The Joel Paterson Blues Trio with Jim Liban @ The Harmony, May 8, 2010

A hectic Saturday jam-packed with a friend’s wedding, the MAMA Awards, and catching Jentri Colello’s band Flight at The Crystal, topped off on a bluesy note with Joel Paterson and Jim Liban. We missed the first set, which we heard was smoking, though we couldn’t complain about what we heard in the second set… perhaps it was just the right energy and tone for me to wind down for the night. There was plenty of interplay between the artists, with the music sounding fresh and vibrant. Plenty of regulars on the dance floor, but also folks listening attentively, watching Joel’s finger’s sliding over the fretboard, lips pursed in concentration … the intensity is evident in the playing… if you have not heard the Joel Patterson sound before, I suggest you redeem the situation. Catch Joel at his next gig in Madison – the Sugar Maple Festival; Joel’s more regular band, “The Modern Sounds” (jazz, blues, western swing) will perform on the main stage Friday night at 7 pm, the first night of the festival (Aug 6, 2010).

Meanwhile, here are some pictures from another night of the blues at the Harmony: