Voice major performs at International Blues Challenge in Memphis

Jacquelyn Paul never imagined her band, “Super Midnight,” would travel to Memphis — home of the blues — for the chance to perform before an audience of blues aficionados from around the world.

But that’s exactly what’s happening this week. Paul’s six-piece band will perform a 30-minute set on Friday as part of the 2020 International Blues Challenge Jan. 28 to Feb. 1. The Blues Society of Western Pennsylvania extended an invitation to Paul’s band to participate in the event alongside musicians from all over the world, some as near as Canada and others as far away as Western Europe, Australia, Korea and Israel.

Paul, 16, a sophomore voice major, said the band and their families are excited about the opportunity.

“They have a competition for adults and the Western PA Blues Society is sending another local band, an adult band, to compete. We’re playing in the showcase for youth. It’s international—it’s people from all over the world,” said Paul of Beaver.

Competing adult soloists, duos, and bands will play for judges in venues along Beale Street, vying to be among the finalists chosen to play in the Orpheum Theatre on Saturday. Younger bands such as Super Midnight aren’t competing, but will perform in a showcase where mentors with a deep understanding of blues forms evaluate them and give feedback. They are also provided special master classes and workshops.

Paul said their set list contains a mixture of songs, including a bluesy version of Galant’s pop song “Weight in Gold” and a bunch of heavy blues standards, such as “Preaching Blues,” and “Learn How to Love,” by the Tedeschi Trucks Band.

“Before I come on, we’re doing just an instrumental piece to introduce the whole band and give them all a good opportunity to solo. They’re all very talented so I’m very excited to play with them.”

Super Midnight was formed last September when Paul’s friend and guitarist, Alex Weibel, invited her to the Battle of the Bands, where she met Spencer McNeill, the saxophonist. With Paul on vocals, the trio formed a small group and later added drummer Brandon Terry, 14, pianist Henry Schultz, and bassist Eric Dowdell Jr. from the Pittsburgh jazz fusion band, Funky Fly — a group Paul used to perform with.

After a performance at Hollywood Gardens in Rochester, the Blues Society invited the band to attend the youth showcase in Memphis. The rules required everyone in the band to be under 21, so Paul said they swapped out their bassist and drummer and added a pianist. The youngest are the 14-year-old drummer and Paul. The band has been performing together since the end of November, she said.

“We play anything that fits what I like to sing and what they like to play,” Paul said. “If we hear a song and it’s like ‘dang that sounds good,’ then we play it. We also do originals and stuff like

that, and we’re starting to get more. We just wrote an original and we’re starting to get it recorded.”

The Blues Society provided the band some funds, but not enough to cover their entire trip. The group held a fundraiser and started a GoFundMe page, where donations can still be made. For more information about the band, visit jacqueepaulmusic.com.