Seminole Gumbo: Cookin' with the Sauce Boss

Bill Wharton really cooks it up for the crowd, in both the musical and culinary sense. Known as the Sauce Boss, Wharton, who hails from Tallahassee, Florida, had the crowd hopping at Madam's Organ in DC on Saturday night with his brand of jump blues. He also had the crowd stirring the big pot of gumbo that stood on stage beside the band.

It's his trademark and the crowd loves it. He ended his first set by drumming on the large pot in "Stomp" style as he headed to the back to make his signature gumbo. The pot then sits on stage for the remainder of the show until he serves it up to hungry fans at the end. Want one of his cds? He'll throw in a bottle of hot sauce with that!

Wharton really dishes out the spice as he jams on slide guitar and sings. At times, he winds his way through the crowd, making sure everyone is on their toes. The Sauce Boss has nine cds under his belt dating back to his self-titled debut in 1989. And, while he has served many thousands of fans over the years at his shows, he also serves the less fortunate through his non-profit foundation Planet Gumbo, where he performs for and feeds people in homeless shelters.