Blues, BBQ, and family fun at McCook Point Park in Niantic
By Amy J. Barry
Special to the Times
A cookin’ and rockin’ community event passed down from father to daughter will once again take place on Sept. 6 when Cookin’ at McCooks BBQ & Boogie comes to McCook Park in Niantic.
Presented by Tumbleweeds music and boutique shop, East Lyme Parks and Rec, and Niantic Main Street, the festival features seven blues bands and solo artists performing all afternoon and evening plus the appropriate blues concert food, including Piggy Roasters BBQ, Kiefers Kettle Korn, Party Palooza hot dogs, snow cones, and more. There’s a lot to occupy the younger set, too. Besides the beach, there will be a kid’s activity tent, tie-dyeing, face painting, and a marine touch tank.
The Cookin’ at McCooks Summer Concert Series was the brainchild of the late Dave Wyatt, owner of Tumbleweeds, who died in 2006. His daughter Tara Wyatt is continuing the tradition, coordinating all aspects of the day.
“My dad decided it would be a great opportunity to get some great music into the area and use the beautiful town park we have available to us,” she says. “He wanted to bring original music from around the country as well as right here in Connecticut.”
Dave Wyatt opened the small independent music store in Niantic in 1976, which specializes in blues, funk, jazz, soul, and other non-commercial music.
The store closed in 1984 and reopened in 1998, when Tara, who now runs the store, was a senior in high school. Tara explains that her father would meet lots of great musicians in the music store and thought, why not ask them to play at a family-oriented event for the community?
Tara stresses that this is a nonprofit event and donations are needed to pay for the many costs involved. She is also still looking for both business and private sponsors.
“Sponsors are always welcome and more than ever are needed this year,” she says. “It’s a poor economy and we’d really like to be able to continue this event year after year.”
The Music
“It’s an all-blues event, but well-rounded—you won’t hear the same sound twice,” Tara says.
The festival headliner is Eric Lindell, a national recording artist with Alligator Records, the biggest blues label in the country.
“He plays tasty, New Orleans soul blues,” Tara says of the young up-and-coming singer-songwriter. “The reason I picked him was that when his first album came out in 2006 (Change in the Weather), it was the best selling album in my store and then when his second CD came out at the beginning of this year (Low on Cash, Rich in Love), I thought he’d be great for this event.”
Deb Callahan of Philadelphia has been a fixture on the mid-Atlantic music scene since the late ’90s. Callahan, whose voice has been compared to Bonnie Raitt, Etta James, and Aretha Franklin, is known for writing creative blues, soul, and roots-influenced original music.
The Connecticut-based Mike Crandall Band was a National Blues Challenge nominee. The original band plays traditional blues, up-tempo jumps, and swings. Crandall is a gritty blues vocalist who’s mastered the diatonic and chromatic harp. His sound has been compared to Sugar Ray Norcia.
Chicago-based guitarist/bandleader Joe Moss plays a mix of blues and R&B paired with original songwriting. He performs regularly in such Chicago venues as Buddy Guy’s Legends and House of Blues. His accomplished guitar and vocal style can be heard on his debut CD The Joe Moss Band (212 Records).
Sarah Lemieux hails from the New Haven area. She performs a unique brand of “storytelling” blues-driven music with a harmonic twist in her smoky, silky voice. She opened for headliner E.G. Kight at North Carolina’s National Women in Blues Festival this past fall, and was featured on the Women in Blues compilation CD released by JoMar records.
Supertones is a young local band with members from East Lyme and Ledyard. Their music is a fusion of blues and rock and they play half originals and half covers. Supertones won the student government battle of the bands at UConn (where two band members are students) for two years in a row.
Redhot & Blue is a traditional blues band that’s been playing both covers and some originals in the local area for the past 25 years. The band features lead vocalist and saxophone player Andrew King of Old Lyme.
Cookin’ at McCooks BBQ & Boogie takes place Saturday, Sept. 6 from 2 to 10 p.m. at McCook Park, 8 Atlantic St., Niantic. A $15 donation will be collected at all gates. Kids and parking are free. Anyone who would like to display a classic car at the event won’t be charged admission. No coolers, no dogs, and no alcohol are permitted. Times and performers are subject to change.
For more information, call 860-739-9018 or online visit www.cookinatmccooks.com.