Interviews Archives - Page 2 of 11

Interview with Award-winning Bluesman Rick Estrin

Rick Estrin & The Nightcats photo: Rachel Kumar

By Kevin Porter

It’s not often that a band combines virtuoso musicianship and humor, but Rick Estrin & The Nightcats is one such band. Estrin is considered one of the best harmonica players and songwriters in the blues industry, and he won Blues Music Awards in 2018 Traditional Male Artist of the Year and Song of the Year for “The Blues Ain’t Going Nowhere” off of Groovin’ in Greaseland in 2017. Estrin’s lyrics in songs such as “I Met [Read More]

By Martine Ehrenclou|2019-10-09T17:24:49-07:00October 9th, 2019|Interviews|0 Comments

Interview with Blues Prodigy Christone ‘Kingfish’ Ingram

Christone ‘Kingfish’ Ingram Photo: Rory Doyle

By Martine Ehrenclou

Twenty-year-old blues virtuoso guitarist, singer-songwriter Christone ‘Kingfish’ Ingram has accomplished what many musicians twice his age would hope to. He released his debut album, Kingfish, in May of 2019 via Alligator Records, on which Buddy Guy guested. In 2014, Christone performed for Michelle Obama at the White House as part of the Delta Blues Museum. He’s appeared on national TV shows such as Rachel Ray and The Steve Harvey Show and has shared stages with Buddy [Read More]

By Martine Ehrenclou|2019-09-05T20:49:34-07:00September 5th, 2019|Interviews|3 Comments

Interview: Award Winning Blues Guitarist Nick Moss

Photo: Chris Monaghan

By Kevin Porter

Blues guitar virtuoso Nick Moss is considered a master of the Chicago blues sound and has released thirteen albums. Moss’ fiery fretwork, soul-charged vocals and memorable original songs place him in a league of his own. He and harmonica wizard Dennis Gruenling joined forces in 2016, and since then, they have wowed audiences and critics around the world with their blues and roots music. Long-time friends, Moss and Gruenling effortlessly share the stage, trading off licks and solos [Read More]

By Martine Ehrenclou|2019-08-22T16:50:05-07:00August 20th, 2019|Interviews|0 Comments

Interview Chris Duarte Texas Blues Rock Guitarist

By Kevin Porter

There is no shortage of outstanding blues-rock guitarists out of Texas, and guitar slinger, singer-songwriter Chris Duarte is no exception. He blew away an audience at the South X Southwest convention in the early 1990s and rose to public consciousness as a gifted guitarist with a sound comparable to Stevie Ray Vaughn. Yet Duarte is a student and master of many musical genres that goes far beyond blues rock, mixing in punk, jazz, and metal. He calls it “ferocious blues” or “punk [Read More]

By Martine Ehrenclou|2019-07-11T17:02:06-07:00July 8th, 2019|Interviews|2 Comments

Interview Sugaray Rayford

Photo: Eric Sassaman

Interview Sugaray Rayford Soul Blues Male Artist of the Year

By Kevin Porter

Singer-songwriter Sugaray Rayford is this year’s winner of the “Soul Blues Male Artist of the Year” at the Blues Music Awards. Based on his highly acclaimed new album, Somebody Save Me, it would not be a surprise if Rayford wins more awards this year. The album is an appealing mix of funky, soulful R&B, Southern Stax soul and new blues. The songs are inventive and catchy, [Read More]

By Martine Ehrenclou|2019-06-20T13:57:43-07:00June 20th, 2019|Interviews|1 Comment

Interview Jontavious Willis The Future of Acoustic Blues

Photo: Jeremy Cowart

Jontavious Willis the Future of Acoustic Blues

By Martine Ehrenclou

To listen to Jontavious Willis sing and play guitar, is to witness the future of acoustic Blues. This 23 year-old multi-instrumentalist just released his newest album, Spectacular Class, produced by Grammy award-winning artists, Taj Mahal and Keb’ Mo’. Willis wrote all the lyrics himself, and the timeless album features his dynamic, soulful vocals and all types of Blues: Delta, Piedmont, Texas and Gospel. His fingerpicking and slide chops dazzle, but what [Read More]

By Martine Ehrenclou|2019-06-12T11:49:12-07:00June 11th, 2019|Interviews|5 Comments

Interview with Bluesman JP Soars

Photo: Jim Hartzell

By Martine Ehrenclou

Guitarist, singer-songwriter JP Soars is not just any blues artist. A 2009 winner of the International Blues Challenge in Memphis and the winner of the festival’s Albert King Award as Best Guitarist, JP Soars is known as an outstanding, multi-faceted guitar player. A gritty and soulful vocalist, Soars is a prolific songwriter and he and his band, The Red Hots (with Cleveland Frederick and Chris Peet) have performed at major festivals all over the world.

Based in South [Read More]

By Martine Ehrenclou|2019-05-31T09:16:00-07:00May 31st, 2019|Interviews|4 Comments