Dexter Allen, Marquise Knox & Lady A

Tre stjerner i en pakke

Rækkefølgen i beskrivelsen af disse tre artister i denne artikel er tilfældig, hver af disse tre stjerner kunne nemt ha’ stået forrest.

Marquise Knox er en ung bluesmusiker fra St. Louis, Missouri, USA. Han er på vej op og har allerede opnået stor anerkendelse for sin unikke stemme, hans skarpe guitarfærdigheder og hans evne til at skabe autentisk bluesmusik, som appellerer til et bredt publikum. (Marquise var på Blues Heaven i 2017, dengang sammen med Kat Riggens)
Marquise er født i St. Louis, Mo i 1991 han voksede op i en musikalsk familie, hvor bluesmusik var en fast bestanddel af hans hverdag. Som seks-årig lærte han at spille guitar af sin bedstemor og sin onkel, som var en stor indflydelse i Marquises liv. For Marquise er Blues hans arv og livsstil. Han tilbragte sine tidlige teenageår som elev af Blues-legenden og Heritage Fellowship-modtageren og Grammy Award-vinder Henry James Townsend.
Marquises talenter har givet ham mulighed for at optræde med nogle af USA’s mest bemærkelsesværdige blueskunstnere såsom B.B. King, Pinetop Perkins og David “Honeyboy” Edwards. Han har også optrådt på snesevis af festivaler og har turneret i hele Europa. Under et besøg i Clarksdale, Mississippi, blev Marquise præsenteret for Sam Lay (trommeslager for Muddy Waters, Little Walter og Howlin’ Wolf og senere Butterfield Blues Band. Sam påtog sig at hjælpe med at give Marquise’s karrieren et boost ved at insistere på, at Marquise blev en del af den berømte Blues-serie “Bluesmasters at the Crossroads.”

Marquise var en øjeblikkelig publikumsfavorit og blev adopteret af alle de tilbageværende blueslegende. Hans åbenlyse talent sammen med hans dybe kendskab til blues og store respekt for sine traditionen gjorde det klart, at Marquise havde noget særligt, og “Bluesmasters at the Crossroads.” skrev under på en kontrakt med tre album. Knox’ debutalbum MANCHILD blev nomineret til en Blues Music Award for bedste nye kunstnerdebut. Albummet blev indspillet, da han var 16 med den verdenskendte (nu afdøde) guitarist Michael Burks og hans band – (Michael Burks gæstede Frederiks Havn Blues Festival i 2009 og 2010). Udgivelsen modtog verdensomspændende anerkendelse, herunder Living Blues’ Bedste Debutkunstner-pris og en Blues Music Award-nominering for Bedste debutkunstner. Marquise udgav sit andet album, “Here I Am”. Albummet indeholder ni originaler og tre ærbødige covers af Marquises foretrukne Muddy Waters-sange.

Knox’s musik er inspireret af de store blueslegender som B.B. King, Muddy Waters og Howlin’ Wolf, men hans stil er også præget af moderne bluesmusikere som Gary Clark Jr. Hans unikke stemme og hans fængslende guitarfærdigheder gør ham til en af de mest lovende unge bluesmusikere på scenen i dag og hans talent bliver stadig mere anerkendt af både kritikere og publikum.

Lady A er en Grammy-nomineret sangerinde, der er kendt for sin stærke vokal og sin autentiske tilgang til bluesmusikken. Hendes tidligere udgivelser inkluderer “Down to the Bone” og “Born to Live the Blues”, som begge har modtaget ros fra både kritikere og publikum. Lady A har netop annonceret udgivelsen af sit nye album “JUST BEIN’ ME.” Albummet indeholder 10 nye sange, der fanger Lady A’s stærke vokal og hendes unikke blanding af traditionelle og moderne blues.
Lady A begyndte at synge i en alder af fem i Greater Mt. Baker Missionary Baptist Church. Hun blev i 2020 og 2021 som “Best Performer of the Year,” og 2021 “Best Female Vocalist of the Year” af Washington Blues Society. Lady A stræber altid efter at imødekomme sit publikums behov gennem optræden, tekster og musikalsk uddannelse, hvilket gør oplevelsen mindeværdig. Når hun er hjemme i Washington er hun DJ på NWCZ med programmet “Lady A’s Black’N’Blues” om lørdagen og Lady A’s Gumbo & Gospel søndag morgen.
Lady A vil her i 2023 tage på en række koncerter i Europa. Én af dem vil være en månedslang tur som vil starte i oktober og vil omfatte shows i Skandinavien under Navnet “Her Majesty Blues-Soul Divas” sammen med Terrie Odabi & Shakura S’Aida. “Jeg glæder mig til at vende tilbage til Europa og optræde for mine fans,” siger Lady A. “Jeg har altid følt mig hjemme på de europæiske blues scener, og jeg kan ikke vente med at optræde foran dem igen.”

Three stars in one package

The order in which these three artists are described in this article is random. Each of these three stars could easily have been at the front.

Dexter Allen has come far from his birthplace in CrystalSprings, Mississippi. He started in several gospel groups and became lead guitarist and bandleader for the great Bobby Rush, playing the blues with Rush worldwide before striking out on his own eight years ago.

Dexter Allen (born July 10, 1970) is an American blues musician, singer, songwriter, and guitarist. Allen’s father was a member of the gospel group The Christian Travelers, and Allen began playing bass guitar for the group at the age of 12. At an early age, he signed with his first record label, Airtight Records. He sang and played with the “Airtight Band,” “The Dixon Singers” and “The Robinson Brotherhood.” In 1995, Allen decided to elevate his musical career in local churches by moving to Jackson, Mississippi, the state capital.

