Bringing forth version two of the An Ode to the Blues music festival that was held earlier this year. Black Dog in association with CounterCulture is proud to host The Himalayan Blues Festival at 7 pm on Friday, November 4. A Nepali originated artistic-cultural event, whose objective is to promote Blues music developed in the United States and to integrate it with the roots and the folklore of our country, as well as to offer a different alternative from those that are generally presented on festivals and artistic-cultural activities in Nepal, The Himalayan Blues Festival 2011 will also be hosted in Mumbai, Bangalore and Delhi. Artists performing at the event include Jimi Hocking’s Blues Machine, Izzy and Chris and many more.
The Himalayan Blues Festival
The Himalayan Blues Festival is a Nepali originated artistic-cultural event, whose objective is to promote Blues music developed in the United States and to integrate it with the roots and the folklore of our country, as well as to offer a different alternative from those that are generally presented on festivals and artistic-cultural activities in Nepal. It promotes various other genres which are the ramifications of Blues together with Folk and Ethnic music.
The Himalayan Blues Festival 2010 was also expanded Mumbai, Bangalore and Delhi. The main aim is to promote Himalayan Blues as an Asian Music Festival travelling it to as many nations as possible in future years.
The festival offers concerts, clinics, and conferences with the participation of International musicians, in addition to great Asian artists in the genre. This is an integral spectacle which finds a balance between its social, cultural, economic and recreational objectives, which turn it into an event of great quality, which is expected an attendance of hundreds of foreign and local people during the festival.
Jimi Hocking’s Blues Machine
Jimi ’the human’ Hocking has been a familiar sight to Australian audiences for many years. Along with the gold records he collected with the infamous ‘Screaming Jets’, Jimi has also released a large body of solo work (12 albums), from electric rock and blues, to contemporary folk and even blues mandolin. A three time ‘CAV-Best Acoustic performer’, ‘MBAS 2003 Male Blues Artist of the Year’, ‘MBAS 2004 Blues Performer of the Year’, and in 2005 Jimi won the prestigious ‘International Blues Challenge’ in Memphis USA, and toured the US extensively. In 2008 Jimi was pronounced the ‘VicTas Male blues artist of the year’ and also ‘Producer of 2008’ for his work on his album ‘Blue Mandolin’.
In 2009 Jimi was invited to Kathmandu to perform at the ‘Himalayan Blues festival’ and in 2010 Jimi rejoined ‘The Screaming Jets’ to perform lead guitar duties, the ‘Jets’ then went on to join ‘Status Quo’ for their Australian tour. Also in 2010 his solo album ‘Electric Mojo Machine’ won ‘best album’ and ‘best band’ at the MBAS VIC/TAS blues awards.
In the 1980’s Jimi stepped out of his ‘Zappa’ inspired electric 3 piece, and the folk café’s of Melbourne to join rock legends ‘the Angels’ on their ‘Live Line’tour when Bob Spencer was injured. He went on to form ‘Jimi the human and Spectre 7’ and hit the charts in the early 1990’s. In 1993 he joined ‘The Screaming Jets’ but continued to record and perform as a soloist on the side. In 1997 Jimi parted from the Jets to pursue his love of the Blues, and achieved many awards along the way.
Izzy and Chris
Izzy and Chris came together on an American open stage in 2006, Their unique chemistry and love for the blues soon saw them headlining festivals across America with their debut at the West Virginia Blues festival in 2006.
In 2008, Izzy and Chris appeared at the International Blues Challenge. Following this prestigious appearance, Izzy and Chris were granted fellowships under the United States Artistes Fellowship.
Izzy, born in Weirton, West Virginia, began playing guitar at the age of nine. At the age of 17 while visiting New Orleans LA everything changed for Izzy when he purchased a Robert Johnson album at a flea market off of Bourbon Street. Since that moment Izzy has dedicated his life and music to the blues. Chris, born in St. Louis, Missouri, began playing piano at the age of seven. It was not until later in life he began playing harmonica. After playing open stages for a couple of years, Chris got a break. He became the harmonica player for the late, great Pittsburgh guitarist Smokin Joe Bisceglia. After Joe’s death in 2002, Chris committed himself to playing music.
Izzy’s journey with the blues continued as he played countless blues clubs and bars from Pittsburgh to Memphis, and throughout the Southeast. Highlighting this point in Izzy’s journey was winning best solo acoustic act at the Western Pennsylvania Blues Society Competition in 2006 and then becoming a finalist at the International Blues Competition held in Memphis.
Although Chris’ first love is the blues, it’s his ability to play many styles of music that’s made him the hardest working harmonica player in the Pittsburgh area. Past endeavors include performing with harmonica legend Greg Fingers Taylor and playing full time harmonica for two successful local bands, the honky tonk band 706 Union and Ms. Fredi and the Blue Faze Band.
In May of 2007, Izzy & Chris signed a recording contract with 80/20 Music Entertainment and released their first cd titled “Preachin The Blues Vol 1 which was recorded at the Grammy Award winning studio Audible Images. In July 2009 Preachin’ the Blues went to #17 on the Roots Music Report Blues Chart and Blues Revue Magazine chose the song Steady Rollin’ Daddy for their October 2009 Blues Revue Sampler disc. In 2008 Izzy and Chris together won solo/duo honors at the Appalachian Blues Competition in Charleston WV which earned them a spot in the 2008 International Blues Challenge. Izzy and Chris were also nominated for a 2009 United States Artist Fellowship and a $50,000 grant.