(Preview by Russell)
How many blues musicians can you name who could fill
concert halls around the world? With BB King gone, the blues world is left with
precious few ‘big draw’ names. One of them is the veteran Buddy Guy, another is
Robert Cray. Touring the world non-stop is a way of life for these men and
Robert Cray’s itinerary sees him about to embark upon yet another UK tour,
visiting Tyneside on Tuesday October 13 to play at Sage Gateshead.
Georgia born Robert Cray has been at it for four
decades; recording twenty-plus albums, gigging the world over, picking up
countless awards along the way, and retaining a loyal fan base eager to hear
more of one of the all time great soulful blues voices. And the man plays the
most tasteful guitar you could possibly wish to hear. And hear him you can, at
a venue near you. Cray’s UK tour begins on Saturday (October 3), calling at the
Barbican, London (October 12) and the following night, Tuesday 13, Sage
Gateshead’s magnificent 1700 capacity
concert hall is sure to be full to overflowing.
Bad Influence brought Cray a wide following. Some sought
out an earlier album – Who’s Been
Talkin’? – released on the Tomato label. A Japanese import was the answer
for the collector. Strong Persuader continued
the success story, Live at the BBC (2008)
appealed to those with a liking for the ‘live’ experience. Fast forward to
2014’s In My Soul and the new
two-CD/DVD package 4 Nights of 40 years is
Cray’s latest offering.
The Robert Cray Band features long-time bass player
Richard Cousins, Dover Weinberg, keyboards, and in-the-pocket- drummer Les
Falconer. A Robert Cray show is fast moving – Smokin’ Gun, I Guess I Showed Her, Don’t Be Afraid of the Dark –
and it is class from first note to last. Cray, recipient of WC Handy and Grammy
awards, is at Sage Gateshead Tuesday October 13. Telephone the ticket office –
0191 443 4661 – to book your seats for a real-deal blues experience. For
those interested, the October/November 2015 issue of Blues Matters! is out now. Robert Cray is the cover star and you
can read an interview with the man on the inside pages.
Russell.
PS: If I’ve mentioned the date 3 times it’s just so
you don’t forget it – October 13!
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