21 Blue with Middleground at Heartwood

Advance Tickets available at https://ncfblues.org/support-us/

21 Blue is Blues for the 21st century, the nexus at which authentic down & dirty Blues meets world-class Jazz. This quintessential intersection of Blues and Jazz features the world-renowned musicians trumpeter Longineu Parsons II and guitarist Ted Shumate, resulting in authentic Blues played at an impeccable level of musicianship – world-class musicians who express the heart and soul of American music! 21 Blue will take you from Louis Armstrong to Howlin’ Wolf to Miles Davis to Jimi Hendrix and beyond. This group does what no other group can in terms of playing the history of American music and making you love the fact that you are there to dance to it.

Longineu has been hailed as being one of the world’s finest trumpet players, and plays the cornet that once belonged to his mentor, Nat Adderley.  Longineu has performed in some thirty countries in North, South and Central America, Europe, Asia, the Middle East and Africa. He has performed for such dignitaries as the King of Morocco, the President of Gabon, the Royal Family of the Netherlands, the President of Austria, the U.S. Ambassador to France, The Royal Family of Monaco and for UNESCO.  

Ted Shumate was born in Meridian, Mississippi. His earliest musical experiences were the gospel music of the Southern Baptist Church and native Delta Blues. At the age of four, his family moved to the musically rich state of Florida. The great migration of Cubans, South Americans, and other Caribbean nationals in the early ‘60s brought a wide variety of experiences to the young musician to absorb, and would later help shape his musical personality. Ted moved to Los Angeles, California in 1980 to attend the Guitar Institute of Technology. Upon his graduation, he was hired as an instructor at G.I.T. while also playing and recording in the Los Angeles area.

“The material they chose … mirrors the eclectic nature of the project, from Howlin’ Wolf to Hendrix to soul jazz. They paint a picture using every shade of blue, with their technical skill deftly applying the brushstrokes. I don’t know when I have had so much talent at work in our studios. It was a thrill for me just to be in the control room holding my breath as they walked the musical tightrope between the various genres. I know it will be equally thrilling for you to listen and take this journey with these modern-day masters back to where it all began. Spring water flows strong and pure. Drink your fill.”

Bob Greenlee – President, King Snake Records

See 21 Blue Video:   Spoonful 21 Blue Live at JAB Fest 2016