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Now that I am a resident of South Florida, it is not uncommon for me to drive my classic sports car down the coastal roads – with the top down, salty wind blowing through my hair and Keb’ Mo’ playing as loud as possible on my sound system. This method for me to relax is not new. Neither is my love for Keb’ Mo’s music. Having spent the last 25 years in Colorado, it was not unusual for me to similarly drive and listen to the same music while traversing through the winding mountain passes of the Rocky Mountains – literally unwinding.

Thursday, I had the privilege to listen to and watch the 61-year-old Grammy-winning blues man Keb’ Mo’ jam during his second set at the whisper-perfect historic Lyric Theatre in Stuart. Mo’s music clearly demonstrates that he is a master at blending jazz, blues, soul and r&b through resonance and rhythm. Mo’ played pieces from his newest album, The Reflection, which is an amazing collection of music but also served up an exciting and multifarious set including many songs from the span of his 40-year career (see set list below).

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I was present for the second set of the evening, where I met several who were at his first — a 75-minute show. Several patrons told me that they rushed to the box office to see if there were tickets available to see him a second time. Starting promptly at 8:30, Mo’ and band played for almost two full hours – including three long encores, during which everyone in the sold-out house was singing and dancing in their seats.

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Matt 'Guitar' Murphy performs at Satchmo's in Fort Lauderdale. (Andrew Nathanson / GatorProduction.com)

It’s a strong statement a man who played the blues with Howlin’ Wolf in 1948 states in 2011 he “dared himself not to quit.”’ So when he got on stage at Satchmo’s in Ft. Lauderdale, playing with Blues Music Award-winning Albert Castiglia, Matt “Guitar” Murphy settled that bet even at his advanced age.

There’s a new venue in town for live music and Murphy’s show is the type one finds more in L.A. or Manhattan, except this is South Florida. With red walls, black ceiling, and photos around the room including Elvis on a motorcycle next to one of Jimi Hendrix, the space stages well for this top-tier blues line-up.

Murphy covered ground from Mississippi to Chicago. Mixing warm bluesy notes with tricky jazz chording, he sang ‘My mojo’s working … Just not on you.’ His playing was smooth, concise and tight for someone with his longevity – and you have to consider he once played through a stroke on stage which, legend has it, he “played through” that show with one-hand. Dare not stop this recording artist.

His craftsmanship flowed from a few notes burning in, to many laid out tastefully into a crescendo, with tight and intricate chording between. It was a true blues man’s feel with a purposeful build; the audience applauded.

Matt “Guitar” Murphy and Albert Castiglia at Satchmo’s

Speaking with the sound engineer, apparently Murphy and Castiglia have crossed paths on stage in the past. With Murphy’s nephew Floyd working the drum kit and Castiglia’s bassist locking in tightly, it sounded as if they played regularly but in essence it was really a ‘pick-up band.’ It would likely be difficult to tell that much from the tight playing.
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Huey Lewis performs at the Kravis Center. (Howie Grapek / GPO)

I’ve been doing this concert-reviewing thing for a long, long time, and if I’ve developed one superpower – which is not, unfortunately, the power to get drunks to sit the heck down and stop bothering the rest of the paying customers – it’s being able to tell the difference between a performer who’s just phoning it in and one who’s deeply engaged, who’s having an incredible time and leaving it all on the stage, no matter what it takes.

Huey Lewis and the News were having an awesome time at the Kravis Center on Thursday. It was apparent in how long they played – “This place sounds great, and we’re having a good time, right?” Lewis said, explaining why the encore wasn’t anywhere near finished. It was apparent in how Lewis, a powerful singer who plants his feet and belts his gruff bluesy heart out, was obviously having slight vocal problems … and kept on singing. When he couldn’t quite hold a note, the News or the audience completed it for him. Awesome.

Photos: Huey Lewis and the News at the Kravis Center

I think we’ve all seen singers with legitimate voice issues explain it to the audience, and some who seem to have lost their chops and are faking the funk to explain away taking good money for notes they can’t sing anymore. Huey Lewis is a trouper, like those soul singer road warriors that the “Soulsville” album tributes. He just kept singing, because that’s why he was there, what he and the News have done together for about 35 years. There was no flinch, no excuse, no long extended break – although it was clear as the show went on he was struggling a little – maybe a cold or something? He sounded great otherwise. And knowing that he was in it for the long haul made the few missed notes charming.
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The entertainment gods giveth, and then taketh away: 2010 “American Idol” runner-up Crystal Bowersox got axed from her record label this week, but she made her acting debut last night on ABC’s “Body of Proof.” The dreadlocked blues lady played Zoe, an incarcerated single mother with a drug history caught up in the murder of a rich horseswoman whose equestrian program Zoe was involved in.

And – surprise – she’s great! Crystal has told reporters that she was mad nervous about the role – but star Dana Delany says she’s a natural, and I have to agree. There’s a scene where Zoe’s maternal instinct comes into play, and either Crystal’s natural mothering kicked in or she’s a genius, because she made me cry. And I am not a crier under normal network television circumstances unless there’s a military funeral or puppies involved.

So even if this big record company thing doesn’t work out for her – and I believe Crystal’s gracious comments about appreciating even the 200,000 records that her “Farmer’s Daughter” release sold – she’s got some acting chops. Also, B.B. King loves her. So, there’s that.

Hey, SunFesters! I’ll keep this as brief as possible, because if you were at every or almost every day of this year’s SunFest like I was, you’re probably exhausted and don’t have a lot of patience for the words and the comprehension and such.

