Mr. Webster could have saved himself some trouble if, rather than defining the word "entertainer," he just ran a picture of Bobby Rush. The Esquire Lodge & Elite Temple BPOE #1265 (The Elks) will welcome back this consummate entertainer and legendary bluesman for a Saturday show at the Capitol Theatre in downtown Davenport, with proceeds benefiting local student scholarships.
Bobby calls the Quad Cities his home away from home. His family is from Kewanee, and he has several relatives in the area. He has been visiting and performing in the Quad Cities practically from the beginning of his musical career, including occasional shows at the Rock Island Elks Club for the past two decades or so.
A conversation with Bobby Rush reveals a quick, self-deprecating wit (he says you can just call him "fool's boyfriend") and an all-encompassing love for music. He's been "in the business" for over half a century, but with his typical sense of humor, he's quick to point out that he got started when he was about six months old. He also shows a strong spiritual foundation, with words like "blessings" and "gratitude" coming up often.
One of the ways he expresses that gratitude is through benefits such as the one on Saturday, and other charitable work with not-for-profit organizations across the country. His most recent visit to the area was not to perform, but to record a series of public-service announcements for the Mississippi Valley Regional Blood Center, focusing on the need for African-American blood donations to fight sickle-cell anemia. He's hoping to see a lot of the people he worked with at the MVRBC at Saturday's show.
His most recent performance here was at the 2003 Mississippi Valley Blues Festival, where he put on a blazing show as the bandshell headliner. Prior to that, he played the Elks Club the previous winter, in what was (sad to say) one of the few sold-out blues shows I've attended in recent years.
That ability to pack a room, and a desire to reach a wider audience, explains the move to the Capitol Theatre. The smoke-free, alcohol-free venue will offer an alternative for blues lovers who don't like the smoke, would rather not have drinks spilled on them, or have to get the babysitter home before midnight. As for the rest of us, there's the after-party at the Elks.
Not surprisingly, Bobby says that if the money's the same, he'd rather play a club where everybody's "rubbing elbows and stepping on toes" than a theatre or arena. But of course, the money is rarely the same.
Much of his drawing power stems from the fact that it doesn't matter if the audience is 10 or 10,000, or if the venue is a low-ceilinged dive or an air-conditioned auditorium. The Bobby Rush Revue still offers an all-out show that makes the audience feel as though they're in a Mississippi juke joint.
For those who haven't witnessed Bobby's show yet, you won't just see the Bobby Rush Blues Band; you'll get the Bobby Rush Revue. The concept of the revue goes back to the vaudeville era, and is live entertainment's version of one-stop shopping. You get the music, plus costume changes, comedy, and the dancers. (Oh, the dancers!) You basically get all the pyrotechnics of a typical rock show without the chance of the place going up in flames. And the fact that there's no opening band guarantees at least two long sets by this hard-working bunch.
Although blues music is inextricably linked to gospel music, many musicians opt for one or the other. You'll either see them in the club, or see them in church. Bobby states, "In anything you do, I believe, you must put God first." But he also says, "If it wasn't for sex, none of us would be here." This willingness to straddle that religious/secular line has generated some flak, but it results in a show that, while bawdy and risqué, is in no way dirty or degrading.
Bobby Rush was prominently featured in the third episode of the 2003 PBS television series on the blues. Although he wishes the series had done more for the blues and the musicians who play it, he credits it with a nice boost in his career. After focusing on B.B. King flying around Europe, the cameras went aboard Bobby's tour bus as it rolled along the two-lanes of what used to be known as the Chit'lin Circuit (basically the mid-South, from Memphis on down). The message, though subtle, is clear: B.B. is essentially focusing on, shall we say, a different "market demographic" than Bobby.
But that whole "different night, different town" touring ability is the key to Bobby's longevity. There are plenty of musicians who readily grasp the "art" aspect of the music, and there's no shortage of businesspeople who can manage the dollars-and-cents end of the equation. But as a bandleader, Bobby Rush is one of the few who handle both parts of the job.
And despite the romantic connotations of the life of a touring musician, it is a job. Bobby says he originally decided to write his own music until he could find a good writer, arrange the music until he could find an arranger, produce himself until he could get a producer, and book his own gigs until he could hire an agent. Forty years later, he realized he had the capacity to accomplish all those things himself, and still tear it up onstage.
