If these women have their way, Pittsburgh will be a BLUES TOWN By Jason Lee Impulse Writer
Impulse College Life and Entertainment in Pittsburgh Week of 4 December 1998
One snowy winter night in January three years ago, Ron "Moondog" Esser saw a concept years in the making evolve into reality. There was a feeling of electricity in the air inside Moondog's, a small, intimate blues club located in Blawnox, Pa., like something special was about to happen. Seven women climbed up on one stage, each with the utmost respect and admiration for the others, and released the most powerful, inspirational and breathtaking performance in Moondog's history. "This idea could put Pittsburgh on the map," said Esser. 'Every other city has their own blues icons that give the city its blues reputation. Pittsburgh has not had a successful blues band since Billy Price and the Keystone Rhythm Band, and that was 10 or 15 years ago." The Pittsburgh Women of the Blues Band is a special project that the seven members hold close to their hearts. This is not an all-star band with only the best Pittsburgh singers. It's something more. It's a band that has an intimate hold on the audience and one that wraps itself in a push-on-the-gas-and-go blues attitude that rubs off on the audience during performances. They make you want to be a blues singer. "I thought the Women of the Blues could make Pittsburgh a blues town," said Esser. What started as the, idea of having seven women sing traditional blues for a one-night gig soon evolved into the possibility of an album. The promise of an album still seductively lingers among the women, as their collective services remain in high demand. The Pittsburgh Women of the Blues' original lineup consisted of Helene Milan, Andrea Pearl, Shari Richards, Jill West, Jill Paone Simmons, Lucy Van Sickle and Erin Burkett. All the members are involved in. their personal projects, but Van Sickle and Burkett have since left the band to concentrate full-time on their individual work. This leaves five talented women to carry on the torch and the emerging tradition Jill West has been singing for more than 30 years. She sang in different musical styles, fluctuating between the blues and jazz, eventually setting down the blues for the past 10 years. When it comes to musical instruments, West can only offer limited experience with hand-held percussion. What she does have is a voice. Her overpowering, bigmamma style blues voice captures the audience's attention, as does the call and response stage presence that envelops onlookers. West's major project is the Blues Attack. The hard-edged blues-based band grips the traditional Chicago blues sound and doesn't let go. Theirs is a different kind of blues compared to The Pittsburgh Women of the Blues -- like Robert Johnson kneeling at the crossroads as he sells his soul to the devil blues. "The Blues Attack is a driving force with guitars and my voice," said West. "The Pittsbugh Women of the Blues has a vocal mix that uses four- or five-part vocal harmonies." West was influential in getting the women together for the first gig. There were two criteria: They had to be known, and they had to have performed at Moondog's. "Ron asked me to get into contact with the other women that have played at Moondog's and see if the would enjoy playing together for a one-shot deal," said West. She quickly got down to business and phoned Richards, Pearl, Van Sickle, Simmons, Milan and Burkett. All were honored and excited about the invitation. But the biggest obstacle was yet to come -- conflicting schedules. Some of the women had side projects, which started to gain momentum during the formation of the group. Burkett and Van Sickle had solo projects in the works that sometimes made it impossible to get together with the band for rehearsals. However, things slowly began to come together. The one-shot deal happened in January 1996 during a horrible snowstorm that caught Pittsburgh off guard. "We played at Moondog's, and the crowd was made up of countless loyal Moondog's patrons." Said West. "It was full house." Fun-filled excitement was a great way to describe the energy enveloping those at Moondog's that snowy, bitter-cold January night. West admits the band was not as polished as her band for the simple fact that they didn't get to practice as a unit very much. Scheduling still presents problems. "When we get together, we go over vocal harmonies," said West. "But since we all are good friends, musically and socially, the rehearsal becomes a gathering of friends." "When we play, I think we set off an energy chain that the audience becomes part of and we relax and have a lot of fun," she continued. The Blues Band plays everything from the old Etta James tune, "Must