Daily Southtown
Moraine Valley Community College will be rocking Saturday night to rhythm and blues – emphasis on blues.
For the first time, the school will host performances by multiple big name blues artists — Bobby Rush, Joe Louis Walker and Wayne Baker Brooks. The All-Star Blues Bash will be at 7:30 p.m. in the Dorothy Menker Theater at the college’s fine and performing arts center, 9000 W. College Pkwy in Palos Hills.
The event was in part organized by Tommy Hensel, managing director of the fine and performing arts center at Moraine Valley.
“Wayne Baker Brooks approached me with the idea last year and we put the concept together based on that conversation,” Hensel said. “He chose the performers. . .”
Rush is a Grammy-nominated artist and national Blues Hall of Famer. His unique style combines a cracked lyrical bent with elements of blues, soul and funk.
Walker is an innovative artist who graces contemporary blues with his own fiery, melodic and unpredictable guitar attack. He still actively hits the charts since the release of his 1986 debut album for HighTone.
A Chicago Blues Hall of Famer, Brooks is a soulful singer; with a Gibson tone who adds funk, soul and just a dab of hip-hop to his blues foundation.
“This is a chance to see both some newer blues faces and some famous, iconic performers all together in one evening,” Hensel said.
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This is the college’s first show featuring more than one blues artist. Two years ago, for the 20th anniversary celebration of the Fine and Performing Arts Center, a concert was presented featuring blues artist, Buddy Guy..
Tickets are $40 for the general public and $35 for seniors and students. With a theater that holds 585 people, Hensel is anticipating a sold out show.
“Blues performances tend to bring in a very specific audience that is not our normal audience,” he said. “The college likes us to program many different types of shows so that we can appeal to a broader cross section of the public, and this show helps us with that mission to reach out to new and different audiences.”
Tickets to the All-Star Blues Bash and other upcoming performances can be purchased at morainevalley.edu/fpac, by calling (708) 974-5500, or at the box office located on the south end of the school’s fine and performing arts center.