That Bobby Rush can do all this - not just for years but for decades - and still create the terrific music that he does is his true forte. When you add the fact that many of his band members have been touring with him for upwards of 20 years, it indicates that not only can he put a great band together; he can keep it together. As he says, "They've got families to feed, too." That willingness to stick it out for the long run shows in their performances, also. You can't get the tight and seamless presentations they're known for with just a couple practice sessions.
Bobby Rush's music is unarguably blues, but don't expect it to be all back-porch country-style finger-picking. The strength and depth of his band allows him to stretch into plenty of contemporary soul, funk, and R&B. His theory is that you're not going to keep the blues alive by "putting it in a jar and putting a cap on it."
Considering the strong promotional push for the Capitol show, including radio and TV spots and posters all over the place, it surprises me that a lot of my friends and associates (particularly the, uh, melanin-deficient ones) still haven't heard about it. It promises to be a good time for a good cause. Along with its annual golf tournament and other charitable efforts, the Rock Island Elks Club has given out more than $25,000 in scholarships in the past four years.
So here's my recommendation for an enjoyable and worthwhile Saturday. Start out at Mojo's at the River Music Experience around two in the afternoon. They'll be having a memorial for longtime local musician "Grandpa" Jack Seales, who passed on recently. It's sure to feature some of the finest local musical talent, and it wouldn't surprise me to see Bobby Rush down there, if he gets into town early enough. From there it's just a couple blocks to the Capitol Theatre to see the Bobby Rush Revue at 7 p.m. (And incidentally, it's a general admission show, so if you want good seats, you need to get to the theatre early.) From there, the true die-hards can make it over to the Elks Club at 427 Seventh Avenue in Rock Island, one block east of the Seventh Avenue exit on the Centennial Expressway. They'll be throwing the aforementioned after-party upstairs until the wee hours. Sound like a plan?
And finally, since now you'll know how to get there, you might as well come back to the Esquire Lounge, in the lower level of the Elks, on Sunday to see the Steady Rollin' Band. Perhaps one of the best-kept secrets in the area, this tight and solid six-piece combo offers up some of the finest soul, jazz, blues, and R&B you're going to find around here. And if you're still in recovery mode after Bobby Rush, remember that they play there Sundays from 7 to 11 p.m., except for the third Sunday of the month. Hope to see you there.
Tickets to the Bobby Rush Revue are $20 in advance (from the Rock Island Elks Club or Co-op stores) and $25 at the door.
Bobby calls the Quad Cities his home away from home. His family is from Kewanee, and he has several relatives in the area. He has been visiting and performing in the Quad Cities practically from the beginning of his musical career, including occasional shows at the Rock Island Elks Club for the past two decades or so.
A conversation with Bobby Rush reveals a quick, self-deprecating wit (he says you can just call him "fool's boyfriend") and an all-encompassing love for music. He's been "in the business" for over half a century, but with his typical sense of humor, he's quick to point out that he got started when he was about six months old. He also shows a strong spiritual foundation, with words like "blessings" and "gratitude" coming up often.
One of the ways he expresses that gratitude is through benefits such as the one on Saturday, and other charitable work with not-for-profit organizations across the country. His most recent visit to the area was not to perform, but to record a series of public-service announcements for the Mississippi Valley Regional Blood Center, focusing on the need for African-American blood donations to fight sickle-cell anemia. He's hoping to see a lot of the people he worked with at the MVRBC at Saturday's show.
His most recent performance here was at the 2003 Mississippi Valley Blues Festival, where he put on a blazing show as the bandshell headliner. Prior to that, he played the Elks Club the previous winter, in what was (sad to say) one of the few sold-out blues shows I've attended in recent years.
That ability to pack a room, and a desire to reach a wider audience, explains the move to the Capitol Theatre. The smoke-free, alcohol-free venue will offer an alternative for blues lovers who don't like the smoke, would rather not have drinks spilled on them, or have to get the babysitter home before midnight. As for the rest of us, there's the after-party at the Elks.
Not surprisingly, Bobby says that if the money's the same, he'd rather play a club where everybody's "rubbing elbows and stepping on toes" than a theatre or arena. But of course, the money is rarely the same.
Much of his drawing power stems from the fact that it doesn't matter if the audience is 10 or 10,000, or if the venue is a low-ceilinged dive or an air-conditioned auditorium. The Bobby Rush Revue still offers an all-out show that makes the audience feel as though they're in a Mississippi juke joint.
