Eddie, Vaan, Shorty, Hubert and Earl Howell
When I first started getting into listening to music live in clubs, it was probably 1978, and pretty seriously by 1979. My partner in the blues was Johnny English who by that time had met (and got involved with) a vocalist, Dawna Rae They met one night in the Speakeasy, the fabled club in Central Square Cambridge. Shortly there after she'd be outlining which clubs to go to, what bands to hear, and so on. If she wasn't working then she might come out too, and when she did we always had a great time. It was through Dawna that I met Eddie Shaw and his Wolfgang, and that included Eddie Vaan Shaw on guitar, Eddie's son. Also on guitar was Hubert Sumlin. Shorty Gilbert was on bass, I don't remember the drummer's name but both Mot and Earl Howell were drummers at one time or another.
We'd follow the band for the whole weekend, seeing them two or three times in a row. They were the first to welcome us into their inner circle and make us feel at home. I know I loved the way they treated us. Whenever I'd go to Chicago I try to find them.
In 21010 I went to Chicago with Suwanna, to the blues festival. Eddie and the band were on the big stage playing to the home crowd. I think that might have been the first time she had heard the band, and I wanted to introduce her to Vaan. Finding him in the crowd after the show is a moment I'll never forget. He greeted me with a big hug, and told Suwanna that we go waaaay back, he said, all the way back.
We'd follow the band for the whole weekend, seeing them two or three times in a row. They were the first to welcome us into their inner circle and make us feel at home. I know I loved the way they treated us. Whenever I'd go to Chicago I try to find them.
In 21010 I went to Chicago with Suwanna, to the blues festival. Eddie and the band were on the big stage playing to the home crowd. I think that might have been the first time she had heard the band, and I wanted to introduce her to Vaan. Finding him in the crowd after the show is a moment I'll never forget. He greeted me with a big hug, and told Suwanna that we go waaaay back, he said, all the way back.
Vaan playing at Rynborn, Antrim, NH
The great Hubert Sumlin plays at House of Blues, Cambridge
with Vaan Shaw at Mont Tremblant Blues July 2013
Eddie Vaan Shaw Niagara Falls Blues Festival Sept 11th, 2015
Eddie Shaw Niagara Falls Blues Festival Sept 11th 2015
