Cross Creek Blues Club

July Blues Club was an historic occasion! A capacity audience enjoyed a last chance to hear Wairarapa’s own Statesman of the Blues Mr Patrick McKenna and the Yellow Dog Band who pulled out all the stops in his “Farewell to the Wairarapa” tribute concert. Pat was supported by a brilliant line up of his friends and fellow musos from the Blues Club.

Along with this memorable performance we were privileged to enjoy the fine hospitality offered by publicans Kate Sullivan and Marie Webb at the newly refurbished Tin Hut. This future of this wonderful pub, which has served the Wairarapa for the past 160 years, is now assured with a fine menu, a well-stocked bar and a charming and obliging team. It was a night to remember!

In August, Cross Creek Blues Club hosted by the Featherston RSA will see the long awaited return of Dave Murphy and Dougal Speir. With authentic early blues music from New Zealand’s finest country blues combo – Red Dog Acoustic Duo, formed by Dave Murphy and Dougal Speir as an acoustic spin-off from the Red Dog Saloon Band.

Dave Murphy and Dougal Speir will present their very own brand of Blues with songs like “Talk to Your Daughter” and “Walkin’ Blues!” Sure to lift the roof off and banish those winter blues!!
 
Dave Murphy is a finger-style, blues picking guitar legend and one of New Zealand’s best interpreters of the blues. Dougal is a highly accomplished guitarist and was a founder of the Capital Blues Club in Wellington in 1996.
 
In the 1980s Dave travelled through the United States meeting musicians and learning blues tunes from the originals like Eugene Powell better known as Sonny Boy Nelson.
This experience gave Dave an insight into music that has kept him in touch with the heart and soul of the blues ever since. One of the highlights of the journey was a trip to Clarksdale Mississippi and neighbouring towns Greenville and Leland where he played music with Mississippi blues greats.
 
Dave recalls, “I went to Chicago and stayed there for four months. I went to the blues clubs on the north side where all the jams were happening. Dave’s vocal delivery and melodic guitar style is in contrast to Dougal Speirs’ strong and resonant guitar. He has opened for Clarence Gatemouth Brown and Champion Jack Dupree in Wellington, and played on stage with Robert Jnr Lockwood.
  
“Dave is an icon in the New Zealand music scene” – music critic”RNZ Nick Bollinger ?.
  
For more information, see our website http://crosscreekblues.org/
 
Cross Creek Blues Club The RSA , 57 Fox Street, Featherston

Linda Sorensen