The Fabulous Bluejayz

Hi There. Karrie 'Bluejay' Wallace here. I'm the one on the left with the Fender Stratocaster. On the right is Maria 'Bluejay' Bartlett. She plays a Dean Vertical Electric Bass.

 We play an eclectic blend of mostly blues & jazz standards & originals by Karrie Wallace. Our set list includes songs that range in style from Fats Waller, Bessie Smith & Robert Johnson to Duke Ellington, Billie Holliday & T-Bone Walker. 

Bluejayz Bios

Karrie Wallace

 When I was "just a hatchling", my dad, Jerry Wallace was hittin' it big on the Billboard Charts in the U.S with songs like "Primrose Lane", How The Time Flies, In the Misty Moonlight. His singing & recording  career spanned decades & included other big hits like Shutters & Boards", "There She Goes", "If You Leave me Tonight I'll Cry", "This One's On The House" & many more. (I'm sorry to report that he passed away on May 5th, 2008. we all miss him terribly...)

 My Stepfather, jazz pianist, composer & arranger Dennis Michaels, was also a  huge influence on my musical direction. He  is currently touring, recording & arranging with the legendary singer, Keely Smith.

 On my own I have recorded 5 CD's, most notably "Treehugger" which includes the hit song, "Julia Butterfly Hill, Are You Up There Still?" The song is featured as theme & background music in the full-length documentary, "BUTTERFLY", that has aired on POV/PBS & has been screened in numerous theatres worldwide.

I play a Fender Stratocaster with minimal effects. I do vocals & also play slide & blues harp. 

Maria Bartlett

At the time this "bird" was hatched in San Francisco, her dad was a symphonic & jazz percussionist in the Bay Area. Growing up in Chicago in the 60's she was intimately connected to the explosive folk & blues scene happening there.

 Her own musical career started 8 years ago when she began bass lessons with  Tami Pallingston. Since then she has performed with groups such as Darkrain with Mike McClaren, Blues Per Square Inch, Dancer's Dream, Pilot Rock Ramblers & The Trinidad Village Keepers Trio.

She plays a Dean vertical electric bass and a Czech Ease acoustic bass with a Realist Pickup.

Fan Quotes

"These guys are absolutely the best I have heard in quite a while! They are great!" - Bob Tuite - Former drummer with Cal Tjader & The Mary  Kaye Trio

"Bluejayz...a pleasure...really fun to watch & listen too. Great music, vocals & tunes."  John King/Dogbone

The Bluejayz play an eclectic blend of music, with the golden voice and smooth guitar of Karrie Wallace & the thumpin' bass of Maria Bartlett. We love 'em!" Jimmy & Susie Foot, Bongo Boy CD & DVD

"Great jazz & blues music, and the customers just love them!" Denice Payne, Coodinator of Humboldt County's Farmer's Markets

"The Bluejayz are an excellent band for an outdoor barbeque or an intimate indoor wedding reception". Donna Lin, Linpress Trinidad

"I love the Fabulous Bluejayz! A mix of jazzy blues with loads of heart and great chemistry to boot!" Paige Allison Founder & former Executive Director of the Emma Center.

"Mama, I love that band!" Marcus Glenn-Bensen, age 4

Peace Through Music

 We showed up at the Jacoby Storehouse @ 5:00 PM last Friday night & started unloading & setting up our equipment to play music for Arts! Arcata. We, (The Fabulous Bluejayz), were booked to play from 6:00 to 9:00 in the downstairs lobby outside of the Bonboniere Gourmet Ice Cream Parlour. 
 As we were setting up, we heard the unmistakable tap & thump of a drum kit coming from the open ceiling/balcony directly above us in The Plaza Grill. We went upstairs to investigate & as it turned out, The band Dogbone was also booked to play from 6:00 to 9:00!  Any musician knows that as much fun as it is to play out, whether you are being paid a lot or a little, (that is most often the case), there is a lot of work, preparation & expense invested in getting to & through a 2 or 3 hour gig. We introduced ourselves & the guys assured us that we would work something out...what that was, I wasn't sure. So, we went back down stairs both feeling a little down & wondered what we should do.
 We figured well, since we'd already come all this way & went to all the trouble, we may as well get in a few songs. So we started playing at about 10 minutes to 6:00 & played about 3 or 4 songs.
 Then we heard the drum upstairs countdown the opening beats to a song & Dogbone started to play. So we went upstairs & danced a little while. We wanted to show our support, besides, it was a pretty good song! Good beat, danceable... After a while we went back downstairs & wondered if we should just pack it in, go home & try again next time.
  About 20 minutes later, the music upstairs stopped...one of the guys was looking down, smiling & gave us a thumbs up sign...we were on again!
 That is how the whole evening played out. Bluejayz would play for about 20 minutes in the lobby, then Dogbone upstairs for about 20. It was awesome! Something I will never forget.
 I went home that night feeling pretty good about the way it all turned out. There are so many situations in life & all over the world that should be able to be resolved amiably if people would just be more respectful of each other & be willing to make sacrifices & compromises so that everyone, whether the issue be music, religion, race or whatever, can enjoy the gift of life & live in harmony. 
 We give our warmest regards to the talented gentlemen of Dogbone. Great music! Can't wait to hear you guys again!  Peace through Music. Karrie Wallace & Maria Bartlett (The Fabulous Bluejayz)

Upcoming Shows & Contact Info

New gigs for 2009 season!

April 10th Plaza Design for Arts Arcata - 6:00-8:30

May 8th Jacoby Storehouse/Bonboniere 6-9PM

May 10th Bayside Grange Benefit for Emma Center 10-Noon

May 17th Trinidad Artist Market 12 - 2PM (Right next to Murphy's Market in Trinidad).

May 31st Trinidad Artists Market 12-2:30PM

June 6th The Morris Graves Museum of Arts  Eureka 6-9PM

June 12th The Jacoby Storehouse/Bon Boniere 6-9PM

June 21st The Trinidad Fish Festival (@ the B&B across from the lighthouse 1:00-2:00)

June 28th Trinidad Artist's Market 12-3:00PM

July 19th Trinidad Artisan's Market 12-3:00

July 25th We'll be at the Humboldt Folklife Festival Backing up "The Sidekicks" 2:45 - 3:30

July 28th Fortuna Farmer's Market (3:00-6:00

August 30th - Trinidad Artisan's Market 12:00 - 3:00

Sept 11th - Jacoby Storehouse 6:00 -9:00

September 20th Dogwood Estate Winery ~ Salyer CA (11:00-4:00)...Come taste the wine!

Contact/Booking: fabulousbluejayz@yahoo.com or call (707) 677-0459 or (707) 499-0568