be Love", which all the women sing, to the traditional gospel song, "I'm Saved" that Burkett sang and Simmons now sings, to their original song, "Ain't Gonna Shake, (Make it Swing)." While West performs a down-home and basic blues sound, others have brought a more up-to-date blues sound to the listeners. Rock and Blues, a style of music derived from the traditional blues, enticed Richards to enter the music genre. She lists her influences among such guitar players and lyrical writers as Ani DiFranco, B. B. King, Buddy Guy, Junior Wells and Rory Block. "Ani DiFranco is a damn funky player, but not a blues player," said Richards. Richards incorporates Bonnie Raitt, DiFranco and Laura Love songs into her show because she doesn't want to limit herself to one style of music. Even musicians like the Indigo Girls influence Richards in that their music is inspiring, and she likes the fact that they don't refer to themselves as just folk artists, Richards compares playing the tri-state area with going to the gym. She says that gettting out and playing around Pittsburgh is a good workout before she travels to other places. Richards has played in Michigan, Illinois, upstate New York and southern West Virginia. In October 1997, she even took her show to Greece. There are people over there that are craving the blues," said Richards. "I really had a great time performing in Greece." Richards' extraordinary group of musical influences have molded her into a distinctive player. The musician she most respects is B. B. King. Richards talked to B. B. King once, and he told her that she should not make distinctions between good and bad blues because it takes up too much energy trying to determine what is or isn't the blues. Richards agreed with his advice and incorporates it into her song selections. The one thing that makes the Blues Band most unusual is its vocal harmonies, which make it sound as if the women are selling their souls for the love of singing. Richards brings versatile, rockin' blues vocals to the stage, while Burkett contributes a sultry, sexy blues-style music as she sashays across the stage in sizzling, slinky dresses. Burkett began her musical endeavors as a child growing up in New Kensington, PA. She fell in love with singing gospel music in a church located behind her house. At 17, Burkett surrendered a full art scholarship to sing on the road. She traveled the East Coast, playing in a rock'n'roll cover band. After a nine-month skid, she returned home and began her own freelance visual art business, working on murals and doing some commission work. Four years ago, Burkett's life returned to music. She was handed a mess of old blues material ranging from Etta James to Muddy Watters to Little Walter, and she sat in her living room soaking up the music like a sponge. Burkett began rehearsing with Larry Belli and the Catfish Mary blues band. The band blossomed and debuted in September of 1995, playing in the New Kensington and Pittsburgh areas. Burkett instantly became the spotlight performer in the band, taking full control of the bookings, promotion and artwork. The blues has to come from the heart and it speaks to people," said Burkett. "Finding a new way of saying 'ouch' is what inspires me." Burkett remained with Catfish Mary for only two years. But in that time the band opened for John Mayall, Robben Ford, and Koko Taylor at Graffiti. They also headlined the Latrobe Blues Festival in 1997. Burkett was invited to join The Pittsburgh Women of the Blues in 1996. "The Pittsburgh Women of the Blues was the most powerful thing I was ever a part of," said Burkett. 'The voices on stage were a big power of spirit." Burkett checked out of The Pittsburgh Women of the Blues because she wanted to devote all her time to her new band, Erin Burkett and the Mean Reds. The Mean Reds are Burkett's type of blues - heavily influenced by gospel, with a hint of despair turned upside down. It's a hybrid of blues music that reaches down to the bottom of her soul. Her gospel influences are heard poetically on "Grits and Groceries" and "Jesus on the Mainline" Going from sultry blues to get-down-and-dirty drinking blues is where Van Sickle feels most at home. She expresses her blues with all her heart. It begins in the pit of her stomach and surges upward to carry the audience to the brink of ecstasy. "I put everything into my performance" said Van Sickle. Van Sickle, as a vocalist, performer and songwriter, is known for her bluesy, melodic, harmonica sound. She's had the opportunity to play with such blues greats as the late Stevie Ray Vaughn at the Evergreen Hotel in the North Hills and Muddy Watters. She also shared the stage with blues legends such as James Cotton, Buddy Guy and Junior Wells