Craig Horton

On heels of his hit CD “In My Spirit,” Craig Horton releases his second solo effort, “Touch of the Bluesman” on Bad Daddy Records. Think of it as blues with an attitude.

Craig’s newest release is a natural progression of the heavy swingin’, hard shufflin’ classic blues sounds of Chicago and the South that was reflected in his first CD. In “Touch of the Bluesman,” he carves out new territory with his deep, gutsy voice, unique delivery and soulful interpretations.

“Touch of the Bluesman” is a product of Craig’s evolution as an artist – a style that only he can own. He doesn’t emulate blues from the 40’s, 50’s and 60’s. He helped to create the genre in a career that spans five decades.

Craig builds his music on a diverse foundation of sounds, having played jazz, R&B and rock ‘n roll, in addition to the blues, during his early years as a musician. Over the years, Craig has earned respect from just as diverse an array of musicians and critics. Joe Louis Walker has called Horton “A Great Musician, Great Singer, Great Band Leader.” Tom Mazzolini, producer of the San Francisco Blues Fest, reported after last year’s event that, "Craig Horton gave one of the memorable sets that had people talking. It was impressive and it was deep mountain high! The real thing!"

A gifted songwriter, singer and guitarist, Craig prides himself on playing on the edge and taking chances, playing music that comes from his soul. The spontaneity of his performances echo what he’s feeling at the time.

Before his debut solo CD, Craig performed with such blues greats as Chuck Berry, Sam Cooke, DinahWashington, Otis Rush, Muddy Waters, Buddy Guy, Freddie King, Sam Myers and The Mississippi Delta Blues Band.

Some of his first gigs on the road were playing with such legends as Highway QC's, Goose Tatum and The Harlem Road Kings, and The Ink Spots. In the late 50’s, Craig played guitar in the legendary Little Walter’s Band and was a touring member of The Dells. He was also a big part of the Chicago music scene, opening the Golden Dolphin with Count Basie and Duke Ellington.

Craig’s musical inspiration came from his family while growing up in Conway, Arkansas. His grandmother played guitar in church and introduced him to the instrument when he was a child. When he turned 14, his grandfather gave him his first guitar. He was later inspired by such icons as Johnny Ace, Ray Charles, Willie Dixon, T-Bone Walker, Pee Wee Crayton and B.B. King.

His accomplishments are critically acclaimed. He received the “Patience Is A Virtue Award” from Real Blues Magazine, and “In My Spirit” earned him Best Debut Album of 2001 from Living Blues Magazine. In February 2004, The Bay Area Blues Society named Craig Horton “Blues Guitar Player of the Year” and named Craig Horton and his band as “Blues Band of the Year.”

Quelle:   www.baddaddy.com

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Rusty Zinn

Bay Area singer/songwriter/guitarist Rusty Zinn steps out of his own box on his newest solo CD, Zinfidelity, Vol. 1. He embraces and revels in all things soul, R&B, blues, reggae and rock. This musical philosophy is very much on display on Zinfidelity, where he fuses strong and confident vocals with sharp and forceful guitar playing to catapult his music, and particularly his songwriting, to new heights.

Gaining initial acclaim as a blues guitarist, and later as a singer/songwriter, Zinn’s talents are continually evolving. This evolution has never been so evident as on his newest release, in which he melds all of his musical influences to create a sound that’s all his own.

In Zinfidelity, Vol. 1, Zinn showcases his songwriting talent on 4 new tracks. He wrote “Put Your Hand In Mine,” after meeting his girlfriend for the first time. It’s not only a love song, it conveys Zinn’s message of determination, prosperity and positivity. “The Real Stuff” is a very high energy song with pleading vocals, and elements of blues and soul woven into it. In “Love Him or Leave Him,” a Doo-Wop tune that he sings accapella, Zinn writes about the classic love triangle. And, a spoof of the 70’s blaxpointation movies, “Zinn Bootyism” is more humorous than sexy.

