Posts Tagged ‘Bonamassa’

As Joe Bonamassa grows his reputation as one of the world’s greatest guitar players, he is also evolving into a charismatic blues-rock star and singer-songwriter of stylistic depth and emotional resonance. His ability to connect with live concert audiences is transformational, and his new album, Black Rock, brings that energy to his recorded music more powerfully than ever before. The tenth solo album and eighth studio release of his career – as well as his fifth consecutive with producer Kevin Shirley (Led Zeppelin, Black Crowes, etc.) – the disc adds an enlivening dose of ‘world’ vibes to Bonamassa’s virtuoso mix of ‘60s-era British blues-rock (à la Beck and Clapton) and roots-influenced Delta sounds.

The album was recorded at Black Rock Studios in Santorini, Greece. “With this album, we wanted to explore a ‘world’ feeling, and this was the inspiration behind going to record in Greece and using some of the best Greek musicians to add a little flavor to a couple of the tracks. But it’s by no means a ‘world’ album. We wanted Joe’s usual youthful and energetic tones to play alongside the worldly vibes of the Greek bouzouki and clarino,” said Shirley. Bonamassa adds, “It was the kind of record Kevin and I wanted to make. We needed to rock again a bit like on my first album. It’s youthful, like going back to your childhood.” Throughout, Bonamassa is again backed by the stellar players Carmine Rojas (bass), Anton Fig, Bogie Bowles (both on drums) and Rick Melick (keyboards).

2009 was a big year for Bonamassa. He was awarded the Breakthrough Artist of the Year Award at the U.K.’s prestigious Classic Rock Roll of Honour Awards and Classic Rock magazine has said, “They’re calling him the future of blues, but they’re wrong – Joe Bonamassa is the present; so fresh and of his time that he almost defines it.” He was also named Best Blues Guitarist in Guitar Player Magazine’s 2009 Readers’ Choice Awards for the third consecutive year. Guitar Player writer Matt Blackett has said, “He’s an old soul, and that comes through in his bends, vibrato, singing voice, and note choices, which – which each passing year – get more restrained and refined.”

In May ’09, he played to a sold out crowd at London’s Royal Albert Hall, arguably the most prestigious concert venue in the world. During the show, Bonamassa’s hero, Eric Clapton, joined him on stage for a joint-performance of Clapton’s hit “Further On Up The Road.” London’s The Independent said about the show, “The man has arrived, and there’s no turning back.” Shortly after, Bonamassa released a 2-DVD live set – Joe Bonamassa – Live From The Royal Albert Hall – which captures the night in full. Guitar Edge gave it five stars and also said, “It is the wallop of his emotional expression, fueled by the rocking energy he derives from that trans-Atlantic connection and driven by his devastating technical ability, that elevates him about his peers and makes him a certifiable blues guitar hero and the face of his blues generation.”

Last year also coincided with Bonamassa’s twentieth year as a professional musician, an extraordinary timeline for a young artist just into his ’30s. A child prodigy, Bonamassa was finessing Stevie Ray Vaughan licks when he was seven and by the time he was ten, had caught B.B. King’s ear. After first hearing him play, King said, “This kid’s potential is unbelievable. He hasn’t even begun to scratch the surface. He’s one of a kind.” By age 12, Bonamassa was opening shows for the blues icon and went on to tour with venerable acts including Buddy Guy, Foreigner, Robert Cray, Stephen Stills, Joe Cocker and Gregg Allman.

Bonamassa reunites with King for a duet on Black Rock. The song they perform together is a rendition of the Willie Nelson-penned song, “Night Life,” which appeared on King’s 1967 album Blues Is King. Shirley says about the experience, “This is a rollicking Stonesy-vibe version of the Willie Nelson song on which B.B. duets with Joe, both vocally and on his famous Lucille guitar. What a joy and an honor to work with the legend who is possibly the pivot point and unifying musician between blues and rock.”

