This page is part of the Watertown Riverfest 2007 website

 

Paul Filipowicz

 

Friday

August 3

 

6 p.m.

 

Paul Filipowicz website

 

 

One of Wisconsin's most adventurous and accomplished blues guitarists lives right here in Jefferson County - Aztalan to be exact. And Paul Filipowicz said this week he is excited to be making his Riverfest debut Aug. 3.

 

Although some of his neighbors might not even be aware of Filipowicz's aptitude for blasting out hard-driving blues, a core of fanatics around the world track his every musical move. He has been a mainstay in the radio charts of the internationally published Living Blues magazine for years and is the subject of a profile in the current issue of Detroit's Big City Blues publication.

 

In recent years, Filipowicz has brought his slashing guitar, anguished vocals and original compositions to clubs in Milwaukee and Madison, as well as Buddy Guy's Legends in Chicago. He has recorded numerous studio albums in his more than 35 years in the music business and his first live album is presently in the works.

 

Filipowicz fell in love with blues music when he first heard the legendary Howlin' Wolf and Muddy Waters in the mid-1950s as a child growing up just south of Chicago. He learned to play the guitar and in the ensuing years Filipowicz traveled the country, absorbing blues styles from different regions, in particular Texas. To this day, he incorporates the Lone Star influences of T-Bone Walker and Albert Collins into his unique alchemy.

 

As a youngster, Filipowicz relied on AM radio as his source for blues. Eventually he was able to accumulate money to buy records by Lightnin' Hopkins, John Lee Hooker, Wolf and others. Today, his well-worn vinyl record collection is a myriad of classic postwar blues, including Luther Allison, Otis Rush, Magic Sam, Jimmy Dawkins and others he deems deities in the history of the art form.

 

The west side Chicago guitar icons Dawkins and Sam are among Filipowicz's greatest influences and a listener can readily hear their stinging attacks and hypnotic tones coming through in his playing. Freddie King and Albert King are found in his mix, as well.

 

Although a solo artist for decades, Filipowicz has shared the stage with many blues greats, including Hound Dog Taylor, Allison and Dawkins. Amazingly, his encounter with Dawkins came at a concert at Jefferson's Cap'n's Corner one day in the early 1980s.

 

Filipowicz this week finished mixing his inaugural live album, which was recorded July 7. Coming on the heels of his critically acclaimed studio disc "Chinatown," the live CD is scheduled for release on Big Jake Records in early September. Filipowicz noted he is pleased with the new recording, which captures his three-piece band grinding it out on a sweltering summer night at Cuda Cafe, a converted barn/club in Deerfield.

 

"It sounds good," Filipowicz said. "It's a solid album with a guitar savage up front."

 

Although he occasionally packs Watertown clubs such as Don's Bar and Huggy's Hideout, Filipowicz said he is looking forward to being exposed to the large crowd that always gathers at Riverfest.

 

"I'm honored and excited to be playing Riverfest," he said. "The people who come to see me play on a regular basis will know what to expect and the others will be pleasantly surprised."

 

Filipowicz takes the stage at 6:30 p.m. Aug. 3. For more information on him, visit his Web site at www.paulfilipowicz.com .

 

 

Steve Sharp of the Watertown Daily Times staff