The Red Hot Blues Sisters perform St. Paddy’s Day-eve March 16 benefit concert for Shoreline Community College Foundation Music Scholarship Fund

The Red Hot Blues Sisters blow on to the Shoreline Community College campus Friday, March 16, 2012 with “Green, Red and Blues,” a St. Paddy’s Day-eve benefit concert for the college’s music scholarship fund through the Shoreline Community College Foundation.

The Sisters feature powerhouse vocalist and Shoreline Community College alum Suze Sims and gutsy melodic blues guitarist Teri Anne Wilson. The Sisters are joined by top class musicians on drums, bass, B3 organ and horns to complete their award-winning sound.

Tickets can be purchased at Brown Paper Tickets.

Sims, who earned music technology and performance degrees at Shoreline, said the concert is something she’s long wanted to do.

“This is pay-it-forward-time, the full-circle thing for me,” Sims said in announcing the concert. “I’d been working in the business for awhile and thought I knew a lot. I came here and learned so much more and how to do it right.”

Joining the Sisters on the bill will be Wired, the Snohomish-based band that just won the 2012 International Blues Challenge in Memphis, Tenn.

From Shoreline will be Funk ’n’ Groove, the student-based group directed by Grammy-nominated jazz saxophonist Jeff Kashiwa. With horns, vocals, guitar, bass, drums and percussionists, the group is a hit on campus and at local venues. Joining the Sisters and Funk ’n’ Groove will be musicians from Shoreline’s acclaimed jazz band led by well-known jazz director and educator, Paul Harshman.

“I’ll be working with Jeff and Paul about the show,” said Sims, who is also music director for the Washington Blues Society. “There are some charts I want to bring to them, and combine the ensembles for an amazing finale.”

Blues Sisters Suze Sims and Teri Anne Wilson

Sims said she’s excited to play on campus and in the PUB main room, a three-year-old facility that wasn’t available when she was a student. 

“I hear it has a new sound system,” Sims said, adding that she walked into the music building to find Owen Strain, an experienced audio technician she has often worked with, on the college staff. “SCC is in great hands with Owen … we’ll make it great,” Sims said.

The Red Hot Blues Sisters are a hard-working band. In 2011, they toured up and down the West Coast and across Montana and Idaho. They played The Montreal International Jazz and Blues Festival, The Monterey Bay Blues Festival, Vancouver Winter Olympics, Edmundston (New Brunswick) Jazz and Blues Festival, Golden Spike (BC) Days Festival, Coeur d’Alene Blues Festival, Portland Waterfront Blues Festival and clubs across Europe, Canada, and the US. 

Closer to home, the group performed at the Bothell Park Summer Festival, Porterhouse Brew Festival, Bite Of Seattle, Mill Creek Festival, in addition to Suze’s earthshaking National Anthem performances for the WNBA Seattle Storm.

The Red Hot Blues Sisters have released two albums with a third set for later this year. Their latest release 'Red On Blue' is in the top 20 Blues and Roots radio ratings. Recent awards include:

• 2011 Best Band – South Sound Blues Association
• 2009 Best Band – Washington Blues Society
• 2011, 2009 Best Female Vocalist
• 2008 Performer of the Year
• 2008 Kings of Beale Street Finalists
• Five 2008 Washington Blues Society Nominations
• 2008, ’09, ’12 International Blues Challenge Semi-Finalists
• 2007 Best Vocal, 2006 Best Band and Best Guitar Nominees

Shoreline Community College is located at 16101 Greenwood Avenue North, just north of Seattle city limits. The PUB is located on the south end of campus near the main entrance to the college. Parking and pay stations are located near the entrance.