TheDay - New London,CT,USA
The Sunflower River Blues
and Gospel Festival is recognized
internationally for its stellar
lineups, but many fans head to
Clarksdale this weekend to take
in the many unofficial events
and performances.
Big Jack Johnson, the elder
statesman of the Clarksdale blues
scene, is booked both nights
Aug. 7-8 at Red's juke joint,
located at the intersection of
Sunflower Avenue and Martin Luther
King Jr. Boulevard. On Friday
night Big Jack will be celebrating
the release of his new CD, Katrina,
and on Saturday fans will gather
to celebrate his birthday.
The downhome venue is also hosting
screenings of the blues documentary
M For Mississippi, which will
be projected onto the wall at
3 p.m. both days Its producers
and some of the featured artists
just returned home from Norway,
where the documentary was shown
at the Notodden Blues Festival.
It's likely some blues fans
will barely leave the premises
of Hopson Plantation, where Jimbo
Mathus is performing on Aug.
7 and Big George Brock will be
tearing up the house on Aug.
8. On Aug. 9 beginning at 2 p.m.,
Hopson is hosting the third annual "Sam
Carr Day" in honor of the
veteran local drummer, who has
been in poor health recently.
