Blues Muse (October 16-18, 2009)

Live Music

The Ursula Ricks Project

Could we have asked for a better bluesin' muse than Ursula Ricks? We won't say much because we think her music speaks (sings?) for itself. Check out the low-down oozin' blues on her myspace page.

Recorded Music

Cid Galicia (Tracy, CA)

Cid has been djing for 4 years now; beginning with house parties and then, under the tutelage of Scott Kaufman and Ron Thompson, djing lindy nights at Midtown Stomp. After which, he began djing frequently at FNB, getting to dj along such great influences as Steven Watkins and Roy Rydbeck. Cid djs blues, spending time in the study of its music, artists, and history. Always searching for contemporary hits and classic songs. Some of his favorite artists are Etta James, John Lee Hooker/Jr, Chris Thomas King. Some of his favorite songs are "Come into my Kitchen", "Lets Burn Down the Cornfield", "Comes Love". He has djed such events as the Utah Lindy Exchange, Reno Dance Sensation, Blues Rising, Emerald City Blues Festival, Steel City Blues, and Blues Shout.

Mike Marcotte (Washington, DC)

Mike likes to draw upon all the genres that lend themselves towards blues dance. He likes to push dancers while at the same time figuring out where they are and where they'd like to go. There's no party like a good houseparty, though, and so that's the kind of vibe Mike usually tries to establish. If the dancers are having fun, then odds are Mike is having just as much fun behind the DJ booth, or better yet dancing in front of it. He's a DJ that likes to be asked to dance during his set.

Sets that are created before a night starts are meant to be tweaked and adjusted. Sure you can have songs that you want to play in a night, but sometimes the dancers just want to go in different directions. Finding new music is fun and all, but getting a room to hum and smile is really where it's at.

Mike has DJed a number of special events in the Lindy and Blues scenes. He has served as Head DJ for the International Lindy Hop Championships in 2008 and 2009. He's honored to be a part of the Frankie95 event, as Frankie always was an inspiration since he first met him in 1999 at the Virginia State Open -- an event Mike has DJed several times.

Bill Speidel (Virginia Beach, VA)

DJ Bill Speidel cut his blues teeth listening to solo bluesmen in seedy bars and sidewalks in Manhattan's lower east side. Long a fan of raw, acoustic blues, for almost 20 years Bill didn't give a rat's butt whether you could dance to it; just as long as it gave you that grimacing "Joe Cocker Blues Face" deep down in the roots of your soul.

Bill's unique sets blend up-tempo acoustics, growling brass, sassy winds, raunchy barrelhouse piano and gritty Chicago-style harmonica to challenge and inspire dancers. His willingness to redefine what we think of as "blues standards" has earned him the nickname, "The DJ's DJ" and made him one of the most sought after blues DJ's on the east coast. Bill was a DJ at last year's Blues Muse as well as both of NYC's BABBLE exchanges, Y10A's Jook Joint Shimmy blues party, Atlanta's Enter the Blues, DC's Red Hot Blues'n BBQ, and countless other local and regional blues events throughout the east.

Corey Wright (Washington, D.C.)

Originally from southeast Missouri (just north of that place they call the Delta); Corey was introduced to the blues at an early age. Though Corey is currently residing in our nation's capital his heart has never strayed from the music that propelled him through his childhood and out into the world. In the past, Corey has toured the world on the Navy's dime and taken up residence in two of the most heavily blues influenced areas of the country: Memphis and Kansas City. During his travels he has experienced blues music the world over and can't wait to share those experiences with everyone he meets.

When in the DJ booth, Corey loves to push, challenge and motivate the dancers to get out onto the floor. While his sets do lean a little toward the delta Corey is always searching for that perfect next song to continue the vibe and take you on a journey. Whether it's from the Delta or Chicago, acoustic or electric, contemporary or vintage, you never know what Corey's going to pull out in the heat of the moment to keep the you on the dance floor and the party goin'.

Corey has DJ'ed events all around the country from nationally known events to that house party in your friends basement that everyone was raving about; he has only one goal when he's in the DJ booth and that's to get you out on the dance floor and dancing until dawn. To find out where he's been and where he's going to be check out the Capital Blues site.