MUSIC IN THE COURTYARD AT HEADFEATHERS

"The first time I got the blues, I mean really got the blues, was in 1956. A friend and I got caught breaking into parking meters. I was eleven - he was twelve. Off we went to the juvenile center. The counselors in the center were young Afro-Americans in their twenties and they loved their music, like young dudes do. In '56, their music was Elmore James, Howlin' Wolf, Muddy Waters, B.B. King, Jimmy Reed. I fell in love with the music and it's been a part of my life since then. As I've gotten older I've tried to concentrate more on playing the Blues than living them."
After teaching himself to play guitar, Ron met the late Yank Rachell, famous partner of Sleepy John Estes. Yank trained Ron on the finer points of Delta Blues, and they became life-long friends in the process.

The actor Peter Coyote helped Ron get his first gig in San Francisco at a neighborhood coffee shop. It wasn't long before Ron put together the Hacksaws and was tearing it up in clubs all over the Bay Area.

Since then, Ron has played every major festival in Northern California, including the Monterey Jazz Festival, the San Francisco Blues Festival and the Marin County Blues Festival. Ron has also toured extensively in Europe playing major festivals in Belgium, Holland, Denmark, and Norway.

Ron has put out five albums which include "No Pretty Songs", "Bar Stool Blues", "I Got Tattooed", "Backdoor Man", and "Burnin".

Movie credits: "The Blues Guy" in Just Like Heaven; September 2005

Guitarist Alan Iglesias says, "I have a ritual...I Super Glue my fingers together. People tease me and say I'm only doing it because Stevie Ray Vaughan did it, but that's not true." Iglesias insists that in order to play like Vaughan did, you've got to glue your fingers. "If you don't, the skin pulls away from the fingernail and your fingers bleed. And it hurts." So, night after night, Iglesias pours Super Glue into the little spaces between nail and fingertip. "When you're done, you've got this big tool you can file down."

That Iglesias resembles Vaughan is a job requirement. He heads up an SRV tribute band called Crossfire in which he nails Vaughan's style of guitar playing with uncanny accuracy. Sings like him, too. And, trickery or not, it works. Listen to Crossfire at the bar with your back turned and it's hard to believe it's not Double Trouble live at the El Mocambo. "Here's the key," says Iglesias. "I don't try to sound like Vaughan. I try to feel what he was feeling when he played and sang. That almost transcends the playing." In other words, he channels Vaughan? "I try to," he admits.

Iglesias's stage outfits are accurate to the inth degree. He's banged up his Stratocaster in all the right places, even got himself a black bandito hat just like Vaughan's. "Putting the hat on is special for me. It came from the same place that Stevie got his. I don't even want to tell you how much it cost me."

"People have said that they come to the gig to tell me what I'm doing wrong. Then, after a set, they tell me, sometimes with tears in their eyes, 'You're the real deal. We came all the way from [wherever] to rip you apart and to tell you that you can't do this thing. Nobody,' they say, 'can play like Stevie Ray Vaughan, except you.' " 

Alan, 
I've spent hundreds of dollars for concert tickets and never enjoyed a performance as much as yours. We have watched many, many hours of Stevie and Double Trouble on DVD, you and the band do it so well that watching Crossfire is like stepping back in time and experiencing an event I never was able to. You guys are great!! - Alan S.

Alan!
You guys were freakin awesome! It's true what they say...it's just like seeing Stevie Ray Vaughan and Double Trouble live! I'm gonna have to say that your show was probably the greatest thing I've ever seen...I'll never forget it that's for DAMN sure. Take Care,
-Ryan

