The Mississippi Valley Blues Society is guessing that by three days before Christmas, most music fans will have had their fill of sleigh bells, lords a-leaping, wassailing, figgy pudding and chestnuts roasting on an open fire, and might be ready to trade all that red-and-green for something more, well, blues.
After playing to much acclaim at the 2013 Blues Festival last July, the Scottie Miller Band returns to the Quad Cities at The Muddy Waters (1708 State Street, Bettendorf) on Sunday December 22. Showtime is 6:00 p.m., and admission is $7 for MVBS members and $10 for non-members.
Minnesota Blues Hall of Fame inductee Scottie Miller started out on keyboards with fellow Minnesotan Big John Dickerson and Blue Chamber, and played with the legendary Bo Diddley. He now tours with fellow Blues Fest musician Ruthie Foster when he's not out with his own band, with whom he's released seven CDs since 2001.
With an eclectic sound that is perhaps best described as "Dr. John meets The Band at Bruce Springsteen's house," the Scottie Miller Band's repertoire ranges from blues to soul to funk and jazz, and they've got Dr. John's funky New Orleans groove down tight, especially considering they're from the "wrong" end of the Mississippi River. They've even been known to occasionally offer their audience a sampling of amazingly intricate Latin rhythms, as was evidenced at their show at Martini's in Rock Island a year ago. When the question arose as to why a "blues" band would play Latin jazz, the best answer is "Because they can." Many bands haven't developed the level of proficiency and tightness that the Scottie Miller Band performs, but that's just what happens when the same band members play together for thirteen years.
