Lauren RabainoThe audience streamed into the Cal Poly Performing Arts Center Friday evening, took their seats and patiently awaited the 8 p.m. start of the show.
They were all geared-up for performances from such stellar acts as Joe Krown, the North Mississippi All-Stars, harmonica virtuoso Charlie Musselwhite and the legendary Mavis Staples.
Cal Poly senior Thys Norton said, “I came mainly to see the North Mississippi All-Stars, but I’m totally stoked about the others.”
“I’m really diggin’ to hear Charlie Musselwhite play,” Norton added.
As the house lights faded and the crowd looked on, New Orleans piano legend Joe Krown, the first featured performer of the evening, entered stage-right.
Krown performed a 20 minute, four-tune set of piano instrumentals ranging from rhythmic, head-bobbing melodies to good old toe-tapping boogie woogie.
Krown’s featured piece of the set, “Old Friends,” is the title track from his newest CD release of the same name.
Krown’s rendition of the melancholy ballad as well as his overall playing left quite an impression on many in the audience.
Sunny Sojka, a recent Cal Poly graduate, raved about Krown’s performance.
“Joe Krown was amazing,” Sojka said. “It totally felt like you were in New Orleans as he was playing.”
Sojka was so impressed with Krown, she said she was going to go buy his CD.
Rafi Melconian, an economics junior, said Krown left a great impression on him.
“I loved Joe Krown playing piano,” Melconian said. “I’m a piano player also, and it pretty much left me inspired.”
As Krown finished to a thunderous round of applause, the show continued with barely a pause as three stools were placed at the front of the stage.
Before Krown exited the stage to much cheering, clapping and whistling, he took a moment to introduce Luther Dickinson, Cody Dickinson and Chris Chew, better known as the North Mississippi All-Stars.
The guys came on stage and launched into a guitar-playing, five-tune set reminiscent of an MTV unplugged gig. The tunes ranged from a fast-paced “ramblin’and gamblin’ all-night” number to a slower-paced, bluesy ballad.
Bassist Chris Chew went into a blues rendition of the Otis Redding tune “Sittin’on the Dock of the Bay” that had the audience happily singing along to the chorus.
The All-Stars then sang the popular spiritual “Will the Circle be Unbroken” and a guitar pickin’ instrumental number that left the crowd primed and ready for more.
Following the folksy unplugged set, Cody Dickinson got on the drums, the electric guitar came out and the All-Stars played the last song in their set.
They switched gears to more of a rock-n-roll feel. It left the audience reeling like they just stepped into a 1975 Allman Brothers gig as they cheered and hollered for more.
Crowd reaction was varied as to the types of music the All-Stars played.
Maureen Dresp, who has been working as an usher at the PAC for 10 years, said her overall impression of the All-Stars was a good one.
“They were impressive young musicians,” Dresp said. “I loved watching them and it was fun to hear them.”
Business junior Erin Petruk said she really enjoyed the blues style of music the All-Stars played.
“You don’t get much of that style here too often,” Petruk said. “I’m more of a classic-rock type girl, so it was good to see something like that.”
Rafi Melconian was also glad to see something a little different.
“I think they’re a great band,” Melconian said. “You get a lot of country, a lot of rock, but you don’t get any big city blues. It was a nice change.”
Following a brief intermission, the show resumed. As the crowd re-entered the auditorium, they were hyped and ready to go.
Next on the stage came Charlie Musselwhite. Along with the North Mississippi All-Stars and Krown, Musselwhite led a jam session complete with blues-belting undertones and harmonica-blowing overtones.
As he went into a rip-roaring version of one of his classics, “Church is Out,” Musselwhite got the audience fired up as he told them, “It’s an old saying that means it’s time to party – and I DO believe that’s what we’re here for.”
Musselwhite turned the political corner a bit as he played a song titled “Black Water,” a song written about the disaster in New Orleans.
As he continued on in a political pun, Musselwhite solicited a generous response as he told the crowd, “Some people tell me I should just change the name to ‘Bush Water.'”
The group jammed one more tune and Musselwhite paused briefly to make the final introduction of the evening, that of blues singer Mavis Staples, whom Musselwhite confessed still gives him goosebumps.
Staples sang “Down in Mississippi” as Krown, Musselwhite and the All-Stars accompanied her in another superb jam session.
Musselwhite exited the stage following the song and the rest continued to sing and jam away with a cover track of The Band’s hit song, “Take a Load Off, Annie.” The entire audience sang the lyrics like old friends at a revival.
The last song of the night, the one everybody was waiting for Staples to perform, was, of course, “I’ll Take You There.”
Staples involved the crowd in a call/response format where the audience called out “I’ll take you there” while she and the band responded with “Take us there.” Every last person in the building was singing, clapping and participating.
Staples then called Musselwhite back on stage for an incredible finale medley rendition of “Down by the Riverside” and “When The Saints Go Marchin’ In.” Every performer participated in this finale, with Staples’ fantastic voice, Musselwhite’s incredible harmonica, Krown’s great piano and the All-Stars’ super talent, which brought the show to a rousing close complete with a standing ovation from the very appreciative audience.
After the performance, Krown said everyone played well together. “I think we all had a good time tonight,” he said.
“For me, I love listening to them and playing with all of them,” Krown said. “I’m having a great time.”
Luther Dickinson, singer for the North Mississippi All-Stars, spoke about his fellow musicians.
“We’re proud to be out here with Mavis and Charlie,” Dickinson said, “and Joe is such a great talent … We’re really having a good time.”