Other tracks appearing on Black Rock include Jeff Beck’s “Spanish Boots,” a lively version of Leonard Cohen’s poetic “Bird On A Wire,” Otis Rush’s “Three Times A Fool,” as well as Bobby Parker’s “Steal Your Heart Away,” a song recommended by Robert Plant, who said Led Zeppelin rehearsed it in their earliest days. Also, Blind Boy Fuller’s “Baby, You Gotta Change Your Mind,” John Hiatt’s “I Know A Place,” and James Clark’s “Look Over Yonder’s Wall,” as well as the Bonamassa-penned originals “When The Fire Hits The Sea,” “Wandering Earth,”

“Athens To Athens,” and “Blue and Evil.”

Bonamassa’s recording career began in the early ’90s with Bloodline, a hard-charging rock-blues group also featuring Robby Krieger’s son Waylon and Miles Davis’ son Erin. His 2000 solo debut, A New Day Yesterday, was produced by the legendary Tom Dowd; Bonamassa’s rendering of the title track, originally a Jethro Tull hit, was called, “a jaw-dropping performance” by allmusic.com.

His last studio album, The Ballad Of John Henry – with no shortage of its own jaw-dropping moments – debuted at #1 on the Billboard blues chart and stayed there for six months. The album marks a more confessional approach to songcraft than he’s previously employed. “Making the first half of the album,” Bonamassa says, “I was in the happiest place I’d ever been in my life. The second half found me in completely the opposite state. I’ve come to the conclusion that experience makes for better art. I had more to say, and it’s the first time I’ve personally opened up the book on my life.”

Previous studio sets include 2007’s Sloe Gin, which debuted at #1 on Billboard’s blues chart and received a 2008 nod for Album Of The Year from the Classic Rock Roll Of Honour Awards. Sloe Gin careens between heavy electric blues-rockers and acoustic, folk-etched cuts in a flow that Bonamassa says was partly inspired by Rod Stewart’s classic 1969 solo debut LP. Modern Guitars Magazine wrote, “If calling Sloe Gin a Bonamassa sampler isn’t graphic enough, think of the album as a musical buffet in which unrelated entrees share a single trait: they taste good.” The Boston Phoenix called it, “an elegant and brawny guitar-hero album.”

In 2008, he released the 2-CD set Live From Nowhere In Particular, which Guitar Player said, “finds Joe playing with soul, intensity and savage tones.” It features 13 songs recorded live in concert on the artist’s 2007 North American tour – at shows like the one at New York’s Westhampton Beach Performing Arts Center reviewed for www.hamptons.com by Lon S. Cohen: “In a thousand years, when archeologists dig out Joe Bonamassa’s guitar from the strata of the earth, it will still be smoking…He holds the guitar like a shotgun but what comes out of it is poetry, color, and a story is told in notes.” A review of a show at Alexandria, VA’s Birchmere drew similar sentiments from writer Paul Roy on blogcritics.org: “I have flirted with the opinion that Bonamassa may be the overall best guitarist on the planet these days, and after seeing him perform live again…I am now totally comfortable with that opinion. He is simply mesmerizing to watch.”

Bonamassa circles the globe playing an average of 200 shows a year, and his mind-blowing guitar wizardry and electrifying stage presence are selling out progressively larger venues all the time. The OC Register’s Robert Kinsler has written, “Whether in a club or outdoors at a festival, something magnetic happens when Bonamassa steps to the front of the stage, leans his head back and simply lets loose.”

Ongoing journeyman touring is a given, and looking beyond Black Rock, Bonamassa will continue his recording collaboration with producer Kevin Shirley, who says, “It’s great working with Joe and seeing him enjoy the discovery of all these places he can go. He’s an artist who can play anything, there are so many facets to him.” Bonamassa adds, “Kevin comes up with fantastic ideas outside the box. He appreciates the blues, but pushes me, the only person besides Tom Dowd who’s done that.”

On top of touring, recording and overseeing the independent label J&R Adventures with his entrepreneurial partner and manager Roy Weisman, Bonamassa is a spokesperson for the Blues Foundation’s respected Blues In The Schools program, volunteering his time during tours to speak with groups of high school students about the heritage of blues music – the first pure American music form. Recently, he was chosen by Channel One, the largest in-school news network, to host an ongoing segment called “Know Your Roots with Joe Bonamassa” in which he traces the musical roots of Channel One’s weekly “Hear It Now” featured artist.

