Mystery Train 3rd Rail Blues
This CD of working man’s blues is from the gritty waterfront military high-rent port town of San Diego. I recently sat down with harmonica player bluesman Sonny Derin at a local bar when we were working out the details to his band’s blues jam night there and he was quick to teach a lesson on the subtle differences between Delta and Memphis blues, and how the amplified Chicago blues came much later in the history of this rich type of American music. It was karaoke night at Peter D’s and some guy was belting out Everclear on stage so I don’t know if I heard everything Sonny said, but it was good to have a seasoned music vet to ask questions of. People nag me sometimes because I don’t know everything there is to know about all music, yet I edit Reviewer Magazine. Hey, I do this to get access, not because I’m an authority. People like Sonny Derin do that much better. Mystery Train of San Diego, a Jump-Swing Blues and Root Rock & Roll band currently hosts two weekly blues jams in San Diego: Monday night at O’Connell’s, 1013 Morena Blvd they host the Pro-Invitational Blues Jam from 8 – 12:30 AM – Sign-up is at 7:15 PM. This is a pro-level jam; they’re also starting a new Wednesday night “Hump-Day Open Blues Jam” at Peter D’s, 5149 Claremont Mesa Blvd. [http://www.mysterytrainlive.com] RR