday, August 24th at 6 pm at Zimm’s Food & Spirits, 3124 Ingersoll Ave, Des Moines. Charlie Hayes & “Detroit” Larry Davison and the Zach & Mike Show from the Quad Cities preliminary join the Quay Thomas Duo and Rob Lumbard from the Des Moines preliminary with the ultimate winner receiving a $250 cash prize, 8 hours recording time courtesy of Junior’s Motel in Otho IA, opportunities for paid gigs, including the 2015 Winter Blues Fest and the 2015 Bottoms Up Blues Bash, among others, and entry into and $300 travel expenses for the 2015 International Blues Challenge in Memphis TN. Doors will open at the finals at 5 pm. Admission is $8 or $6 for any Iowa Blues Society member with membership card.
CIBS would like to extend thanks to all the participating acts as well as special thanks to the sponsors of the 2014 Iowa Blues Challenge Solo/Duo competition: Budweiser, Summit Brewing, Cityview, Junior’s Motel, the Muddy Waters, the House of Bricks, Zimm’s Food & Spirits, Southeast Iowa Blues Society, South Skunk Blues Society, Lizard Creek Blues Society, Mississippi Valley Blues Society and Central Iowa Blues Society.
Quad Cities Preliminary
Saturday, July 26 at the Muddy Waters
Dan Peart – Dan Peart is a singer/songwriter, born in Fort Dodge and transplanted to Clinton, IA. Beatles music inspired him to learn to play, sing and write; also learning from his older brother’s record collections of The Stones, Eric Clapton, Dylan, etc., who all showcased and acknowledged rock and roll evolving from the original blues men and women who brought their music out of the delta fields to Memphis, Chicago and the world. Dan Peart is a lifetime member of the Mississippi Valley Blues Society and a two-time finalist in the Iowa Solo/Duo Blues Challenge. This January he went to Memphis to enjoy, feel, hear and see everything about the International Blues Challenge finals. Dan feels his real challenge is competing and striving within himself as a musical artist, with the hope of earning the opportunity to perform on Beale Street representing the State of Iowa.
Charlie Hayes & “Detroit” Larry Davison – ‘Detroit’ Larry Davison hails from Rock Island, Illinois, and started refining his chops on the harmonica in the late 1970’s, originally learning licks on everything from standard folk songs, TV shows, cartoons, Christmas favorites, as well as any and all of the blues harp players he could find to listen to and study stylistically. He remains extremely dedicated to refining his musical skills, and has never stopped learning from the original masters of the blues harp. ‘Detroit’ Larry has also performed as a member of the Ellis Kell Band from 1992-present, opening shows for many national acts such as B.B. King, Willie Nelson, Charlie Musselwhite, Robert Cray, Delbert McClinton, Tower of Power, Jimmy Rodgers, Little Feat, Shannon Curfman, John Lee Hooker, Jr., Savoy Brown, and Edgar and Johnny Winter. He has also performed as a backing musician for rock and roll icon Bo Diddley, and was a member of Shane Johnson’s Blue Train (1999 Iowa Blues Challenge winners) performing at the 1999 Mississippi Valley Blues Festival, which proceeded to the International Blues Challenge finals, and recorded two CD’s. With John Resch & The Detroit Blues (2002 Iowa Blues Challenge winner) he also performed at the Mississippi Valley Blues Festival. With Juke Joint Sinners (2006 Iowa Blues Challenge), he again performed that year at the Mississippi Valley Blues Festival. In 2009, as a member of the Avey Brothers (Iowa Blues Challenge winner and IBC finalist), he performed yet again at the Mississippi Valley Blues Festival, and recorded a CD with that group.
