| Deep
Sea Blues |
 Deep
Sea Blues, documentary filmmaker Robert Mugge’s two-hour portrait
of Roger Naber’s January 2007 Legendary Rhythm & Blues Cruise
to the Caribbean (nowadays considered to be the true “Woodstock
of the Waves”) captured many of the seventy performances by
fourteen artists.
The festival featured Blues performers Bobby Rush, Buckwheat Zydeco,
Tab Benoit, Tommy Castro, Otis Clay, Taj Mahal, the Fabulous Thunderbirds,
Commander Cody band, Lil’ Ed & the Blues Imperials, Michael
Burks, Deanna Bogurt, Ruthie Foster, Phantom Blues Band, Joey Gilmore,
Mel Waiters, Ronnie Baker Brooks, Watermelon Slim, Mitch Woods, Earl
Thomas, Leon Blue and Tasha Taylor. The commercial DVD of Mugge’s
film is set for release October 6, 2009 on Micro Werks, distributed
through the Infinity Entertainment Group. List price is $19.98.
Executive producer Roger Naber recently celebrated his 30th anniversary
as a promoter of Blues concerts and cruises. Multi Grammy Award winner
Taj Mahal, who appears on Deep Sea Blues, says of the floating festival,
“It’s not Disney World. It’s about people relaxing,
enjoying themselves, and spending time with others who enjoy the same
kind of music as they do. It’s amazing how people can really
connect through the blues and R&B. Every year you can set your
clock by it.”
The 2007 Blues
Cruise to the Caribbean included daylong stops on the islands of St.
John, St. Barths and Grand Turk, two of which featured additional
concerts and a “Blues wedding” on the beach. The film
is presented on the DVD with seven bonus performances: extended versions
of songs by Tab Benoit, Otis Clay, Michael Burks and Joey Gilmore,
plus additional songs by Duwayne Burnside, Murali Coryell and Jimbo
Mathus.
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