The Ponderosa Stomp....Get Ready To Rock!

For the sixth consecutive year, The Mystic Knights Of The Mau-Mau are presenting the legends of the Blues, Rockabilly and Rock and Roll.

From what I've heard, The Ponderosa Stomp is one of the greatest gatherings of luminaries to hit New Orleans in a while. Last year, due to Katrina's devastation, The Stomp was held in Memphis, Tennessee. A city with no less Blues credentials than New Orleans but Memphis just isn't the home of The Ponderosa Stomp.

BluePower will be visiting The Stomp this year and we look forward to seeing our many friends at this non-stop party.

Here's what the great Matt Lucas has to say about this year's gathering.

Put on your shirt.
Zip up your pants.
Get ready to put yourself in a Dr. Ike trance.
I'm gonna rock and roll, I might blow a fuse.
May 2nd. in New Orleans at the House Of Blues.
I'll beat my drum to the Mau-Mau beat.
It's gonna be rockin' that night on Decatur Street.
Join the Mystic Knights and raise a ruckus.
Wind it up and shake it with ol' Matt Lucas!

You have got to move when Matt Lucas plays and sings. Matt's been involved with The Stomp since it's inception six years ago and seeing he and his beautiful wife, Barbara, will be one of the highlights of this trip.

BluePower invites you all to come down to the 6th Annual Ponderosa Stomp in the city of New Orleans on May 2nd, 2007. We'll see you there!

John Rhys
BluePower.com

Click here to go directly to The Ponderosa Stomp web site to see who's performing this year!

Rastus....The Best Music You Never Heard! (Pt. 1)

In 1968 a group of gentlemen came to see me in Detroit to ask if I might be interested in producing a band consisting of six men. After listening to the tape of the band, I decided to go to Cleveland to listen to the band live.

The band at that time was called The Fifth Amendment. Later to be changed to The Sixth Amendment when they added another man. The band would later be called Rastus and would become the terror horn band of all time.

This band, when it was on....was scary to behold. No one wanted to follow this band on stage. As a matter of fact, Rastus gained a thirteen week contract to open for The Ike and Tina Turner Review. After the third show (which took place at Cobo Hall in Detroit), Ike Turner came up to me and said, "Gotta cut you loose!" When I asked Ike what he meant, he simply stated, "Your band's too hot. You are supposed to set us up. Not kill us before we play!"

This is the story of a truly great band who never had the opportunity to be heard. Listen in to the interview with Jim Cantale and myself as we go through the heartbreak and agony of a band that should have made it all the way to the top but, for various reasons, never got the break they deserved.

This series of shows is dedicated to those members of Rastus who have gone on before us. To magnificent drummer and wonderful friend, Smokey Smelko. To cutting-edge horn man, Vic Walkuski. And last, but not least, to Mr. Angelo Crimi (manager) who hung in to the bitter end with this phenominal band and, thank God, is still living in Cleveland. Without these people, Rastus could never have survived the short time they did.

John Rhys-Eddins/BluePower.com

The music for Rastus....Part One!

1)...."I-75 Riff"....John Rhys....Ann Arbor Demo Session....Bacchi Vocals 2)...."Wizard Of Oz Medley"....Ann Arbor Demo Session
3)...."Sinnin' For You"....Keef Hartley....Ann Arbor Demo Session....Bacchi
Vocals
4)...."El Congo Valiente"....Ann Arbor Demo Session....Arranged by Rastus
5)...."Warm"....John Rhys....Ann Arbor Demo Session....Bacchi Vocals
6)...."Black Cat"....Brian Auger....Live at the Scene/Milwaukee, Wis./Marc
Roman Vocals

Click here to listen to....Rastus....The Best Music You Never Heard! (Pt. 1)