Mojo 101Mojo 101 RegionalStylesinAmericanBluesPresentedby:Christopher“Catdaddy”Palestrant,D.M.A. andAdam“DeaconBlues”Nixon
Duration:50-120minutes.Grades:Highschooltoadultaudiences.Suitableforbothmusicstudentsandnon-musicians.Audiencesize:Nolimit.Facilityrequirements:Largescreenforprojection.Connectiontoadedicatedprojectorand audioispreferred,howeverprojectorandP.A.canbeprovided.Pianoisoptional.Toschedule:ChristopherPalestrant:[email protected]|757-271-8649
Overview:Gotthe“don’tknowenoughabouttheblues”blues?Inthisdynamicpresentation,Dr.ChristopherPalestrantandguitaristDeaconBluesdiscussdifferencesinregionalbluesstyles.Whatmakesourregion’sPiedmontbluessounddifferentfromChicagoblues?AndwhataboutDeltaandTexasblues?Fast-pacedandexciting,Mojo101featuresmultimediaandliveperformancebymembersoftheawardwinningbandUphill.
Biography:ChristopherPalestrantiscurrentlyaProfessorofmusiccompositionandtheoryatElizabethCityStateUniversityoftheUniversityofNorthCarolina,wherehehasbeenhonoredasa“TeacheroftheYear”bytheUniversityofNorthCarolinaBoardofGovernors.OriginallyfromNewYorkCity,ChrisreceivedadoctorateinmusiccompositionfromthePeabodyConservatoryofJohnsHopkinsUniversityinBaltimore.Anaccomplishedandaward-winningcomposer,ChristopherPalestrant'schamberandorchestralmusichasbeenperformedatprestigiousvenuesthroughouttheUnitedStates.Healsoperformsregularlyonvocals,keyboardandmelodicathroughouttheTidewaterregionofVirginiaandNorthCarolina,andasamemberofthebluesband,Uphill.
DeaconBlues,bornAdamNixon,isanativeofnortheasternNorthCarolina.Havinggrownupinthechurchasapastor’sson,hebecamea“journeymanbluesplayer”atage14onguitar,harmonicaandvocals.HefoundedUphillin2005,andmaintainsanextensivescheduleperforming“CarolinaSwamplandblues.”BluesBlast,journaloftheIllinoisBluesSocietynotesthat“thebandreallyexcels…consistentlycreatingthenecessaryamountofemotionalweightneededforaconvincingperformance.”Uphill’sdebutCDwasnamed“oneofthetenbestbluesalbumsof2009”byNPR’sPaulShugrueon“AShotoftheBlues”andhasfeaturedinregularrotationonNationalPublicRadio’s“OutoftheBox,”inarticlesinTheDailyAdvanceandinothernewsmedia.
