Some people may tell you things don’t get too hot in Port Townsend during the summer. Well, once Blues in the Clubs (part of the Port Townsend Acoustic Blues Festival) gets started on Friday night, that myth gets put to rest. On Friday and Saturday night of festival week, Port Townsend’s historic downtown comes alive with the blues. One Club Pass each night gives you access to all venues, and an amazing variety of musicians. Get your Club Pass!

• Visit our Blues in the Clubs page for complete artist and venue listings.

We’ll have more than two dozen artists in half a dozen clubs on Friday night & Saturday night. Here are a few highlights:

At the American Legion on Friday, the Festival’s Artistic Director Daryl Davis will be in residence –  first with Gaye Adegbalola and Andra Faye, and then as part of the all-star band for the Festival’s Blues Dance (which will get started around 10:50pm).  at 10:40pm, Daryl  has worked with Elvis Presley’s Jordanaires, B.B. King, Chuck Berry, Percy Sledge, and many others.  He was the featured pianist on Cephas & Wiggins’ 1992 Grammy-nominated album, Flip Flop and Fly.  In 1985, boogie-woogie pioneer Pinetop Perkins selected Davis to succeed him in the piano and vocal slot of the Muddy Waters Legendary Blues Band.

At the Boiler Room – (which along with the American Legion is an all-ages venue) – we’re excited to welcome back Jerron “Blind Boy” Paxton. Jerron is a songster, busker and itinerant bluesman, the living embodiment of the true blues in the 21st Century. He picks banjo and guitar, plays harmonica, piano and other instruments and is even the real-life son of Robert Johnson’s cousin, so you can say it’s in the blood.

Over at The Public House, the amazing blues fingerstylist  Tim Sparks will kick things off.  Acoustic Guitar Magazine calls Tim’s music “rich and sensuous”, and guitarist Leo Kottke simply says “He’s really one of the best musicians I know.” Tim has thrilled and inspired audiences and musicians world-wide with early traditional country blues and gospel music (which he learned in the Blue Ridge Mountains).

Piano will be the star at the Alchemy Bistro and Wine Bar. Not to miss there is the duo of pianist Arthur Migliazza and guitar/uke queen Del Rey. These two have been playing and recording together as of late, and as you can see from this video – they are a powerful and fun duo.