Long Beach Blues Festival Preview for (September 2 & 3, 06)

LONG BEACH TO HOST 27^TH ANNUAL BLUES FESTIVAL

 

LONG BEACH, Calif., August 8, 2006 – The Long Beach Blues Festival, presented by public radio station KKJZ (FM 88.1), celebrates it’s 27^th year as the biggest and most influential blues festival west of the Mississippi with a diverse line-up of Blues, R&B, Soul and even a little Rock n’ Roll.

“Since gas prices are soaring we want to give blues fans a break by rolling back general admission prices to 2003!” says Gary Chiachi, festival director. 

Headlining opening day on Saturday, Sept. 2^nd, will be War; a true American original band that combines R&B, Rock, Blues and Latin into a musical melting pot that has sold over 25 million records to date.  Also appearing on Saturday are blues legend Luther “Guitar Junior” Johnson, the Duchess of Coolsville herself Rickie Lee Jones, multi talented blues wizard Lucky Peterson and The Mannish Boys featuring Finis Tasby and Johnny Dyer with special guests Mike Eldred, Lynwood Slim and former Fabulous Thunderbirds guitarist Kid Ramos.

Headlining on Sunday, Sept. 3^rd, will be one of the truly great rock voices of our time, the legendary Joe Cocker.  The lineup for Sunday also includes Jerry “The Iceman” Butler, recent inductee to the Rhythm and Blues Foundation Hall of Fame Bettye LaVette, bringing the Chicago Blues sound to the festival Kenny Neal, Billy Branch and Carl Weathersby on stage together for the first time plus the gospel blues sounds of The Campbell Brothers.

 

 

 

 

 

 

The advance ticket prices for each day of the festival are $35 for KKJZ members and $40 for the general public.  Two-day passes ordered ahead of time are just $65 for KKJZ members and $70 for others.  Single-day tickets purchased at the gate are $45.  Children under 12 are free.  The festival begins both days at 11 a.m. and runs to dusk on the campus of California State University at Long Beach, adjacent to the 405 and 605 Freeways.  The seating is on the grass and blankets and low-backed beach chairs are recommended.

Tickets for the 27^th edition of the Long Beach Blues Festival are available through the KKJZ web site at www.kkjz.org, from Ticketmaster outlets at Tower Records, Robinson-May and Ritmo Latino, Fingerprints Records in Long Beach and America Online Tickets in Santa Ana.  For general information on the Blues Festival and to order tickets call (562)-985-5588.

 

 

Contact:  Pat Gorman

(562) 985-8064