Houston update -- while we didn't win the Houston Blues Challenge, we made some cool new friends and connections there and got to play Dan Electro's for the first time.  It rocks.  Congrats to Sonny Boy Terry who did, and all the bands who played.  Big shout out to our friends in Bourbon Street!

Sat, Dec 5 -- we'll be at Walter's on Washington with Uncle Lucius and Hector Ward & The Big Time.   If you're not dancing by the end of that show, you're not paying attention.

Also, Sat, Dec 5 -- in the afternoon --- we'll be live on KACC, the Gulf Coast Rocker broadcasting from Alvin, TX.

Just got back from Houston where we competed with 6 other bands to be in the finals of the Houston Blues Challenge.  We were one of the 2 bands chosen!  So we'll be in the finals on Oct 25 at Dan Electros . . . . It was a great crowd in Houston at the Continental Club and some tough competition there, too.

recording of our KPFT appearanceLink to the recording of appearance on KPFT -- DeadBeat show with Sandy W, Sept 5, 2009

http://archive.kpft.org/mp3/090905_150001deadbeat.MP3

"Blues Mafia places 2nd in 2 categories in the Austin Chronicle Music Awards - Best Blues Band (after Carolyn Wonderland) & Best New Band (after The Black & White Years)."
- staff, Austin Chronicle (Mar 19, 2009)

"Another band that knocked my socks off was Blues Mafia straight out of high school and Austin's Rock Camp (where boys are allowed). FYI: lead singer Sasha Ortiz is 19 years old and sounding a little like Amy Winehouse. This is a singer to keep your eye on. "
- Jamie, Always More To Hear (Mar 19, 2009)

"Blues Mafia . . . bring back the cool with . . . honest-to-goodness blues and sultry soul . . . refreshingly new, yet has the . . . feeling you get from music that has sprouted from established roots. . . . it’s only a matter of time before this band become a breakaway smash."
- Balcony TV, Balcony TV (Jan 27, 2009)

(adding press info here to feed into Last.fm)

"Music So Good It's Criminal" . . . we couldn't have said it better . . Vocalist Sasha Ortiz is a mighty little thing... Serving up gritty Blues and deep, low-down Soul, this Austin based group has been busy taking their sound all over the US and Europe. . . . catch them while you can.
- Luna Live, Luna Live (Jan 13, 2009)

Today,
After the heat goes back under ground
and the sun falls below the equator
there will be a show of large proportion...
just down the road
at the home of the blues, Antone's:

Benefiting Natalie Zoe, our vocalist's Mother, a hopeful event will take place this evening starting around 6PM.
Blues Mafia is scheduled to play at 8PM

The lineup includes:

Vallejo
71 West
Haydn Vitera
Joel Guzman & Sarah Fox
Les and the Funk Mob
Candiland
Neckbone
LZ Love
and....
Malford Milligan (he made a special trip here just to play this show for Natalie)

A hopeful $10 donation is suggested at the door. If you haven't the money, please give what you can and you will still be granted admission.

We hope that you will support our Vocalist's mother in her quest to recover from a series of broken bones, and a full hip replacement. Natalie is a long-time music legend in Austin and around the globe, she just wants to recover to be able to play music full time again.

With love, warmth, and compassion,

Blues Mafia

We hope that you will take the time to come out to our show this Saturday evening May 9th, 2009. This is a benefit show for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society, hosted but Blues Mafia and Jim Mertens (our guitar player Pat's father).

Jim is saddling up for the 2009 Team In Training Season. This is a very challenging triathlon that helps raise money for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. Jim is doing this triathlon in Debra Copleand's name. Debra is our long time friend and supporter of our band. She is also our drummer's mother. We wish her a fast and healthy recovery through lymphoma. In doing so, we have decided to team up with Jim in an effort to help him meet his goal of $5,000.

The show takes place this Saturday May 9th, 2009
 
Place: Jovita's (1619 S. 1st. St)
Time: The Greyhounds 10PM-Midnight
          Blues Mafia        8-9:30PM
          46                     6:30-7:30PM
Cost: $10 Suggested donation, but any amount helps and will be accepted!

To donate personally to Jim Merten's fund, please visit:
http://pages.teamintraining.org/ctx/txtri09/jmertens