Canceled – Living Icons of Contemporary Blues Come to the Miners Foundry on Oct. 12

October 4, 2023 at 1:07 PM Update: The event has been canceled.

Fans of the blues are in for a special treat when harmonica aficionado Mark Hummel brings his Chicago Blues Review to the Miners Foundry on Thursday, October 12th.

Featuring legendary blues singer and guitarist Joe Beard, vocalist Oscar Wilson and guitarist, vocalist, multi-instrumentalist Billy Flynn, and joined by rhythm section players Wes Starr on drums and Randy Bermudes on bass, the night promises to be an experience concert goers will not soon forget.

The grammy nominated Hummel has been playing the harmonica since 1970 and has toured extensively, with 30 recordings to his name.  The California native said he modeled himself after some of the big names of that time including Paul Butterfield, Charlie Musselwhite, James Cotten and Junior Wells, “Those were the guys I modeled myself after. If you are a harmonica player and a band leader, the band is centered around the harmonica player and all those guys did that.”

Putting together this tour, Hummel said, was a great way to get to work with these legends. “Oscar and Billy kind of come as a package as they worked in a band called The Cash Box Kings.  These guys have been around for a while, and Joe is 87 years old.  He’s been playing his whole life.”

The evening will include both original music as well as some covers.  There is little doubt the level of musicianship is quite accomplished.  “It’s a variety.  Both Joe and Oscar write a lot of songs, and I write a lot of songs, but we also do some covers.  There is a lot of passing down in blues.  It’s very much a part of the music.”

While Hummel has played in Nevada City before, he has never played the Miners Foundry. “I love Nevada City. I’ve gone there on vacation as well.” 

Coming back after the pandemic has been a treat, Hummel said, “I’ve been having some successful gigs over the last couple years. I did four big tours last year.  I’ve done three big tours this year so far and by the time the next two tours are done, I will have done 114 gigs on the road this year, so I’ve been traveling quite a bit.”

Over the years, Hummel has met a lot of musicians and shares conversations with them on his podcast, “Mark Hummel’s Harmonica Party.” “Everybody from Charlie Musselwhite to Country Joe McDonald to Elvin Bishop, all kinds of people. It’s kinda like being in the back of the bus.  We are just shooting the breeze, but we are talking about what they’ve done and what they’ve been through.  It’s a fascinating look at what musicians’ life is like.”

Fans should not pass up the opportunity to see these blues legends, “The people I am bringing are two-fold,” Hummel said.  “They are both immense talents and they are also super nice people.  They are the kind of people that after the show you can generally approach them and talk to them and have a wonderful conversation with them, besides watching their immense talent. It’s kind of a rarity for performers to be both super talented and super nice, in my book.”

Get your tickets now for Mark Hummel’s Chicago Blues Review to witness these legends while you still can!

The Miners Foundry Cultural Center is a living historic treasure serving Nevada County as a cultural art and community events center. More than a venue, the nonprofit’s mission is to preserve, enhance and utilize the historic Miners Foundry for cultural, educational and social activities in Nevada County. It is a symbol of California’s rich historical heritage, providing an educational and social bridge from our past to the present and future.