For the first time since it hosted its first Tucson blues festival in 1984, the Southern Arizona Blues Heritage Foundation has its own week to celebrate the music genre.
Tucson Mayor Regina Romero has designated the week of Oct. 20-27 Tucson’s official Blues Week, and the foundation isn’t wasting a minute of it.
The group has booked blues shows every night leading up to the daylong 40th annual Blues Heritage Festival at Kennedy Park on Saturday, Oct. 26.
“It’s a wonderful opportunity for the community to come together to celebrate and enjoy live music,” Blues Heritage Foundation President Rita Flattley said in a written statement. “We encourage everyone to attend and support the vibrant blues scene here in Tucson.”
Blues Week kicks off with the popular Tucson blues quartet Porch Rockers headlining Blues and Vine at Medella Vina Ranch’s Kallista Park, 4450 S. Houghton Road. The event, featuring a handful of Arizona wineries, food trucks and vendors, is from 1-4 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 20. Tickets are $12-25 through eventbrite.com, and no one under 21 will be admitted.
Bryan Dean Trio is playing from 6-9 p.m. Monday, Oct. 21, at Catalina Brewing Co., 6918 N. Camino Martin, in the industrial area off Interstate 10 and West Ina Road; there’s no cover charge.
Oro Valley’s Gaslight Music Hall, 13005 N. Oracle Road, hosts Hot Blues Tuesday with live music from 6-9 pm. Tuesday, Oct. 22. Tickets are $20 through gaslightmusichall.com.
The Xcelerators, a band of bluesmen from across the country who now call Tucson home, play On the Rocks, 7930 E. Speedway, from 9-11:30 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 23. Admission is free.
Aaron McCall Band is at House of Bards, 4915 E. Speedway, from 7-10 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 24; $12 through houseofbards.com. Kevin van Dort leads a blues jam beginning at 7 p.m. Friday, Oct. 25, at Jackrabbit Lounge, 2000 N. Oracle Road; $5 through thejackrabbitlounge.com.
The Blues Heritage Festival, with headliners Laurie Morvan Band and Brazilian guitarist Artur Menezes, is from 11 a.m.-7 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 26, at Kennedy Park, 3357 S. La Cholla Blvd. Tickets are $25 in advance through azblues.org, or $30 at the gate.
Blues Week wraps up Sunday, Oct. 27, with Black Cat Bones playing an album release show at Hotel Congress Plaza, 311 E. Congress St., from 6-9 p.m.; $10 through hotelcongress.com.
See Caliente on Thursday, Oct. 24, for more information on the Blues Heritage Festival.
Grammy-winning soprano Angel Blue performed a recital with Arizona Opera as part of the 2023 Tucson Desert Song Festival
