NCFBS Presents: 2025 Gainesville Blues Showcase
North Central Florida Blues Society Presents
2025 Blues Showcase
Listening Room, Seated
$25 In Advance | $30 Day of Show (+ taxes & fees)
$15 for NCFBS Members
Featuring:
The North Central Florida Blues Society is excited to announce that four of North Florida’s finest traditional Blues performers will be co-headliners at Heartwood Soundstage on September 14 for the 2025 Gainesville Blues Showcase.
Dr. Jules’ Cool Blues is a trio consisting of Dr. Jules Gliesche (guitar, vocals, original “decompositions”), Little David Thornton (harmonica) and Marie Williams (piano, vocals). Along with providing original interpretations of established Blues standards and striving to keep that sound alive, the trio also incorporates elements of jazz & big band swing. This gives them an original sound that remains firmly rooted in the rhythms and traditions of the Blues, and keeps feet tapping. If you listen to the lyrics, you’ll discover that they’re often downright amusing. Dr. Jules' Cool Blues has become a fixture in Florida's music scene, earning acclaim for their talent and passion for the blues.
John Christopher “JC” Balding (a.k.a. Chris) was born in Tallahassee, FL. Catching a concert featuring former Muddy Waters harmonica master Jerry Portnoy changed his life, starting him on a 30+ year journey of honing his craft and playing with many of the most notable blues bands in the Tallahassee area. In 2021, he launched JC and The Backscratchers, a roots Blues combo featuring songs from the 40s to the present, with influences such as Muddy Waters, Little Walter, Junior Wells, Gary Primich, James Harman, Rick Estrin and Kim Wilson, among many others.
Little Mike & the Tornadoes is well-known for its flawless, high-energy blues sound, modeled after the great Chicago bands of the ‘50s. Little Mike is a mean harmonica player who cut his teeth in New York City in the late 1970s and early 1980s, backing up legendary Bluesmen Pinetop Perkins, Hubert Sumlin, and Jimmy Rogers, among many others. Blues Blast Magazine called their music “old-school Blues delivered the right way by folks who feel it down to the core.” Featured performers include Josh Miller and piano legend Jim McKaba.
Sheba the Mississippi Queen & the Bluesmen were formed in 2018, and were International Blues Challenge semifinalists in 2019. Blues festivals that she has performed in include Springing the Blues, the Coral Gables Blues Festival, and the Long Island Blues Festival. Her band the Bluesmen, which includes guitarist Keith Caton, boasts top musicians steeped in the Blues that have played alongside Bo Diddley and other musical luminaries. Sheba’s music draws from her life experience from hurt and pain, addressing universal themes people can understand.
