HeatherFest 19 just might have been thee music event of the fall season. Amidst beautiful weather, the annual backyard party in blues supporter Heather McKibben’s backyard went off without a hitch. A $25 donation upon entering the premises forms a charitable fund with one hundred percent of it going to HeatherFest charities. With that incredible vibe of giving, good weather, and great blues music, everybody in attendance appeared in good spirits all day.
The musical offerings were begun by a group of young musicians calling themselves Risky Business. Their solid, colorful renditions of songs like “I Wish,” “Brick House,” “Miss You,” and “I Want You Back” were a great warm up to the acts that followed. More importantly, Risky Business’s upbeat music fit the HeatherFest vibe perfectly. These guys played an especially exciting rendition of “Superstition” Their rhythm section and keyboardist had it going on with knobby, bulbous dollops of low end groove, and the vocalists featured nice harmonies on “Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band.”
Master of Ceremonies and side stage act Racky Thomas spent his numerous sets playing acoustic vintage blues on guitar, dobra, and percussion, crooning old gems like “Shake ‘Em On Down” by Bukka White and “I’m Satisfied” by Mississippi John Hurt from the 1930s. It was astonishing how those old time front porch songs from a long gone decade fit the mellow, easy going mood at HeatherFest. Thomas’s raspy, reedy voice warmly fell upon those vintage blues lyrics as if he wrote them himself. He sang and played “Candy Man Blues” like a vulnerable call to return to yesteryear when things were far simpler. Racky Thomas’s gift for recreating the magic of old blues comes through his personable delivery, transporting listeners to a time when people would sit out on their front porch in the summer time to sing and strum, never realizing they 
were creating some of the most incredible American music ever. Racky Thomas is a popular guy, and he invited several of friends up to play with him. Rhode Island keyboardist John Juxo joined him for “Rockin’ Pneumonia And The Boogie Woogie Flu,” a number that surely went over well with the age group attending. Mr. Juxo also brought his accordion along and he pressed out stirring, flavorful melodies. During his third set, Racky Thomas had an all star ensemble singing a three dimensional “Down By The Riverside.”
Next up was the popular Boston area band Erin Harpe And The Delta Swingers. Opening their set with “Delta Swing,” they offered sweet, chirpy harmonica lines, snappy rhythm guitar, and greasy slide guitar, that, together with Harpe’s vocal reach, played out like an anthem for the day, happy and generous theme. Harpe and her band mates transformed “Angel From Montgomery” into a bopping slide guitar country blues boogie. This group keeps evolving into something new and fresh every year. The slide guitar seems like a recent addition, and it gives the band an edgy frame to their gentle approach and old fashioned music. Richard “Rosy” Rosenblatt played plenty of light, happy, bouncy notes on his harmonicas, and, Harpe’s rangy vocal turned many songs into treasures, cooing, sustaining her way into blues nirvana and taking the attendees with them. Harpe also proved herself an old hand on the kazoo, which she used to great effect on “Pick Poor Robin Clean.”
The floaty music from Harpe and her Delta Swingers matched the mild breeze in the perfect 74 degree weather that brought the pleasant grilling aromas around the yard. Erin Harpe And The Delta Swingers played a blues version of LoveWhip’s “Virtual Booty Machine.” LoveWhip is actually Harpe and her bassist-husband Jim Countryman’s other band, an Afro pop Ju Ju funk band that’s made a name for itself throughout the northeast. It’s just a thing they do when they’re not busy cranking out blues with the inestimable “Rosy” Rosenblatt. Harpe’s rhythm section had that rollicking party vibe in their hefty pockets that gave a boost to the mellifluous slide work on “Good Luck, Baby.” It’s breezy melodies made people feel right at home. Harpe and her boys played a gentle traipsing groove that had several HF attendees dancing, swaying to its amicable vibe.
“Hip Shake, Baby” got things rocking with a more assertive, bopping groove and edgier guitar and harmonica lines. Rosenblatt blew a frenzy of notes, whipping up a hurricane of sound. It was a fun moment during a day of many fun moments. HF is more than just a blues music presentation in Heather McKibben’s backyard. The charitable organizations had their tents and representatives lined up on the side of the yard where attendees could find out more about donating and volunteering. Picture the scene. You’re walking from tent to tent, learning more about each charitable organization, picking up fliers, while 300 feet behind you Racky Thomas is playing “Hey, Good Lookin.’” Grill aroma from the pig roast after the row of tents reminds you that no one ever leave HF on an empty stomach.
