Sometimes the feeling overtakes you and you just want to sit by the Hudson River, listen to the blues, and eat barbecue.  Luckily enough, the 9th annual Hudson River Park Blues BBQ came around just in time to satisfy each of those cravings.  With stands from the likes of Dinosaur, Brother Jimmy's, Dallas Jones', and Mara's Homemade as well as a bunch of top-notch blues acts all on Pier 54 in Manhattan, you couldn't ask for much more from a Sunday afternoon.
 

Of course, not everything can run as smoothly as planned, but, the doors opened approximately one hour behind schedule, due to a late visit from the fire marshal. Some of the barbecue stands accommodated the restless crowd by peddling bottled water along the line, although they failed to concede to the people's demands for pulled pork and ribs.
 

As the gates were finally opened, half of the attendees rushed the chairs set up in front of the stage, while others formed lines in front of the four stands selling barbecue. All the food vendors seemed swamped with orders, but the line for Dinosaur was the longest.  One could hear the low murmurs of satisfied mouths as the standing tables filled with remnants of meat and dirty napkins.
 

Having seen Lightnin' Malcolm and Cedric Burnside almost two years earlier while down in Mississippi, it was obvious that the entertainment was going to be top notch as well.  Malcolm, having been pretty much adopted by the families of legendary bluesmen Junior Kimbrough and R.L. Burnside, is the real deal when it comes to the next generation of authentic Delta blues.  As far as Cedric Burnside is concerned, his last name should tell it all.  He toured and recorded with his grandfather R.L. as a teenager, and quickly developed into one of the best drummers in the country.  A few years ago Malcolm and Burnside joined together as the Juke Joint Duo to play a style of blues updated with elements of funk, soul, and rock 'n roll.
 

Their set did not disappoint.  With a mix of covers and originals, older songs as well as many making their New York debut, the crowd danced and stomped along to their songs.  Both men frequently referred to "the family" that was in attendance today, and Malcolm called out many names and smiled at those he recognized in the crowd.  Closing with a cover of R.L. Burnside's blues classic "Jumper on the Line", those in attendance wiped their greasy sauce stained hands and cheered, before heading back to the long lines for seconds.