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***************************** Saturday, September 20 LARRY MCCRAY BAND Opening set: CODE BLUES **************************** SLO Vets Hall 801 Grand Avenue 8PM Members $17 / General Admission $20 21 & over, please October
25 THE INSOMNIACS
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Support the Blues Society How to Volunteer Advertising Membership Performer list: 25 years of the Blues 2008 Show Dates |
PO Box 14041 San Luis Obispo, CA 93406 This site
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BLUES SHOW REVIEW. The San Luis Obispo Blues Society welcomes the Larry McCray Band, known for brawny guitar and soul drenched vocals, on Saturday, September 20. Code Blues will be opening the show. The show starts at 8:00 pm at the SLO Vets Hall, 801 Grand Avenue in San Luis Obispo. SLO Dance is offering free dance lessons from 7:30 - 8:00 pm. Tickets are $17 for Blues Society members and $20 for the general public. All tickets are sold at the door. 21 and over, please. For more information, call 805/541-7930.
LARRY
MCCRAY BAND
Larry
McCray’s sound is a distinctive blend of traditional blues and contemporary
influences. He has the singular ability to incorporate soul, funk,
and rock influences into his music without crossing out of the blues genre.
Add that to a commanding stage presence, full bodied guitar, and soulful
vocals, and it’s the ingredients for an outstanding dance concert.
Based in Michigan, McCray is touring in support of his new CD, with stops
at Buddy Guy’s Legends, Blues Festivals across the US, and the Legendary
Rhythm and Blues Cruise.
McCray's first influence on guitar was his sister, Clara, who toured regionally with her own combo, the Rockets. Clara never got to record her Freddie King-styled blues for posterity, but her little brother has at least partially made up for that omission. Born in Arkansas, Larry followed Clara up to Saginaw in 1972. She turned him on to the joys of the three Kings (B.B., Freddie, and Albert), Albert Collins, and Magic Sam, and Larry added superheated rock licks (à la Jimi Hendrix and the Allman Brothers) to his arsenal as he began playing the local circuit with his brothers Carl on bass and Steve on drums. Larry was working on General Motors' assembly line when he recorded his first release (Ambition, Pointblank, 1991), which earned him a tour with Albert Collins. In 2000, McCray was honored as the Orville Gibson Male Blues Guitarist of the Year.
Larry
McCray’s new CD, Larry McCray (Magnolia Records, 2008) is his seventh release.
McCray crafts up-tempo blues songs, with New Orleans style syncopation,
soul, and funk thrown in for good measure. His guitar has a sharp
blues edge, closer to Freddie King than B.B. King (although he cites both
as influences). McCray’s smooth voice is an arresting counterpoint
to his searing guitar work, while his original songs address classic blues
themes reset in contemporary situations (http://larrymccrayband.com/).
CODE BLUES. Code Blues is a fortuitous aggregation of blues-minded guys coalesced into a rhythm machine devoted to expounding a unique and engaging expression of that compelling musical form they call West Coast Blues. The sound is anchored by brothers Bruce and Wayne Stach on bass and drums, driving and swaying with a pulse developed playing for over 30 years together and with others. “Big Daddy” Craig Louis Dingman overlays the beat with a sweet fat rhythm, traces of jazz sweetness, expressive lead guitar and vocals. “Guitar Slim” Clay Moze cuts into the mix with a sonic charge, adding high flying guitar solos, funky rhythmic riffs and vocals. And riding on top of the locomotive is Rick Munoz on harmonica and vocals, whose musical teeth were cut on the blues (http://www.codebluesband.com/).
VOLUNTEER. Your Blues Society is run entirely by volunteers. Besides a sense of accomplishment, volunteers get into the shows for free and receive a couple free drink tickets. We could use your help, so call 541-7930 (our voice mail number) and volunteer to work a shift at the show.
DANCE
LESSONS.
East Coast Swing Lessons with Linda Drake & SLO Dance. Chris
Harmon and other award-winning instructors from SLO Dance offer beginning
swing dance lessons at 7:30 before each Blues Society show. Lessons
are free with admission to the show and no partner is necessary.
Linda Drake’s staff at SLO Dance includes several nationally recognized
award-winning dancers and instructors in both Ballroom and Swing.
SLO Dance staff consistently earns awards in major dance competitions and
are in constant training as instructors. Visit their website
for more information.
