On Stage: Blues stars shine at Jamey’s tonight

By Denny Dyroff, Entertainment Editor, The Times

On January 3, Jamey’s House of Music (32 South Lansdowne Avenue, Lansdowne, 215-477-9985,www.jameyshouseofmusic.com) will kick off 2025 with what might be one of the venue’s best shows all year.

The show is billed as “The Road to Memphis All Stars” and features Kelli Baker (https://www.kellibaker.com), Billy the Kid and the Regulators (https://www.billythekidandtheregulators.com) and Slim and the Perkolators (https://slimandtheperkolators.com).

The caravan of blues superstars is stopping off at Jamey’s for an over-the-top night of killer blues music on their way to the IBC in Memphis. This show will be a mind-blowing tour de force at their favorite joint.

They are heading to the annual IBC (International Blues Challenge) in Tennessee.

IBC, which will be held January 7-11 in Memphis, represents the worldwide search for blues bands and solo/duo blues performers ready for the international stage, yet just needing that extra big break.

The world’s largest gathering of blues musicians will take place on Beale Street, with over 20 clubs hosting the challengers and fans.

In addition to featuring these final rounds of the prestigious blues music competition, the IBC event week will offer seminars, showcases, master classes, film screenings, networking events, book signings, and receptions for blues societies, fans, and professionals.

“I competed in the IBC in 2023,” said Baker, during a phone interview Thursday afternoon from her home in Long Island. “This year, I’m just going down to network.

“Actually, I will be playing. On Wednesday night, Billy the Kid is having a jam at Alfred’s on Beale Street. It’s known for its jams. I’ll be part of it along with a lot of other great players like Amanda Fish.”

Baker has been a road warrior recently.

“I’m home now – for the first time in a really long time,” said Baker. “I’ve been on the road a lot.

“I just had a show in Woodstock, and I’ll be in Philly this weekend. “I have shows this month in L.A. and the Midwest. I’ll come home and then spend the whole month of March in Florida and the Carolinas.

“I’ve been recording a new EP. At the Blues Revival 615 in Nashville, I won a recording session at Ocean Way Studios in Nashville. I’ll do one side of the EP there. The other side is being done here at VuDu Studio – Mike Watts’ studio in Long Island.

“I’ve been writing a lot. The songwriting depends on the song. Lyrics usually come while I’m driving. I’ll save it and then work on it at home.

“I’ll have something coming out in the next few weeks. The first single from the EP will be ‘Silk Flowers’ – a fast blues song.”

Like many musicians, Baker has been making music since she was a kid.

“I’ve been doing music my entire life,” said Baker, who was born and raised in Phoenix, Arizona. “I sang in church choir with my mom. After that, I went to a Christian high school and was in a choral group there.

“Then, I taught myself guitar. I took a few years and then I got into a rock band. I moved to New York in 2012. It was where I always hoped to be.

“In addition to making music, I was also running restaurants and clubs – including the Purple Elephant in New York. Before that, I was doing it in Arizona.

“In 2018, I began to focus mostly on music. I had an ‘ah hah’ moment. When I started doing it again, I was mostly doing it myself –fake it until I make it. It was mainly at the Bar Petite every Tuesday night.”

The Bar Petite is a cocktail bar in Huntington.

“I got good at playing,” said Baker, the 2022 winner at the Long Island Blues Challenge “Road to Memphis.”

 “I also played at a lot of open mics with different musicians and that helped me learn a lot.”

Baker also landed a residency gig at one of the most prestigious music clubs in Manhattan.

“I’ve been working in house at The Bitter End,” said Baker, who recently signed as a Sony Music Artist under Bad Jeu Jeu Records. “I started playing there two years ago. I’ve done a residency once a month for the last year.”

Baker’s band features guitar ace Noé Socha (Vernon Reid, Paula Cole), drummer Adam Wooten (son of Bela Fleck’s bassist, Victor Wooten) and bassist PJ LaMariana (Oteil Burbridge, John Kadlecik) – along with Baker on guitar and vocals.

“My genre is blues but I’m a rock girl at heart,” said Baker. The best way to describe it is as blues rooks and rock influences.”

Video link for Kelli Baker — https://youtu.be/UnaLWBF3FqU.

Billy the Kid and The Regulators are a high powered, guitar-driven, rhythm and blues band based in Pittsburgh. Lead singer Billy Evanochko is widely known across the Steel City for his impassioned lyrics, seductive vocals, and stinging guitar riffs.

Together with his band, The Regulators they deliver a well-balanced dose of funky rhythm and blues, with heart and soul being the main ingredient, playing countless clubs and festivals throughout the country. The band attracts fans with their fresh mix and interpretation of the iconic Blues Rock experience.

Billy the Kid and the Regulators earned a spot in the 2008 International Blues Competition by winning the Appalachian Blues Challenge for the West Virginia Blues Society.

The band later took first place at the Blues Challenge in Pittsburgh in 2013 and earned a spot at the 2014 International Blues Challenge in Memphis.

The Band competed with acts from all over the world in Memphis in January 2014, earning them the Third Place among the best blues bands in the world! Their sophomore CD, “She Got a Hold on Me,” released in April 2012, placed in the top five best CDs submitted from around the world for the Best Self-Produced CD.

Video link for Billy the Kid and the Regulators — https://youtu.be/k2i87K2OS2s.

