On Friday, July 17, Award-winning international artists “Colin John Band” and “Michael Hill” will team up with their good friends “Long Tall Deb and the Drifter Kings” for a special blues event at Whiskey Dick’s in Columbus, Ohio, from 9:00pm- 1am.
In addition to being heavyweight performers in their own right, all acts featured have been great friends with one another for years and so it is only natural to call the event the Transcontinental Blues Family Reunion to emphasize the unique and electrifying musical things that happen only when great friends and family come together.
The show will open with an electrifying set by Long Tall Deb and the Drifter Kings followed in the second set by The Colin John Band with Michael Hill. The closing set will feature all acts together onstage.
Colin John: As an accomplished, versatile musician, Colin John commands the stage with both his guitar prowess and passionate singing honed from years steeped in Memphis' rich music community. His infectious, genre-defying style was described by the British music magazine Mojo as “ferociously entertaining funked - up R&B" and another reviewer suggested John sounds like “Albert King channeling Steve Vai".
Colin played lead in the house band on Saturday afternoons at B.B. King's Beale Street club in Memphis and would often back visiting artists from Hank Ballard to James Cotton to Pinetop Perkins and Clarence “Gatemouth" Brown.
Later moving to London, Colin spent ten years in the U.K. playing with some veteran musicians who worked with Eric Clapton- Henry Spinetti - one of Eric's old drummers who also played with George Harrison and Paul McCartney; Dave Bronze, who plays bass on and off with Eric and Gary Brooker from Procol Harum.
Now living on the Big Island of Hawaii, Colin John has also been recognized by the traditional Hawaiian musician community with an invitation to lecture at the Traditional Maui Steel Guitar Festival this year. He continues to bring his unique and fiery style to audiences all over the world and has also released a critically acclaimed record with his friend Michael Hill, also to be featured July 17.
Michael Hill: With the release of their first Alligator Records album “Bloodlines" in 1994, Michael Hill's Blues Mob earned the Living Blues Critic's award for “Debut Blues Album of the Year”, as well a slew of other rave reviews.
His band went on to release two more highly acclaimed albums on Alligator Records, collecting choruses of excellent reviews. Michael Hill has electrified the stage at the Chicago Blues Festival, Memphis In May and other festivals and clubs.
He has since been welcomed to stages all around the world, doing numerous tours playing festivals and clubs in England, Germany, Italy, Switzerland, France, Norway and the rest of Scandinavia as well as tours in Turkey, Russia and five trips each to Brazil and Australia. In November 2002 Michael performed in Beirut, where Lebanese audiences enthusiastically soaked up that Blues Mob New York energy.
Michael Hill has been featured in every major blues music publication including Blues Revue and a cover article in Living Blues. He also performs with New York City’s premier funk band The Funky Fritters. He released an acoustic collaboration with Colin John entitled Fresh Folk Blues in 2007.
Long Tall Deb and the Drifter Kings are the winners of the 2009 River City Ohio Blues Challenge held by the Blues Jazz and Folk Music Society of Marietta, Ohio. As a result they will compete in the 2010 International Blues Challenge in Memphis, Tennessee. The annual IBC is the largest gathering of blues acts in the world. Artists compete for cash, prizes, and industry recognition as well as a slot on high-profile festivals and club dates throughout the year.
The band blends an intriguing mix of contemporary edgy and traditional blues, soul and New Orleans style music with generous helpings of original material. The have consistently been called one of the up and coming bands to watch for. The band will enter the studio later this year to record their first CD with Michael Hill producing the project.
A gentle storm is building.
Event: The Transcontinental Blues Family Reunion
Date: Friday, July 17
Time: Doors open 8pm, Show starts at 9pm
Tickets: $8.00
Additional Venue Information:
Whiskey Dicks
2690 Dublin-Granville Road
Columbus, OH 43231
Telephone: 614-890-2700
For additional information on the news that is the subject of this release (or for a sample, copy or demo)
Contact Deb Landolt
Telephone: 614-598-2909
For more information contact Just Roots PR.
