10:30 am
BluesWorks
BluesWorks' music is a tasty gumbo of a variety of American blues with a dash of jazz and world rhythms. Co-founders Judy Luis-Watson & Paul Watson may lead a traditional blues song or a new one they have written, and it may be a New Orleans swamp boogie, ragtime, or a jazzy blues. With piano, harmonica, mandolin, and heart-felt vocals, Blues Works infuses the acoustic blues with a modern sensibility. A virtuoso on the harmonica and one of the rare blues mandolin players performing today, Watson draws inspiration from the legendary Howard Armstrong. Luis-Watson puts fire and soul into her mastery of the piano. With their heart-stirring vocals, the duo is known to "transform the performance space into one of those out-of-the-way, old time juke joints." They often collaborate with renowned area musicians.
Contact: phone (301) 464-6275; email bluesworks@aol.com
Website: www.bluesworksband.biz

1:00 pm
Janine Wilson
Janine Wilson has blazed a path from the backyard stages of her childhood in Columbus, Ohio, to some of Washington DC's premier venues, including the Birchmere, the State Theatre, and the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts Millennium Stage. Drawing comparisons to a young Bette Midler, Wilson's eclectic taste has informed her style, with everyone from Etta James to Laura Nyro and Elvis Costello receiving their dues. Having benefited from the tutelage of some of Austin, Texas' finest honky-tonk musicians, Janine further honed her vocal chops and cultivated her own inimitable stage presence. Janine has become something of a fixture at the Washington Area Music Association's Wammie awards, taking home kudos for being the area's best blues vocalist and best female blues vocalist in 2006 as well as awards for best blues album and best debut recording for "The Blue Album." She was nominated for her vocals again in 2007. Her latest release, "Save Me From Myself " finds Wilson growing bolder still, expanding her stylistic repertoire to include grittier roots rock, alt country, R&B and even a little traditional country-and-western twang. In late 2006 Janine, along with co-writer Max Evans, were awarded honorable mention from the Billboard World Songwriting Contest for "Don't Even Start" and "So Long" as well as honorable mention from the 23rd Mid Atlantic Song Contest.
Contact: Janine@janinewilsonband.com
Website: www.crosstownarts.com/janine/html