Carnival of Soul

Thanksgiving is nearly upon us and it changes the dynamics of the blues scene. The kids are coming home from college and relatives are traveling. That means Wednesday, Thanksgiving Eve has more shows.

Four-time nominee for the Blues Music Award for “Pinetop Perkins Piano Player of the Year” Bruce Katz and his band make another stop in Connecticut, at Black-Eyed Sally’s on Friday.

While the blues are a very important part of his music, Katz’s music has more angles and influences, occupying a unique space where blues, “soul-jazz”, jam-band rock, and all aspects of Americana Music collide into a style of original music all his own. He is equally comfortable playing Hammond B-3 organ and piano.

On Wednesday, Jeff Pevar and Scott Murawski bring “Guitarness” to Infinity Music Hall Hartford. Guitarness features two of New England’s finest, established guitar players, Pevar and Murawski along with ace rhythm section, Dave Livolsi and Jon Peckman. Special guests are in order as is just some pure guitar fun.

At Infinity Music Hall Norfolk on Saturday, Brother Joscephus and the Love Revolution perform. Get ready for a foot stomping gumbo of roots rock, old school Soul, New Orleans rhythms, and feel-good “secular” Gospel.

BroJo combines all this with a message of righteousness, urging us towards acceptance and loving one another. When you combine the music and the message with a one-of-a-kind, high-energy stage spectacle, you got yourself one musical revolution on your hands.

Since 2007 Brother Joscephus and the Love Revolution has been on a musical mission to make the world a more righteous place. The two main visionaries of this 12-piece explosion of love. Brother Joscephus and his eccentric cohort, the Right Reverend Dean Dawg, dip heavily into a gumbo rich with the powerful rhythms of New Orleans, old school funk and soul, classic rock and a healthy dose of feel-good gospel music.

From their home base in Brooklyn, New York, Love Revivals have taken place all over the nation. The band’s legendary self-titled debut CD was released to rave reviews and accolades blending elements of funk and soul with 70’s prog-rock sensibilities this groundbreaking, love-infused concept album defines the Secular Gospel movement.

Thursday, the Thanksgiving Buffet takes place at Infinity in Norfolk..

Go back to the early blues days at Best Video with some jug band music. Saturday, Washboard Slim & the Bluelights will take the stage.

Friday, the Acoustic Café brings in Jimbo Mathus’ Incinerator. Guitarist Mathus’s latest tour is a romp through the swamp. Mississippi’s Mathus has been grinding out material at a prolific rate and recorded with a number of bands. But it’s as a founding member of the Squirrel Nut Zippers that Jimbo Mathus became a household name.

The Squirrel Nut Zippers broke up in 2000, and Mathus returned to Mississippi, but continued touring and writing. Released last April, “Incinerator” is the result of the man’s fire and drive. It’s the blues, and yet it’s more than the blues, what with its spiritual complexity and Mathus’s ultra-unflappable cool.

41 Bridge Street Live has a busy weekend scheduled with Jeff Pitchell & Texas Flood on Friday and Capricorn, The Allman Brothers Tribute Band on Saturday.

Jeff Pitchell has been taking his blistering guitar to most of the clubs in the New England area for some years now. He is one of the hottest guitar slingers on the circuit and a dynamic singer, songwriter.

Saturday, Capricorn performs the music of the Allman Brothers Band. They bring the excitement and precision of 2 drummers, 2 guitars, bass, keys and vocals that come ever so close to the original classics of these Southern Rock and Blues pioneers.

A new jam appears on this week’s the blues schedule. Sunday, it is the First Blues Roundup featuring Rich Badowski and hosted by Brandt Taylor, guitar & vocals, with Eric Tootel, bass, and Bryan Caudle, drums and a different featured artist every week. They’ll be at the American Polish Citizens Club in Jewett City from 4 to 8 p.m.

Another place to check out is the Geronimo Tequila Bar & Southwest Grill in Fairfield. It has live music every Friday and a late night happy hour.

Thanksgiving Eve has a number of gigs celebrating the Holiday. Otis and the Hurricanes’ Thanksgiving Eve Bash takes place at Peaches On the Waterfront. The Brass Horse Café has a Thanksgiving Eve Blues Party with Carl Ricci and 706 Union Ave. Pacific Standard Tavern is being thankful with Someone You Can Xray.

A couple of other places include the Stafford Cidery hosting Rocky Lawrence & the Coffee Grinders; Arch ii Sports Bar & Grill has Jeff Pitchell and the Boogie Boys play La Tavola.

Enjoy the Thanksgiving Holiday with some blues.

As schedules and times change, it is good practice to call the club and confirm. Get the complete Blues Beat schedule on Thursday at the blog http://bluesbeatnews.wordpress.com/. Any questions or comments should be sent to Domenic Forcella at TWBlus@aol.com.