Mumbai Gets The Blues

Bigger. Better. Bluer. The Mahindra Blues Festival is entering its fourth edition this weekend (15-16 February) at Mehboob Studios in Bandra with a star studded lineup.

Having featured Buddy Guy at previous editions twice, the headlining act this time around is none other than Jimmie Vaughan. Texas-based Jimmie Vaughan is a four-time Grammy Award winner and has been a staple at Eric Clapton’s Crossroads Guitar Festival. The older brother of the legendary bluesman Stevie Vaughan, he was expected to perform at the festival last year but due to sickness was replaced at the last minute by slide guitar maverick Robert Randolph.

Apart from Vaughan, other festival highlights include Grammy award winning Tedeschi Trucks Band. The ten member band will be joined by Doyle Bramhall II who is the son of the late Doyle Bramhall – a talented part of the blues family. Doyle Bramhall II recently co-produced and toured the world with Eric Clapton in 2013, and produced American singer Sheryl Crow’s 2010 album‘100 Miles from Memphis’.

Other acts to watch out for are Lil’ Ed and the Blues Imperials band (check out video below), Zac Harmon, Soulmate and Blackstratblues. Both Indian bands happen to be the country’s flag bearers when it comes to blues and have been a fixture with the festival’s promoters Oranjuice. This year however, Soulmate has been able to make more noise than usual with the release of their third album ‘Ten Stories Up’. It has been reported that the band comprising Rudy Wallang on guitars and Tipriti Kharbhangar on vocals will be jamming with a group of Khasi musicians at the festival.

The festival will also see a workshop in collaboration with the True School of Music where the artists will share tips and have training sessions for participants and enthusiasts. Get a little taste of Lil Ed and the Blues Imperials in the video below, this is going to be seriously rad...

The full festival schedule can be viewed here and tickets can be purchased via bookmyshow, oh and there's an app too.

Words: Divya Naik