Posts Tagged ‘RootsnBlues’

Broadway Blues in Concert

Posted: September 26, 2017 in Uncategorized
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It has rolled around once again – the Roots and Blues Festival in Columbia, Missouri.  On the weekend of September 29-October 1, thousands descend on the city from around the country to take in non-stop music and all manner of spectacle. It has been the proud distinction of Broadway Christian Church to be the exclusive church sponsor of the Sunday Gospel Celebration, which means we sponsor a nationally known Gospel group. This year it is the Fairfield Four.

imageOne of the opportunities Broadway Christian Church enjoys is sending our own Browadway Blues to perform on the main stage at the Festival. Our hour-long set is scheduled for Sunday, October 1, 11:30 am. This will be the third time BB has participated in R&B.

Our lineup will include thirteen gifted musicians playing an eclectic set of everything from Gospel blues to Bluegrass to vocally-driven a’capella ballads.

One of the traditions we have established is a Festival pre-concert in our own sanctuary and we always pack it. This year the concert is Wednesday, Sept 27 at 7pm. It’s free and open to the public so if you are in town come and bring a friend.

Our congregation is extremely engaged in our community on many levels. The arts is one of those locales where we plug in big time. Let the music begin!

Mavis Staples at Roots and Blues

Posted: September 23, 2013 in Uncategorized
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It was a great festival, Roots and Blues was. The relocation to Stephens Park was brilliant. Once they get enough food, porta potties and shuttles it will be even better. And invite the Rootsy and Bluesy groups that give it its flavor rather than who happens to be popular (Black Crows? Really?).

Mavis Staples Live

Mavis Staples Live

Broadway was proud to be the sponsor the Gospel Brunch, the new Sunday afternoon addition to the festival. Headliner Mavis Staples, up in years and tottering after a knee surgery, drew in the crowd like bees to honey.

I’ve overdosed on the sounds of Blues Traveler, Robert Johnson, Muddy Waters, BB King and Gospel. At least enough to hold me until next year.

Rabbit trail: On Saturday I left the festival and traveled to our Jazz service in Rocheport. Afterwards as I drove back to the festival I tuned in Garrison Keillor. His special guest was the mandolin playing freak of nature, Chris Thile. I first encountered him through Nickle Creek. But he outgrew that format in time and formed the Punch Brothers and then collaborated with all manner of eclectic combinations of styles, instruments and musicians such as Yo-Yo Ma.

On Keillor’s show he played an incredible J.S. Bach piece originally scored for solo violin. It was astounding and is joined but equally stunning settings on his new recording of Bach on mandolin. But the real stunner? As good as everything I had just heard at the Roots and Blues Festival – everything – and our very fine Jazz service that boasts some of the very finest young up-and-coming jazzers around – Chris Thile playing on a radio show I accidentally tuned in between what I thought were the real musical events took the golden ring. Handily. Without a whiff of competition. Just like that.

And isn’t that how it is? Somewhere between our planned schedule, those things which represent the matters at hand, we discover something truly revelatory, beautiful and astounding on the way. Like grass growing out of the cracks in the sidewalk we find the remarkable. Tune in to this remarkable feature on Thile to see what I mean: Chris Thile and Bach