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Memphis blues music has a very rich and interesting history that is packed with many of the biggest names in American music. Created in the 1920s and 1930s, Memphis blues music was created by musicians that lived in the area, like Furry Lewis, Frank Stokes, John Estes and Memphis Minnie. At first, it was only popular in vaudeville and medicine shows, but soon it quickly grew to capture the interest of the entire nation.

Memphis blues music really got its start on Beale Street, the place where the nightlife and culture of Memphis was (and still is). There have been several books written, dedicated only to Memphis blues music and Beale Street, including Goin Back to Memphis by James L. Dickerson, which came out in the year 2000.

Memphis blues music gained a lot of popularity very fast, largely in part to its unique sound. Because many of the musicians were poor and could not afford to buy traditional instruments, they were forced to improvise using household items that were previously not known for their sound producing capabilities. For example, washboards, kazoos and Jews harps were all prevalent in early Memphis blues music.

Quite possibly the most unique and frequently used odd instruments found in Memphis blues music is the jug. To replace the sound that an expensive bass guitar would make, people would blow into various sized jugs to create a deep and hollow sound. Of course, some of the people in Memphis blues music were able to get their hands on traditional instruments such as violins, banjos and mandolins.

Memphis blues music never really featured any electric instruments until after World War II, when Memphis blues music musicians slowly started buying and using them. Memphis blues music also started to transform itself as new musicians came onto the Memphis scene. This is because many African Americans started to migrate away from impoverished rural areas in search of cities and good jobs. Among those making the trek to Memphis were Willie Nix, Ike Turner, Howlin Wolf and B.B. King.

Still, Memphis blues music remained confined to the area of Memphis. That is, until Sun Records took an interest in Memphis blues music and started signing local artists as fast as they could. Eventually, Memphis blues music would go on to influence rock and roll, modern jazz and rhythm and blues music, and has been cited by several famous musicians in their songs.

Anyone who has ever listened to the “Blues” knows that it is more than just music, but an inspiration, an unfolding of the emotions that we all feel. From Muddy Waters, John Lee Hooker, Willie Dixon and many other influential Blues legends, to the more contemporary Blues artists such as Robert Cray, Eric Clapton and Stevie Ray Vaughan, Blues music has and always be a part of out musical heritage.

Capturing the essence and spirit that the Blues represent is a novel “Blues Musical” called “The Tear Jar.” Not focusing on a particular band or individual, the “Tear Jar” instead is a collaboration and meeting of the minds of many talented people including producer Chris Bravacos, song writer Robert Welch, audio engineer Frank Silver and writer Jerry King Musser.

Blended into the musical are the rare talents of musicians such as: industry veteran Diane Wilson (singing the character of Savannah), talented Bluesman Don Johnson (singing the character of Mason Ball), Blues guitar virtuoso Jared James Nichols (singing the character of JD Hunter), Jazz sensation Rose Hudson (singing the part of Chandra), veteran Gospel singer Eugene Barclift (playing the character of Stubs) and Soul Music vet Charles Lee (as the Preacher), among others.

To set up the story, one needs to know what a ‘tear jar’ is and what it represents. In ancient cultures, water was a prized possession and giving up water from one’s own body, in the form of tears, was considered a personal sacrifice. They would catch their precious tears in tiny pitchers or ‘tear jars.” The ’saved’ tears could then be used to ward off evil or to help a sick child. The writer takes this belief and implements into the storyline and applies it to the infectious Blues songs that encompass and define the musical. Here is a brief synopsis of the story:

