“Jason Fickel & Ginger Curry can evoke sweet song styles of long-ago decades and can also drive your bottom and top chakras into blues overdrive with supersoul vocals and hurtmesobad slide guitar.” — Steve V. Johnson, Bloomington Songwriter Showcase

Born in Kansas, singer-songwriter-guitarist Jason Fickel was bitten by the blues as a teenager. He headed South to Mississippi where he apprenticed himself to blues masters James “Son” Thomasand Othar Turner. Next he went North, first to Rhode Island and then to Chicago, where he honed his songwriting craft. He has been called “Elvis Costello wearing Donovan’s boxers” and his tune“Get Your Car Off My Lawn” was featured this year on NPR’s Car Talk. Jason’s killer slide guitar and wry lyrics create a musical experience whose roots are nourished by the powerful versatility of vocalist Ginger Curry. Born in Kentucky and raised in the rich traditions of Southern Baptist gospel music, her voice communicates the wide range of the human experience from barrelhouse blues to soul-stirring ballads. Beyond gospel and blues, she is an established songwriter in the new thought community and still finds time to express her Kentucky roots singing in a down-home bluegrass combo.

Jason & Ginger released their debut album, “Jokerville,” in 2011 and that same year were semi-finalists at the International Blues Challenge in Memphis, TN. In 2013 they released their second CD, “A Good Man Is Hard to Find: Celebrating the Women of the Blues”, a recording project that emerged from their Classic Blues program of storytelling and songs. 2016 brought the new album, “Some Kind of Love” featuring four originals and six classic covers.

Recent venues have included Two Way Street Coffee House (Downers Grove, IL), WCDB Folk Festival (Glen Ellyn – Chicago), Cherry Ghost Coffeehouse (Washington, IN), Players Pub(Bloomington, IN), Second Saturday Coffeehouse(Skokie, IL), Bryan Park – Bloomington (IN) Performing Arts Series, Oliver Winery (Bloomington, IN), Folk Alliance Region Midwest (various showcases) and WFHB Firehouse Follies.

One of the most phenomenal harmonica players in history, John Popper formed his band, Blues Traveler, with his high school friends Brendan Hill (drums), Chan Kinchla (guitar) and Bobby Sheehan (bass), in the late 80s, in New York City. They released their debut album in 1990 and hit the billboards with 1994’s “Four.” Following Blues Traveler’s mainstream success, Popper was able to release a solo album, Zygote, in 1999 and toured with his own John Popper Band. Zygote was produced by Terry Manning with the background band consisting of longtime friends Dave Ares, Crugie Riccio, and Rob Clores of Cycomotogoat, and Carter Beauford, the drummer of Dave Matthews Band.

Although Popper’s stage performances were rarer around this time, he enjoyed his first role on the big screen in Just for the Time Being (2000), with supermodel Eva Herzigova. Soon after, Blues Traveler rejoined forces with two new members. The band has been touring and releasing albums ever since. This year marks the 30th anniversary of Blues Traveler as a band.

Popper has co-written songs with Trey Anastasio, Warren Haynes, Chris Barron, and Jonny Lang. He also frequently appears as a guest performer with musicians both famous and obscure, from a diverse variety of genres. He has performed with, among others, jam bands Spin Doctors, Dave Matthews Band, Phish, The Allman Brothers Band, bluesmen Eric Clapton and B.B. King; singer-songwriters Jason Mraz and John Mayer; saxophonist Karl Denson; San Francisco’s Culann’s Hounds; heavy metal band Metallica; rock trio ZO2 and even with the Hungarian Ambassador to the United States, András Simonyi and then-vice-presidential-candidate Tim Kaine.

In addition to Popper’s musical accomplishments, he has appeared in a cameo in several films: the Farrelly Brothers’ Kingpin (1996) (which included a Blues Traveler performance at the end), Howard Stern’s Private Parts (1997), Blues Brothers 2000 (1998), and The Meddler (2016).

Weekly Open Mic. 8 minute spots starting at 9:15. Come claim your spot. $3 to sign-up.