For those who haven't witnessed Bobby's show yet, you won't just see the Bobby Rush Blues Band; you'll get the Bobby Rush Revue. The concept of the revue goes back to the vaudeville era, and is live entertainment's version of one-stop shopping. You get the music, plus costume changes, comedy, and the dancers. (Oh, the dancers!) You basically get all the pyrotechnics of a typical rock show without the chance of the place going up in flames. And the fact that there's no opening band guarantees at least two long sets by this hard-working bunch.
Although blues music is inextricably linked to gospel music, many musicians opt for one or the other. You'll either see them in the club, or see them in church. Bobby states, "In anything you do, I believe, you must put God first." But he also says, "If it wasn't for sex, none of us would be here." This willingness to straddle that religious/secular line has generated some flak, but it results in a show that, while bawdy and risqué, is in no way dirty or degrading.
Bobby Rush was prominently featured in the third episode of the 2003 PBS television series on the blues. Although he wishes the series had done more for the blues and the musicians who play it, he credits it with a nice boost in his career. After focusing on B.B. King flying around Europe, the cameras went aboard Bobby's tour bus as it rolled along the two-lanes of what used to be known as the Chit'lin Circuit (basically the mid-South, from Memphis on down). The message, though subtle, is clear: B.B. is essentially focusing on, shall we say, a different "market demographic" than Bobby.
But that whole "different night, different town" touring ability is the key to Bobby's longevity. There are plenty of musicians who readily grasp the "art" aspect of the music, and there's no shortage of businesspeople who can manage the dollars-and-cents end of the equation. But as a bandleader, Bobby Rush is one of the few who handle both parts of the job.
And despite the romantic connotations of the life of a touring musician, it is a job. Bobby says he originally decided to write his own music until he could find a good writer, arrange the music until he could find an arranger, produce himself until he could get a producer, and book his own gigs until he could hire an agent. Forty years later, he realized he had the capacity to accomplish all those things himself, and still tear it up onstage.
That Bobby Rush can do all this - not just for years but for decades - and still create the terrific music that he does is his true forte. When you add the fact that many of his band members have been touring with him for upwards of 20 years, it indicates that not only can he put a great band together; he can keep it together. As he says, "They've got families to feed, too." That willingness to stick it out for the long run shows in their performances, also. You can't get the tight and seamless presentations they're known for with just a couple practice sessions.
Bobby Rush's music is unarguably blues, but don't expect it to be all back-porch country-style finger-picking. The strength and depth of his band allows him to stretch into plenty of contemporary soul, funk, and R&B. His theory is that you're not going to keep the blues alive by "putting it in a jar and putting a cap on it."
Considering the strong promotional push for the Capitol show, including radio and TV spots and posters all over the place, it surprises me that a lot of my friends and associates (particularly the, uh, melanin-deficient ones) still haven't heard about it. It promises to be a good time for a good cause. Along with its annual golf tournament and other charitable efforts, the Rock Island Elks Club has given out more than $25,000 in scholarships in the past four years.
So here's my recommendation for an enjoyable and worthwhile Saturday. Start out at Mojo's at the River Music Experience around two in the afternoon. They'll be having a memorial for longtime local musician "Grandpa" Jack Seales, who passed on recently. It's sure to feature some of the finest local musical talent, and it wouldn't surprise me to see Bobby Rush down there, if he gets into town early enough. From there it's just a couple blocks to the Capitol Theatre to see the Bobby Rush Revue at 7 p.m. (And incidentally, it's a general admission show, so if you want good seats, you need to get to the theatre early.) From there, the true die-hards can make it over to the Elks Club at 427 Seventh Avenue in Rock Island, one block east of the Seventh Avenue exit on the Centennial Expressway. They'll be throwing the aforementioned after-party upstairs until the wee hours. Sound like a plan?
And finally, since now you'll know how to get there, you might as well come back to the Esquire Lounge, in the lower level of the Elks, on Sunday to see the Steady Rollin' Band. Perhaps one of the best-kept secrets in the area, this tight and solid six-piece combo offers up some of the finest soul, jazz, blues, and R&B you're going to find around here. And if you're still in recovery mode after Bobby Rush, remember that they play there Sundays from 7 to 11 p.m., except for the third Sunday of the month. Hope to see you there.
Tickets to the Bobby Rush Revue are $20 in advance (from the Rock Island Elks Club or Co-op stores) and $25 at the door.
