Rochester Blues

I lived in Rochester, N.Y. from 1974 until 1979 and was a small part of the great Blues scene that exists there. I frequently went out to enjoy the music of Joe Beard and Sidney Blue and their respective bands, and saw Muddy Waters, Otis Rush, and other national touring acts that passed through. As part of my undergraduate course work at SUNY Empire State College I did a photojournalistic piece on the Rochester Blues scene, and as I frequently quip, "best college course I ever took", as it entailed spending Friday, Saturday, and Sunday nights in the Blues bars, taking photos, drinking, listening to great music, and occasionally sitting in at the Sunday night jams. My piece on Rochester Blues was published in Living Blues Magazine No.43, the Summer 1979 issue, shortly before I moved from Rochester that Fall. I still miss the Blues scene that I left, as it is still as vibrant as ever and the scene here in the Albany/Saratoga area pales by comparison. Here are some photos from that period, of the musicians that played there, and of some of the unique people that were part of the scene.