Daily Pioneer News

PLATTEVILLE- Mississippi blues artists Alphonso Sanders and Bill "Howl-N-Madd" Perry will perform and present workshops at the University of Wisconsin-Platteville Friday, Feb. 27 and Saturday, Feb. 28. These events are free and open to the public.

The workshops will be held Feb. 27 from noon to 2 p.m. in the Richard and Helen Brodbeck Concert Hall in the Center for the Arts and on Feb. 28 at 1 p.m. in Ullsvik Hall. Sanders and Perry will discuss the history of blues music, how it's created and performed, and the meaning of blues music.

"To be able to learn blues the way real Mississippi blues artists learn it is a wonderful opportunity," said Joe Caploe, director of UWP percussion and jazz studies.

Sanders and Perry will perform on Feb. 28 at 7:30 p.m. in the Pioneer Haus in the Pioneer Student Center. UWP student musicians will accompany them.

This event is part of UWP's partnership with Mississippi Valley State University in Itta Bena, Miss., to promote diversity between the campuses. The event is made possible by an Opportunity Grant from Chancellor David Markee and Mittie Nimmocks, dean of the College of Liberal Arts and Education.

Sanders has 25 years of experience as an educator, clinician, adjudicator and performer. He is currently the chair of fine arts and director of the B.B. King Recording Studio at Mississippi Valley State University. Sanders has performed at several festivals including the North Sea Jazz Festival in Den Hague, Netherlands; the Montreux Jazz Festival in Montreux, Switzerland; several Delta Blues festivals; and the 1996 Summer Olympics entertainment festivals in Atlanta, Ga. He is also a Fulbright Scholar and studied in China.

Perry has over 40 years of music experience. He played the role of the bluesman in the movie, "The Way of War" with Cuba Gooding Jr. and won first place with his band in the 2005 Blues Challenge presented by the Indianola Blues Society of Indianola, Miss. He is also an instructor of the arts and education program at the Delta Blues Museum in Clarksdale, Miss. Additionally, he has worked with B.B. King at the B.B. King Music Workshop at Mississippi Valley State University.

Anyone wanting more information about the visiting blues artists may contact Caploe at (608) 342-1018 or caploe@uwplatt.edu.

Contact: Joe Caploe, director, percussion and jazz studies, (608) 342-1018, caploe@uwplatt.edu Written by: Krystle Kurdi, UWP Office of Public Relations, (608) 342-1194, kurdik@uwplatt.edu