Take a break from the winter cold and warm up in the Botanical Garden’s conservatory while enjoying some of the best blues music in the Midwest. Botanical Blues is presented by AARP Iowa
Event Details
Shows are held live in the conservatory and last one hour each. Botanical Blues attendees are welcome to wander the indoor gardens during the concert. Tickets for Botanical Blues will not be sold in advance, but will be available at the door. First come, first served until capacity is reached.
Food
Trellis Café will have food and drinks available for purchase in the café and the Walsh Room.
Schedule
January 8
Air B and B
Bob Pace and Brendan McKnight
Guitarist Bob Pace has entertained Midwest audiences for more than 40 years. He proudly led the Tuesday night house band at the legendary Blues on Grand for almost 20 years. He’s a member of the Iowa Blues Hall of Fame and the Iowa Rock ‘n Roll Hall of Fame. He has also won the Iowa Blues Challenge solo/duo competition with IBHOF member Steve E. George.
January 15
Major Blues and the Mugshots
Major Blues and the Mugshots got their start like all true blues bands should – on the front porch! They are a Des Moines based blues band and stay 100% true to the blues at their shows! They cover what many feel are the “Best of the Blues”. They do this in their own style so you are sure to feel the emotion and passion in the music! It is their version of “Keeping the Blues Alive”!
January 22
Tony Bohnenkamp
Tony Bohnenkamp is a veteran of countless piano bars, music venues and private functions across the Midwest. His performances are driven by audience requests, and draw from his massive and diverse catalog, ranging from Billy Joel to Elton John, Van Morrison to Neil Diamond, Journey to Johnny Cash, and Garth Brooks to The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, with countless songs from the 60’s through today scattered everywhere in-between.
January 29
The Drama Kings
The Drama Kings is a group that specializes in the music of New Orleans, from Louis Armstrong to Dr. John. Scott Davis plays his 1895 cornet for the old ‘dixie’ style music, then plays bass for John to sing a few pop songs and some original blues; then Scott will sing a tune or two, some old New Orleans party music or Dr. John; then we’ll do an instrumental version of the Meters, and maybe an instrumental version of jazz standards. Bob Brown keeps us grounded on drums and occasional backup vocals.
February 5
Del Saxman Jones
Del is a long time, well-established musician. Del plays saxophone and perform vocals with his band, the Final Mix Show Band and is a member of the Iowa Blues Hall of Fame. Del plays a variety of music including well-known selections from James Brown, CC Ryder, Tina Turner, and much more. Del will be accompanied by another great musician, Scott Dawson on drums.
February 12
Tommy Doggett
Tommy Doggett’s diverse musical palette stems from his collaboration with musicians such as Corey Taylor’s first solo project to a soloist with the Southeastern Ohio Symphony Orchestra to art installations with Gustav Art. In 2015, he was inducted into the Iowa Rock and Roll Hall of Fame with the band Freestyle. As a composer, he was recognized for his project Two Turntables and a Saxophone by a ASCAPlus Award in 2006 and 2007. He is heard regularly performing in Des Moines, Iowa with ENGLISH, Courtney Krause, and Scot Sutherland.
February 19
Heath Alan
Heath Alan (Pattschull) is a singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist from Des Moines, Iowa. Heath was nurtured and mentored by some of Iowa’s greatest talents including Patrick Hazell, Joe Price, Denny Garcia, Rush Cleveland, Roger Miller, Bob Dorr and Jonathan Schwabe. Heath was awarded the prestigious Liberace Music Grant (Yes – That Liberace) and inducted into the Yamaha Musicians Hall of Fame before he was 18 years of age. Heath was inducted into the Iowa Rock and Roll Hall of Fame for his decade long run with Bob Dorr and The Blue Band. Heath has lead his own band for the past ten years and is an active sideman and studio musician.
February 26
J.D. Flanagan and Pat Hemann
Blues musicians J.D. Flanagan, formerly of the Buzz Band, and Pat Hemann, a regular performer with Danny and the Dreamers and the Triple Play Band, are heavily influenced by legendary bluesmen like Robert Johnson, Muddy Waters and Howlin’ Wolf.
March 5
Ducharme-Jones
Ducharme-Jones performances are dynamic and engaging, featuring the songwriting of Dave and Annie Ducharme-Jones. They cross genres, crafting songs that are lyrical with a little hook to create a connection between the artists and their audience. Both are Iowa natives who moved to San Francisco and later migrated to Austin, Texas before finding their way back to the Midwest.
March 12
Grill and Kain
Cindy “Hot Tamale” Grill and Dennis Kain
Cindy Grill is a premiere Blues and Rock vocalist who has been performing professionally for over 40 years. Cindy played for many years with Alan Smith, a well-respected Bluesman on the Botanical Blues stage. Cindy currently performs with her band, Hot Tamale, and the Red Hots. Cindy’s soulful, joyous vocals are engaging and exciting for audiences of all ages. Cindy’s excitement and passion for Blues is unmatched.
Dennis “Big Daddy” Kain is a veteran of many years of performing Delta and Country Blues as a soloist and as a featured musician. Dennis has performed in a variety of venues; from Iowa backwoods to deep in the Delta and on the islands of Hawaii. Dennis began his musical journey on the banks of the Des Moines River where he learned how to play finger-style and slide Blues. Dennis has learned to play many Blues standards and has written numerous creative Blues songs of his own.
March 19
Jodi Bodley and Dewey Cantrell
Jodi Bodley and Dewey Cantrell, founding members of The Blues Bureau band, have been performing together for more than 15 years. Jodi’s powerful and expressive voice and Dewey’s versatile talents as a guitarist, singer and songwriter have led them to share the bill with the likes of Blues Traveler, Shemekia Copeland and Sonny Rhodes.
March 26
“Blue Two”
Bob Dorr and Jeff Petersen
Both members are twice inducted into the Iowa Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and individually inducted into the Iowa Blues Hall of Fame. Jeff Petersen-guitar/vocals; Bob Dorr-drums/harmonica/vocals. The song list comes from 38 years of playing music together. Blues, Rockabilly, Americana, even a country song and maybe an old Blue Band song.