The charities benefit were: ■ Pawsitively Strong – NEADS Boston Marathon Survivors Fund
http://www.neads.org/boston-marathon-bombing-victims-fund
■ Vested Interest in K9s – Providing Bullet Proof Vests for Police Dogs
http://www.vik9s.org/
Food & Donation Drives:
■ Winslow Farm Animal
www.winslowfarm.com
■ Norton Food Pantry – please bring a donation – items needed?
http://cupboardofkindness.org/program-needs.html
■ All can & bottle deposits are donated to Nine Lives Cat Shelter
http://www.ninelivesofnorton.org/
■ Bring Gently Used Cell Phones to donate to Cell Phones for Soldiers
http://www.cellphonesforsoldiers.com/
Delta Generators jumped right into their set of driving blues music with kick ass slide guitar work from Charlie O’Neal. Lead guitar phrases abounded from the speakers crazily while lead vocalist Craig belted “Devil In The Rhythm” from their first album. It was rocking, bluesy, pile driver. The band’s hefty back beat pushed the durable bass notes and magical slide notes forward. Rawding is a a naturally empowered blues man, capable of making you feel it, like he did on “Field And Plow.” His booming baritone carried well in the outdoor atmosphere. Delta Generators took it slow on new song “The More I Find Out(The Less I Know),” with Rawding’s voice so full of richness you’d swear you were listening to a much older singer. Here, Charlie O’Neal let loose his down tempo shards of electrified, sparkling phrases. Delta Generators’ broad appeal comes from melding blues from the slide guitar and raw vocals, and traditional progressions to the kind of aggressive primitive grooves from early rock and roll. O’Neal’s many tasteful guitar phrases rang out over the HF air, like a huge, arcing melody line that drew everyone’s attention toward the magic wafting out of that boy’s six string. “Canebrake,” one of DG’s best songs, rocked the happy campers with a rumbling bass line and forceful drumming fortified groove underneath Rawding’s unfurling, rollicking harmonica lines. “Hard River To Know” and “Too Many Cooks” played out with hard rocking belts and driving drums
After a moment of silence for the victims of the Boston Marathon Bombing, Heather McKibben lead an ensemble on the main stage into a group sing along version of “Dirty Water.” A perfect touch, especially with Diane Blue whupping it on harmonica. Several volunteers make HeatherFest possible every year and McKibben called them up for a group photo. This half point in the event was when Ms. Fest announced the recipients of her annual Keeping Blues Alive Award. She awarded a plaque to Trisha and John, Whiffen, a couple who met at HeatherFest in the mid 1990s, eventually got married, and who now return yearly with their eight year old daughter. One of the event’s charities, Vested Interests, Inc. raises money to purchase bullet proof vests for police K9 units around the United States. Based in East Taunton, Massachusetts, Vested Intests has supplied these vests to all of the K9 units in the Bristol County Sherriff’s Department. Bristol County deputies put on an impressive display before heading back out on patrol. Money raised at HeatherFest last Sunday will pay for vests for a dog in Rhode Island and a dog in Alaska. Later in the evening, a roaring fire pit spit flames ten feet high as it was managed by a man who knew how to build a fire. The heat just a few feet away from the pit was intimidating and forced revelers to walk a few more feet away from its circumference. Nobody sitting and standing around the fire felt the least bit cold.
Cheryl Arena’s All Starz Band looked like a who’s who in the greater-Boston/New England blues scene. Arena’s meaningful drawling vocal, Myanna’s saucy sax lines, and a couple of other horn players of local renown came on strong and swept up everything in their path, their brassy sound going far and wide. Diane Blue finessed “I heard It Through The Grapevine” while Travis Colby tapped out an exciting organ line. The other Cheryl, Cheryl Aruda, impressed the audience with her hefty pipes on her original “Heavy In The Levy” off of her solo album. Its swampy groove, too, impressed, so kudos to the rhythm section. Colby chilled out for the down tempo vibe, but he kept the tension simmering just below the surface, a perfect build up to Aruda’s mighty croon. All Starz singer Toni Lynn Washington was her naturally exceptional self, all class, her voice in fine form. Ed Scheer got a large portion of the audience singing along to his version of “Don’t Let Go,” a number made possible by the “Raylettes” up front. Ten year old blues singer/lead guitarist Nolan Leite got up to do a couple of numbers, his tender voice adding a new twist to “Texas Flood.”
Led by Brian Templeton, Peacenik Revolution was a huge ensemble with a three piece horn section, two lead vocalists, and two female backing vocalists. To say they had a huge wide sound would be an understatement. Templeton announced through his vocal microphone that Peacknik Revolution was all about sending positive vibes out into 
the world. Their upbeat, hippie vibe, complete with soulful horns and jazzy organ brought new life into the O’Jays “For The Love Of Money,” especially with funk bass runs kicking it along. Organ swirls and a strikingly good horn section, including Johnny “Blue Horn” Moriconi, who was sharing lead vocal duties, made this group a head rush of joy with everything they did. Templeton’s big band funk ensemble was the perfect vehicle to officially close out HeatherFest 19.
There isn’t much left to be said about such a great day of music, friendly vibes, and generosity. It was like celebrating Woodstock in Heather McKibben’s backyard. One can only wonder what surprises and treats Ms. Fest will have in store for next year, when she celebrates the 20th anniversary of HeatherFest.