And, 2010 has already started with a bang – Guitar World dubbed Bonamassa “The Blues Rock Titan” and his song, “Lonesome Road Blues,” is a part of Guitar Hero V’s New Blues Masters Track Pack. Keeping with his blues roots but fluently moving between rock n’ roll and international sounds, 2010 is not only a new decade but a new era for Bonamassa.

Mighty ORQ - Guitars/Vocals
Terry Dry - Bass/Vocals
Matt Johnson - Drums/Vocals

For almost nine years The Mighty Orq have been playing relentlessly around the South
and Europe releasing five albums, their last two on Pepper Cake Records, and developing
a distinct, recognizable sound as well as a tremendous grassroots following.  Their music is a blend of classic rock energy, Gulf Coast blues, R&B, and pop with gospel undertones that
are as unique as they are powerful.

They started out playing the local haunts in their home town of Houston in late 2002,
and over the last decade have developed into an internationally touring workhorse.  Everywhere the band plays the sentiment among audiences is the same; ‘Why aren’t these
guys famous?!’ “It’s something we don’t think about too much because, honestly, we’re too
busy,” says Mighty Orq, front man and guitarist for the trio.

The band just returned from their sixth European tour in May 2011 in support of their latest release, Lost In Germany.  This album is something of a retrospective.  It is a live recording capturing a night in Germany from 2010 at the intimate venue, Kornbrennerei.  In addition there are tracks taken from an earlier live recording in 2003 at Houston’s famous blues venue, The Big Easy Social & Pleasure Club.  Lost In Germany offers a singular insight into group’s musical evolution; from its early inception as a traditional Blues band to a more song-writing oriented, southern rock and pop sound.  Along with songs from the last four albums, Lost In Germany also features four new unreleased tracks, “The Possum Song,” “So Sad,” “Cold Hearted,” and the Freddie King classic, “Pack It Up.”

Over the summer the band plans to record not one but two albums.  The first will be a band effort showcasing all the new material that has been written over the last three years of non-stop traveling and performing.  The second recording, sponsored by a grant from the Houston Arts Alliance, will be more in the solo vein showcasing Orq’s acoustic guitar and dobro acumen.  The theme for this second CD will be ‘Houston Music’ highlighted with performances and songs by prominent Houston musicians both past and present.

The future is busy and bright for this talented and hard-working band from Houston.  To find out about upcoming events and listen to some mighty tunes visit the band at  www.MightyOrq.com.

Standing at the crossroads of King’s X, Arc Angels, and Gov’t. Mule, The Mighty Orq’s muscular music is the sound track for driving through a rainstorm with the windows down.”
- Bob Ruggerio, Houston Press

Discography:
The Mighty Orq Live: Lost In Germany - 2011

To The Bone (2008)
Milk Money (2005)
Ghost Train (2004)
Prayer Book (2002)

After getting into the music promotion business with inspiration from my chance discovery of Joe Bonamassa in 2002. I did the music bookings for a friend of mine’s bar in Oklahoma City. I was contacted by the management of the Steepwater Band. They had a routing opportunity on their way to boarding the Give me Three Steps Cruise. I would have to say they were one of the best bands that ever stepped foot on my stage during the time I booked that room. Others that graced the Road House stage during that time besides hosting Joe Bonamassa for his 30th Birthday celebration was BX3 Stu Hamm  Billy Sheehan and Jeff Berlin’s project as well as Robben Ford. Check these guys out.

