It’s been two years since the News last profiled blues-man Bernie Pearl, but he has a new book out called Sittin’ on the Right Side of the Blues and he’s back at Boulevard Music to celebrate. That offered the perfect opportunity to talk to Pearl about what he has in store for Culver City…
It’s been a couple of years since we last chatted – what have you been up to?
I’ve been busy playing music and, especially busy writing the memoirs. I have an associate, Dr. Bruce Krell, who helped organize my story into book form. He also has done great historic research on the artists I speak of and has made the book into a form of Blues reference. I love reading the result of the research. He’s found lots of new information about a number of artists.
Is there any new recorded music available?
A couple of years ago, or more, I produced a CD of the best instrumental recordings I’ve produced. Some electric, some acoustic, some solo, some duet, some full band, some with Harmonica Fats, some with Papa John Creach sides I produced. It’s called, “Just the Blues Music”. Inspired by my wife commenting that it’s easier to drive when you don’t have to concentrate on the words, just listen to the music.
Tell us about the new book. What inspired it? How long did it take? Who is it for? What’s it about?
For years people have listened to my experiences with the Blues and commented that I should write it down before I forget it. I always meant to do that, but never started on it. A good friend of mine took the initiative and spoke to a journalist I knew, who agreed to start on a book. However, he had to stop when
during the early part of the Covid pandemic he found he didn’t have time for both his day job and the book. I found Dr. Krell a couple of years later, we hit it off, and we were able to give it the time it needed. We completed writing just last July, and self-published a couple of test copies, revised and corrected some things, and have come up with a version we both approve of.
What do you recall about your last Boulevard show?
I recall that I selected material I was comfortable with, as I usually do. I played acoustic guitars, as usual, and had a new bass player as my regular, for several decades, was ill. She is a wonderful player, songwriter, and singer. Elizabeth Hangan will be playing with me again.
What can we expect from the set this time?
I will be starting my set with the song after which I named the book, “Sittin’ on the Right Side of the Blues”. I will do the opening set n acoustic guitars, doing traditional material. However, this is a special night, offering the new book for sale, so I decided to augment the show with some of my favorite Blues musicians: Job Striles, a superb guitarist and songwriter who specializes in traditional West Coast style, and plays left-handed. He’ll be accompanied by Elizabeth and me, plus pianist Steve F’dor, and drummer and vocalist Albert Trepagnier. We’ll then be joined by the man I consider to be L.A.’s premier all- around blues guitarist and vocalist, Ray Bailey. A big show to celebrate the brand-new book.
What else do you have coming up?
I will be doing a series of readings/performances at local libraries and other venues.
Bernie Pearl performs at 8 p.m. on Saturday, October 25 at Boulevard Music. More info on the show at boulevardmusic.com.
Elsewhere this week
Culver City’s music venues have a full calendar of entertainment over the next four weeks. For the Cinema Bar, that includes the Hot Club of Los Angeles (every Monday), Open Mic Night every Wednesday, Ted Kamp & Granville Automatic, Dennis Spencer, David Phillips, Wino Strut & Friends, Tom Gramlich, Eric Paul, and more. For more information, go to thecinemabar.com.