Charlie Hayes, a consummate guitarist and vocalist has been a figure on the local music scene for more than four decades. Charlie’s acoustic blues demonstrates a mastery of blues with a repertoire ranging from classic sounds of Robert Johnson to contemporary picking of Keb’ Mo’. Charlie, a Peoria native, has been a member of the Even Steven Band, a mainstay in the Galesburg and Peoria area, since 1974. A guitar teacher whose many students are now contributing to live music in many locales, he teaches full time at Cherry St. Guitar in Galesburg. Hundreds of musicians have benefited from Charlie’s open mic; which is currently in its 22nd year. Charlie’s newest project features his five string banjo playing while he plays bass pedals with his feet with Podunk Posse, a band that gives Classic, Pop, Folk, Rock, and Country a “Newgrass” feel. Charlie’s solo acoustic blues CD, “Barnyard Blue,” will be available this summer.
The Zach & Mike Show – Although just a two piece, you won’t find acoustic guitars and bongos here. The Zach and Mike Show, Zach Harris on guitar and Mike Miller on Drums, is an electric two-piece blues act played with emotion. Their influences range from SRV, Jimi Hendrix, BB, Albert and Freddie King, to Elmore James, Robert Johnson and Muddy Waters.
SaJes – Jesse Barger is a 16-year-old Quad City native from East Moline, Illinois, and has been playing guitar for 2-1/2 years. He took music lessons from Tony Carducci at West Music, learning mostly from listening to records. He was inspired to play music by listening to The Band, Neil Young, Townes Van Zandt and Son House. Guitar influences include Robbie Robertson, Peter Green, Roy Buchanan. Buddy Guy, Eric Clapton and David Gilmour.
Sarah Hanson is 17 years old, and developed an interest in all forms of music as soon as she learned she could manipulate the sound of her voice. Since singing her first solo in kindergarten, she has performed in various locations throughout the Quad Cities, including Cool Beanz, Southpark Mall, the Festival of Trees, the Quad City Airport, the Speakeasy and Circa ’21, as well as with the Quad City Symphony childrens choir.
Jesse and Sarah met in December 2013 when they both participated in a Blues workshop at the River Music Experience in Davenport, Iowa. They have been practicing and performing together at various locations in the Quad Cities since.
Congratulations to Charlie Hayes & “Detroit” Larry Davison and The Zach & Mike Show, who will advance to the Iowa Blues Challenge Solo/Duo Finals on Sunday, August 24th at Zimm’s Food & Spirits in Des Moines!!!
Des Moines Preliminary
Sunday, August 3 at the House of Bricks
Quay Thomas Duo – Pella, Iowa native lead guitarist and vocalist Quay Thomas and Wilmington, Delaware native Elliott Sidell on rhythm guitar and Cajon form the Quay Thomas Duo. With Elliott on drums and joined by bassist Alexandre Jannuzzi of Rio, Brazil they also perform as the Quay Thomas Trio. Quay, Alex and Elliott are on their 3rd semester at the prestigious Berklee College of Music in Boston studying Film Scoring and Professional Music/ Performance. They met in the summer of 2013 while attending their first semester and quickly became friends sharing their love for all types of music, but with blues at its epicenter. See this young trio perform this summer in the East Coast area to the Midwest in their first ever tour!
Joel Monroe – Joel Monroe comes from the small town of Leon, Iowa. Playing with only a guitar and drum machine, he has released two self-produced albums roaring with an unpolished Garage/Blues Rock sound. His music will take you back into the 60’s era where the raw, gritty, soulful music was big. Joel Monroe was born in the right place, but just the wrong time.
Thankful Dirt – Iowa duo Thankful Dirt is pioneering blues in a small format, relying on solely guitar, trumpet and vocals to produce a spacious, full-size sound. Composed of guitarist and singer Darren Matthews and trumpet player Erik Brown, the duo has a distinctive, dynamic nature. Steeped in Mississippi Valley blues, Thankful Dirt is tinged with traditional blues, roots rock and folk elements. If music is a stream of consciousness, then Matthews and Brown drink from the same pool. The duo play with such a connectedness that their instruments meld seamlessly in each song. At one moment, Thankful Dirt will be intimately and quietly picking at the loose threads of emotion knotted around your heart. The next, they’re bursting forth in a furor of thundering horns and chords. Matthews dusky, nostalgic vocals are unfussy and invoke images of wind-swept Iowa plains, rusty tractors and hard-won calluses. Raised in the heart of Georgia, Brown’s horn style is firmly rooted in southern blues. Through Thankful Dirt, the South meets the Midwest with a true American voice and a blues style that’s as honest as the Great Depression.
