The 2007 Annual PBFS Gathering with Gabriel Butterfield's Blues Jam and PBFS Award Presentation
Five days packed with an array of activities dispersed throughout the event from Sept 6 to 10 in the Blues Mecca of Clarksdale Mississippi.
This is a small, casual, intimate, down-home, up-close and personal kind of affair; open to the public and musicians, merging both upcoming and renowned and local and national talent and offering a wonderful networking opportunity for all. Bringing heads of a variety of organizations, societies and industries together to meet and join forces. RSVP Required.
Please visit:
Sponsorship opportunities available:
Ø Donations/contributions can be made online at
Events will include a welcome arrival southern style fish fry dinner, participation in the Ground Zero Blues Club Thursday night Blue jam, visits and excursions to a vast array of local blues museums, shops and restaurants, clubs and juke joints, a Mini Film Fest, a jam at the crossroads, and of course Gabriel Butterfield's Blues Jam, Buffet and Award Presentation free and open to the public, all in honor of the rich traditions of the blues styles of music and the pioneers who forged the way. Several members of the Paul Butterfield Blues Band and other blues legends will be attending as well as musicians from around the country. Musicians are welcome to come and join us for one hot Blues Jam!!
The PBFS Award of Recognition is being presented to the Legendary Alabama Born Bluesman Sam Lay noted for his unique double shuffle style of drumming and as the founding drummer for Howlin' Wolf and the Paul Butterfield Blues Band, previously of the Chicago Blues Reunion and currently of the Siegel-Schwall Blues Band.
Local and national, upcoming and renowned Musicians are joining us including members of the Paul Butterfield Blues Band including Sam Lay and Rod Hicks (of Aretha Franklin, PBBB & Dave Sanborn).
Also jamming will be Drummer, Singer and Songwriter Gabriel Butterfield co-founder of the Paul Butterfield Fund and Society, Bob Corritore internationally known harmonica player & producer and host of the weekly radio program Those Lowdown Blues on KJZZ and owner of the Rhythm Room in Phoenix, Chris James & Patrick Rynn seasoned Chicago Blues players who worked with Sam Lay for 7 years on the road as members of the Sam Lay Blues Band., Dave Shorey (of Michael Bloomfield's Bands), Willie Hall (Blues Brother), Clarksdale's very own natural born talent-- guitar player and singer Marshall Drew, Guitarist, singer & harmonica player Eric Hughes bringing us some hot Memphis Blues from Beale Street. Additionally, the President of The Detroit Blues Society and organizer of the Hot Blues & BBQ Festival in Oxford Michigan--bassist Steve Allen bringing the real deal from Detroit Michigan, along with film featured Roy Moore acoustic guitar bringing with him friends and fellow musicians guitarists, banjo players from Colorado including Mark Hutchinson on Banjo Ukulele. Also Key West Icon- Guitarist Vince Scardina dedicated to all the great causes and the backbone to any good music affair, and musician Joanne Spies from Connecticut and special guest Zack Pomerleau 14 year old guitarist, drummer and harmonica player all the way from Maine . With many more local and national performers planning to join us.
Many great prizes will be offered at the event via free door prize drawings, donation drawings and auctions.
Join PBFS for some great conversation, good food, fun excursions & activates and some stage shaking music.
This event will be covered XM Radio and Blues Revue as well as via national & International forums.
Also:
Steve Allen and Rod Hicks are holding a fundraiser for PBFS in Detroit MI August 28th
News on PBFS:
We have begun gathering/collecting basic musical needs and talking to businesses about seting collection centers for donations of instruments and musical items to be distributed to underpriviledged musicians and impoverished youth.
We are also developing a CD Library for youth enabling them the opportunity to be exposed to a broad spectrum of musical styles.
Additionally we have teamed with the Detroit Blues Society in an effort to bring basic musical needs to the "Kids Affected by Cancer Guitar Program"
Attached are some documents on PBFS and our upcoming event and ways to assist both.
Thanks so much for your time, interest and support.
With warmth,
Salli and Gabriel
PS
We are also trying to assist Zack Pomerleau a 14 year old musician, an ardent blues lover and his family with support for travel needs for their trip to Clarksdale in an effort to provide Zack with a first hand experience to blues history and an opportunity to meet some blues pioneers, Hence bringing the blues to a new generation.
Zack began playing drums at the age of 4 and later took up singing and guitar. He later as he puts stumbled upon Mr Butterfield and was inspired to play the Harmonica. Zack indulges himself in learning about blues history and has a very charitable heart. he is also a cancer patient and his family has been hit hard by medical hardship.
Please send out the following letter.
Hi Folks!
This is Salli Squitieri and Gabriel Butterfield founders of the Paul Butterfield fund and Society (PBFS) established in honor of Gabriel's father—Paul Butterfield of the Paul Butterfield Blues Band)
We are writing to obtain support and sponsorship for Zack and his family to assist with traveling expenses enabling Zack to make the journey to our upcoming PBFS Gathering, Blues jam and Award Presentation. This event is an incredible opportunity for Zack who is n ardent Blues Lover to meet both upcoming and renowned and local and national performers. It is also an opportunity for Zack to experience first hand some of true Blues history in Clarksdale the blues Mecca and jam with some blues pioneers.
Zack and his family are traveling from Maine to join us in Clarksdale at the gathering and we are thrilled that Zack will have this great opportunity to meet, mingle and jam with some great musicians. Likewise he will be able to meet some of his fellow PBFS staff members.
Zack's family has been hit hard by an array of medical hardships and I am putting out a call to everyone to please jump aboard and help sponsor Zack.
We are trying to raise at least some funds to help their travel expenses.
If each one of us donated just $5.00 or $10 think what we all could do to help this family make the trip.
I am hoping that each of you will jump aboard and support Zack who has been a positive asset to our yahoo group, many blues sites, the blues community in general and an inspiration to most of us.
We all support bringing the blues to the next generation, well Zack is that next generation and what a great way to carry on the blues...
Please send your contributions
Directly to the Pomerleau family.
Rosemarie Pomerleau
76 Garfield RD
Auburn Maine
04210
Thanks everyone!
With warmth,
Salli Squitieri & Gabriel Butterfield
The Paul Butterfield Fund and Society (PBFS)
1107 Key Plaza 335
Key West, Florida 33040