Musicians and fans from far and near gathered in Memphis last week for some of the best of a music genre that got its start down South in the Delta.

Alain Apaloo From Togo, but currently living in Denmark represented the Danish Blues Union. (Photos by Brian Ramoly)

Jackie Scott of Jackie Scott and the Housewreckers

Sherman Lee Dillon from Jackson Miss.

Mark Richards with Mojo Theory, a band based in Columbus, Ohio

The Blues Foundation billed the 26th International Blues Challenge (IBC) as the world’s largest gathering of blues bands. The event featured 730 musicians in 224 acts from 39 states and 12 countries. After attending the event, I left with no doubt that there was some talent organizing it as well. The 453 performances were held to a tight schedule in 20 different venues during the four days ending last Saturday.

The showmanship and skill level was evident at each venue. The stage at Club 152 proved too small for Eric ‘Guitar’ Davis. When he and the Troublemakers performed last Thursday, he twice left the stage to work his way through the audience, and did so while never missing a beat on his guitar. The energy was equally apparent in other artists who were tied to the stage. Cheryl Renee of Cheryl Renee with Them Bones was as mobile as one could be seated behind an electric keyboard. Her hands waved in the air when not needed for playing, and the energy behind her voice was driving.

Various faces of the blues were shown at the IBC. By no means were all of the acts traditional. Each band brought along its influences – gospel, soul, jazz, folk and rock. And while there is no disputing that the blues has influenced rock, the opposite is happening as well.

Jackie Scott & the Housewreckers featured the soulful voice of its lead singer. The same could be said of Mojo Theory. The duo of Tom Walbank & Arthur Migliazza and the solo act of Robert Sampson displayed a piano-based boogie-woogie. The brother and sister act of Jack and Lilly, guitarist and fiddle player respectively, gave a raw rootsy rendition of the song “John the Revelator.” One band from Sheboygan, Wis., with its washboard, mandolin, jug and fiddle sounded more bluegrass than blues. Perhaps this was Wisconsin blues-grass. Regardless the style, the audience at the Hard Rock Café approved.

The blues preformed at the IBC showed some of the evolution of the genre. However, it appeared that the 60-plus volunteer judges took into account tradition when picking acts for Saturday’s finals, which included nine solo/duo acts and 11 bands.

While the blues is often more suited to smaller venues and juke joints, the groups performing Saturday fared well in the grand Orpheum Theatre. The finals opened in the afternoon with Jimi Lee and PB Shane, a harmonica and standup bass duo from Austin, Texas. The competition didn’t end until well in the evening when Grady Champion, a band from Canton, Miss., ended the show with the song “My Rooster is King.”

When all was done, Grady Champion had more than a rooster to talk about, winning the band division of the IBC. Second place went to the Karen Lovely Band. Cheryl Renee with Them Bones placed third.

In the solo/duo division, Matt Anderson was the winner. Alphonso Sanders & Bill ‘Howl-n-Madd’ Perry placed second.

Matt Kelley with Big Boy Little Band was picked for the Albert King Award, which is given to the “most promising guitarist.”

Judging for the best self-produced CD resulted in a tie with awards going to the Laurie Morvan Band for “Fire it Up” and to The Informants for “Crime Scene Queen.”

(For more information visit blues.org)