"The community support and frankly the love of the event has really blown me away," says blues musician Mick Kolassa, a member of the Kalamazoo Valley Blues Association who recently returned to Michigan after years in North Mississippi and Memphis. "You know, I've been all over the country, played in a lot of festivals. I've just not seen that kind of community support." Kolassa, along with fellow musician and KVBA member Lisa Chilton, join Cara Lieurance to preview the popular 30+ year-old festival.
Chilton, whose father was a blues musician in the area, grew up surrounded by the local blues scene. "Most of the people that are around the area I have known my entire life. I finally called them my blues uncles, most of them, 'cause it was not as many women, but a lot of the men that have been in the scene for 40 years now, I've known my whole life."
Friday's lineup features the Jim Klein Band, Chris Canas ("the Prince of Detroit"), Chicago blues staple Ivy Ford, and headliner Brandon Santini. "Brandon is an amazing harmonica player," says Kolassa. "He came to Memphis to try to break his way into blues [...] He was a doorman at the Rum Boogie Cafe while other people played. And they eventually would let him get up on the stage and play. And he was blowing people away."
Saturday's lineup showcases local favorites Crossroads Resurrection, Chicago blues icon John Primer and headliner Vanessa Collier, among others. "Amazing vocalist, songwriter, her saxophone playing will blow you away, but she's also quite the guitarist," Kolassa says.
Festival day and weekend passes are available at kvba.org.
The Kalamazoo Valley Blues Association's mission extends beyond the annual festival, hosting regular blues jams at Shakespeare's on Sundays, presenting a winter blues series, and organizing fundraising events throughout the year.
"Our main mission is keeping the blues alive and well and making sure that these younger generations experience it," Chilton explains.