I enjoyed this year’s SunFest. Was it my favorite of the eight I’ve attended? No. Was it the worst? Not even close. All in all, it’s still an amazing value for the money – there is nowhere else where I could’ve seen Earth Wind and Fire and Jeff Beck down the street from each other for under 40 bucks. I probably couldn’t have seen even one of those acts for that price. And yeah, so the parking and the food is expensive. Where isn’t it? Park and walk, y’all. Eat first. Get hand-stamped, go outside to eat and come back. No one is tying you to the gyro stand with a bungee cord and a hot poker.

I also don’t get people who say “It’s a scam.” It’s costly, depending on how you do it. But a scam is when you pay money for something and get bait and switched. You paid for a bunch of shows that you had the schedule for, so it couldn’t have been a surprise to you. You went to those shows or you didn’t. You didn’t pay for Jeff Beck and get his cousin Joe Beck.  You weren’t scammed. You had a good time or a disappointing one. But I don’t get how anyone was scammed.

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An 88-year-old blues legend known as the “Gypsy of the Blues” was killed in Florida when his car turned into the path of a Greyhound bus.

Eddie Kirkland was traveling southeast on U.S. Highway 98 in Crystal River, north of Tampa, about 8:30 a.m. Sunday when he tried to make a U-turn in front of the bus, the Florida Highway Patrol said. The bus, which was traveling northwest, pushed Kirkland’s Ford Taurus about 200 yards before the vehicles stopped.

Kirkland was flown to Tampa General Hospital, where he later died.
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The Bamboo Room's reopening kicks off Thursday with David Shelley & Bluestone, then Friday it'll be JJ Grey along with Iko Iko. (Brandon Kruse / Palm Beach Post)

The Bamboo Room (bamboorm.com) in Lake Worth built a reputation as one of the best live music venues in South Florida, for audiences and performers, from March 1999 through May 2008. The atmospheric upstairs club featured quality sound, sight lines and cocktails, plus an entertainment calendar that included the likes of Bo Diddley, John Hammond, NRBQ and Elvin Bishop.

A sagging economy led to the Bamboo Room closing nearly three years ago, but it officially reopens on Thursday. The schedule is now three rather than five nights; the bookings will focus on proven regional and national acts, and the organizational structure has changed.

Husband and wife Russell Hibbard and Karen McKinley still own the club, but returning manager Donald Becker will oversee day-to-day operations rather than Hibbard, who’s now driving in endurance auto races in Sebring, Atlanta and at Palm Beach International Raceway.

"I was training for the 12 Hours of Sebring race until we opened in ’99," Hibbard said. "Now I can drive, work on vintage cars and not be consumed by the club, since we have staff coming back like Donny and Craig Young, who helps with booking and graphic design."

Eventually, cameras will show performers on high-definition flat screens on the outdoor patio, and a 1950s-style diner will serve food downstairs.

The only immediate changes are improvements, like a new LED lighting system and an additional patio bar. Otherwise, everything looks familiar, including many of the employees and patrons.

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Guitarist Gary Moore performs at a festival in Landgraaf, the Netherlands. Moore, who also performed with Thin Lizzy, died over the weekend. He was 58. (Martin van Dijl / AFP / Getty Images)

Spain’s Interior Ministry said Monday police will await the outcome of an autopsy on Thin Lizzy guitarist Gary Moore before deciding if an investigation into his death is needed. Moore, a former member of the influential Irish band, died at a hotel in the southern Spanish town of Estepona, where he was vacationing. He was 58.

A ministry spokeswoman in nearby Malaga said there were no signs of foul play. She spoke on condition of anonymity in keeping with ministry regulations. She said the autopsy will be carried out in Malaga but it was not known when the result would be released.

A spokesman for the British embassy in Madrid said they were aware of the death and were in touch with authorities. He said it will be up to Moore’s relatives to decide on funeral details.
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UPDATE: Corrected the street address.

The Bamboo Room isn’t the only blues club reopening in February.

The Back Room Blues Bar & Grill, which recently shut down its Boca Raton location, is reopening on Feb. 19 at a new spot, 2222 W. Atlantic Congress Ave. in Delray Beach’s Congress Square Plaza.

That first night is shaping up to be among the bluesiest around, with JP Soars and the Red Hots, Lowdown 13, Harry Hmura, Famous Frank Ward & Patrick Ward, Junior Drinkwater & The Westside Blues Band and more. The show starts at 4 p.m.

The sign at Boca's Back Room. (Veda Jo Jenkins / sflimages.com)

More: Directions, nearby dining

The Back Room, which has been a mainstay of South Florida blues in several different locations, is closing its doors in Boca Raton this weekend. But they’re going out with a bang.

On Thursday, the club will have an official closing-night party with several major-league local blues acts, including J.P. Soars & The Red Hots, Junior Drinkwater and the Westside Blues Band and special guests.

On Friday, Guitar Shorty will be bringing the blues back to Boca along with some blistering guitar work. Then on Saturday, David Shelley & Bluestone will close out the bar’s run.

The Back Room has been the home of the blues in south Palm Beach County in one location or another since 1992. They shifted between three different spots in Delray Beach until 2001, then took a few years off before re-opening at 7200 N. Federal Highway in Boca Raton.

The good news for the Back Room is that owner John Yurt seems hopeful that it’s not the end for this place, asking fans of the club to sign up on an email list: “I will let you know if, where and when we will re-open.”

(Veda Jo Jenkins of sflimages.com contributed to this article.)