Rob Lumbard – Rob received his musical education in the bars on Forest Avenue in Des Moines, Iowa. Rose Marie Webster, Luther Allison, Sonny Terry and Brownie McGhee were some of the musicians he bugged till they let him sit in on harp or guitar. He joined The Wapsie River Band in 1980 and barnstormed the midwest with them for ten years. In 1990 he went back to playing solo. Opening up for Lyle Lovett, The Band, The Austin Lounge Lizards, Dan Hicks, Jerry Jeff Walker, Norman Blake, Steve Forbert, Leon Redbone, and countless Blues acts that came through the area. This coupled with a weekly gig at Flanagan’s, enabled Rob to record a couple of cds on the Hot Fudge label. He was also a part of the trio Two Bobs and a Babe which included Hot Fudge label-mates Bob Dorr and Molly Nova. Rob’s music is Blues/Folk based. You might find him covering a Jazz standard, Robert Johnson, Lyle Lovett or doing a set of his own tunes. His finger-picking guitar style can be traced back to Hot Tuna, Doc Watson and Piedmont Blues . His slide playing is influenced by Johnny Winter, Lowell George and Ry Cooder. For slide he uses a ’29 National, for most of the regular guitar work, a ’35 Epiphone archtop. His songwriting has been heavily influenced by the Texas songwriters and is laced with self-deprecating humor. This year he’ll be playing festivals, bar rooms, restaurants, churches, private parties from here to Rabbit Hash, Kentucky. Mostly a solo act, but he also plays guitar for The CJC Big Band and The Party Gras Classic Jazz Band. Rob’s songs can be heard on KUNI and KFMG radio. His music has appeared in several Public Television projects, which have received Emmy and other awards. Rob is a member of the Central Iowa Blues Society and has participated in their Blues in the Schools program.
Salem & Moore – Michael Moore was a junior in high school when he started playing in a band called The Royal Fist of Harmony. The boys won a battle of the bands, the prize being they would open for the Dave Clark Five. Later Michael became one of the founding members of the Wapsie River Band. The band played regular gigs in Kansas City, Chicago, Minneapolis, Des Moines and Milwaukee. For the last 15 years, he has been writing songs and recording.
Playing the guitar and writing songs since she was five years old, Jean-Marie Salem’s music is a collection of exotic lyrics and sounds that move you and will stick with you all day. Born in Eastern Iowa and raised in Des Moines, Iowa, Jean-Marie’s first instrument was a Ukulele given to her by family friends. Jean-Marie describes her music as follows: “It allows listeners to focus on what they want out of life by opening up their soul to achieve their life dream. I want people to succeed and be happy.”
Congratulations to the Quay Thomas Duo and Rob Lumbard, who will advance to the Iowa Blues Challenge Solo/Duo Finals on Sunday, August 24th at Zimm’s Food & Spirits in Des Moines!!!
Sponsors of the 2014 Iowa Blues Challenge Solo/Duo competition are: Budweiser, Summit Brewing, Cityview, Junior’s Motel, the Muddy Waters, the House of Bricks, Zimm’s Food & Spirits, Southeast Iowa Blues Society, South Skunk Blues Society, Lizard Creek Blues Society, Mississippi Valley Blues Society and Central Iowa Blues Society.
Are you ready to take the challenge?
We are now seeking applicants for the
2014 Iowa Blues Challenge Solo/Duo competition.