“Seasoned, itinerant blues man, Mason Ball, returns to The Blue Rose, a club in which he enjoys playing, with an owner he deeply ‘admires.’ Upon his arrival, he’s surprised to discover that a ‘new kid in town’ has claimed the stage and attention of an appreciative audience. This young upstart, one JD Hunter, is unwilling to relinquish the limelight and makes it clear that the ‘old blues’ is dead. To add to the tension, Mason’s private love interest shares with him a serious, personal loss. Frustrated with his inability to appease her emotional pain, Mason dips his finger into a jar of tears given him by his recently departed mother and touches her with the potion. This act, apparently, manifests in wondrous results… relieving her of her anguish. Mason doubts his healing powers, yet can’t dismiss the changes he seems to have made. When word gets out, the audience demands Mason’s appearance onstage and seem to come for his ‘gift of healing’ as much as his gift of song. JD challenges Mason’s abilities, those both spiritual and musical. When a plan to expose Mason backfires, JD Hunter learns what it’s like to be on the receiving end of ‘the gift.’ But, gift or not, the characters in this story find themselves at a new place in their lives after discovering life’s potential magic is available to anyone.”

I have not seen the production, but have listened to some of the music and was overjoyed to hear a dizzying array of crisp, fresh Blues cuts that are certain to be standards and will have die-hard Blues fans clamoring for more.

“When Does The Healing Begin” is full of Gospel-fueled licks and superb vocals that fuses the Blues and Gospel in an explosion of sound. The cut called “The Magic,” like any great Blues song, just bleeds emotion, from the growling vocals and the Stevie Ray Vaughan-like riffs, yet it still remains achingly tender. “Satisfier” is expertly played and sang, with sultry vocals and is sung with immeasurable passion and strength. “I’m Gone,” is bound to become a classic blues rocker, tight and structured, and just compels you to bob your head or tap your foot with melodic adventure. “Stormbringer” perfectly fuses Soul and Blues music, with impassioned vocals and stellar guitar and organ work.

“The Tear Jar” is bound to become an instant classic Blues production, with fresh Blues music for all fans of the genre, who are sure to be pleased with the efforts of all the performers and everyone who is involved with this wondrous project. In its beginning stages, “The Tear Jar” has a performance slated for the Sunoco Performance Theater on Thursday, August 7 and Friday August 8, 2008 in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. And with an intriguing storyline, a stellar cast and new Blues standards, it will soon make a bold impression in the music world and specifically Blues music.

To learn more about this inventive project and learn more about the players visit:

www.tearjar.com

Memphis Blues music first appeared in the 1920s in Memphis, and Memphis ever since has been a Mecca for Blues music lovers worldwide. Beale Street, the heart of Memphis music scene, is home to everything from jug bands to jazz.

The sub genre of Memphis Blues music that is Jug Band Blues emphasizes syncopated rhythms and sounds of early jazz and folk songs. Jug bands play on homemade, simple instruments, such as harmonicas, banjos, washboards, and kazoos, and of course, jugs.

After WWII, Memphis Blues music saw the birth of electric instruments. Many musicians flocked to Memphis to the Blues scene with these electric instruments, changing the sound of Memphis blues. The musicians would gather on Beale Street, where there were recording studios up and down. West Memphis saw the same influx of musicians, who would record the most famous and renowned classic blues, rhythm and blues, and rock & roll records. Once of the most famous of these studios was Sun Records, who would also record the likes of Jerry Lee Lewis and Elvis Presley, among many others.

The beginning of Memphis self expressive music was attributed by a certain sound that became familiar to the colored workers of the cornfields, the sharecroppers. Much of the early Memphis blues music was an attempt to capture the sound of the singing workers. This sound at first was nicknamed the gutbucket blues. Some of the more popular topics of the songs were those of prayer, faith, and life.

Even today on Beale Street, songs are written and recorded in the small studios by artists with their dreams in tow. The streets in Memphis are just as alive today with the Memphis Blues as they were in the 40s and 50s. The clubs and bars in Memphis fill up every night with tourists and people who sit for hours listening to the artists and their music, much the same way they always have.

With all of the new and ever changing genres of music that have come about, people may wonder what gives the Memphis Blues music such staying power. The answer is simple. The Memphis Blues remains such a huge part of tradition in Memphis because it is more than just music. It is an entire culture and lifestyle that gets passed from one generation to the next.

Ever since the Memphis Blues music was born on the curbs of Beale Street, people have been flocking to Memphis to enjoy it ever since. Chances are pretty good that it will continue to be enjoyed and loved for many more generations to come.