Paul Benjamin(Konferencier)
Det er nu 3. år at blues notabiliteten Paul Benjamin skal være Blues Heavens “Host” eller “Master of Ceremoni,” som det hedder “Overthere”
Paul har været forkæmper for blues det meste af sit liv. Som promotor har han givet turnerende kunstnere et venue i Rockland Maine ved at præsentere en langvarig mandag’s aftenblues på Time Out Pub!
Paul Benjamin har også skabt de enormt succesrige North Atlanta Blues Festival og Brandenton Blues Festival i Tampa Bay i Florida, samt rådgivning og arbejde med flere andre festivaler rundt om i landet.North Atlantic Blues Festival er en årlig to-dages bluesmusikfestival med nationale blues-kunstnere, den betragtes som en af de mest prestigefyldte på østkysten. Festivalen afholdes på Public Landing i Rockland, Maine. Mange af de største navne i blues og soulmusik har spillet på denne prestigefyldte østkystfestival.
Som barn “trak” hans far, en ivrig musikelsker, den unge Benjamin ned til Newport Jazz Festival. Lejlighedsvis, når de spillede i Boston, ville musikere som den afdøde jazzudøver Lionel Hampton endda komme og besøge dem i deres Rumford-hjem. Som barn i 1960’erne, da Beatlemania tog fat, beskrev Benjamin sig selv som en “Stones-mand”, fordi, som han siger, “Jeg elskede den bluesagtige lyd af Rolling Stones.” Det var dog først, da han arbejdede på Golden Spike bar i Rockland i 1978, at det hele klikkede. “Vi havde reserveret et rockband, der annullerede, så vi ringede til Boston for at se, om de kunne sende os et andet turnerende band,” minder Benjamin om.
Musikeren, de sendte, var Eddie Shaw (Howlin Wolf’s saxofonist og bandleader, gennem mange år), med hvem Benjamin begyndte et livslangt venskab. I løbet af de næste par år rejste Benjamin til Chicago med Shaw, hvor han siger, at han “blev uddannet” og netværkede med andre bands. Snart blev Rockland en del af det almindelige blues-kredsløb.
Disse dage holder musikken Benjamin travlt på fuld tid, og han bærer mange hatte i udbredelse af kendskabet til blues og soul musikken, fra promotor og festivalkonsulent til pladeproducent og manager.
Han startede sit pladeselskab North Atlantic Blues Records simpelthen fordi Eddie Shaw fortsatte med at komme i byen uden nogen cd’er for at sælge til fans.
I 2003 blev Benjamin valgt som præsident for Blues Foundation med base i Memphis, Tennessee. Gennem stiftelsen har han hjulpet med at koordinere begivenheder i hele landet for at fremme “bluesuddannelse” og organiseret de årlige Blues Awards, beskrevet som “Blues Grammies.” Pauls engagement i blues-verdenen er langvarigt. Benjamin har især været fokuseret på at skaffe penge til Blues Hall of Fame bygningen, tværs over gaden fra Civil Rights Museum i Memphis.
Efter at have været formand for bestyrelsen Blues Foundation i Memphis, kan nu hellige sin til at lave de bedste festivaler i USA.
“Jeg ved, hvem BB Kings, Little Milton og Etta James er,” siger Benjamin. “Men vores børn og børnebørn ved det måske ikke. Vi er nødt til at holde den arv i live.”
“Jeg har nydt at vokse med bluesbåndene og blive accepteret i deres familie,” siger Benjamin. “Det har været en stor rejse, og vi har meget mere at komme.”Paul Benjamin skrev bogen »Heart of Blues« 25 Years of the North Atlantic Blues Festival, et retrospektivt kig på festivalens rige historie. Bogen blev offentliggjort i 2018 og er tilgængelig sammen med en splinterny, tredobbelt DVD-dokumentarfilm om festivalen, der inkluderer dens historie, tidligere forestillinger og interviews.
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Former Chairman of the Board – Blues Foundation, and Organizer and Promoter for the North Atlantic Blues Festival. We talked about the history of the North Atlantic Blues Festival, the Blues Foundation, and tips/advice for musicians, promoters, etc. Below is a playlist from the show:
An Exclusive Interview with Paul Benjamin – “Former Chairman of the Board” of the Blues Foundation
The Board of Directors for any non for profit organization is the driving force in determining the direction the organization takes. The awarding of the position of “Chairman of the Board” can be the most important decision any board can make in showing the world what direction that they are going. The Chairman is the spokesman and the face of the board of directors. The Blues foundation has recently voted to award this all important position to Paul “Mr. Blues” Benjamin!
Paul Benjamin has been a champion of the blues for most of his life. As a promoter he has provided touring artists a premiere venue in Rockland Maine by presenting a long running Monday Night Blues series at the Time Out Pub! For a touring artist having a venue that gives you a room to sleep in, a good meal and good pay on an off night can make or break a tour. Paul understands this and as a result the long running Monday Night Blues Series draws patrons from all over, and attracts the top touring Blues artists in the country. Paul Benjamin has also created the hugely successful North Atlanta Blues Festival as well as consulting and working with several other festivals around the country. Paul’s involvement with the blues foundation is a long running one as well. Having served on the board of directors before, he is back now to lead the Blues Foundation into the future. Paul Benjamin IS a force within the blues community and it is going to be very exciting to see him bring his experience and drive to Blues Foundation as it moves towards the future! Listen to my Interview with Paul as we talk about the future of the foundation and the Future of the Blues.
The North Atlantic Blues Festival is an annual two-day blues music festival featuring national blues performers and considered one of the most prestigious on the East Coast. The festival is held at the Public Landing in Rockland, Maine, overlooking the picturesque Rockland Harbor. Some of the top names in blues music have been featured at this prestigious East Coast festival. In addition to all day live entertainment, the festival has vendors selling a wide array of food, drinks and crafts. Saturday evening Main Street is closed to traffic for the NABF Club Crawl. Attendees of legal age, wearing their wristband from the festival are allowed free admission to the many bars and restaurants featuring many of the top regional blues performers. There are also bands performing on Main Street for all ages at no charge.
