Much more Ivas

Booking the Ivas John Band at Jimbo's for the Between the Rivers CD release party in Harrisburg taught me a few things, (including how to make a radio spot) so Ivas wants me to book his band at other venues in the midwest, which will be a good learning experience for me, plus the standard agent's fee, so Much More Media has another client. Ivas is a dynamic blues performer, and his band is tight as Wayne Goodwin's drums. Currently, they're working on a CD of all original songs.

Live Ivas

Wayne, Jim, Ivas, and Chris outside Jimbo's House of Brews in Harrisburg, Illinois, where the Ivas John Band played to an appreciative audience, playing an encore, and more than 30 Guitars Between the Rivers CDs were sold, with artists' royalties going to the Hurd Brothers Memorial Scholarship Fund, administered by Southeastern Illinois College.

Last week, Cathy Basey gave another $100 to fund administrator Archie Blair at SIC, bringing the total raised to $500.

Saturday Event to Benefit Hurd Bros. Scholarship

Reported by Brian DeNeal in the Harrisburg Daily Register Online:

"HARRISBURG - At Jimbo's on Saturday, the crowd will hear some talented Southern Illinois guitar players and have a chance to buy a CD benefiting The Hurd Brothers Memorial Scholarship Fund.

David More of Carbondale decided there were so many great guitar players around, he wanted to include several of them on a CD compilation. Several guitarists signed onto the project and recorded a song or two for it.

'I wanted a worthy place to donate the royalties to,' More said.

He learned of The Hurd Brothers Memorial Scholarship Fund that benefits students studying music at Southeastern Illinois College.

'We weren't buddies, but I attended a wedding and shot video of them playing at the wedding in 2002,' More said.

Forrest and Doug Hurd were killed in July of that year in a car crash in Harrisburg on their way home from a performance in Fairfield.

The limited release of 'Guitars Between the Rivers Vol. 1' sold 144 copies with proceeds going toward the scholarship fund and More had enough music given to him for a Vol. 2, completed in Dec. 2005. But More regretted the project and release party was mainly a Carbondale event and people in Harrisburg may not have even known about it.

He got in touch with the brothers' sister, Marcia Hurd, about a Harrisburg CD release party.

'I asked Marcia if she knew a good place and she suggested Jimbo's. I called Mark (Molinarolo) and he was into it,' More said.

The CD includes songs by the Hurd Brothers, Grant Morgan, two songs by Bruce Camden with one featuring 'Tawl Paul' Frederick and the other with 'Big Larry' Williams, Robert Russell, Joseph Breznikar, Doug Rees, Nathan George, Zacc Harris, Zach Catlin, Ivas John and Wayne Weiseman with Din Dayemi.

Some of the performers will be performing beginning at 6 p.m. Saturday. The Ivas John Band is headlining along with Grant Morgan, Rich Fabec Band and Cherry Street Band.."

Cathy Basey of Between the Rivers recently gave another $100 check to Archie Blair of Southeastern Illinois College. The total amount raised so far is nearly $500.