Pedestrian View

Earlier this summer, Doug “Fingers” Maguire of Gloria Dei Lutheran in Duluth conceived the idea of a Blues Service during the annual Bayfront Blues Festival in Duluth. Sister Patti Maguire also thought it might be chance to also save the orphanage, whose taxes are long overdue, so Doug decided to get the band back together.

He found bass man Tom “What’s Next Pussy Cat” Jones photographing moss near the lake. Sax player Maia “Mad Reed” Dalager was fishing on Bone Lake. Singer Nancy “Power Serve” Norr was presenting to the board of directors. Drummer Andy “Phantom” Wold was trapped in the orchestra pit at the opera. Guitarist Steve “Blind Dog” Dalager was up to his hips in organic compost. And sound engineer Scott “Trespasser” Norr was trespassing near the West Fork of the Baptism River.

Long story short, Doug got the band together, and here are a few samples.

Stormy Monday. This was the service prelude. The recording is through the sound system here, and since sax and percussion weren’t miked, you aren’t quite hearing the real deal.

You got to move. This was the psalm.

Oh when the saints. This was the sending hymn.

She really really loved me. This was the postlude.

There was more, but that’s a decent sampling. Church blues are the next Corvair (unsafe at any speed), but the band had fun, and we made it to City Hall later, paid the taxes, and saved the orphanage.

Last month The Larrys played at the Blue Note Cafe in Canal Park on a Wednesday night. We played again this past Wednesday. I think we’re going to try to play there once a month, probably the first or second Wednesday. Elusive we are…

Here’s a sampling.

• All Along the Watchtower (Dylan)
  

• Spoons (Dalager)
  

• White Freightliner (Van Zandt)

Catch us if you can.