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" The 14th annual International Blues Talent Competition (IBTC) is best described as a high-profile battle of some of the world's best, unsigned blues bands. "
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Pat MitchellThe 14th annual International Blues Talent Competition (IBTC) is best described as a high-profile battle of some of the world's best, unsigned blues bands. The Blues Foundation invites its 64 affiliated blues societies from around the globe to send their area's best-unsigned band to compete in Memphis. The result is a two-day Bluesapoloza of the hottest emerging talent the blues has ever seen. The competition is divided into a semi-final and a final round, both of which will take place Friday and Saturday, Nov. 21-22, on Beale Street. The semi-finals are scheduled for the New Daisy on Nov. 21 from 8 p.m. to 1 a.m. The round continues the next day from noon until 6 p.m. The top five scoring bands announced will head down to the Black Diamond for the final round from 8 p.m. to 1 a.m. The competition is tough, but the bands and audience have a great time, according to Blues Foundation marketing director Doug Bacon. The winner takes home a cash prize, studio recording time and performance spots on the some of the nation's top blues bills, such as the King Biscuit Blues Festival, Florida's Springing in the Blues Festival and the W.C. Handy Awards. Last year's winner was Smiling Vic and the Soul Monkeys from Oklahoma City, Okla. Past winners include Michelle Willson, who is on the Bullseye record label, and Tone-Cool recording artist Susan Tedeschi. This year's IBTC will usher in the debut of Bluestock, the first national convention and showcase dedicated to blues. The event is a collaboration between Crossroads Music Exposition and the Blues Foundation, and sponsored in part by BlueSpeak. Bluestock will take over Beale Street on Nov. 22 and the final round of IBTC will be a part of convention (for more on Bluestock see Page 5). For information on IBTC call 527-2583. Beale Street Caravan Beale Street Caravan can be heard locally on WKNO FM-91.1 and WKNO affiliates on Saturday nights at 11. Nov. 8 - Show 6 The Caravan makes its first stop in Cincinnati for the Queen City Blues Festival. Area affiliate WNKU was on hand to help capture the sounds of Bob Margolin at the 1997 festival. Margolin, a veteran of the Muddy Waters band, plays through some of his latest material and an old Muddy classic. Big Jack Johnson and the Oilers are also featured from the 1997 Beale Street Music Festival. Jack runs through some classic material as only he can. Feature host Peter Guralnick discusses the significance of soul man Solomon Burke and John Hammond remembers Delta Bluesman Bukka White. Nov. 15 - Show 7 It's back to Cincinnati this week for the aptly named Radio Kings. This Boston based band sounds like they came straight from the heart of Texas, and they really smoke. Their set of original blues is highlighted by a Magic Sam tune. Also featured are the swamp sounds of Louisiana's Bluebirds captured at the 1997 Beale Street Music Festival. The highlight of this performance must be the greasy slide guitar playing provided by Bluebirds' guitarist Bruce Flett. Feature host Richard Hite remembers there is more to Cincinnati than WKRP in his discussion of King Records, and Tracy Nelson lavishes praise on another slide player, Bonnie Raitt. Nov. 22 - Show 8 A surge in popularity has transformed R.L. Burnside into one of Mississippi's premiere bluesman. The Caravan caught up with him at the 1997 Beale Street Music Festival. R.L. is joined by his grandson Cedric on drums and Kenny Brown on guitar. See if you can guess the names of the tunes. Then it's up river to the Mississippi Valley Festival and the Delta sounds of Little Whitt and Big Bo. This harp and guitar duo is a perfect companion to R.L.'s electrified Delta blues. Feature host John Hammond remembers the power of Lightin' Hopkins, and Richard Hite takes us back to Arkansas for a Roosevelt Sykes number that's "Too Hot to Handle." Nov. 29 - Show 9 Two Texas guitar slingers go head to head this week. First Texas ex-patriot Lonnie Brooks fires things up in the Blues Tent at the Beale Street Music Festival. He's got a big band, almost as big as his cowboy hat. Then relative newcomer Tutu Jones, a Dallas native, heads up to the Pocono Mountains in Pennsylvania. Tutu gives a high-energy performance full of some great blues classics. Caravan host Sam the Sham stumps listeners this week with a bit of blues trivia, and Richard Hite relives some memories of T-Bone Walker's classic "Stormy Monday Blues."
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