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In the short year since the mighty Samuel James took home his first Bimpy, he has become Maine’s ambassador to the world for a unique brand of blues. No tired old stories or indulgent guitar licks here, James rides the line between authentic Delta blues from the days of yore and innovative contemporary songwriting. Not satisfied with blowing people’s minds at the Beale Street Music Festival in Memphis, he’s now off to Canada and then the UK, so he can show the limeys how to flip your guitar around mid-song and play backwards without dropping the beat. If you don’t have Songs Famed for Sorrow and Joy in your collection yet, go grab it so you can say you knew him when.

Co-winners Sly-Chi couldn’t be more different than a lone bluesman stomping on the stage, but are no less powerful. Sly-Chi are at least eight members strong, with horns and multiple singers and a briefcase of wah pedals hiding in the trunk. This is a party band in traditional Portland-scene style. They’re able to play the bar all night and they’ve got the chops to play pretty much anything so expect a little jazz in your funk and rock in your R&B. Sly-Chi have been very busy this year; their new album, The Space, is available for local fans and is making its way to a few hundred college radio stations so the band can capitalize on its increasing visibility outside of Maine. Worry not; the band plan to stick around for the busy summer season. Start it up on June 13 at RiRa.

— Ian Paige

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