Get down, get your groove on and get jiggy – Saturday is International Blues Music Day.

Yep, the first Saturday every August is, according to IBMD director Johnny Childs, 'a day for the international community to unite in celebration of the blues, including its many icons, legends and pioneers, and to help elevate and support the vast pool of modern day blues artists and practitioners around the world.”

Neil Billington and bluesman Mike Garner.

And why not? There are many ‘international' days, why shouldn't The Blues have one? The big question, since ‘The Blues' is a kinda amorphous concept, is what do we do to commemorate IBMD?

There doesn't really seem to be a prescribed answer. They're having a big bash in Hamilton, and there are shows in several other cities around New Zealand, but Tauranga was obviously hiding in the cotton-field when the gigs were doled out, despite some exceedingly groovy blues a little later in the month (more on that later).
My suggestion is to take a leaf, or some pieces of eight, out of the International Talk Like a Pirate Day playbook and start your day with a blues exclamation.

After all, Saturday is also the first of the month and many people still begin such occasions by either saying 'rabbits” (dunno why) or by that old tradition of threatening physical violence (are pinches and punches allowed under anti-smacking legislation?)

Music speaks

So, why not start your day with some blues-speak seems appropriate. A quick celebratory holler perhaps?

Of course, it should be something that starts with a rousing 'Woke up this morning!”

After that you can free-form the rest, go with what you feel and, in the spirit of the music, just jam away.

Here are a few suggestions...

Robert Johnson Memorial Holler: 'Woke up this morning, believe I'll dust my broom.”
B B King Lonesome Holler: 'Woke up this morning, my baby was gone.”

Bessie Smith Hangover Holler:

'Woke up this morning with an awful aching head.”

Lead Belly Morning Holler: 'Woke up this morning, blues all round my bed.”

Remuera Repossession Holler: 'Woke up this afternoon, both cars were gone.”

John Key Answer to Everything Holler: 'At the end of the day Kiwi Mums and Dads don't really care who woke up this morning.”

Of course, if you happen to miss out on International Blues Music Day – if perhaps you've been saving this column for a leisurely read over a Sunday cup of coffee – there are a whole bunch more days just around the corner. Here's just a small selection of things we can celebrate in August: next Friday (the first Friday of the month) is International Beer Day; August 8 is World Senior Citizen Day; August 12 is International Youth Day; August 13 is International Left-Handers Day; and August 20 is International Mosquito Day.

But perhaps nicest of all is this Sunday, August 2 – International Friendship Day. I think we can all get behind that.

Got the blues?

As I alluded to earlier there are some cracker blues gigs coming up in August. First one is the show I mentioned last week, two highly-awarded blues women coming to the Art Gallery.

Ali Penny and Dorothy-Jane Gosper call themselves The Divine Devilles and are both very funny and accomplished musically. They're in town on Thursday August 6 (Hiroshima Day), show at 7pm, tickets $25 from the Gallery.

Also at the Gallery, this time on August 22 (National Tooth Fairy Day in the US) is a blues concert featuring top New Zealand harmonica virtuoso Neil Billington alongside bluesman Mike Garner. They'll present the show they recently toured in Japan to great acclaim. Neil is a simply astounding harp player and will also delve into some Larry Adler-style jazz tunes with the support of local guitarist Trevor Braunias. Tickets are
$25 from Eventfinder or the Gallery.

Good things always come in pairs and that same night at the Te Puna Memorial Hall sees the return of Wellington's Laura Collins and the Back Porch Blues Band.
Laura is a terrific singer and the band includes the inimitable Wayne Mason on keyboards. There's a licensed bar and light refreshments, tickets are $20 from Rosie on [email protected] or on the door. More on these closer to the time.

[email protected]