The Mahindra Blues festival is becoming an annual affair for not only Mumbaiites, but also for those who come from different parts of the country be it to perform or be part of the audience. The festival just keeps getting bigger and better as was evidenced by the crowd turnout this year. Held over the weekend of 15^th and 16^th Feb at the iconic Mehboob Studios, Bandra, Bollywood took a break and let blues music lovers let their hair down at their venue.

The buzz at the venue and the build - up to the days before the festival made everyone from the organizers Oranjuice to the audience to look forward to yet another eventful evening. The Mahindra Blues Festival has today become a brand, a musical event of the year, as can be judged by the number of musicians who perform each year.

Day 1

The event was hosted by Brian Tellis of Fountainhead. Performing for the third consecutive year was Warren Mendonsa’s Blackstratblues who with his soulful guitaring and his melodic phrasing was reminiscent of one of his favorite guitar heroes Gary Moore. He played his classic Ode to a Rainy Day well recognized by the crowds.

Next was Mississippi bluesman Zac Harmon, whose music combines elements of soul-blues, gospel and reggae. He gave a dynamic, expressive performance strutting around the stage culminating in bluesy version of the reggae classic No woman no cry.

Stage 3 saw headliners for the day Grammy award winning the Tedeschi Trucks band from Jacksonville, Florida fronted by slide guitar master Derek Trucks, who was once part of the legendary Allman Brothers band and his wife singer-guitarist Susan Tedeschi. The usually ten member band had eleven members this time with two back - up singers, a trumpeter, saxophonist, a trombonist, a keyboard player, a bassist and two drummers. Joining Trucks and Tedeschi on stage was southpaw guitarist Doyle Bramhall II who has toured with Eric Clapton for more than a decade. They played tracks from their albums Revelator and Everybody’s Talkin’. Susan’s powerful vocals and Derek’s intricate slide work as well as Bramhalls riffs in an effortless combination with the other musicians, gave a typical big band experience. The crowd roared out for an encore which the band gamely came out and played.

Day 2

Day 2 opened with India’s best loved blues band from Shillong, Soulmate. The mainstays are vocalist Tipriti ‘Tips’ Kharbangar and guitarist Rudi Wallang. The duo has played at every Mahindra Blues festival and have been together for a decade. The set included Wallang on guitar, Tipriti Kharbangar on vocals and guitar, Leon Wallang on bass, Karan Joseph on keyboards and Gino Banks on drums. Also playing for the first few tracks were three Khasi musicians from Shillong which lent an eclectic touch. The trio on drums and flute brought in a fusion of Indian folk blues to the blues. Tipriti’s striking vocals and Wallang’s singing guitar were perfectly synchronized which only served to further their popularity. The audience couldn’t get enough of them. Their one hour act made way for Chicago bluesman Lil’ Ed.

Lil’ Ed Williams is the quintessential Chicago bluesman with the voice from the genre of B.B.King, Freddie King, Albert Collins and other greats. His rasping slide guitar was beautifully paired with guitarist Mike Garrett rhythm engaging the crowd at times in a call and response song. The lyrics of some of the songs especially Checking My Baby’s Oil so popular with the hooting crowd had just the right amount of wickedness. He left the stage for a few moments to mingle into the crowd, moving amongst the camera clicking audience, while squealing out high notes from his guitar.

The main stage came alive with the legendary five time Grammy Award winner Jimmie Vaughn, elder brother of the late Stevie Ray Vaughn, the remarkable Texas blues guitarist. His clear fluid riffs on his trademark white Fender was much appreciated by the audience. He played an emotional Texas flood a Stevie Ray classic. Diehard fans of Stevie spread-eagled an LP record cover of Stevie’s Double Trouble album. Vaughn was joined on stage by Texas blues vocalist Lou Ann Barton. Barton is one of the finest purveyors of raw, unadulterated roadhouse blues and belted out lyrics with poise and confidence. Barton also celebrated her 60^th birthday on stage.

The two day event culminated with a jugalbandi of all artists converging for a finale. Vaughn was joined on stage by Susan Tedeschi, Derek Trucks, Doyle Bramhall II, Li’l Ed Williams and Zac Harmon to showcase some dazzling, fretted and slide guitar work to close of a memorable night.

If you and your gang avoided the crowded confines of the studio and opted for a meeting with friends, you had a wide choice of a well stocked food court, a well stocked bar and not so common LP’s Record store. There was also The True School of Music – TSM, located at Lower Parel was enrolling potential students for their basic and advanced courses in music and also had their students playing a live gig, mostly jazz covers and a few original compositions, on the studio lawns .

Missing this time was the Gibson guitars display where young guitarists used to try burning up the fret board with Satriani style licks.

By Savio Miranda. Photos by Verus Ferreira