Here comes summer…
Which means that a lot of the musical action has shifted to festivals and other special shows. But all is not dormant in the clubs -- here are this month's prime recommendations:

Fat Possum Mississippi Juke Joint Caravan: T-Model Ford, Paul "Wine" Jones, and Cedell Davis at the Double Door, Chicago, June 7; at the Globe, Milwaukee, June 8; and at Lee's Liquor Lounge, Minneapolis, June 9: With R.L. Burnside all but retired from road touring, these three stalwarts of the Hill Country and the Delta keep the gritty side down. Ford is the most eccentric -- prone to fits of temper and fits of passion, sometimes simultaneously. His guitar work most closely ties to Burnside and the late Junior Kimbrough. Jones' guitar work is by contrast more vibrant, cutting with an edge that recalls Ike Turner's earliest riffs. Davis' instrumentation is the eeriest -- borne of determination following a crippling polio attack when he was 9. Davis grasps a butter knife in his right hand and frets with it while picking strings with his left fingers; the sound is a raw, earthy, backwoods cousin to bottleneck slide.

Coco Montoya at Scott Street Steak & Pub, Wausau, June 8: One of the acclaimed alumni of John Mayall's unofficial "Blues College" (and prior to that, drummer for Albert Collins), Montoya's axe work is crisper, more taut, and more passionate than most of the other blues-rockers with Fenders. Throaty vocals also give him the notch up. Great score for Wausau! Also look for him at Triple M's 10th Anniversary Party at Warner Park, Madison (with Dr. John and Jeffery Gaines) on June 30.

Candye Kane at Gil's Café, June 17 (also with Deke Dickerson & the Ecco-Fonics at Lee's Liquor Lounge, June 15; and at the Fox Valley Blues Festival, Kaukauna, June 16): Even if her visual appearance wasn't attention-getting, her vocals make you take notice. From bawdy blues to heartbreaking country to swanky swing to pre-war Berlin cabaret, she covers the full range of 20th century music with panache.

Bill Kirchen & Too Much Fun at 29 Steps, Green Bay, June 17; and at Lee's Liquor Lounge, June 18: Kirchen's turbocharged electrified guitar pickin' on Commander Cody's version of "Hot Rod Lincoln" opened his niche in rock's Hall of Fame, but he doesn't let those 4 ½ minutes define his career. Full of surprises, Kirchen hits every corner of the fret board with ease, then sets down the Telecaster to blow some funky notes on trombone. If you idolize Dick Dale, you'll need to make room on your mantle for the altar to Kirchen.

The Rhythm Rockets at Harry's Place, Beloit, June 22: One of the enduring acts from the neo-swing craze, the 7-piece Rockets have maintained a busy schedule from their suburban Chicago base of operations. The Harry C. Moore Pavilion along Beloit's Riverfront is an ideal place to kick back on an early summer evening.
 
Big Sandy & His Fly-Right Boys at Shank Hall, Milwaukee, June 23: Sandy (AKA Robert Williams) and his bandmates continue to mature and develop within the context of vintage music -- with a California focus. Their key "side" projects -- Sandy's immersion in west-coast doo-wop/R&B; the Fly-Rite Boys' '50s-era Bakersfield pick-off -- have come together in the latest release, Night Tide. 

The Woggles: with Flim Flam Man, Monuments of Leisure, and Feral at 7th Street Entry, Minneapolis, June 27; with Bleed & the Kill-A-Watts at the Cactus Club, Milwaukee, June 29: The spirit of the Wailers and the Shadows of Knight pulses through this Georgia quartet like molten vinyl -- heavy, dark, and able to capture and retain the raw energy of garage acts across generations.

On a sad note, the best blues roadhouse in Wisconsin is making changes. The Silver Moon, on the Rock/Walworth County Line along Highways 11 & 14, will be scaling back its nightclub operation to focus on hall rental for weddings, music practice and recording space, and other events with a non-alcoholic environment. It's sad that a room with that much intimacy and history couldn't make it forever, but 11 ½  years was a great run. And it isn't over for the music -- there will be concerts at least once a month, and the Sunday Blues in the Afternoon will resume later this summer. Best of luck to Glenn & Shelly -- and a big pat on the back for all you've done for blues in the Stateline area. May your "ducket bucket" be filled up fast.