Phil Berkowitz, a San Francisco Bay Area based blues harmonica player and vocalist, has brought his unique and energetic musical style to audiences for the better part of a decade. His most recent venture, a CD honoring the legendary music of Louis Jordan, testifies to the talent and dedication of this exciting, young performer. In 2004, Phil set out to record the music of Louis Jordan (legendary vocalist, saxophonist, and band leader). He joined forces again with Danny Caron, who played guitar and co-produced the recording, "Phil Berkowitz Plays … Louis' Blues: The Music of Louis Jordan." Phil recruited three musicians from the Bay Area sextet Stompy Jones, a widely acclaimed swing group with an extensive knowlege of Jordan's vast discography. The end result is a uniquely enjoyable mixture of both popular and obscure Louis Jordan songs that stylistically cover every era of his long career. In place of a horn section, Phil takes on these arrangements and solos with his harmonica. This highly spirited performance not only re-introduces Jordan's music to a whole new audience, but also channels the high energy and witty charm that made Jordan so famous and inspirational to those who were familiar with him.

Serving up emotionally raw vocals mixing traditional Blues, funky R&B, and Bluesy rock styles with a healthy dose of harmonica... The band is winning over fans throughout the country with their simplistic funky blues groove!

Have you ever heard of a drum player who plays his way out from behind the drums by beating on the micstand, the speakers, the floor and his shoes? Have you ever heard of a guitar player who takes the place of the drummer while the drummer is out in the audience playing harmonica? Have you ever heard of a guitar player who goes to every table in the place, puts his guitar on that table, and plays it like a piano? Have you ever heard of a drummer who plays the drums, harmonica, and sings all at the same time? Well, the Wingnut Adams Blues Band does all of these things, and many more.

The band was amazing! We have had such positive feedback regarding your opening set during the Canned Heat Concert! Going out into the crowd with your remote equipment really stunned the crowd! We will be talking to you soon!
....Jessie's Grove Winery, Lodi, CA

I had the pleasure of seeing the Wingnut Adams Band in Reno recently. The band hit the stage early and kicked off the most outraegous set of music that I have ever heard… Three and a half hours later they had completed their first set! You must catch this band!”
~Roger Slugg, Host… KUNR-FM

"You guys are awesome! The people love your show...I will use you on every show that I can!
~Ronnie Stewart, Bay Area Blues Society

Singer, songwriter, guitarist, producer Rusty Zinn takes his music to a new level with his latest CD, ReggaeBlue. The sounds displayed on this set are a musical marriage of reggae and soul, seasoned throughout with the blues. Zinn doesn't just merely perform genres and styles, he sings and plays from the heart, sharing his intense passion for music, while displaying a wide range as a vocalist and songwriter.

Zinn was introduced to soul music as a teen and honed his skills backing up blues legends Snooky Pryor and Jimmy Rogers. Kim Wilson of The Fabulous Thunderbirds 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 the band. Soon after, Zinn was signed with Black Top  Records and released two critically acclaimed solo albums, Sittin' & Waitin'  in 1996, which earned him a W. C. Handy Award nomination for Best New Blues Artist and Confessin'  in 1999. In 2000, he recorded The Chill  for Alligator Records and in 2001, he signed with Big Daddy Records as a producer and later as an artist, releasing Zinfidelity Vol.1 on the label in 2005.

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. His killer guitar licks and intense vocals showcase his songwriting talents, as he conveys a message that speaks to a multi-cultural, multi-generational audience.

Johnny Nitro and the Doorslammers are a San Francisco-based blues group known for their club shows of high-energy blues. Guitarist Nitro is a regional guitar legend who is considered a master player for his tough note-biting guitar technique and a rough-delivered vocal style. They have recorded three CDs and are huge San Francisco favorites.

The Saloon is the oldest tavern in North Beach, maybe in San Francisco, first established in 1861 on the ground floor of the Hotel Fresno on Grant just off Columbus. The building survived the great earthquake, and Fresno Alley, which runs along one side of the bar, was once home to some of the most notoriously seedy prostitute cribs in the Barbary Coast. Today, The Saloon is a down and dirty blues bar, and Johnny Nitro is on stage performing Fridays and Sundays delivering smoking, classic blues to eager audiences for almost 30 years. Friday nights, you can see him playing with his band the Doorslammers. Johnny's wife Silvia plays saxophone in the band and some evenings is given to climbing atop the bar and traversing its length, blowing her horn like crazy the whole time. On Sundays, Johnny features special guests. The greats who have joined him, include the likes of Paul Butterfield, James Cotton, Freddie Roulette and Charlie Musselwhite.

