Mumbai: Good ol' Buddy brings the blues with his last riff in town

Come February and the mystique of movies at the Mehboob Studios will make way for two days of the good ol' moody blues as 12-bar enthusiasts descend on Bandra for the grand return of the Mahindra Blues Festival (MBF) on February 11 and 12 after a two-year Covid-19 hiatus. In what is deemed as Asia's largest blues celebration where the newest stars on the block are introduced and veteran acts welcomed back- the 11th season is set to be a special one. The festival stage will honour the final Indian tour of Buddy Guy, the last living link to Chicago's halcyon days of electric blues. With a career spanning more than six decades, a reputation of firing up the stage with his guitar riffs and a fascination for polka-dotted shirts and strats, Guy continues to captivate audiences at 86. Guy had declared that the "blues live here" when he kicked off the Mahindra Blues Festival 12 years ago and continued to offer his unflinching support as the genre steadily firmed up its roots in Mumbai. This will be his sixth trip to India and fourth time headlining MBF, joined by some of the best and brightest in the blues world right now. Be it his current protege Christone 'Kingfish' Ingram, a rising star in the blues world making waves with his powerful guitar playing, soulful vocals and a Grammy in 2021 or the legendary Taj Mahal offering his brand of traditional blues dunked in reggae and ragtime. There's also a young bluesman from Argentina Ivan Singh who has been strumming his unique can-box guitar beyond the traditional style and our homegrown The Arinjoy Trio. Apart from the classic and contemporary blues acts in the festive atmosphere of New Orleans-inspired sips and bites, the festival is also committed to fostering the genre through the Mahindra Blues Band Hunt, an initiative that gives new Indian blues artists the chance to be discovered. The best part? The winners get to perform and showcase their talent at the festival and be featured in the Mahindra Blues community, the largest in the world with a following of more than 2,00,000 people. In addition, the festival this time will feature Kanakia International School's Beatz Crew and Nanhi Kali Choral Ensemble performing two bluesy numbers on the second day as part of the blues in school inclusivity initiative to expose underprivileged children to the value of blues music."The fundamental quality of blues music is its ability to encourage diversity-a quality that resonates across geographic regions, ages, genders and thoughts. We believe deeply in the pluralistic culture which the Blues embody fully. Along with our loyal audience, we too look forward to a couple of days of outstanding music and unparalleled showmanship at the Mehboob Studios," said Jay Shah, vice president - cultural outreach, Mahindra Group ."The Mahindra Blues is not just another festival but a cultural movement that has grown over the last 11 years," added VG Jairam, founder, Hyperlink Brand Solutions, stressing on the Festival's long history of showcasing some of the greatest blues artistes from around the world -John Mayall, Charlie Musselwhite, Billy Gibbons, Beth Hart, Johnny Lang and Shemekia Copeland, among others-and celebrating the past, present and future of the genre. The Mahindra Blues Festival, in association with The Times of India, is co-sponsored by Glenlivet Glassware and promoted & produced by Hyperlink Brand Solutions