'5th Annual Blues by the Sea' comes to Kiawah

Image by Blues by the SeaImage by 20090509-blues.jpg Travis 'Moonchild' Haddix is to play at 6:15 p.m.

The 5th Annual Blues by the Sea is bringing an afternoon of free blues to Kiawah's Freshfields Village on Saturday, May 9.

The free event runs from 2 to 8 p.m. Bring your chair, skip the pets, and bring cash for the food and drink vendors.

Here's a rundown of the day's performances:

2 p.m. Davis Coen

Part folk blues, part Mississippi Hill Country, part rootsrock troubadour, guitarist/singer Davis Coen is a young traditionalist who is making a dent on the national blues scene. His latest CD, “Blue Lights for Yours & Mine,” has received extensive airplay on XM Satellite Radio and approving reviews in the blues media. Originally from the Northeast but now based in Charleston, Davis has helped introduce blues locally to a new audience.

With strong musicianship and the needd persistence to make it in the blues business, we see nothing but promise for this singular talent.

3:15 p.m. Bill Lupkin & the Chicago Blues Coalition

Boss blues harmonica from the Windy City!

Bill Lupkin spent a few years in the band of the legendary Jimmy Rogers, following in the footsteps of Shakey Horton, Little Walter, and other harp giants who went before him. Lupkin records for the noted Blue Bella imprint and fronts one of the toughest Chicago bands on the road today. If you love blues harp (don’t we all), you will be among those falling over themselves to hear this great player as he makes his long-awaited Lowcountry debut.

4:45 p.m. Larry Garner Blues Band

Born and raised in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, Larry Garner grew up under the spell of such swamp blues icons as Silas Hogan, Henry Gray, Tabby Thomas, Lightnin’ Slim, Arthur “Guitar” Kelley and more. A solid bluesman in that time-honored tradition, it is his insightful original material that earned him a reputation as “poet of the blues.” With a tour schedule that finds him overseas much of the time, Garner has recorded for a number of labels (JSP, Verve, Ruf), in the process earning accolades from Memphis to Moscow. We welcome Larry back to the Lowcountry; his first area gig in 15 years. Creative. Essential.

6:15 p.m. Travis ‘Moonchild’ Haddix

Another Charleston debut! Travis “Moonchild” Haddix is a veteran journeyman (guitarist/singer/songwriter/producer/label owner) who has followed his own muse.

Originally from Walnut, Mississippi, Haddix lived in the Midwest most of his life, working diligently on the regional circuit and releasing albums annually on his own Wann-Sonn imprint. His funky sound is a raucous blend
of urban blues, old-school R&B, and Cleveland soul, served up with the authority that only a 71-year-old vet could have in this school of hard knocks!

You can learn more about the event in this PDF.

Freshfields Village is located just before the entrance to Kiawah Island, here's a map.