Hitting the Blues Jackpot

Jackpot Junction Casino Hotel will be rocking this weekend with their second Blues Fest.

Two years ago, Jackpot Junction tried out the idea with an outdoor event in early September, bringing in stellar acts like Dr. John and The Blind Boys of Alabama. This year, the event will be held indoors at the Dakota Exposition Center. Blues fans can take in two days of some of the best blues in the country.

This year’s lineup is stellar, representing a wide range of blue-influenced music. On Friday, Ivan Neville and Dumpstaphunk will get the audience in a funky mood. Formed in 2003, Neville (Aaron Neville’s son) says, “I had an idea of doing a different kind of band.” He pulled veteran players Nick Daniels and Tony Hall to both play bass and Raymond Weber to play drums. Neville himself plays Hammond organ and the V6 Clavinet and his young cousin Ian is a dynamite guitarist. Everybody sings. They formed a monster band with powerhouse musicians who are putting out songs that not only shake your booty but get you to thinking about something more. Though the band does a few covers, they concentrate on writing original music in a more traditional funk vein.

“We’re heavily influenced by Sly and the Family Stone and also the Meters,” Neville says.
Following Dumpstaphunk, is singer/songwriter and resonator guitar master, Keb’ Mo’. Though he grew up in Los Angeles and played his share of pop and rock covers, Mo discovered his blues roots and started writing. He recorded his first album in 1980 on his own. A role in an LA production about bluesman Robert Johnson led him to record his second album on Epic’s Okeh label in 1994. His popularity soared across genres and soon earned three Grammys for his blues albums. He was also nominated in 2006 for Country Song of the Year. His work is unvarnished but highly skilled.

Rounding out the evening will be the Taj Mahal Trio. For almost fifty years, Taj Mahal has been oiling audiences with his gravely voice and his crying slide guitar, his intricate electric guitar, and even banjo. He partnered early on with guitarist Ry Cooder and began serving up roots blues. Over the years, Taj Mahal has produced a discography that is a library in itself, ranging from Delta blues to jazz to ballads to children’s music. His music has appeared on countless movie soundtracks, including many soundtracks he has written entirely himself, and he has even made numerous appearances himself in movies, including “Sounder,” “Bill & Ted’s Bogus Journey,” and “Songcatcher.” This musical virtuoso will keep Blues Fest audiences guessing what he will pull out of his musical bag of tricks.
Saturday’s entertainment will feature more traditional blues. Minneapolis’ blues band Lamont Cranston will bring its own twist of Chicago and roadhouse blues. Fronted by Pat Hayes (guitar, harmonica, and vocals), who has played with some of the great blues legends like Charlie Musselwhite, Albert King, and John Lee Hooker, the band consistently brings a mix of players that pull freshness out of traditional and original tunes. “I always say a band is like a salad with different things in it,” Hayes admits. “It’s fun to get different guys. It always changes. It keeps things more interesting.”

The South Dakota blues band Indigenous will follow. In its current incarnation, the rock-influenced blues band consists of Mato Nanji, the gritty lead singer and guitarist from the original group, and the Kris Lager band that has been touring with Nanji for a year. Concentrating more on vocals, Indigenous combines his infectious Hendrix guitar style with a rock delivery that Nanji says is heavily influenced by Sam Cooke and other early R&B singers. The blues is still there but there is a life in the music that comes from the vocals and the driving guitars.

Next, the Queen of the Blues, Koko Taylor, will grace the stage. Though a bout with a serious illness in 2003 put her on a ventilator and caused many to question whether she’d ever sing again, Taylor bounced back and still possesses the most powerful pipes in the business. “I’m a strong person,” she says. “I have always been a determined person.” She also avows, “Blues is my life.” Taylor continues to record and tour and has a new album out called Old School, which she’ll dip into for this festival.

Closing out the weekend is Fargo’s own Jonny Lang, who will bring his guitar and band for a set of blues-laced gospel music. His new work is much more sophisticated than his pop album a few years ago, but it still is driven by his ageless voice and his blues roots.

If You Go

WHAT: Jackpot Junction Casino Hotel Blues Fest
WHERE: 39375 County Highway 24, Morton, Minn. East on Hwy 52, turn south on Hwy 71 at Sauk Centre; 220 miles from Fargo, 300 miles from Grand Forks.
WHEN: Friday, March 28, 6 pm; Saturday, March 29, 3 pm
HOW MUCH: Two day tickets $115, Single day tickets $55.
WHO: 18+ID, 21+ID for alcohol.
INFO: 1-800-946-2274, (651) 989-5151.