The Steepwater Band

the Steepwater Band’s forthcoming studio release, “CLAVA” (pronounced CLAY-va) finds the band hitting their most creative and focused point of their careers. The new record was recorded this past March on the South Side of Chicago at the studio of the same name. Also known as a trinity of stars, CLAVA is a fitting name for the new record produced by the trio along with Colin Sipos, a young, up-and-coming producer/ engineer who has worked with the critically acclaimed Iron & Wine and Califone. Sipos also recorded TSB’s “The Stars Look Tonight/My Back Pocket (2010)” single and mixed “Live at the Double Door (2010).” The ten new songs feature some of their most blues-infused, heavy and psychedelic tunes to date. Each song takes you on a musical journey, steeped in tradition, while not being overly nostalgic. On “CLAVA” the band honors their heroes and pays them the highest compliment – continuing the Rock n’ Roll lineage while creating paths not yet explored. This release exemplifies the musical trinity that is The Steepwater Band.

Monte Montgomery with Band

August 19^th 2011

9pm opener TBA

Oklahoma City Limits

4801 S Eastern Ave

Tickets

You can call it prescient or predetermined, but when Terry Lickona, undisputed tastemaker and producer of Austin City Limits, plucked a then relatively unknown guitar talent to tape a segment of the legendary show, one had the sense that this was just the beginning.

Since that jaw dropping performance, Monte Montgomery has embarked on an almost fantasy like rock and roll roller coaster ride filled with dizzying accomplishments and mind blowing accolades.  Named one of the “Top 50 All-Time Greatest Guitar Players” by Guitar Player Magazine, he’s been called everything from “guitar-god” to the “answer to the Fermi Paradox”.

Still, despite the six-string notoriety, Monte is not content to rest on his musical laurels. “I’ve resisted temptation to be just that guitar gunslinger from Austin, Texas,” says Monte. “I strive to have more depth, to be more layered as an artist, songwriter and singer.”

With the release of his latest CD “Monte Montgomery”, he is cementing his place as not just some blazingly electrified acoustic guitar playing freak of nature, but also a rare and true triple threat; songwriter, singer and master musician.

“I want my music to be accessible to everyone,” says Monte.  Accessible it is, but he’s still managed to make a record that is uncompromising.  The virtuoso-like trademark guitar licks and arrangements you’d expect from Monte are there, forming the rich and colorful aural backdrop for his insightful songwriting and amazing voice.

The end result, in a day of homogenized, digitalized, and processed music, is that this new project stands out as a throw back to the great pop rock records of the past.  Recorded live at the legendary Masterlink Studio, the textured, deep, rich, nuanced and just plain rocking 12 tracks run the gamut, showcasing Monte’s stylistic diversity beginning with the opening album track “River”, an almost primal seven minute dark bluesy roots rocker, and ending with “Midlife Matinee” a wistful ballad that soulfully explores the turning points and crossroads of life, love and loss.

In between, it’s a mix of dark, edgy rock to light, breezy pop-like melodies.  There’s the pure rocker “Can’t Fool Everyone” and the jazzy, vibey “Could’ve Loved You Forever”.  And just when you think you’ve got him pegged, Monte changes it up to leave you breathless with the sensual, lyrical, Latin-tinged “Moonlight Tango.”

“All of these songs are road tested,” laughs Monte when you ask him to explain how he chose what to record for this record.  “I don’t write with a project in mind.  I write to play live, for my fans.  My audience is great, they tell me what to record. It’s like having a built-in focus group.”

Long a big draw on the live music scene, Monte’s non-stop touring schedule this year has included ParkPop (one of the largest music festivals in Europe).  A Monte Montgomery show is likened to a musical religious experience.  “I wanted to capture what I do live on this record.  I want people to close their eyes and envision themselves at one of my concerts.”

To do that Monte enlisted the help of the hip, rock producer John Billings and Rob Clark, Grammy nominated Neil Young and CSN&Y recording engineer.  “In the past my records were made in my hometown of Austin”, says Monte.  “We went to a larger [studio] room in Nashville for this one which, with some very clever microphone placement techniques from Rob and John, enabled us all to set up in the same room and just play each song straight through.  These are live takes, band tracks and no overdubs, with the only exception being some different instrument parts (string section and B3) added later to some tracks.”

All the songs were written by Monte, with the exception of “Little Wing”.  Monte’s blistering interpretation of the Jimi Hendrix classic is a fan favorite but has never been recorded in a studio environment.  “I never play it the same way twice,” says Monte. “So when making this record we planned for “Little Wing” to be the last thing we attempted to track every night in the studio and if we get it, we get it.  If not, we would just leave it to the live performances.   On the second night, after a long day in the studio, the track we got was like, wow.  We knew it was magic.”

