Charles Neville of the Neville Brothers
Charles, the second oldest Neville brother, has the most diverse musical background. His experience on saxophone has included rhythm & blues, funk, jazz, be-bop, popular and even American Indian music. He cites as influences Louis Jordan, Charlie Parker, John Coltrane, Sonny Rollins and Professor Longhair. He is also the only brother that lived away from New Orleans for long periods of time, making places like New York, Memphis and Oregon his home.

The Neville Brother most known for his pursuit of Eastern spiritual knowledge is also the family's keeper of the horn. His brothers affectionately refer to him as "The Horn Man". His saxophone won him a Grammy in 1989 for his haunting rendition of Healing Chant on the Yellow Moon CD.
                                        

Ann Rabson from Saffire - the Uppity Blues Women
"Music Makin' Mama" Ann Rabson played a considerable role in helping to revive acoustic blues in the post-Stevie Ray Vaughan era, both as a solo artist and with Saffire — the Uppity Blues Women, the group she co-founded in 1988. Although she's best known as a boogie-woogie pianist, Rabson worked primarily as a guitarist for the first two decades of her music career, and she boasts the rather unique ability to switch from Chicago barrelhouse piano-pounding to Piedmont fingerpicking at the drop of a hat. Rabson's rootsy approach also draws heavily from the styles of female blues singers of the pre-war era, such as Lucille Bogan, Ida Cox, and Bessie Smith. Like her contemporaries Rory Block and Bonnie Raitt, Rabson ranks as an important modern blueswoman who has brought tremendous crossover appeal to the genre.

Chubby Carrier and the Bayou Swamp Band
The traditional two-steps and blues-inspired rhythms of Zydeco are transformed into the modern dance-inspiring music of Roy "Chubby" Carrier and his group, The Bayou Swamp Band.  Carrier hails from one of Zydeco's most important families. His grandfather was one of Zydeco's first musicians. His father, Roy Carrier, Sr., continues to performed with his own band. Several of his cousins toured and recorded as the Carrier Brothers. The Worcester Telegram And Gazette praised Carrier for his "unbridled enthusiasm and the ability to make a party happen whether he's playing for five people or five hundred".

Troy "Trombone Shorty" Andrews and Orleans Ave
New Orleans native Troy Andrews graduated from both Warren Easton High School and the New Orleans Center for the Creative Arts, a high-school level fine arts institution that has produced such alumni as Wynton and Branford Marsalis, Harry Connick Jr. and Nicholas Payton. Although he might be better known to his local fans as Trombone Shorty, he is also quite adept at the trumpet, drums, and several other instruments. A professional musician since age five, Andrews was recognized as a junior virtuoso and honored by having a Treme´ neighborhood club named “Trombone Shorty's.” when he was only eight years old. He went on to record Trombone Shorty's Swingin' Gate at the age of 17.

Charmaine Neville and Amasa Miller
Born into the third generation of the New Orleans legendary musical family, there are simply no limits to her skills.  She's overlayed a bed of springy Mardi Gras rhythms with the heady intelligence of the jazz avant-garde.  Charmaine Neville performs blues, jazz, funk, rhythm & blues, rock and World Beat with astonishing range. She sang with open-hearted brilliance, switching voices (a mean impression of Louis Armstrong), scatting like a jazz diva & rocking like no tomorrow.  "All music is good music,"she says firmly. "I try to cover the whole spectrum and do just everything. I don't want to be stagnated and stuck in a rut....People ask,'Oh,what category would you put your music in?' and I say, 'Good!'"

Plus Special Guests

Doyle Bramhall
Soul rolls off Doyle Bramhall's music like sugar burnt brown. It comes from a place so natural it feels like breathing. But Bramhall's voice, cured in blues and spiced by a well-spent life, can now take its place alongside his many inspirations: Bobby "Blue" Bland, Junior Parker, O.V. Wright, Ray Charles and a history book full of others. He has hit that spot where all his years of playing and listening come together.  For Bramhall, the musical goal has never changed: "Making the best music I can for as long as I can, and hope if you stick around long enough you come back in style."

Michael "Hawkeye" Herman
Michael "Hawkeye" Herman exemplifies the range of possibilities in acoustic blues, and personifies versatile musicianship, originality, and compelling artistry as a blues storyteller. His dynamic performances have won him a faithful following, and he leads a very active touring schedule of performances at festivals, concerts, school programs, and workshops. Hawkeye performs a wide variety of traditional blues, ballads, swing, and original tunes, on six-string and twelve-string guitar, and is an adept and exciting practitioner of slide guitar and slide mandolin.  Herman has definitely carved out a spot for himself in the contemporary acoustic blues/folk field, and has earned a reputation as one of the most accomplished artists in the genre. Michael "Hawkeye" Herman has been called "The Midwest's Blues Ambassador," and audiences throughout the US/Canada/Europe have come to know and appreciate Hawkeye's talent, dedication, and captivating performances.

Dick Waterman
Photographer extraordinaire, agent, manager, producer, promoter and the only person inducted in the Blues Hall of Fame who was not either a performing artist or a record company executive. He established himself in the Blues community as a diligent advocate for the artists and the art of Blues. After finding Son House he started Avalon Productions, the first booking agency ever formed solely to represent Blues artists. Within a few years, he was representing Blues acts including Son House, Booker White, Skip James, Junior Wells, Buddy Guy, Luther Allison and Bonnie Raitt who credits him with her music career.

2006 International Blues Challenge Winner

Eden Brent

Boogie-woogie piano and gutsy vocals have established Eden Brent as one of Mississippi’s most popular entertainers. Whether booked as a solo artist or bandleader, her performance is fresh and spontaneous, often filled with audience requests and participation.