Blues bands performing at Port Cape

With Mardi Gras approaching and thoughts of the Deep South fun floating around, fans of blues music will hear an early treat Saturday.

The Southern Illinois Blues Society, helmed by Will Stephens, is hosting a hotbed of local, regional and international talent for a concert at Port Cape. Familiar acts include Bruce Zimmerman and the Water Street Band, Doug Rees, Big Larry Williams and Rip Lee Pryor.

The featured performer of the night is international boogie-woogie blues piano man Kenny "Blues Boss" Wayne. Wayne was born in New Orleans, grew up in San Francisco and now lives in Montreal.

Wayne has won many awards for his playing and songwriting, and has most recently been nominated for the 2012 Pinetop Perkins Piano Player of the Year, with the winner being announced May 10.

Ivas John, with The Ivas John Band, contacted Stephens about Wayne. Stephens said John saw the opportunity to bring Wayne to Cape Girardeau once he saw the piano legend was playing in St. Louis.

The Ivas John Band

"He's playing at BB's Jazz, Blues and Soups in St. Louis for several nights in a row," John said. "That is a club that my band has a really good relationship with."

John is friends with the entertainment coordinator, John May, and talked to him about wanting a national act to bring to Cape Girardeau. The two were able to pull everything together along with Stephens.

"[Wayne] hardly ever plays outside of Canada," Stephens said. "People say, 'One night only,' or 'A rare chance to see somebody,' but this is the real deal. Unless you feel like getting your passport stamped with a Canada stamp, you're not going to see him in this area."

John said he considers Wayne to be one of the torchbearers of traditional boogie-woogie blues.

"For someone who doesn't have a very extensive knowledge of what blues music is, for them to get introduced to Kenny Wayne kind of out of the blue is like drinking an ice cold glass of water when you're thirsty," John said.

Rip Lee Pryor

Stephens said Southeast Missouri and Southern Illinois trade a lot of artists, and that has bred a more regional guild of musicians.

The Ivas John Band proves the theory. Band leader Ivas John is a recent transplant to Cape Girardeau from Carbondale, Ill. The rest of the band lives in Carbondale and Murphysboro, Ill.

John said he thinks Cape Girardeau and Carbondale have plenty of opportunities for great live music, especially from touring musicians, but he knows that work must be put in to get those musicians interested.

"Those things just don't happen on their own; there has to be some initiative taken and someone to put their neck on the line a little bit," John said. "And I guess that's kind of what Will and I have done here."

John said they are confident they will get back what they've put into it, if not more.

Blues music remains a popular genre that has managed to retain its simpler roots, despite the fast pace of the modern music and recording industries. Stephens said is proud to have this much talent in the room on one night, especially for $12.

"It's a bargain; I know times are tough and peoples' discretionary dollars are thinner all the time, but it's a great deal," he said.

The concert begins at 7 p.m. Admission is $12. Southern Illinois Blues Society members get a $2 discount at the door.