This marks the second annual reunion show with Hurricane Ruth and the Big Bad Blues Machine, but this one is special. Last January the BBBM lost “our brother in music” Tom Poludniak, a Springfield native and an extraordinary family man, creative person, soulful Hammond B3 player and visual artist. Donations will be accepted in Tom’s name to help out Jefferson Middle School’s music program that feeds into Springfield Southeast High School, where Tom and his wife, Susan, met some years ago through music. While commemorating a lost companion, the get-together celebrates wonderful blues and soul music with a full horn section, arranged by Dick Garretson and performed to some of Ruth’s newer originals along with the standards from back in the day when they were a swinging, working band. Guest artists join in the fun as several of these musicians honor playing music together for decades and being friends for a lifetime. It’s truly a profound event, reminding us to live life to the fullest and enjoy all you can while you can.
This article appears in Nov 17-23, 2016.