Ironically, it’s the cover of another rock pop classic that is bringing Monte a high profile fan and opening up new doors.  After seeing Monte’s version of Sara Smile on YouTube,Daryl Hall (Hall & Oates) was so blown away he invited Monte to be the featured artist onLive From Daryl’s House,the popular web-based music show.

These accomplishments are quite a distance from Birmingham, Alabama where Monte learned to play piano and trumpet.  At the age of 12 Monte moved to Texas to live with his mom, a singer/songwriter who instilled in him a passion for music and a taste of the life he was destined to lead as he sang and performed with her in Hill Country picking parlors.

It was the eventual move to Austin where you could say he earned his musical baccalaureate from that city’s highly competitive music scene (earning him seven consecutive Austin Music Awards).  That led to the current fulfillment of his musical destiny; a dedicated fan base, critical acclaim and an ever growing touring circuit in the U.S. and Europe.  It’s no wonder that when Terry Lickona introduced him on that Austin City Limits’ stage some years ago he uttered these words: “Monte Montgomery blows people away. There is no other way to describe it.”

May 9th 8pm, Freede Little Theater @ Oklahoma Civic Center Music Hall

This will be the Robben Ford Trio with Travis Carlton, son of Larry, bass guitar and Toss Panos, drums

May 10th Masterclass/clinic Open to the public limited seating available.

ACM@UCO Performance Venue 323 East Sheridan Ave

The Clinic will be open to the general public with very limited seating tickets available through Ticketstorm.com

Students of ACM will be the guests of The Oklahoma Blues Society limited to the first 50 to sign up contact your teacher or administrator.

The class will focus on the basic building blocks of music theory, chord progressions, the use of voicings, listening and improvisation.
There will be an emphasis on the importance of the blues in building a strong musical foundation, as well as the understanding and usage of advanced harmony to add dimension to simple music forms and chord progressions. The guitar will be featured, but beginning and mid-level students of any instrument would
benefit from this class.

Robben Ford is one of the premiere electric guitarists today, particularly

known for his blues playing as well as his ability to be comfortable in a

variety of musical contexts. A five-time Grammy nominee, he has played

with artists as diverse as Joni Mitchell, Jimmy Witherspoon, Miles Davis,

George Harrison, Phil Lesh, Bonnie Raitt, Claus Ogerman, Michael

McDonald, Bob Dylan, John Mayall, Greg Allman and many others. (See

Discography)

Born in 1951 in Woodlake, California, and raised in Ukiah, Robben was

the third of four sons in a musical family. His father Charles was a

country and western singer and guitarist before entering the army and

marrying Kathryn, who played piano and had a lovely singing voice.

Robben’s first chosen instrument was the saxophone, which he began to

play at age ten and continued to play into his early twenties. He began to

teach himself guitar at age thirteen upon hearing the two guitarists from

The Paul Butterfield Blues Band, Michael Bloomfield and Elvin Bishop. In

the late 1960’s, Ford frequented the Fillmore and Winterland Auditoriums

in San Francisco to see Jimi Hendrix, Eric Clapton, Cream, Led Zeppelin,

Albert King, B.B. King and all of the progenitors of blues. “It was an

incredible time for electric guitar,” Robben recalls.

On his interest in jazz, Robben says,” I fell in love with the sax-playing of

Paul Desmond and The Dave Brubeck Quartet, and before long found

Ornette Coleman, Archie Shepp, Yusef Lateef, Roland Kirk, John Coltrane,

Wayne Shorter, and of course, Miles Davis.” These influences have stayed

with Robben, playing a large part in his particular blend of jazz and blues

that define him as a guitarist and allow him to play in a wide variety of

settings.

After high school, Robben and his brothers Patrick (a blues drummer) and

Mark (a blues harmonica player) formed The Charles Ford Blues Band

(named after their father), and recorded for the Arhoolie label. Robben

(on sax and guitar) and Patrick went on to tour the U.S. with Chicago

harmonica player Charlie Musselwhite, again recording for Arhoolie.