Early on, he became more blues-inspired and was soon the lead guitarist for several blues bands. He received a Jackson Music Award in 2008 for “Male Vocalist of the Year.” In the same year, he debuted his first album, “Bluezin My Way,” resulting in another Jackson Music Award in 2009 for “Entertainer of the Year.” Allen then released a Christmas CD in December 2009 called “Hello Ms. Santa Claus.” In 2011 he released his 3rd album, “Bluezin for Life.” In 2014, he released an album titled “Bluez of My Soul.” and featured in a music video for his song from the album “Coming Home to Mississippi.” Five of Allen’s songs were listed on the Roots Music Report’s Weekly Top 50 Mississippi Song Chart.

He was then signed to Bobby Rush’s record label, Deep Rush Records, and was cast as a guitarist in the 2014 James “Godfather Of Soul” Brown biopic, Get On Up. This exposure led to him becoming the lead guitarist for blues legend Bobby Rush. In Rush’s band, Allen was exposed to what the blues has to offer worldwide. The experience allowed him to travel and perform internationally to hundreds of thousands of blues fans and learn what to succeed in the blues music industry. In 2015 Allen released an album titled “Trilogy of My Bluez,” and in 2018, he released a live album titled “Live from Ground Zero Blues Club.” The show was filmed in HD video – including club owner Morgan Freeman introducing him to start the show.

UK’s Blues & Rhythm Magazine’s review described Allen as “a supremely gifted guitarist/singer and incredible notes seem to fly effortlessly from his guitar.”

Born in St. Louis, Mo, Marquise Knox hails from a musical family deeply rooted in the Blues. He learned how to play guitar from his grandmother Lillie. He also played with his uncle Clifford, who was a major influence in Marquise’s life. For Marquise, Blues is his heritage and way of life. He spent his early teenage years in St. Louis mentoring under the late great Blues legend, N.E.A. (National Endowment of the Arts) Heritage Fellowship recipient and Grammy Award winner Henry James Townsend. Marquise’s talents have earned him performing rights with some of America’s most notable blues performers, such as blues legends B.B. King, Pinetop Perkins, and David “Honeyboy” Edwards (the latter two also N.E.A. Heritage Fellows). He has also performed at dozens of festivals and has toured throughout Europe.

During a visit to Clarksdale, Mississippi, Marquise was introduced to Sam Lay. Like other statesmen of the Blues, Sam took an immediate liking to Marquise and took it upon himself to help give Marquise’s career a boost by insisting that Chad Kassem bring Marquise to the celebrated Blues series “Bluesmasters at the Crossroads,” which has showcased a virtual who’s-who of the Blues at Blue Heaven Studios in Salina, Kansas. Marquise was an immediate crowd favorite and was adopted by all of the Blues elders in attendance that year. His obvious talent, deep knowledge of the Blues, and vast respect for his elders made it clear Marquise had something special, and Kassem signed him to a three-album deal.

Knox’s debut album MANCHILD was nominated for a Blues Music Award for Best New Artist Debut. The album was recorded when he was 16 with world-renowned guitarist Michael Burks and his band. The release received worldwide acclaim, including Living Blues’ Best Debut Artist Award and a Blues Music Award nomination for Best Debut Artist. Marquise then recorded a direct-to-disc album while in town for the next year’s Crossroads. Marquise released his second album, Here I Am, once again recorded at the legendary Blue Heaven Studios in Salina, Kansas. It features Marquise and his band, with a little help from Wayne Sharp of Michael Burk’s band sitting in on B-3 and piano. Nine originals and three reverent covers of Marquise’s favorite Muddy Waters tunes.

Lady A began singing at age five at the Greater Mt. Baker Missionary Baptist Church children’s choir.  A musical church choir director at 16 with an ear for harmony, Lady A pours Soul, Gospel, and a touch of Funk, along with storytelling, into each performance, hoping to inspire her audience and supply them with great music.

Voted 2020 and 2021 Best in Performer of the Year and 2021 Best Female Vocalist of the Year by the Washington Blues Society, Lady A always strives to meet the needs of her audience through performance, lyrics, and musical education, making their experience during s show memorable.

Lady A has just announced the release of her new album “JUST BEIN’ ME.” The album features ten new songs that capture Lady A’s powerful vocals and her unique blend of traditional and modern blues.

She is also Host DJ on NWCZ online Radio of Lady A’s Black N Blues on Saturdays and Lady A’s Gumbo & Gospel on Sunday mornings along with KMRE FM 102.3 Radio in Bellingham, Washington ~  Lady A’s The Boss –  Blues n Soul show.  Every 4th Saturday of the month is Sistagirl Soul Saturday, Showcasing women from across the country and abroad in music across all genres.

Always working towards making a better community and exercising her Production skills, Lady A produced The Big Blues Blowout (which featured 2x Grammy winner, Living Blues legend Bobby Rush, Guitarist Dexter Allen, Southern Soul Award-winning artist Nellie Tiger Travis and the Diva herself, Lady A.  She also produces, The Annual Red N White Holiday Affair, where she brings awareness to homelessness in Seattle and donates back to Shelters in the area, and raises funds for Blues in the Schools thru the Rhapsody Music Project, where she is the Chair, vocal coach and mentor;  the 4th Annual Ladies Luncheon which benefits the Rhapsody Music Project for Youth in Seattle and is a catalyst for encouraging and inspiring women by bringing them together in the Seattle area to celebrate Women in their uniqueness.

Truly The “Hardest Workin’ Woman,” Lady A is likened to a pot of Louisana Gumbo… best served HOT!