Tom 'Cat' Lawson, classic Chicago style blues vocalist with a style reminiscent of Doctor John. His raspy blues vocals and pounding keyboard rhythms are featured on his original arrangements Talk About Trouble and She's Too Young. In stark contrast is the haunting mood of Long Hot Summer.
Eddie Mac McPhee
Featuring The Girls.....
Stella
Gilda
Tom Lawson on Keyboard and Vocals
Suzy Tyler on Lead Vocals
Ricky Castello on Drums
Bill Castro walks a bass line like nobody's business. Influenced by Jazz Masters Grover Washington, Cannonball Adderly and John Coltrane, Bill adds a rhythmic groove that keeps the band swingin'!
Suzy Tyler, "blues mama with the big velvet voice". Suzy's blues influences of Coco Taylor, Etta James and Deborah Coleman are evident in her style of 'hit em hard, knock em' dead and do it again'. The bitter-sweet 'Fly You To The Moon' ballad demonstrates the versatility of her honey drippin' smooth vocals as well as her down and dirty 'funkin' up the blues' of 'If Looks Could Kill' and 'Fast Food Coffee.
Rhythm & Lead Guitars
Eddie Mac McPhee provides the musical arrangements for many of the songs on the cd, along with his warm & jazzy melodic riffs & fills. With roots deep in the jazz/ blues genre, Eddie's influences include Joe Pass, Django Reinhardt, Michael Bloomfield, Terry Haggerty and Junior Watson.
Rick Castelo is a familiar face at local venues playing for several bands over the years including summer tours with James Armstrong. Ricky is a solid, on top of the beat drummer with a watchful eye on the band.
Red Archibald, internationally acclaimed blues harmonica, singer, songwriter adds his brand of fire to the mix, assisting in the production of the cd and providing his well recognized harp & horn lines.
Jimmy Hannibal, recognized as an accomplished session sax player, has played sax for King Kats, Plain James, Andy Santana, Robin Andersons Big Band, and many others.
Not pictured, special guests Don Baraka on tenor sax and Harpin Jonny Troutner on harmonica.
The DeJa Blu CD
'Shelter For The Blues'
is an explosive arrangement of all original blues tunes with a variety of hard hitting swing, jump and 'house-rockin' blues.
