Blue4u Nowika/Tone Uriza - Dual Stream @ Mubbles - 27/10/2021

Mubbles Jazz and Blues Lounge is one of my favorite places in SL for live music. Its a cozy venue but still has lots of room for dancers. On the main level are two large dance floor areas with a second floor overlook onto the stage and a large dance area up there as well. The ground floor dancing includes discs at the front for single dancers and still plenty of room for couples to dance off the intan or on their own huds. Selby Mubbles, the friendly owner here has done a great job of running weekly shows featuring MIss Cast, my good friend Tone Uriza, Blue4u Nowicka, and Eᴍᴇʟʏ Mᴏ Sᴀʙʟᴇ, among others. Tonight I am catching the last shows of these weekly features, but the live music will continue with "irregular special events" and I sincerely encourage you to try to catch one of the shows here. You will have a wonderful time and you will help to save a venue that really should be saved. Besides, Selby says, "Come dance and find the fun in the Blues." and he is right!

The first artist I have the honour of blogging this evening is Blue4u Nowicka, who finished her set with a dual stream with Tone Uriza, who started his set with a dual stream with Blue4u.

I arrived early to a modest but enthusiastic crowd and we were all warmed up for the blues player and singer that has been called a Bad Ass by the Oklahoma Blues Hall of Fame. I have to agree that she certainly appears able to hold her own in any circumstance and give you a set that is full of great, traditional blues, along with stories of where her selections come from, and also some personal notes that come from a lifetime of playing the Blues as the Blues should be played... with no apologies, ifs, ands or buts.

She began with a great acoustic piece by Bonnie Raitt, "Don't Advertise Your Man", which I think is pretty good advice! lol Then she coasted right into Keb Mo's "Tell Everybody I Know". She has a very relaxed style and presents her extensive repertoire effortlessly, seeming to pick these tunes right out of the air and with the chops to rattle them off without thinking and without a note out of place or a lyric forgotten. (Although she may change a phrase for maximum effect and to suit her style and memory of doing these hundreds of times. She truly KNOWS this stuff.

And she KNOWS Mississippi John Hurt's "Candyman" from 1928. She and Tone are two artists that know some great blues history and they both are committed to relating it during their sets, informing AND entertaining us. I love the way they do this and it would be such a shame to lose this wonderful venue where we can partake of artists like Blue4u and Tone. Join the group! Watch for sets! Come and tip the artists and the venue... Talent and Place! As Tone ALWAYS says, "It's HIP to TIP!" Now get out here and do it! and please do it often! Thank You for any little bit... It all helps.

Next up was "Mr. Jelly", referring of course to the famous 'Nawlins' sensation, Mr. Jelly Roll Morton. Blue4u stays true to all these old tunes... a traditional Blues/Jazz player and singer that gives from her heart and soul, and can bring a tear to your eye and an ache in your heart when you FEEL her passion and her joy in every last note and word.

On into some Bessie Smith with "Me And My Gin", with an added verse of Blue4u's own....needless to say it was a great rendition.

Through Etta Jones' "You'll Be The Richest Guy In The Graveyard" and the classic, "Sittin On Top Of The World" she presents a great set and her vocals are dead on... she has a great style that I love... she's loose and relaxed and she has got one of those whiskey soaked voices that treat the Blues so sweet... and this woman IS the blues baby!

As she finished off her portion of the set with "Take Out Some Inshowance", by Jimmy Reed, recorded in the 40's, along with Tampa Red's "You Can't Get That Stuff No More" and an old standard covered by Janice Joplin, "Trouble In Mind", this set has been filled with fun music, contributing to a real party atmosphere and a great time had at a wonderful place... and into the dual stream:

Tone and Blue4u do a wonderful job of an always fun tune here at Mubbles, "You Dirty Dog"... Blue4u is an incredible vocalist and plays effortlessly... Tone is absolutely THERE and he is a rock. His playing is so natural. To hear Tone play is to hear the way it should be played. and his vocals are all "Woof! Woof!" and the tune takes on a life of its' own as it slips down into an adults-only groove with Big Daddy Blues in da house! It does not get better than this! Blue's vocals are raw and hot and sultry and sweet and absolutely perfectly delivered.

Then we were treated to "Lonely Avenue", with Blue moaning it out and Tone answering sweetly with a smooth little riff, and with them both weaving their guitars, and with wonderfully raw vocals creating an incredible groove.

Next was an original tune written by Blue and Tone, and I missed the title but it began with "It was on a Saturday... " and we were all smiling and cheering at the end when Blue4u called for "Key to the Highway... in E!" and they proceeded to do one of the best versions I have heard, bar none.

The some down homes blues, no idea of the title but Blue4u belts it out and Tone is having fun... his fills are perfect.

Tone goes solo:

He slips into his solo set without a hitch with

"Put Your Spell On Me" that's a new one to me and its a sweet addition to Tone's repertoire.

In between here somewhere it seems I had a smoke and Tone does another, but due to circumstances now beyond my control, have no idea of the title of this track but its great traditional blues that makes you smile and move and give a hoot and a holler. I truly LOVE to listen to Tone play. I have to say it again: This is as good as it gets, with some "oreo creme sandwich chocolate covered cream filled blues", and then into what is probably my favorite Tone tune: "Play The Blues For You" and this was one of the best renditions I have heard him present. I closed my eyes and went for a nice little ride on that one... and it was good to get away for a moment... Thank You Tone... you've amazed me once again!

And the hits just kept on comin' with "She Caught The Cady" ala Blues Bros. and Tone slides into it like he wrote it. And tonight he stole it; lock stock and barrel and made it all his very own...

WOOO HOOO! TONE!

Then there was some doin' of Jace Everett's "Bad Things" and a wonderful slide into Etta James' "Damn Your Eyes" with Tone tearing it right outta his gut and giving it all to us with his solo work in this one, absolutely raw and perfect...

Last song of the evening was the classic "Baby Please Dont Go" by Muddy Waters....

(and I'll be your dog...WOOF!)

THANK YOU BLUE4U AND TONE URIZA

And a Very Special Thank You to Selby Mubbles and Mahuru and

the rest of the Mubbles folk! All the Very Best in Future Endeavors.