Dance the Blues
Feel like dancing? Hip-shaking? Doing the Boogie-Woogie? At the 17th Annual Sarasota Blues Festival, held this year on Nov. 3, 2007, at the Ed Smith Stadium Complex, you can cut a rug under the mild subtropical skies to the keyboard jams and dueling guitars of some of the finest blues acts going. From root music to rockabilly, soul to rock and roll, the Sarasota Blues Festival lays down a variety of rousing performances guaranteed to make you swish and sway. A peek at the festival's past lineups recalls a bibliography of the blues: Buddy Guy, Dr. John, Greg Allman, Solomon Burke, Jimmie Vaughn, the Fabulous Thunderbirds and Coco Montoya. Does the name Pinetop Perkins set your feet going? R&B influences far and wide, past and present make themselves heard in the form of emerging and veteran performers alike in this daylong, family-friendly celebration of the blues.

To the Song They're Playing on the Radio
This year's roster includes crooners of all ages, from classic acts to fresh talent like Shemekia Copeland, whose

Blues fans dancing to the music

powerful, emotional vocals have garnered her superstar status and the 2005 W. C. Handy Award for Contemporary Blues Female Artist of the Year. Grammy award-winning Delbert McClinton heats up the stage with the muscle, smarts, charm and soul that has permeated his illustrious career for more than four decades.

There will be plenty of "Room to Breathe" as the master musician performs songs from his latest album of the same name. Sonny Landreth's six-string prowess and jaw-dropping slide techniques will wow fans of zydeco with spicy Southern sounds that suggest a range of instruments being played simultaneously. The Lee Boys are among Florida's finest African-American Sacred Steel Artists; the six members who are brothers and nephews create the music that developed its roots in the House of God Church.

Rounded out by The Chase Vickers Band, All Stars and guitar sensation Reggie Sears, the Sarasota Blues Festival is truly a family affair. Fourteen-year-old Reggie's impressive guitar work and command of the stage will inspire hopeful strummers and soulful young things to take up the guitar pick and begin studying the greats.

Let's Sway While Color Lights Up Your Face
While the musicians' raspy swagger and the piano players' pounding tempos feed your soul, the festival's accessible vendors offer food, drink and other refreshments to satisfy your hunger and keep you on your feet. Craft booths beckon with colorful, handmade trinkets and gifts. Snag a memento from the selection of blues-themed accoutrements for sale, cool off with a cold drink amid friends and family or wander the grounds and people watch. Split an order of wings with a fellow blues fan and trade concert stories and autographs until the sun goes down. The Sarasota Blues Festival strikes up rain or shine.

Through the Crowd to an Empty Space
Thousands of enthusiasts and admirers turn up at the Festival every year to pay homage to the cool cats of blues. Stake out a spot in the sun or shade and bring your blankets and lawn chairs to kick back in the soulful vibe. Gates open at 11 a.m., and the music starts at noon on the open-air stage. Free parking and picnic-style tables extend the warm and inviting atmosphere and accommodate even the most ranging family groups. Children under 10 get in free while adults pay a nominal fee for the pleasure of enjoying Landreth and company's smooth licks and masterful tunes.

Under the Moonlight, This Serious Moonlight
When the show winds down sometime after sunset, you'll find yourself bumping and grinding to the car, in no hurry to take off your red shoes. If you want to chase the blues into the wee hours, head over to the Five O' Clock Club in Southside Village, the official Blues Festival After Party Site. Toast the gods of R&B one last time.

If you go:
15th Annual Carl Black GMC Sarasota Blues Festival, www.sarasotabluesfest.com

For Tickets:
Ticketmaster: www.ticketmaster.com

Rossiter's Harley-Davidson:
330 Cattleman Road, 941-951-6103, www.rossiterharleydavidson.com

Manatee River Harley Davidson:
624 67 th St. Cir. E., Bradenton, 941-745-2429, www.manateeriverharleydavidson.com

Sarasota Fairgrounds:
3000 Ringling Blvd., 941-955-1515, www.sarasotafair.com

Five O'Clock Club:
1930 Hillview St., 941-366-5555, www.5oclockclub.net

Originally posted 9/16/04