Blues Blast Magazine Weekly Review: Festival Highlights, Terrence Grayson Feature, and Ten Major New Releases

The contemporary blues landscape continues to thrive through dynamic live performances, historic festival gatherings, and a robust slate of recorded music releases spanning traditional Chicago blues, soul, roots-rock, and gospel-infused Americana. This week’s comprehensive review and news roundup captures the vital pulse of the genre, highlighted by an in-depth feature interview with master bassist Terrence “Sweet T” Grayson, extensive on-the-ground reporting from the 17th Annual Crossroads Blues Fest in Rockford, Illinois, and a meticulous critical evaluation of ten prominent new albums from established veterans and rising dynamos alike.

Live Blues Circuit and Festival Culture: The 17th Annual Crossroads Blues Fest

Festival season remains a vital economic and cultural engine for the blues community, bringing artists and audiences together in communal celebration. Last weekend marked the successful staging of the 17th annual Crossroads Blues Fest in Rockford, Illinois, an intimate yet fiercely energetic one-day gathering that has steadily earned a reputation as a premier destination for traditional and contemporary blues enthusiasts in the Midwest. Held under crisp late-summer skies, the festival presented a masterclass in pacing, curation, and musical execution.

The day’s proceedings commenced with an electrifying afternoon set by the Stefan Hillesheim Band, hailing from Chicago. Hillesheim and his ensemble set an energetic tone, warming up the early-arriving crowds with tight guitar work and driving Chicago-style shuffles. Momentum surged as the afternoon progressed with a powerhouse performance by Crystal Thomas. Backed by an international rhythm and blues unit featuring formidable Brazilian bassist Rodrigo Mantovani and acclaimed Italian blues guitarist Luca Giordano, Thomas delivered a blistering set highlighting material from her latest recording project, cementing the global reach and collaborative spirit of the modern blues circuit.

As twilight approached, the festival delivered one of its most anticipated collaborative pairings: Annika Chambers and Paul DesLauriers. The dynamic duo commanded the amphitheater, leading the audience in collective call-and-response, hand-clapping, and vocal accompaniment through a dynamic selection of roots-inflected compositions from their collaborative catalog.

The evening culminated with a legendary closing performance by Rick Estrin and The Nightcats. Widely regarded by critics and peers as one of the tightest, most inventive units on the international touring circuit, the band featured the incomparable showmanship and harmonica wizardry of Estrin, alongside the dazzling guitar work of Kid Anderson, the sophisticated keyboard foundations of Lorenzo Farrell, and the propulsive drumming of Derrick “D’Mar” Martin. Festival organizers noted that attendance figures remained robust, reinforcing the enduring viability of regional blues festivals that intentionally schedule their events for the final weekend of August. Industry analysts frequently point to such regional gatherings as crucial incubators for building grassroots fan engagement away from major metropolitan commercial centers.

Mastering the Groove: An Exclusive Interview with Terrence “Sweet T” Grayson

In this week’s marquee feature, blues journalist Mark Thompson sits down with master bass player Terrence “Sweet T” Grayson, an indispensable rhythmic anchor who has spent decades holding down the bottom end for legendary frontmen including Bobby Rush, the late Michael Burks, and Victor Wainwright.

Born in Jackson, Mississippi, in 1980, Grayson’s musical education is rooted deeply in the rich soil of the Southern black church tradition. Raised in a household where both parents were deeply entrenched in church ministry—his mother playing piano and organ while his father laid down foundational basslines—Grayson grew up surrounded by gospel performance. His early ambitions initially leaned toward the guitar, inspired by stylish instrumentalists who wore sunglasses inside the sanctuary, before natural progression and family dynamics steered him toward the low-end frequencies of the bass guitar.

“The bass is the foundation,” Grayson reflects during the interview. “If the bass falls out, you definitely know it. If you don’t have a keyboard player with a dominant left hand, definitely the booty is going to fall out of the groove if the bass is not there. I like setting the groove.”

Grayson’s transition from sacred sanctuary performances to secular blues clubs occurred clandestinely during his late adolescence. While ostensibly attending evening church rehearsals and Bible study classes, a young Grayson was sneaking out to perform in Jackson’s vibrant local nightclub circuit, notably backing blues singer Larry Milton and playing with the house band Blues Eruption at the historic 930 Blues Club. When his mother eventually discovered his extracurricular musical pursuits through local acquaintances and festival posters, she offered a pragmatic maternal blessing: he was permitted to pursue his artistic calling provided he maintained his safety and kept his faith at the forefront.

A major career breakthrough arrived through a fortuitous twist of fate when Grayson secured a spot touring with blues statesman Bobby Rush. Serving initially in supportive capacities—including gear maintenance and soundcheck support for the late bassist Terry Richardson—Grayson capitalized on an unexpected absence to demonstrate his mastery of Rush’s extensive live repertoire during a soundcheck. This pivotal moment launched an eleven-year international touring tenure with Rush, exposing Grayson to global festival stages and placing him in direct proximity to first-generation blues royalty, including historic encounters where he shared festival bills with B.B. King, Buddy Guy, and Tyrone Davis.

Following his foundational years with Rush, Grayson accepted an invitation from guitar virtuoso Michael Burks, anchoring Burks’s high-octane trio through critical international dates up until Burks’s untimely passing in 2012. Today, Grayson serves as the permanent bassist for Victor Wainwright and the Train, a powerhouse roots-rock outfit with which he has collaborated for over fourteen years. In recognition of his distinct sonic contributions and visual stage presence—highlighted by his signature neon green DR Strings—Delaney Guitars recently unveiled the “Sweet T” Signature 5-String Bass, featuring a custom tremolo bridge and specialized Bartolini pickups. Despite numerous invitations to step forward as a bandleader, Grayson remains committed to his vocation as a master sideman. “I like to be that crutch for that front person, to just lift them up and keep the band going,” he notes. “That’s how I like to live my life, and I think that’s what I’m called to do, to be the best sideman that I can be.”