and has opened up for Richie Havens at Calliope. Van Sickle graced the stage with the Pittsburgh Women of the Blues at its Moondog's gig, adding to the melodic harmonies on "Must Be Love". "Singing with Jill West and Shari and all the women was a blast," said Van Sickle. "It was uplifting to hear all the voices." In their new project, Van Sickle and the Earth Shakers are creating a crunchier style of blues. Joining Van Sickle is ex-Catfish Mary guitarist Larry Belli. "We read each other well," said Belli. "We play off each other on every song." "Our show is hard-core blues," added Van Sickle. "We play skanky blues." Other than performing, Van Sickle also teaches blues harmonica at Calliope Pittsburgh Folk Music School, located in the heart of Bloomfield at the Carnegie Library. She has been teaching there for five years. Even though the Pittsburgh Women of the Blues couldn't fit in her busy schedule. Van Sickle tips her hat to the their dedication to music.	'The Women of the Blues is different because it's so much fun," said Milan. "It's every woman for herself." Milan, a native of Pittsburgh's Southside, was influenced by the Iron City House Rockers and Chrissie Hynde of the Pretenders because of her low voice. She also counts Koko Taylor, "The Queen of the Blues", and Etta James among her blues influences. Milan, a solo artist, began her career by getting up on stage with various Pittsburgh musicians during Monday night jam sessions at Gene's Bar on Route 51. "I was a late bloomer on the music scene," said Milan. "I just enjoyed hanging out and watching the other performers." Milan finally got the nod up on stage after the request of one of her good friends. By 1990, Milan started work with one of Pittsburgh's premier funk, rhythm and blues bands, Room to Move, who used to play at Moondog's every week. Milan's late entrance onto the music scene did not discourage Esser, West or the other Blues Band members from inviting her to become one of the vocal harmonies in the band mainly because they dug her funky, voodoo style of singing. "I like the support and comfort of singing with them," Milan said. Other than singing with the Blues Band, Milan is now performing simple jazz standards at the William Pitt Hotel. And she's been coached a couple of times by jazz master Frank Wible. "This is a whole new singing style for me," said Milan. "The phrasing and the chord structures are sometimes very intimidating. I don't feel real familiar with the songs yet." The songs that Milan performs are not the regular 12 bar blues songs that you could fake if you had to. Milan got involved with jazz standards because she burned out on the late night bar scene. She blew her voice out and decided to cross over to a different style of music. But she still plays the voodoo blues whenever she gets a chance. Milan enjoys making music with The Blues Band, and that's the bottom line. The Blues Band is special to her because the blues is her language, heritage and roots. "I don't enjoy being with a regular band," said Milan. "Music has to be fun for me. That's why I like working with these great singers, because it is fun. And it is real fun playing with the top blues players for our back-up band." Pearl's sounds of heartache country twang attached themselves to the sultriness of Milan's voice and echoed through the still night that January evening. Pearl's background in music goes all the way back to her childhood, when she used to sing children’s songs with her older sister Laura on the piano. "She used to play piano and I would sing the harmony or the lead," said Pearl. She started going to summer theater camp when she was six years old. Having a great background in theater, Pearl tried out for the lead role of Sandra Dee in Grease while she was in high school. "I was told that I got the part of Rizzo instead of Sandra Dee because the girl playing Sandra Dee couldn't act sexy," said Pearl. Pearl's first band was a straightahead cover rock 'n' roll band at Indiana University called "Big Bash." The band lasted the better part of three years until it started to fall apart. "I just outgrew the band musically and mentally," Pearl said. Pearl was introduced to rhythm and blues by Phil Brontz, saxophone player for 8th Street Rox, in the mid.1980s. He gave her a tape of Aretha Franklin, and that was it. Pearl never listened to soul or rhythm and blues music before, and once she heard it she instantly embraced it. It took Pearl awhile to find the fight kind of players to satisfy her craving to play the blues. She sang for numerous bands, ranging from a '50s band to a dance band. I really had to challenge my brain to quit listening to WDVE and listen to WAMO. I trained my brain to listen to pop and funk," said