The Soulard Blues Band will perform its 4th Annual St. Louis Blues and Soul Revue, featuring Marty Abdullah, Big George Brock Jr., Ms. Monya and The Voodoo Blues Horn Section, on Friday, November 26 at 8 p.m. in the Sheldon Ballroom.
Celebrating the 1960s blues and soul revue style of local legends Ike and Tina Turner and Oliver Sain, the Soulard Blues Band will serve as the house band for a hot night of blues and soul music, with rotating guest vocalists performing classics.
The Soulard Blues Band was formed in 1978 by bassist Art Dwyer, and includes vocalist Marty Abdullah, guitarist Tom Maloney and drummer Kirk Grice. They are one of the longest-lasting acts in the St. Louis area, with nine recordings to their credit, all on King Solomon Records, the label they own.
Since 1978, there has been solidarity among some black and white musicians in St. Louis, who shared the same circles of blues culture. It is called The Soulard Blues Band. Please note that the first four letters of the Soulard Blues Band are “Soul.”
For many years, segregation was the norm in St. Louis, but musicians rarely let race get in the way of making good music. Such was the foundation of The Soulard Blues Band.
Art Dwyer is the leader and one of the two remaining original members. Dwyer plays bass. The other original member is the vocalist, Larry Thurston. Other members include guitarists John Mondin and Bob Komoske, Kirk Grice on drums and George Brock Jr. on harmonica.
Dwyer said the group was inspired by the music of the performers who shaped “the St. Louis Sound,” Tommy Bankhead, Henry Townsend and harmonica player extraordinaire, Doc Terry.
Dwyer said, “We want to make every night a different night by playing what we believe is true St. Louis music.”
Segregation had an impact on musicians in the 1940s with social inequality, degrading racial discrimination, and ignorance. These are the circumstances Bankhead, Townsend and Terry had to face and overcome. Jim Crow racism caused great hardships and a never-ending string of petty humiliations for these talented musicians, and Dwyer said he wanted the Soulard Blues Band to reflect the love and respect he has for those who led the way.
The Soulard Blues Band has a distinct and unique sound. The music resembles a combination of ZZ Top and the old Motown Reviews. They combine forms of Delta, Folk, Chicago and Texas Blues.
For years the band has been an unwavering image in Soulard, a vibrant and proud neighborhood with a strong cultural identity. It’s a community bustling with locally owned business, restaurants and nightspots that were a huge source of pride for all races, and particularly entertainers. The region has a legacy and historical importance, and The Soulard Blues Band has helped to form solidarity amongst the black and white musicians who shared the same blues culture.
Dwyer said they began playing a greater variety of music at festivals and gigs, and certain trends developed that are still with them today. They set the example for musical integration in every sense.
Art Dwyer said, “We just want to do things natural, the way it is supposed to be.”
The Sheldon and the St. Louis Blues Society present the 4th Annual St. Louis Blues and Soul Revue on Friday, November 26 at 8 p.m. in the Sheldon Ballroom. Tickets are $25 for reserved table seating/ $15 for general admission seating. Call 314-534-1111 or visit www.TheSheldon.org.