Musician, singer-songwriter Larry Dunn has recently completed his 3rd independent CD Got It Workin’ released on his record label New Blue Classics. Songs from his 2 prior CDs Migration Of The Groove and The Hound Of Music have been placed in movies; used on television (network and cable); included on compilation albums; covered by other artists; recorded for Muzak and have charted in the Top 10 on syndicated radio.

He spent 6 years touring and recording with The Dynatones and as guitarist-songwriter for that group Larry recorded one album for Warner Bros. Records, two albums for Rounder Records and a single for Rhino Records.

After leaving The Dynatones he formed and led his own group The Rhythm Sheiks. The focus and success of this group was the solid, well-oiled original material that Larry was writing. “There is nothing I love more than going into a club where the audience is used to hearing the same old cover stuff, you know…tried and true but nothin’ new…and bringing down the house with original songs.

We live in an age that places a premium on youth, and newness, over experience. But the Blues is the music of experience, and, while you can learn the licks off records, the true blues lessons can only come from life. Dave Workman has learned his blues from years of going straight to the source.

Dave Workman honed his craft, and built his reputation in the midwest, opening for established legends like: B.B.King, Muddy Waters, Howling Wolf, and James Cotton. He learned his lessons well enough to be asked to back up blues icons like Albert King, Chuck Berry, Junior Wells, and Robert Jr. Lockwood. Dave and his band even backed Jimmy Reed for the BBC's "All You Need Is Love" series, filmed at Chicago's famous 1815 Club. The band also played that most respected Chicago blues club -- Pepper's Lounge. Willie Dixon wrote them a few tunes-- but that's another story altogether!!

Upon moving to the Bay Area in '84, Workman found himself in demand as a sideman to local luminaries Johnny Heartsman, Paris Slim, and Sonny Rhodes. The last couple of years have found Dave taking it easy, with an occasional foray into the clubs of North Beach, or a trip to Big Sur to perform at Esalen.

Wendy DeWitt, The Queen of Boogie Woogie, brings with her a driving piano and singing described by one critic as "a sweet-voiced chanteuse with a strong reliance on jazz phrasing and inflection."

DeWitt, who writes many of her own songs, brings a piano style based on those of Otis Spann, Albert Ammons and other blues masters.

With four well-received albums of her own, DeWitt has been a guest on numerous compilations and a guest on albums by Steve Freund, and many other Bay area blues artists. She's appeared with Charlie Musselwhite, Otis Rush and Jimmy Thackery.

Winner of the 2005 Guitar Player of the Year Award, Alvon is a former member of the Rock and Roll Hall of fame vocal group, "The Coasters". His rich voice helped to recreate all of the wonderful and familiar songs like, Charlie Brown, Yakety Yak, and Poison Ivy.

Throughout his career he has performed with many well known artists, including The Drifters, The Shirelles, Bobby Day of Rocking’ Robin fame, Otis Day and the Knights, Jimmie Rodgers of Country and Western fame. Alvon sought out, and learned, at the feet of many icons of the blues, including: John Lee Hooker, Pee Wee Crayton, Little Joe Blue, Harmonica Fats, Sonny Green, Frankie Lee, Guitar Shorty, Lowell Folsom, and Buddy Ace.

Alvon became a staple in the Los Angeles area blues scene as both a solo artist and a back-up guitarist. Alvon has performed on the international level as well as nationally in such places as Malaysia, China, France, Japan, Singapore, New Zealand, Europe, Canada, The Bahamas, Australia, Las Vegas, Lake Tahoe, Atlantic City and many other cities all across the United States.

