The Rhythm Room

"The blues don't make you poor, the blues don't bring you down. [The] blues is a thing, you get sad, like when things ain't going right... the blues picks you up. Blues is a pick-up, it's not a let-down."---John Lee Hooker

the "blues" have become one of my favorite genres of music, after having visited the "rhythm room" here in phoenix. i had the special privilege of seeing the nephew of the late great johnny lee hooker, who was just stopping in to see the "sisters of the blues" perform.

johnny lee hooker passed away just recently, and with him went a legacy of sound. a performer whose music sparked the post world war two blues movement, and who also made a foundation for many musicians like santana. santana commented, "when i was a child, he was the first circus i wanted to run away with."

when i arrived that night, i was met with a dark and down-home atmosphere, greeted by strangers in zoot suits, dancing grannies, blues vagabonds, and a slew of other diverse but equally interesting faces. of the many faces of night life in phoenix, this was certainly a first. within 20 minutes the musicians were on stage. a five-woman band, a soulful, homely black woman with a deeply passionate cry, a lead guitarist/back-up/lead singer/incredibly talented harmonika player, a drummer, a very spirited bass guitarist, and another lead guitar. i was transported to the deep south, felt the pain and the emotional drama of the music, and could not believe my ears. i had lived decades without experiencing this music first-hand. as the night went on, the music was more charged and alive, and people began to fill the dance floor, as the harmonika went into exceedingly daring levels of sound. after a much needed intermission, they brought a very special guest on stage. archie lee hooker, the nephew of johnny lee hooker. he looked to be in his sixties, sporting a black suit, a wide brim-hat, and a pipe. this man took care of his uncle in the end stage of his life, and we were all honored to receive him here. he blessed us with a song, in which he danced, strutted, and crooned across the stage. although he only did one song, it will remain in my memories forever.
long live the blues!