Harmonica Slim Derek Matteson was born and raised just outside of Philadelphia. He grew up in a blue-collar neighborhood where things are simple, the Eagles were a way life, and a good day meant playing hockey without getting in a fist fight with your buddy.

Matteson discovered the blues later in life and became a student of the many terrific harp players in the region.

It wasn’t until he walked into one of the best blues joints in Philadelphia where he heard a master of the instrument play it in a way that lit him on fire. Mikey Junior was on stage with the house band giving the audience a true lesson in what the blues is all about, playing tunes by Little Walter, Sonny Boy Williamson, Junior Wells, and original stuff by Mikey himself.

Later on Slim had the privilege of witnessing more mastery of the instrument from one of the east coast’s kings of harp, Steve Guyger, which confirmed the blues was his calling in life. Those moments were the inspiration for his journey, which has led him to become one of the finest harp players in the Philly region and beyond.

Slim is honored to call himself a member of the Pennsylvania Blues Hall of Fame, as well as being the youngest to receive such an honor. Harmonica Slim has in the years since developed into a national figure with a loyal following wherever he tours.

Tickets for “The Road to Memphis All Stars” are $25 in advance and $30 at the door.

The show will also be available as a pay-per-view at $15.

Jamey’s House of Music could be called Jamey’s Home of the Blues this weekend.

On January 4, the venue will present LiLG & The Philly Blues Kings.

LiLG, a 13-year-old Australian blues wunderkind, is heading to the area on January 4 to sit in with the Philly Blues Kings on her way to the IBC Blues Challenge in Memphis.

This young lady has had a guitar in her hand since she was eight and sings the blues like a shrunken version of Bonnie Raitt. Also known as Guitar Gem, this fret-burning youngster has relentlessly absorbed all she can find related to the blues, even to the point of traveling the American Delta to learn from the masters of the craft.

LiLG has recorded and released her own material and sits in with seasoned players at every opportunity. She has tried her hand at many styles, including American surf music. She comes to the USA now representing the Sydney Blues society, in her quest for recognition at the International Blues Challenge.

Video link for LiLG — https://youtu.be/4i7LO5L46-Q.

Tickets for Tickets for the January 4 show are $20 in advance and $25 at the door.

The show will also be available as a pay-per-view at $15.

The Blues Kings are delighted to support this young up-and-coming star, and hope to keep up with her boundless energy. The Kings are a venerable institution in Philadelphia and may be heard most weekends at Jamey’s.
The Blues Kings will return to Jamey’s on January 5.

Every Sunday, Jamey’s presents “SUNDAY BLUES BRUNCH & JAM” featuring the Philly Blues Kings with special guest Dave Orban.

The Philly Blues Kings represent the best that the contemporary blues has to offer. The lineup is fronted by internationally acclaimed Nola Blue recording artist Clarence Spady on guitar and vocals and backed by Mr. Saxman Frank McKitty on tenor, Hammond ace Tam Sullivan at the keys and vocals, and driven by the powerful rhythm team of Jamey Reilly on bass and Paul Albrecht on drums.

Musically, they are first rate, combining the raw edge of electric blues with polished musicianship. Their sets feature a mix of beloved standards, modern covers, originals and obscure relics that only a music historian would recognize. True to their music-first ethos, the group eschews fame and fortune, and indeed has never even recorded an album together. These men love the blues — and love to play!

Video link for Philly Blues Kings — https://youtu.be/bAnBVLc7Wsg.

The open mic jam runs from 1-3 p.m. The host band lays down a set from noon-1 p.m. to get things rolling and then supports guest jammers as needed. The always rocking SUNDAY BLUES BRUNCH rocks a Happy Hour from noon-1 p.m.

Kennett Flash (102 Sycamore Alley, Kennett Square, 484-732-8295, http://www.kennettflash.org) is hosting J.D. Webb & The Good God Damn with Katie Dill Band on January 3 and TARKUS: A Tribute to Emerson, Lake and Palmer on January 4.

J.D. Webb and The Good God Damn channel raw energy, soul, and evocative songwriting into every performance, crafting a sound that is as haunting as it is unforgettable.

Drawing on influences like Tom Waits, Justin Townes Earle, and John Prine, this six-piece Gothic Americana band weaves vivid stories of love, loss, and resilience with driving rhythms, soulful fiddle lines, and compelling lyrics.

The band formed in the wake of J.D. Webb’s acclaimed solo EP “Royal St. Ann Burgundy,” released in early 2023, which showcased his gift for storytelling and set the stage for the band’s dynamic sound. Their latest singles, “The Champ” and “Nightshade,” further solidify their reputation for delivering powerful songs that linger in the hearts of their listeners.

Katie Dill has been writing music and performing professionally since she was 15 years old. At the ripe age of 35 she has written over 200 songs, released many albums, been written up by Rolling Stone and Pitchfork, and has written and performed three one-women comedy shows, sometimes under the direction of Ron Lynch of Bob’s Burgers fame.

The show on January 3 will start at 8 p.m. Tickets are $15.

The TARKUS: A Tribute to Emerson, Lake and Palmer show on January 4 is sold out.

On January 3 and 4, Elkton Music Hall (107 North Street, Elkton, Maryland, www.elktonmusichall.com) will host The Rock Orchestra Plays The Beatles.