Robben’s first attempt at forming his own jazz quartet was picked up by

legendary blues singer Jimmy Witherspoon, which brought Robben to L.A.

He toured the U.S. and Europe with Witherspoon and was seen by Tom

Scott and members of The L.A. Express, who were about to begin a

promotional tour with Joni Mitchell for her recording “Court and Spark.”

Robben was invited to play guitar on the tour and played on two

recordings with Mitchell and The L.A. Express. “The two years I spent with

Joni were the most formative of my musical life. Joni was just brilliant and very accessible, and the members of The L.A. Express became good

friends and teachers. It was great.”

Beatle George Harrison invited Robben to join him on his “Dark Horse”

tour of the U.S. and Canada, raising his musical profile even further.

Shortly after the two month stint with Harrison, Robben moved to

Colorado to take a much-needed break from music and to study with

Buddhist teacher Chogyam Trungpa. In 1977, he was approached by

Elektra Records, which produced his first solo recording “The Inside

Story” with a group of musicians who went on to become The

Yellowjackets.

Elektra closed their doors in the early 1980’s, leading to a time of

uncertainty.  Robben moved to San Francisco to be close to family and his

early musical history. Soon his career would take another upward swing,

recording and touring with Michael McDonald, securing a recording

contract with Warner Brothers Records, and meeting his soon-to-be wife,

actress Anne Kerry. After moving to New York with Anne, he was called to

play with musical icon Miles Davis. “Producer Tommy LiPuma played Miles

my work with the Yellowjackets, then three days later, Miles called me

personally to join his band. Shocking!” Robben lamented having to leave

Miles after only six months because of recording commitments with

Warner Brothers, but was told by Miles that if he ever wanted to come

back, “just come back.”

Robben’s 1988 release for Warner Brothers, “Talk to Your Daughter”

brought his first Grammy nomination (Best Contemporary Blues

Recording) and he started touring the world under his own name. Still

based in New York, he backed David Sandborn on the television show

“Night Music,” in which Sandborn hosted a variety of musical acts.

Robben toured with Sandborn in 1990, then moved back to southern

California shortly thereafter to be closer to his own band.

After leaving Warner Brothers, Robben signed with Stretch/GRP records,

where he finally found a real home for his creativity, recording three CDs

for them with his band “The Blue Line” (Tom Brechtlein on drums and

Roscoe Beck on bass). After a very fruitful eight years, Robben disbanded

the group and recorded two more CDs for the label which had then

become Stretch/Blue Thumb: “Tiger Walk” (an instrumental recording

produced in New York with Keith Richard’s rhythm section) and

“Supernatural,” his most accomplished work up to that point as a

songwriter.In 2000 Robben was invited to tour with Phil Lesh and Friends on a cobill with Bob Dylan, reuniting him with Billy Paine and Paul Barrere of

Little Feat, as well as drummer John Molo. “This experience gave me new

respect for Jerry Garcia as a musician and songwriter. The songs and

musical context were pure pleasure–real guitar music!

When his contract expired at Stretch/Blue Thumb, Robben signed with

Concord Records, the largest independently-owned record company at

the time. In 2002, he released “Blue Moon” and in 2003 “Keep on

Runnin,” a recording full of the 60’s blues/R&B feeling with which he

grew up. His third release for Concord was entitled “Truth”. “I feel this is

the best work I have done in terms of a solo recording. It is my most

realized work as a songwriter, and I feel like I am reaching higher ground

as a guitarist. “Truth” represents the blues as they are today; some of the

songs are sociopolitical in essence, but not without humor, and the

musical setting is fresh.”

Robben’s fourth release for Concord, Soul on Ten” is a “live” recording

performed in San Francisco. “People had been requesting a live recording

for years and I had the right band, music, and venue to pull it o”.” The

CD also includes two studio tracks which feature Larry Goldings on B3

organ and John Button on bass.

