Students looking to add some soul to their music repertoire need search no further: Columbus has got the blues.
The blues have made their presence felt locally with a large number of venues that cater specifically to the music behind modern rock and hip-hop.
“The blues have such a history in our culture,” said Jason Swantek, a graduate student in English. “It’s a prime example of Americana. It’s one of the first genres we can claim as our own.”
The blues are an American invention. A spin-off of southern gospel music, the genre tackles all facets of the human experience.
Blues fans and musicians agree the emotion in the music transcends simple notes and lyrics. The soul of the blues is in the delivery.
“More than any other music I like the feeling behind it,” said Trina Norman, a blues fan for 17 years. “It covers all emotions, from happiness to heartbreak.”
Blues man Willie Pooch has been singing in Columbus for 48 years. He got his start singing in his Tupelo, Miss., church choir alongside Elvis Presley.
Pooch moved from Mississippi to Chicago in the early ’50s where he performed in the flourishing blues scene of the time. He later came to Columbus where he now performs weekly at Blues Station in the Arena District.
Pooch said the blues cater to a variety of human experiences, from love and sex to heartache and hard times.
“When I’m singing with my handkerchief, people think I’m wiping sweat,” Pooch said. “I actually cry when I sing these songs because I love them so much. That’s how I know I’m a dedicated blues singer.”
Singer Rodney Sutton of the band Conspiracy also mentioned the energetic appeal of blues music.
“When I go out to see a band I want to see them feel what they’re doing,” Sutton said. “When you get that good blues thing going on you can feel it. It becomes an event.”
Conspiracy is a 10-piece ensemble that incorporates everything from funk and soul to classic blues. They are featured every weekend at Barrister Hall in the Brewery District.
Members of the band The Shrunken Heads, who belt out the blues at the Short North Tavern, agree that the music is full of emotional undercurrents.
“The feel of it, the energy of it. It hits your soul,” said Dean De Shetor, founder of and drummer for the band. “It’s all about groove.”
Bandmate and lead vocalist Mike Morgan, who has been singing with the band for three years, said the music draws upon specialized emotions that attract listeners.
“It’s something everyone can identify with. That’s what makes the song, and that’s what makes the blues,” Morgan said.
Blues venues are becoming increasingly popular in the city, peppering the Arena District and The Short North and popping up in some suburbs.
The Thirsty Ear in Grandview is one such venue, featuring blues music six nights a week.
Blues Station in the Arena District bears the motto “Blues, Brew and BBQ” and features live music from some of the most recognized names in the local blues circuit.
Barrister Hall in the Brewery District also features live blues, jazz or funk nightly and also has an open mic night for aspiring musicians.
Coinciding with the congressionally delegated “Year of the Blues,” 2003 has ushered in a bit of a blues explosion in Columbus which continues to grow with more original acts and visits from national bands.
