An Evening at Ike's Pub

An Evening at Ike's Pub:
Billy Flynn & The Blues Express
with Willie Smith and Pinetop Perkins

On January 24, 1998, I was extremely fortunate to see an evening of Chicago blues at Ike's Pub in Pewaukee, Wisconsin. The featured artist was Green Bay native and blues guitarist extraordinaire Billy Flynn, along with his band, The Blues Express, which include his brother Mike Flynn on bass. The evening was a CD release party for Billy's recent release, Blues Today. On drums was former Muddy Waters sideman, Willie "Big Eyes" Smith. Another Muddy alumni, piano legend Pinetop Perkins, was also in attendance, having accompanied Smith on the ride up from Chicago.

The first set featured the trio of the Flynn brothers and Smith. Billy Flynn didn't waste any time showcasing his guitar virtuosity, with an excellent version of the classic Crosscut Saw. From there he moved on to some of his originals from the CD.

The second set began with a different drummer, and Big Eyes playing harmonica. They played an excellent version of Little Walter's You're The One with Big Eyes sounding much like the original. Also covered was the late Junior Wells' Somebody Hoodoo'd the Hoodoo Man. With Billy Flynn's excellent accompaniment on guitar, this little club on the shores of Pewaukee Lake felt like an authentic Chicago blues joint. With Smith back on drums, Billy Flynn closed the set with a nice cover of George Benson's Breezin', with an arrangement that took this jazz classic to new places.

The third set brought yet another surprise: Pinetop Perkins was induced to play when an electric piano was brought down from the restaurant upstairs. The packed club was treated to a display of the 84 year old's rippling, boogie-woogie style. Tribute was paid to Muddy Waters with a powerful Mojo Workin' .The bluesmen also played Just a Little Bit and the Sonny Boy Williamson II (Rice Miller) classic, Don't Start Me Talkin'. Another high point was Percy Mayfield's River's Invitation. He also played the Arthur Spires tune, Murmur Low, off his most recent CD, Born in the Delta, on which Willie Smith guests. It was a special evening indeed, to hear the legendary Pinetop's trademark sound, a perfect counterpoint to Flynn's guitar and Smith's drums. Close your eyes and you were transported back in time. You could almost expect Muddy Waters to walk in and join his old bandmates in some more of the real blues.