Fwd: [Harp-L] San Antonio Blues

["Dave Dix" <dixdr@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

Good onyer Bill.
I recall a wonderful week in S.A. back in 2002 (I was lucky to be sent there for work) jamming nearly every night. I particularly remember a terrific Sunday afternoon jam at Santa's Place, out on the east side (got there by bus).
http://www.santasplacetexas.com/
the following year i read someone was shot dead there in a shootout... 

But the best of all was at a bar called Wings, which was quite a taxi ride out from downtown, run by a Billy Gibbons lookalike called Robbie G.  The musicianship there was stunning..    

Not only that but we were staying at the Sheraton, which turned out to be the old Gunter Hotel where Robert Johnson did one of his three recording sessions. There was a little shrine to him in the lobby wall. Needless to say the hotel staff didn't have a clue who he was...


--- In harp-l-archives@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx, Bill Hines <billhines4@...> wrote:

I'm at the airport after a GREAT week here in old San Antonio, where the
brotherhood of the tin sandwich is alive and well.

Went to the SA Blues Society's jam at Sam's Burger Joint on Weds night,
house band was Benny Harp. I'm not a big fan of house-band led jams but I
thoroughly enjoyed Benny's set. This dude is a *great* showman, sort of a
Cheech Marin meets Buddah with his long pointed goatee. The dude can (and
did) wail, I guess with a name like "Harp" you better be good. Great stage
presence, great blues voice. He gave me a CD which I think is excellent,
surprised to see one of my favorite tunes on there, Alvin Lee (of Ten Years
After) song "Going Home". I signed up and got to play in the third set and
had a blast playing through Benny's rig (pedal board into the PA). SA Blues
Society - GET THESE GUYS TO THE IBC!!

Our own Bob Boyd of Texas Tide was there and played in set two. Bob of
course is a great harp player and sings very well, so I was a bit
intimidated going up after he and Benny. I almost chickened out again as it
was getting late and my Mexican bodyguard Hugo was getting restless. But I
was glad I stayed and played, nice stage and a pretty full house at Sam's.

Last night I went down to the Riverwalk with the Mexican bodyguard and some
friends from Austin to catch Bob's band (Texas Tide). What a fun act these
guys are! They do a lot of Jimmy Buffet and were all in hawaiian shirts and
similar garb, lots of parrotheads in the audience, packed house and everyone
was partying pretty hard. They also did lots of great classic rock, even
some Johnny Cash. Bob sang some great tunes and of course some fab harp
playing and other percussion. Bob called me up for a tune earlier and then
another later, and Benny was there and sat in for one. THANKS BOB! Very
gracious of you and my friends enjoyed that as well as all your great music.
Unfortunately we were ejected but fortunately it was after the band finished
playing.

Going back in two weeks, which is Fiesta week in SA, can't wait!!

Bill Hines
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