According to Zinn’s mentor, Kim Wilson, “Rusty Zinn has more talent in his little pinkie than most people could see in three lifetimes.” After listening to Zinfidelity, Vol. 1 and Zinn’s current musical style, Wilson added, ”Any direction he decides to go in is going to be beautiful because he’s got such a great natural feel for all music.”

His raw, burning guitar work and soulful vocals strike a chord with the most seasoned fans of roots music. His raw talent and deep feeling for his music have earned this young singer/songwriter/guitarist critical acclaim with audiences around the world. John Hammond was recently quoted as saying, “I toured with Rusty Zinn, and he’s just phenomenal – the guy can sing, he can play and he’s got so much energy and feeling.”
Born in Long Beach, California in 1970, Rusty Zinn grew up in Santa Cruz. As a teen, he was introduced to the blues through the sounds of Muddy Waters and Howlin’ Wolf. Inspired by their music, as well as the guitar styles of Jimmy Rogers, Eddie Taylor, Robert Jr. Lockwood and Luther Tucker, Rusty picked up the guitar at age 17. The burgeoning guitarist’s talent and passion prompted Tucker to take Zinn under his wing. After this turning point in his career, Zinn honed his skills playing in several Bay Area blues bands. As his reputation grew, he backed up touring blues legends Snooky Pryor and Jimmy Rogers.
Another defining moment for Zinn’s career was meeting Kim Wilson of The Fabulous Thunderbirds, who was so impressed with Zinn’s monster tone and technique that he invited the young guitarist to play on his 1993 album, Tigerman and later asked Zinn to join his band. Soon thereafter, with an introduction by Wilson, Zinn was signed on with Black Top Records and released two critically acclaimed solo albums with the label, Sittin’ & Waitin’ in 1996 and Confessin’ in 1999. The release of Sittin’ & Waitin’ earned Zinn a W.C. Handy Award nomination for Best New Blues Artist. In 2000, he signed with Alligator Records, where he recorded The Chill.

Today, Zinn continues his musical exploration, weaving an eclectic mix of his musical influences. Drawing from his love of soul, R&B, blues, reggae and rock, Zinn’s music is ever changing. He has reinvented himself as a songwriter whose killer guitar licks and intense vocals display his passion for his music.

Quelle Internet:  www.baddaddy.com/artists_zinn.html

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Up until just a few years ago Rusty Zinn, who lives in the San Francisco Bay area, was best known for his phenomenal lead guitar playing with harmonica players Kim Wilson and Mark Hummel. A young guitarist with a monster tone and technique, Zinn (born April 3, 1970 in Long Beach) grew up in the Santa Cruz mountains in northern California. He was introduced to classic R&B through his mother's collection of 45 singles, which included rare discs from Fats Domino and Elvis. While in his teens, his brother brought home recordings by Muddy Waters and Howlin' Wolf, and these proved to be a revelation for the young blues aficionado. He became fascinated by the guitar stylings of Robert Jr. Lockwood, Eddie Taylor, Luther Tucker and Jimmy Rogers. These records prompted him to begin playing guitar at 17. He enjoyed another crystallizing moment when he saw Luther Tucker perform with Jimmy Rogers at a local club. He credits that show with changing his life, and he sought out all the recordings he could featuring Luther. A year later, when Zinn again went to see his idol, Tucker invited him on stage. Tucker took the young Zinn under his wing and shared guitar techniques with him. Meanwhile, Zinn was working with several northern California blues bands in the late 1980s, and he was often tapped to back touring musicians like Snooky Pryor and Rogers. After joining Mark Hummel's band, Zinn honed his craft through hundreds of shows and thousands of miles. He was next tapped by Kim Wilson for his 1993 Tigerman album and subsequent tour. This led to his being signed by Black Top Records in 1996 with whom he has released two excellent solo recordings. Rusty Zinn will also be performing at the Hall of Fame on Sunday night after the festival. 

Blues Profile Rusty Zinn by Ray Stiles

Quelle Internet:   www.artistdirect.com