Ma Rainey’s Living Tradition of the Blues
Ma Rainey’s Living Tradition of the Blues
featuring
Beareather Reddy, Charlie Apicella, Avery Sharpe, Steve Johns
Saturday, November 22, 1:00 p.m.
DoubleTree Grand Ballroom
Reading Blues Fest is excited to present this special project celebrating and honoring Ma Rainey’s legacy.
North Jersey Blues Society and the Blues Alive program collaborated to create a concert showcasing Rainey’s incredible impact on the blues.
This program frames Gertrude Pritchett -- a.k.a. Ma Rainey -- as a trail-blazing American composer and band leader.
Rainey, known as the "Mother of the Blues," significantly shaped the blues genre by blending vaudeville and authentic Southern blues traditions. She was a trailblazer, popularizing blues music through her powerful vocals, stage presence, and storytelling, influencing generations of musicians.
Her music captured the experiences of Black life during segregation, and her bold, independent personality resonated with audiences.
An outstanding ensemble of Beareather Reddy, vocals; Charlie Apicella, guitar/banjo; Avery Sharp, bass; and Steve Johns, drums, will take the audience on Rainey’s amazing musical journey.
The concert features an exploration of Ma Rainey's classics, designed to entertain and educate. Audience members journey through her repertoire while discovering the musical, historical, and cultural significance of her work. The performance includes vibrant renditions of well-known tunes that showcased Rainey's mastery of the blues, with themes of struggle and resilience.
The inter-active show encourages the audience to participate in meaningful discussions about the evolution of American music, exploring everything from call-and-response to swing and soul, allowing for rich conversations that brought the music's history to life.
The concert builds to a powerful finale featuring Dr. Billy Taylor's poignant piece -- "I Wish I Knew How It Would Feel To Be Free."
The song became an anthem for the Civil Rights Movement, especially through performances by artists like Nina Simone, who brought it to mainstream audiences.
Ma Rainey Web: https://www.northjerseybluessociety.org/post/uncovering-the-untold-story-of-ma-rainey-a-musical-tribute-to-dr-martin-luther-king-jr
Ma Rainey Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-LaEB5Xihuw&list=PLDpk8Ygn6csQQAjzorD--axyNcL1PXS5T&index=9
Ma Rainey Overview: https://www.womenshistory.org/education-resources/biographies/gertrude-ma-rainey
Charlie Apicella Web: https://www.ironcity.nyc/
Beareather Reddy Web: http://beareatherreddy.com/
Beareather Reddy Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0bchA_j2VjQ
Avery Sharp Web: https://www.averysharpe.com/
Steve Johns: Web: https://www.stevejohnsjazz.com/
Saturday Day Pass Ticket - $125