After the first stomping instrumental of his set at the Mai Cramer Memorial Real Blues Festival, guitar hero Ronnie Earl took a moment to tell the audience that the concept of church is a gathering, a place where like-minded people come together for an invocation. This particular church — the Arlington Regent Theatre — also served beer a week ago Saturday, and that, along with the music, made it more appealing than the ones that only deal in ritual. But ritual was nonetheless where this event, which organizer Peter Ward vows will be annual, has its roots.
Late disc jockey Cramer was a nucleus for much of the local blues scene for the nearly 24 years she spun on Friday and Saturday nights on WGBH before succumbing to cancer in 2002. Saturday’s show was a fundraiser for the Pine Street Inn homeless shelter held in her honor.
It opened with pianist Dave Maxwell providing solo back-up to a slide show of Cramer and the things she enjoyed: musicians, flowers, friends, her dog. That was followed by a set from 2120 South Michigan Avenue that was distinguished by an exuberant version of Guitar Slim’s “The Things That I Used To Do” led by guitarist Ward, a journeyman player and Cramer’s widower. But former Roomful of Blues singer/harpman Sugar Ray Norcia and his group the Bluetones, abetted on two tunes by Michelle Willson, kicked things up a notch, thanks to both vocalists’ verve and rippling solos from Maxwell and guitarist Troy Gonyea.
Earl’s own set was the highlight, a study in soul-soaked guitar that included some of his simmering, emotive slow latticework melodies and the joyful shuffle “#7” from his latest album. And the night ended with both Ward and septuagenarian Boston blues legend Weepin’ Willie Robinson joining Earl’s quartet on stage, Robinson’s ribald lyrics and winking delivery putting a little mammon in Earl’s temple.
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