Bristo Blue among artists at Rock Hill blues and jazz fest

Popular veteran of past downtown festivals Bristo Blue, aka Scott Bristow, returns live Friday to The Courtroom at Getty’s Center in Rock Hill for the 11th Annual Blues & Jazz Festival. He’s just one of a cool assortment of artists performing at various venues.

Singer/songwriter/guitarist Bristow’s musical roots run deep through Hendrix, Cream, Eric Clapton, Rolling Stones, ZZ Top and more. He will come to order early for an acoustic session.

“I’m doing a Hendrix medley on a 12-string acoustic, which is a fun challenge, and I’ll play ‘I Hear My Train a Comin,’” he said. “I’m doing some slide on a ’79 Les Paul,” he continued, “including some tunes by RL Burnside, and Robert Johnson.”

A longtime resident of Rock Hill and Fort Mill, Bristow said he finds fun in the expression and celebration of a cultural music with its stories, sadness, tragedy, hope, joy and humor all wrapped up into a set of blues.

“Sometimes, the singer is telling the most emotional tragedy with the lyrics while the music is dancing with joy and celebration. There,” he said, “is the healing.”

Bristow recently attended a concert by singer/songwriter Steve Earl, and he cited a quote by the famed musician regarding “running from the blues and pain of life ... then eventually you just have to get real close to it.”

Bristow found his own understanding of that very idea saying, “I’ll be getting pretty ‘close to it’ with a song I wrote a couple months ago called ‘Everything I Need.’” Likewise, expect his set to include a short story about his dad as well.

The band Weekends will follow Bristo Blue. Also based in Rock Hill, their music forté is “a little bit of everything” with sounds that skip ably across the blues and R&B to Motown, classic rock, Top 40, beach and more.

Skilled and versatile, these players have been making music as a band for quite some time – a few together approximately 30 years. The resulting long-term ease and experience guarantee a unique musical kinship among these well-known area favorites. They include Eric Davis, Russ Horency, Skeeter Mills, Chuck Nichols, Danny Williams and Kevin Wilson.

Look forward to a Bristo Blue reprise for a jumping jam with Weekends doing a couple of Allman Brothers classics, particularly “Whipping Post.”

Varying shades of the blues and cool jazz grooves are showcased in close proximity, 7-11 p.m. Friday during the 11th Annual Blues & Jazz Festival in Rock Hill Old Town Restaurant Crawl. Tickets are $10. Other performers:

▪ Colby Dobbs, Flipside Restaurant, 129 Caldwell St.

▪ Leslie Richardson Trio, City Club, 140 E. Main St.

▪ Marc Hoffman Trio, Thi’s on Main, 210 E. Main St.

▪ Thel Petty, Five & Dine, 135 E. Main St.

▪ 77th Street Revue, Millstone Pizza & Taphouse, 121 Caldwell St.

▪ Plair, McHale’s Irish Pub, 122 E. Main St.

▪ Dante Lewis, Amelie’s Uncorked, 157 E. Main St.

For information, go to yorkcountyarts.org

Elsewhere

Friday: Khaos Kings at Luke’s Sports Bar & Grill, Rock Hill; Almost Famous Duo at Empire Pizza-Newport, Rock Hill; The Well Known Strangers at The Handlebar, Catawba; Stella Whittle & Sean Carrouth for opening reception at Olive’s Art Gallery, Fort Mill.

Saturday: Preacher Stone, with All of a Kind at the Sylvia Theater, York.

Sunday: Eddie Z’s Concert with Charity Case, 13th Door, Charles Walker Band plus Food Truck Takeover at Runde Park, Tega Cay; Children’s Charity Benefit with Lipstick on a Pig at T-Bones on the Lake, Lake Wylie.

7 shows in Charlotte

▪ Beats Antique/ Lyrics Born, Friday, Chop Shop, 399 E. 35th St. $25-$40.

▪ Cardfall, Friday, Amos’ Southend, 1423 S. Tryon St. $10.

▪ 101 Runners, Friday, Visulite Theatre, 1615 Elizabeth Ave. $12-$15.

▪ Bob James Quartet, Saturday, Knight Theater, 430 S. Tryon St. $45-$70.

▪ J. Balvin, Sunday, The Fillmore, 1000 NC Music Factory. $53.95.

▪ Sick of Sarah, Tuesday, The Milestone Club, 3400 Tuckaseegee Road. $10.

▪ That 1 Guy, Wednesday. Double Door Inn, 1218 Charlottetown Ave. $15.

This story was originally published October 1, 2015 at 5:55 PM with the headline "Bristo Blue among artists at Rock Hill blues and jazz fest."