Pearl. Pearl has had more experience than most of the women in The Blues Band, one of the reasons Esser invited Pearl in late 1995 to be a member of The Pittsburgh Women of the Blues. "The first night we performed was OK," said Pearl. "But what we've grown into is great and exciting." The night of the first gig was wonderful, despite the fact that the band rehearsed only four to five times before its premiere, and she was uncertain of the other singers' voices, Pearl said. Pearl admits that she loves the 'horns and the harmonies" of old standards like Aretha Franklin, Billie Holiday and Patsy Kline. She also enjoys songs such as "Since I Fell For You" and "All of Me". Pearl teamed up with Mike Sweeney, a songwriter and performer in his own right, to create one of The Pittsburgh Women of the Blues signature songs, 'Ain't Gonna Shake, (Make it Swing)." This song will make the CD when it is put together. The very high, dear and agile voice of Simmons weaves through the soulful blues sound Aretha Franklin would enjoy listening to. Growing up in Latrobe, Pa., Simmons started singing in a children's band called "Children in Song" which used to perform in malls and churches. Later on she began listening to. Elvis and singing in her church choir. . By the time high school rolled around, Simmons was belting out vocals in the marching band, which led to gigs at weddings and musical theaters. She moved to Pittsburgh shortly after high school and started listening to WYEP. One afternoon she tuned in and heard Eric Clapton's version of "I'm Tore Down," an old Somy Thompson song. "That was a real turning point for me," said Simmons. "I dug it so much. I never heard jazz or blues before. This was a whole new world." Simmons was so intrigued that she went to see any blues band advertised in the rhythm and blues section of In Pittsburgh Newsweekly. She eventually wound up working the door for Esser at Moondog's. Hanging out at Moondog's and Excuses, Simmons was encouraged by George Kazalas, a drummer, to get up on stage. The two later formed a band called 'Little Wretches." Simmons took the initiative to gain as much knowledge about the blues as possible. She said she would begin conversations about the blues not knowing what she was talking about. "I influenced myself by the radio, but players like Bonnie Raitt and the people who performed at Moondog's really put a deep impression on me,' said Simmons. Simmons was nervous after being asked to play with The Pittsburgh Women of the Blues, since she had only played for a short time in Pittsburgh area. "I felt that I was the most inexperienced of them all," said Simmons. "I didn't have my own band. I tell you I was really honored to be with these women." Simmons is the soprano of the group, which gives her an advantage She enjoys working with the playing with other types of music other women and likes the fact that the word "ego" isn't in the band's vocabulary. "It's the music that keeps everybody normal," said Simmons. 'We all respect each other. I just love the whole blues scene, and the Pittsburgh blues music scene has been the most wonderful and pleasant experience." Simmons explains that going from bar to bar, checking out every blues band, and feeling comfortable in the surroundings is great. This is what made her fall in love with the city. She has plans to get back into singing, but right now is relaxing after recently marrying. Esser, the mastermind behind The Pittsburgh Women of the Blues, has dedicated his life, time and energy to helping every musician in any way he can. He shows so much love for music you can see it in his eyes. 'Ron Esser is a great man. He's a bright businessman," said Pearl. 'He can be difficult at times, but he is very generous and a community oriented guy. He does all he can for the musicians and has a great time." Esser always tries to keep the blues music community in order. He promotes shows for Graffiti or helps Tony Denardo, its owner, during shows. The Pittsburgh Women of the Blues is what brings much of the blues community together. There is a lot of animosity in other musical scenes in Pittsburgh, but having these women sing together has inspired a whole city of music lovers. "The blues people are more friends than the rock people or the acoustic people. They are not in competition with each other. We're all kinda friends," said Esser. 'We try to support each other any way we can." That's why Esser got involved with the blues scene, because he tries to help people in any way he can. He hopes that The Pittsburgh Women of the Blues makes that album. After all, he would love to see the idea he came up with driving down a snowy road receive scorching success. All the pieces are in place for a good game.