Most recently (2010) Robben released “Renegade Creation,” with a group

of musical friends who have played in di”erent combinations and

contexts over the years and decided to focus on a project together

recording for Mike Varney’s Shrapnel label. This is a rock band, Robben’s

first, and the results have people talking: “Dare I say everyone who hears

it, loves it!” The other members are guitarist Mike Landau, bassist Jimmy

Haslip and drummer Gary Novak.

Robben has been touring the world o” and on with the legendary

guitarist Larry Carlton, the two producing “Live in Tokyo”, and an

“unplugged” DVD from Paris. Collaboration seems to be the current M.O.

– projects with John Scofield, Michael McDonald, and touring and

recording with fellow Miles Davis alumni saxophonist Bill Evans, as well as

Randy Brecker and Rolling Stones bassist Darryl Jones.

Robben also collaborates with his wife Anne on various musical projects

including her recent CD “Weill”, which Robben produced on their own

Illyria label.

The Mighty Orq

Friday February 11^th 9:30

Blues Saloon

Tickets

The Mighty Orq (pronounced Ork) is a power trio from Houston, TX known for their unique blend of emotionally charged vocals, soaring guitars, and powerful drum lines.

The Mighty Orq has quickly risen to be one of Houston, Texas’  biggest bands by combining the energy of  classic rock with undeniable pop hooks and  melodies.  Influenced by legendary Texas bands like ZZ Top, Soulhat, and Kings X, the band has been able to reach out to wide-ranging audience that continues to grow and diversify.

The band is best known for their high-energy live shows where through their music they take the listener to the extreme edges of rhythm, melody and dynamics. They have been actively touring through Texas and the South for four years, while maintaining a rigorous 200+ shows per year.  This daunting schedule has allowed the band to fine tune theirs into a razor-sharp trio. The national release of their new album To The Bone will coincide with huge shows around Texas and another 18+ months of touring the world to support it.  This is a task that the band is not afraid to take on.  After all, this will only bring more people to see what the next big  band from Texas is all about.

Ryan McGarvey

Saturday November, 20th 9:30

Blues Saloon

2525 NW 10th St
Oklahoma City, OK 73107-5405
(405) 521-1290

At age 23, Albuquerque, New Mexico native Ryan McGarvey has in a relatively short amount of time not only gained a national, and international fan base, but admiration from his personal idols as well. In the past few years of Ryan’s career he has had the honor, and the pleasure of sharing the bill with such top name act’s as Blue Oyster Cult, Shemekia Copeland, Shannon Curfman, Chris Duarte, Ian Moore, John Hammond Jr., Joe Bonamassa, Back Door Slam, Gov’t Mule, The Fabulous Thunderbirds, and many more. His debut CD release “Forward In Reverse” recently reached the top 20 (out of over 200,000 Artist’s CD’s) on the best sellers list on CDBaby.com (The worlds largest online independent distributor). With rave reviews complimenting everything from his fiery guitar chops, which range from everything from delta slide to heavy rock, his unique vocals, or mature songwriting skills, Ryan McGarvey’s live shows will leave you breathless and wanting more. Absorbing influences from everything from early delta blues, to classic hard rock, to more contemporary blues/rock artist’s of today. In 2006 Ryan was named Guitar Center ’s “Guitarmaggeddon: Next King Of The Blues” champion of New Mexico . In 2007, 2008, & 2009 he was named “Blues Act Of The Year”, and was runner up for “Singer/Songwriter Of The Year” in The Weekly Alibi’s Annual Readers Poll. In 2007 Ryan took home the New Mexico Music Award for “Blues Song Of The Year” for his song “Cryin’ Over You”, and was nominated for “Mainstream Rock Song Of The Year” for his song “The One That Got Away”. In 2008 Ryan was once again nominated for “Blues Song Of The Year” for his blues ballad “Blue Eyed Angel Blues”. Most recently Ryan was featured by the editors of Guitar Player Magazine twice in their publication. And was named “Best Musician” from Albuquerque The Magazine’s Annual “Best Of The City” Readers Poll. With a solid rhythm section backing him, Ryan McGarvey and his band are embarking on bigger and better things…