The Outer Banks is alive and well even at the tail end of winter. For proof positive, look no farther than Rooster’s Southern Kitchen Bourbon and Blues last Thursday.
The concept is simple—great bourbon, great music and a worthy cause. It’s something John and Sue Woolard, owners of Roosters have been doing since they opened their doors four years ago…pair an event that’s lots of fun with a local nonprofit and have a good time while contributing to the community.
This time it was Beach Food Pantry, but that changes from month to month.
The Bourbon and Blues is new. There are two more scheduled and let’s hope they keep coming after the break for the summer rush.
The bourbon? That was Jefferson’s Bourbon, which as a personal opinion was some of the finest bourbon I have experienced. Wonderful flavors upfront with subtle nuances on a lingering finish. Then Jefferson’s Ocean, which is sent to sea in oak barrels to swish around for a while, was particularly nice.
The blues? That was from Outer Banks blues master Mojo Collins and the blues doesn’t get any better than at the hands of the master.
From the first notes of the evening when Mojo started playing a beautiful slow hand blues lead, we knew we were in for a special eventing.
Mojo has been around for a while; it could be argued that his biography is the history of rock and roll with a tale of playing music that goes back to the summer of love in San Francisco in 1967.
He can play almost any style of music, but what he loves is the blues and that love affair burned with passion at Rooster’s.
His repertoire is amazing. In a three hour set he probably ran through 20 to 25 songs, with no reference to a prompt or notes. What he performed was the full range of the blues—slow hand, that point where blues and jazz merge, rocking, foot stomping blues…it was all there and played with an energy, skill and subtlety that is almost never heard.
A standard? Route 66, but not done the way anyone else does it.
Another observation: in his second set he played slide guitar. Mojo Collins plays a cleaner more nuanced lead with a slide on his finger than most guitarists can with play five fingers.
Mojo plays with Triple Vision, usually Bill Jolly on bass and his brother Chris Jolly on drums. Chris had a family emergency and couldn’t make it so Dan Martier sat in. That is not a step down at all. Dan tours nationally with Tim Reynolds and TR3.
The food for this event was themed around Louisiana and Mardi Gras. The dirty rice was excellent.
Next Bourbon and Blues will be Saturday, April 27. May 30, a Saturday, will wrap up the series for the spring.
Content written by Kip Tabb