Critical Roundup: Ten Essential New Blues and Roots Releases

Complementing the festival coverage and artist feature, this week’s publication presents rigorous critical evaluations of ten significant new album releases across the contemporary blues, soul, and roots-rock spectrum.

1. Mark Hummel Allstars – Road Dog (Rockinitus Records)
   Veteran harmonica master Mark Hummel returns with a sprawling 14-track retrospective and contemporary recording project capturing sessions recorded between 2008 and 2025. Supported by an elite rotating cast of guitarists including Anson Funderburgh, Junior Watson, and Little Charlie Baty, Hummel weaves traditional chromatic and diatonic harmonica workouts with wry autobiographical compositions like “Jugglin’” and the title track, reflecting on the enduring realities of life on the international touring highway.

   

2. Joanna Connor – Live on 11/11 (M.C. Records)
   Recorded live at The Fallout Shelter near Boston, guitar virtuoso Joanna Connor delivers a scorching 64-minute masterclass in Chicago blues-rock. Backed by keyboardist Dan Souvigny, bassist Shaun Gotti Calloway, and drummer Jason “JRoc” Edwards, Connor navigates incendiary reinterpretations of Elmore James classics like “Shake Your Moneymaker” and “The Sky Is Crying,” balancing shred-free technical precision with deep emotional resonance.

   

3. Katie Knipp – Live at Theater 5150 (Self-Released)
   Multi-instrumentalist Katie Knipp captures the raw, organic energy of her Sacramento-area ensemble in a 16-track live release recorded in Carmichael, California. Featuring soaring slide guitar, B3 organ, and Knipp’s powerhouse vocals, the album bridges blues-rock grit with Americana storytelling, offering standout live renditions of original material alongside bold covers of Justin Townes Earle and Bruce Springsteen.

   

4. Leeann Atherton – Good God (Rainstorm Records)
   Southern-raised vocalist Leeann Atherton fully embraces her deep-seated gospel roots in this 13-track collection recorded in Southern California. Merging traditional spiritual repertoire—including “I’ll Fly Away” and “This Little Light Of Mine”—with secular musicianship and soulful slide guitar arrangements, Atherton delivers an uplifting testament to faith produced by TJ Moss.

   

5. Kat Riggins and Her Blues Revival – Every Day Is Saturday (Self-Released)
   Miami-born powerhouse Kat Riggins returns with a ten-track original collection designed to combat daily societal stress through an infectious blend of R&B, soul, gospel, and rock & roll. Produced by Tim Mulberry, the album showcases Riggins’s commanding vocal range on thematic tracks addressing perseverance, personal autonomy, and global peace.

   

6. Vaneese Thomas – Window To My Soul (Overton Music)
   Soul-blues royalty Vaneese Thomas delivers an eight-track masterclass in vocal expression and arrangement. Backed by a stellar horn section and keyboardist Dave Keyes, Thomas explores themes of personal resilience, financial disillusionment, and relational integrity on standout cuts like “I Still Got the Blues” and “I’m a Diamond,” reinforcing her legacy within the Memphis soul tradition.

   

7. Jake Soberlak – I’m In Trouble (Self-Released)
   Seventeen-year-old Canadian multi-instrumentalist Jake Soberlak makes a remarkably restrained and mature recording debut. Recorded live off the floor at Vancouver’s Afterlife Studios, Soberlak avoids the overplaying tendencies common among youthful performers, channeling the early blues-rock sensibilities of Peter Green and Fleetwood Mac across a tasteful selection of covers and originals.

   

8. Sam Morrow – Southern Boogie (Copaco Records)
   Austin native Sam Morrow leans heavily into high-energy Texas-bred southern rock on his sixth studio album. Produced with a hard-edged, guitar-driven attack reminiscent of Blackberry Smoke and the Allman Brothers Band, Morrow’s nine original compositions explore themes of sobriety, travel, and romantic turbulence with robust vocal delivery.

   

9. Janiva Magness – Truth In The Room (Blue Elan Records)
   Acclaimed vocalist Janiva Magness returns to the live recording format for the first time since 1991, capturing an intimate, career-spanning set mixed by renowned engineer Bob Clearmountain. Featuring her longtime touring ensemble, the album highlights beloved catalog staples spanning blues, soul, and roots balladry with pristine acoustic clarity.

   

10. Voodoo Ramble – Live: Made in the UK (Independent)
    Led by Croatian singer-songwriter and guitarist Boris Dugi-Novack Zamba, Voodoo Ramble delivers an eleven-track live set recorded before a live audience at Weston-Super-Mare College in the United Kingdom. Marrying southern rock inflections with 1970s British hard-rock styling, the band delivers soaring guitar leads and driving rhythms reminiscent of classic-era Deep Purple and Free.

    

Conclusion

The ongoing vitality of the blues genre relies equally on the preservation of its historical foundations and the fearless innovation of its contemporary practitioners. Whether through the celebratory community of regional festivals like the Crossroads Blues Fest, the invaluable institutional knowledge imparted by master sidemen such as Terrence Grayson, or the uncompromising artistic standards demonstrated in this week’s extensive slate of new album releases, the blues ecosystem remains robust, dynamic, and deeply connected to its global audience.