Duskin showers Southgate in blues

At the age of 83, Big Joe Duskin admits that he's not as spry as he once was. In between sets at his performance Saturday at Southgate House, the blues pianist explained why he chose not to step off stage: "It would take me too long to get back up here."

But the Cincinnati artist, one of the fathers of boogie-woogie blues music, showed the audience that he can still rock on a keyboard and roll out his big ol' voice.

Several generations and genres of local musicians joined Duskin on stage as he performed decades' worth of foot-stomping blues tunes, including a few tracks from his first studio album in 16 years, "Big Joe Jumps Again!" The record was released in July.

Playing for much of the first set was the King Records Rhythm Section, composed of two veteran musicians with whom Duskin recorded the new album, drummer Philip Paul and upright bassist Ed Conley.

Among those who stepped up to perform with Duskin were bluegrass band the Kenton County Regulators and singer-songwriter Kim Taylor. The Animal Crackers' Tobe seamlessly brought "Key to the Highway" and other blues numbers into the hip-hop age with his subtle turntable work.

Veteran bluegrass singer Ma Crow took the microphone for Bessie Smith's "Send Me the 'Lectic Chair" and the melancholy standard "Why Don't You Do Right." The percussion pumped with the help of Salsa Caliente's Tino Barbosa pounding the congas and singer-songwriter Tracy Walker working a shaker.

The first set ended, and the second set began, with Duskin halting the music several times to announce that his electronic keyboard didn't sound right.

Perhaps with a less venerated performer, the audience might have grown restless. Duskin's crowd, though, simply sat tight, with a few people occasionally shouting out "Sounds good, Joe!" and other words of encouragement.

At the helm of a new instrument, and with Americana band the Stapletons behind him, Duskin took the second half of the show deeper into rollicking rock 'n' roll territory.

"We're gonna do 'Little Red Rooster,'" the pianist said. "I hope I can sing it." The assured way he belted out the song's first lines dispelled any doubts.

Walker, back on stage during the second set to shake a tambourine for "Going Down Slow" and several other numbers, plugged in her acoustic guitar for "Nobody's Fault But Mine." She sang out the old song's heartrending words in her rich, soulful voice as Duskin nodded and the Stapletons contributed churning guitars.

In between songs, Duskin told sly, rambling tales of the years he spent banging (and, once, sleeping) through sets at blues joints from Newport to Canada. Members of the audience joked with the pianist, and called out requests.

One shout lead to a booming rendition of "Miss Ida B.," an old tune given new life on "Big Joe Jumps Again!" That song turned out to be the show's finale, after Duskin announced that, because his knee was aching, he needed to call it a night.

"I wish I could stay to play some more for you," he told the crowd.

Judging by the applause and the cries of "Thank you, Joe," no one left disappointed.