The Makin Waves Song of the Week is “The Skin I’m In” by BLUES People, who will compete in The International Blues Challenge taking place from Jan. 7 to 11 in Memphis.

For the second year in a row, North Jersey-based BLUES People won the New Jersey Blues Society International Blues Challenge and will compete in the worldwide competition in Memphis again on Jan. 8.

To celebrate, the title track of their debut LP, “The Skin I’m In,” is the Makin Waves Song of the Week.

As the Makin Waves Song of the Week, “The Skin I’m In” also can be heard between 6 and 8 p.m. on Dec. 27 on “Radio Jersey at ThePenguinRocks.com. If you miss it, you can tune in any time in the archives at The Penguin and Mixcloud.

Last year, BLUES People were IBC semifinalists in Memphis. This year, they plan to win the whole thing, which takes place from Jan. 7 to 11.

The band is comprised of singer-guitarist Kelton Cooper (Kool & the Gang/Lonnie Youngblood); bassist Mike Griot (Sue Foley/Michael Hill’s Blues Mob/Joanne Shaw Taylor/Ruf’s Blues Caravan); keyboardist Ron ThompsonBLUES  (Hugh Masekela/Bo Diddley Jr./Blue Magic); and drummer Gene Lake (Henry Threadgill/David Sanborn/Josh Smith). All are esteemed session and side men with many more credits too numerous to mention.

BLUES People also will play New Year’s Eve and Feb. 15 at Shanghai Jazz in Madison; Feb. 1, Jamey’s House of Music, Lansdowne, Pa., and Feb. 6, The Bernie, Bernardsville.

For more about BLUES People, visit https://bluespeoplenj.com.

Mike also keeps busy as an event planner and producer with his company PWI Entertainment, whose next event is the Winter Edition of South Orange Performing Arts Center’s 2nd Annual South Orange International Blues Festival on Feb. 7. The theme of Women in Blues will feature Alexis P. Suter, Rae Simone, and Sue Foley for whom Mike has played bass.

Mike is an artist in residence and curator of Blues in the Loft at SOPAC. For more about PWI events, visit https://www.pwimedia.com.

Bob Makin has produced Makin Waves since 1988. Follow Makin Waves on Facebook and contact Bob at [email protected].