1KKgX6T

Jamiah on Fire and
the Red Machine
Windy City Blues Society
Cincinnati, and beyond, they’ve hit
the scene hard among blues and
rock players and fans. Band leader
Joe Tellmann has twice won scholarships
to the prestigious Pinetop
Perkins Masterclass workshops
held on the Hopson Plantation in
Clarksdale, Mississippi. Joe is a
proud member of The Blues Foundation
and is listed on Generation
Blues as a Blues Kid. This is
the band’s first trip to the IBC.
Juliana and A Soul
Purpose Band
Central Iowa
Blues Society
Juliana Logan is an aspiring
singer/songwriter, a Davenport,
Iowa, native who draws inspiration
for her music from her life experiences
living in a river town. Her
roots go deep here, and her music
reflects a blues, folk, and roots influence.
Her band, A Soul Purpose,
is made up of teens from the Quad
Cities. They are some of the most
talented kids in this area, and they
bring a nice balance of old blues,
funk, rock, and soul to the sound.
Their energy and skill will amaze
you. In addition to singer and
founder Juliana Logan, band members
include Matt Fuller and Nick
Dicklin on guitar, Matthew Dilulio
on drums, Cloey Johnson on bass,
Ethan Good on keys, and Haley
Teel on tambourine and vocals.
Justus Reece
Cascade Blues Association
suggests a return to basics, and
a half. Currently playing Dayton,
156 H YOUTH The Blues Foundation • blues.org his vocal style always has a light
quality. His songwriting skills are
equal to his performing skills, and
he always manages to evoke the Jamiah on Fire and the Red Machine
are one of Chicago’s hottest
greatest aspects of the blues.
young bands. The band members,
all cousins, are Jamiah Rogers,
Grace Kuch
20 (vocals and guitar), Jalon, 16
Colorado Blues Society (drums), and Kenyonte, 14 (bass).
Grace Kuch is a 12-year-old blues They play blues, blues-rock, soul,
guitarist from Colorado who has and R&B. Their second CD, Winners
had an amazing musical journey
Never Quit, was named the
thus far in her life. She began with best self-produced CD at the 2015
piano at a young age, and played Chicago Blues Challenge, and the
bluegrass mandolin starting at band won the Chicago Blues Challenge
age 7. After getting her first electric
youth division. This is their
guitar at the end of 2013, she second IBC appearance for the
was absolutely called to the blues. Windy City Blues Society; in 2010
Ever since, she has been on an they won the Windy City Blues
incredible music pilgrimage, playing
Society youth showcase. They re-
blues festivals and attending leased their first CD, titled Takin’
music camps across the country.
the Stage, in 2012. The band has
Grace has been in love with played several international music
music since she was born, and festivals, including the Montreal International
that passion continues every day
Jazz and Blues Festival.
as she is drawn more strongly to
the blues. Her natural style aligns
with the advice of many mentors:
Say more with less. At the
Blues Band
Jimmy Bez
2016 IBC she is accompanied by Boston Blues Society
A.J. Fullerton and Grace Ritter.
The Jimmy Bez Blues Band, from
Boston, Massachusetts, formed
Jake Kulak and in 2015. The guitar-driven power
trio features songwriter Jimmy Bez
the LowDown (17) on vocals and guitar, Zack
Connecticut Blues Society Sahagian (17) on bass, and Gavin
Jake Kulak and the LowDown are Burke (16) on drums. Their original
back at the IBC and excited to songs have a modern British rock
bring their blend of modern and edge while remaining true to their
traditional guitar-driven blues blues roots. Blues and rock fans
back to Beale Street. Guitarist and alike will delight in the impressive
singer Jake Kulak, 15, has played guitar chops, powerful songwriting,
his soulful guitar solos and expressive
and outstanding musicianship of
improvisations for audi-
this up-and-coming young band.
Justus Reece is a young musi-
ences all over the country and the
world. Anthony Dailey, 15, from
Longmeadow, Massachusetts, is The Joe Tellmann
back with his quiet swagger and
Band
tasteful bass grooves. On drums Dayton Blues Society
is 19-year-old Jeremy Peck, a formally
trained multi-instrumen-
The Joe Tellmann Band is a bluesrock
trio from Dayton Ohio. Influences
ranging from Muddy Waters
talist whose killer, high-energy
beats anchor the band. These
and Robert Johnson all the way to
young artists, influenced by the
modern greats such as Slash and
likes of Son House, Jack White,
Joe Bonamassa have created a
and Gary Clark Jr., are excited to
distinctive blues sound. The band
showcase new originals as well
has been together for a year and
as unique covers of older tunes.
cian who has been playing guitar
for more than half his life. The
music he will be performing at the
IBC includes a variety of American
music such as ragtime, Piedmont
blues, American primitive, Delta
blues, and other roots music. At
hometown gigs, in the studio, and
at home he plays a wide range of
music—not only blues, but jazz,
folk, funk, jam band, and more.
Some of his inspirations are Herbie
Hancock, Frank Zappa, Blind
Blake, Yes, Mississippi John Hurt,
Charlie Hunter, and Funkadelic.
Kentucky Blues
Crusade
Kentucky Blues Society
From the Kentucky Blues Society’s
youth program comes the Kentucky
Blues Crusade! The members
are Patrick Long (16, vocals
and lead guitar); Ian Matthew
Harper (18, drums), the recipient
of Generation Blues scholarships
to the Sean Carney Blues
Camp in 2013, 2014, and 2015;
Daniel Walker (18, bass); and
Connor Stith (17, slide/rhythm
guitar), a Pinetop Perkins Masterclass
scholarship recipient in
2014 and 2015. Mesmerizing
and well balanced, these musical
progenies of a genre that has
shaped just about every form of
music do an outstanding job of
delivering in their performance
every aspect that makes blues so
great. These kids are hip, energetic,
young, and they are here!
Leah and the
Troublemakers
Detroit Blues Society
Leah and the Troublemakers are
a young band whose talent and
passion for music far surpass
their ages. The teenage musicians
are led by the fiery vocals of
16-year-old Leah Giesey, whose
soulful style has been compared
to music legends Janis Joplin and
Etta James. She met her fellow
musicians at the School of Rock,
and they formed their own band.
With a great young drummer and
punk-rock-tinged bass, tasty lead
guitar and rock-solid rhythm guitar,
they are a band you will not
want to miss! They have been
entertaining audiences for the
past two years with their powerful
performances of classic rock
and blues covers and originals.
32nd International Blues Challenge
YOUTH H 157