Pennsylvania Blues Festival Celebrates 25 Years in the Poconos, 9/16-18

Through decades of change, the blues has stubbornly (and thankfully) remained alive, kicking and very well. The Poconos once more become the setting for the 25th annual Pennsylvania Blues Festival, held at Split Rock Resort in Lake Harmony, September 16th through the 18th.

Michael Cloren conceived the event in 1992, and the festival is now in its third home. "The history of this festival is almost like a blues song itself," he says.

Michael Cloren tells his story...

Two stages within walking distance of one another will keep the music going through Sunday night. "Split Rock is the perfect location for this event because there's plenty of onsite lodging. There's a big conference center onsite that has air-conditioned conference rooms, places where you can eat, ballrooms, places where you can have a master class, or late-night jams.

'You have one main concert stage at the base of a little ski area, acoustically perfect, and you also have a 10-thousand square foot performance tent. You have music on two stages at the same time, and you have a grove, a nice walkway between the stages full of food and non-food vendors.

A Philadelphia native, Cloren's love of the blues was infused in him through the British Invasion, in particular the Rolling Stones and Eric Clapton. The latter figured in the pivotal moment: "March 30, 1975," he explains, "I went to the Philadelphia Spectrum where the Flyers used to play, and I saw Eric Clapton and the opening act, lo and behold, from Chicago, was the Muddy Waters Blues Band. I had great seats; I went with friends, and that literally changed my life."

The criteria for the festival is simple: "One third artists that have never played the festival before; one third artists that rarely come east of the Mississippi, and one third artists that are very popular on the festival circuit. That's my vision, and I've been holding true to it."

Of late, festivals and blues cruises have been popular, and Cloren says it allows the fans to get close, but helps the performers, too. "It kind of puts the artist in a laid-back situation," he explains, "and they can hang out; they don't hit it and quit it. They don't go from one stage to the next gig. They can hang out for a few days, or a whole week like a cruise and really become fans, and support the other musicians. It's a big family reunion, that's the same vibe we have."

Among the first-time performers will be the Canadian band Blackburn ("they're basically the Neville Brothers of that country"), along with Juno Award-winning guest Harrison Kennedy, saxophonist Vanessa Collier and Chicago artist Toronzo Cannon. "He's hot right now," Cloren says, "great story, he's a Chicago Transit Authority bus driver by day and a bluesman at night."

Chicago is well represented, with second-generation bluesman Ronnie Baker Brooks, who is bringing Eddy "The Chief" Clearwater with him, New Orleans native Kenny Neal, and for those who like truly classic songs, Barereather Reddy. "She plays the bawdy, 1920's/30's with a piano player, those blues singing women, Bessie Smith, Memphis Minnie, Sippie Wallace kind of music."

The headliner is Boston area legend Ronnie Earl. Fans of the Roomful of Blues will remember Earl well, and his long solo career has spanned numerous albums and awards. In recent years, Earl only does select shows, most of these in New England. "Ronnie doesn't like to travel too much," Cloren admits. "He told me to my face that (the festival) is one of the greatest festivals he's ever performed at."

Not only will Earl close the event on Sunday evening, he will host a Saturday master class for beginner and intermediate guitarists.

For those who may not know these names, there may too come the feeling of what the blues is about. "People have the misconception sometimes," Cloren says, "because they don't know what they don't know. (People say) 'I don't like blues...well, what don't you like about it...it's just that cry in your beer kinda music on the back porch.' That's a small part of it. I just tell people to keep an open mind and it's a great environment and it's definitely something for everybody in all ages."

The atmosphere, from the location at the base of a ski area, to the amenities, and of course the music will bring newcomers in contact with what Cloren calls, "The best clientele ever; really savvy, knowledgeable music fans. People have been going 18 years, 22 years, 24 years. They don't have to really be knowledgeable on blues music, just be open minded, it's phenomenal life changing music that happened for me."

http://www.pennsylvaniabluesfestival.com/

(Blackburn photo: http://www.blackburnbrothersmusic.com)