His performances have been described as :
This is one man that can send any woman out of her mind with his soulful voice and moving guitar music. If you have ever seen and heard Alvon, then you know his singing and playing his guitar can send you into ecstasy with his soft, soothing sexy voice and then turn you into a wild woman with his magnificent guitar playing and body movements. This is a true showman, and he gives his all in all of his performances. If you have not been to one of his shows, you owe yourself this one pleasurable evening with a man that can change your life in just one night. You will be glad you did. Described by a Fan…….

Shane Dwight is a charismatic and supremely talented guitarist, soulful vocalist, prolific songwriter and one of the brightest young up-and-coming stars on the rock/blues scene today.

In the last two years, the Shane Dwight Band has been catapulted to the forefront of the West Coast Blues Scene. Appearing at prestigious concerts such as the Monterey Blues Festival.

The Shane Dwight Band has also performed at world famous nightclubs: Slims (Boz Skaggs Club), John Lee Hooker's Boom Boom Room, and Biscuits and Blues in San Francisco, B.B. Kings in Hollywood, Blue Cafe in Long Beach and Harvelle's in Santa Monica.

Though Shane's music is blues based, the band's ability to cross over to a variety of different audiences is evidenced in their current concert schedule which has them working at venues as diverse as County Fairs, Disneyland Theme parks, opening up for Major Country, Blues, and Rock Stars and appearing as the house band on Microsoft's Nationally Broadcast television show, "Microsoft Insider LIVE."

"Dwight is a charismatic
and talented guitarist, vocalist
and songwriter... SDBB is fast becoming the blues sensation
of the west coast"
- San Francisco Chronicle

"One of newest and brightest stars
to hit the blues
world . . . Shane
Dwight is smokin'!"
-Monterey Blues
Festival 2002

In 1987, Jon followed a woman out to Santa Barbara, Ca. It was here that he soon joined up with one of the premier blues bands in the area 'The Pontiax'. Fully endorsed by heavy-hitters such as William Clarke and Kim Wilson, George Thoroughgood and Rod Piazza, The Pontiax were on a roll. Europe, the US, Canada, The SF Bay Area all wanted the Pontiax.

In 1990, wanting to write and perform some of his own tunes, Jon moved on from the nest of the Pontiax. Little Jonny and the Giants were formed during this period. Originally it was a guitar trio, very much a groove-oriented machine. Many original songs, some acoustic, some electric, slide, harmonica by the great Tom Ball, it garnered some fabulous remarks from Living Blues, Vintage Guitar, Blues Review, Southland Blues and radio DJs from all over California. There was a common response to Jon's music: Diverse styles, well played and marvelously produced, great slide, songwriting and performances.


The Giants have played with a long list of heavyweights. Kim Wilson, John Hammond, James Harman, Gregg Allman, Koko Taylor, Fenton Robinson, Mighty Joe Young, Charlie Musselwhite, Magic Slim, Bob Dylan(!!!), Sista Monica, Anson Funderburg, Junior Wells, Luther Allison, Lloyd Jones all have sat backstage and smiled proudly while enjoying the Giants.


LAMAR'S RECORDS "Little Jonny and the Giants' 5th CD The King of Clubs is their most blues-focused work to date. It is excellent. They are poised to take the blues world by storm. This versatile band has really put down some straight, solid blues, and I think it is time for the blues world to sit up and listen."

SAN FRANCISCO WEEKLY "Channeling the spirit of Elmore James, Buddy Guy and Jimmie Vaughan, Little Jonny and the Giants' 5th CD ranges from eminently danceable funk to gritty blues and back again. Equal parts mellow and groovin', the King of Clubs is equally suited to staring out a rain-streaked window with a wine glass in hand as it is dancing the funky chicken."

"I loved this CD. A refreshingly un-West Coast effort by this versatile guitarist. A very relaxed mood permeates the whole disc. Very unique songwriting. An interesting variety for someone so unrecognized. Some label should pick this guy up!" --Jim DeKoster, Living Blues Magazine


"Chilling slide guitar work." --Lee Hildebrand, East Bay Express

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