Poppa E

MP3: Poppa E -- "Talkin' to the Air"

Poppa E brings the Delta to downtown Miami.

Tracking down the bluesman isn't hard. He can be found Friday nights weaving songs at Tobacco Road, backed by a collection of guitars and mouth harps. A native New Yorker who learned to play at the knee of his Mississippi-born grandfather, Poppa has become a regular and popular fixture at the club.

His gigs are where heritage replaces high tech, and simple replaces high style.

"I am [an] old-school bluesman," he said. "I'm old, I do blues, I tell stories and I entertain people."

The musician earned a longtime living as a percussionist, playing backup for Bill Withers, John Prine and Jo Mapes. He returned to his blues roots in the 1990s and churned out six CDs, with a seventh on the way.

The soon-to-be released Crossroads is a departure from his previous efforts. Its archival beat pays homage to Poppa's grandfather, Perry Valentine. "It's my way of thanking him for sharing his talent with me," said Poppa, who divides his time between Miami, New York and Montreal.

Of the 12 tracks, six are versions of tunes by Robert Johnson and John Lee Hooker. The rest are originals.

"I sing about woman doing men wrong and men doing women wrong," he said. "It takes you back to the old juke joints, where the music is as raw as you can get."

Poppa E's real name is Musi Faisal. He explained that the "E" comes from the largest letter on an eye chart, a self-implied reference to visionary music.

Poppa E will be performing tonight at the third anniversary of the Rock, a weekly original music night. From 8 p.m. to 4 a.m., 30 bands will play on four stages at Tobacco Road, 626 S. Miami Ave., Miami. Contact tobacco-road.com or 305-374-1198.

Visit myspace.com/blackowlmusicmiami or blackowlmusic.com. (April 17, 2008)