Eric Sardinas and Big Motor (2008)

BIOGRAPHY
by Char Ham
The term "blues-rock" brings with it a connotation of a blues artist "selling out" in order to make more money or a rock band blaring heavy riffs with a thinly veiled strain of blues. A worse offense is that many of these rock artists have little or no knowledge of the blues in its historical context or its mythological roots.

That is certainly not true in the case of Eric Sardinas. At six, his first love was Delta blues, as it "was the thrill of hearing one person playing the guitar and generating the energy of five - I loved the sheer strength and heart of a single player." Just as unusual was citing his first influences as Barbecue Bob, Charley Patton, and Bukka White, then Elmore James, Muddy Waters, and Big Bill Broonzy. He exclusively concentrates on slide guitar, employing his cherished Dobros, some that are customized to play by Edison's power. Sardinas listens to 78s, then couples these influences with modern sounds.

He moved around the country, landing in Los Angeles in 1990. Like the early blues folk, he played acoustic for a living on the street, then formed the Eric Sardinas Project (ESP) by hooking up with bassist Paul Loranger at a jam session. Loranger had the ideal sound that Sardinas wanted, a bassist who had exceptional playing ability on upright and electric and could work the upright in a blues-rock context. Two years later, drummer Scott Palacios joined them. It took ESP six years of experience of performing nearly 300 shows annually, playing from acoustic gigs in coffeehouses to sharing the bill with rock bands at Hollywood clubs. Musical-instrument companies sent them gigging at showcase concerts, which led the band to a gig as the opening act for a West Coast swing of a Johnny Winter's tour. Word got around, receiving the attention of Evidence Records. Blues discoverer Dick Shurman produced Sardinas' 1999 debut, Treat Me Right. In 2000, Sardinas released a three-song single spotlighting his burning take on J.B. Hutto's "Angel Face." Devil's Train, his second full-length album, followed in 2001 and featured more of Sardinas' trademark blues-rock.

CREDITS
Gia Ciambotti - Vocals (bckgr)
Levell Price - Guitar (Bass), Vocals (bckgr)
Eric Sardinas - Vocals, Slide Guitar
Dave Schulz - Organ, Piano

TRACKS
1 All I Need (Sardinas) 4:33
2 Ride (Sardinas) 4:38
3 Find My Heart (Sardinas) 4:07
4 Gone to Memphis (Sardinas) 3:46
5 It's Nothin' New (Sardinas) 4:32
6 This Time (Sardinas) 4:13
7 Just Like That (Sardinas) 5:01
8 Burning Love (Linde) 3:03
9 Wonderin' Blues (Sardinas) 3:59
10 Door to Diamonds (Sardinas) 3:50
11 As the Crow Flies (White) 6:25

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Philip Sayce Group - Philip Sayce Group (1997)

BIOGRAPHY
Sayce was born in Wales, but family moved to Canada when he was two years old, and he grew up in Toronto. His parents, Kenneth and Sheila, listened to music by Eric Clapton, Ry Cooder and Dire Straits, among many other artists. His parents’ love of music inspired his love for the guitar, and he also learned to play the piano and other instruments. Sayce was fifteen years old when he played in his first band. Sayce and his best friend, drummer Cassius Pereira, played in bands together throughout high school, holding band practice in their basements. Sayce's style is strongly influenced by Jimi Hendrix and Stevie Ray Vaughan, whose untimely death in August 1990 greatly affected the young guitarist.

Sayce began playing in Toronto clubs at the age of sixteen. He quickly became a regular fixture on Toronto’s bar-scene. One of the clubs Sayce frequented was Grossman's Tavern in Toronto, known for its famous jam sessions with artists such as Robbie Robertson, Stevie Ray Vaughan, Bob Dylan and Jeff Healey. His other musical influences include B. B. King, Albert King, Albert Collins, Buddy Guy, and Robert Cray. With Healey, Sayce toured the world and played in such places as Ohne Filter, Germany, Finland and the Montreux Jazz Festival in Switzerland.

Sayce quickly gained notoriety as an axe-slinger through his regular gigs at Toronto clubs from 1992 to 2001, and he gradually developed a solid fan base. In 1996, he released his first CD, the self-titled, Philip Sayce Group, which has since become a rare disc.

Looking to further expand his musical horizons, Sayce moved to Los Angeles in September of 2001. He soon landed a gig with Uncle Kracker and toured with him for eighteen months. With Uncle Kracker, Philip appeared on New Year’s Rockin’ Eve, Regis and Kelly, The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, and The CBS Early Show.

Sayce also starred in and wrote the music for the 2002 short film, Cockroach Blue, produced and directed by award-winning Robert Crossman. The film was shown at the 2003 Woodstock Film Festival and received popular acclaim.

In the fall of 2003, Sayce unexpectedly met John Shanks at an impromptu jam session in the amp department at Westwood Music in Los Angeles. Coincidentally, just a week before, two-time Grammy award winner Melissa Etheridge had mentioned to Shanks that she was looking for a guitar player and was thinking of trying somebody different. Shanks referred Sayce to her and in December 2003, Sayce joined Etheridge and her band for The Lucky Tour. Sayce also appears on Etheridge's Lucky CD and the Lucky Live DVD, released in September, 2004.

Sayce released his second solo effort, Peace Machine, in September 2005.

CREDITS

Philip Sayce - Guitars, Lap Steep, Vocals
Joel Sacks - Bass
Al Cross - Drums
Bruce Longman - Background Vocals
Alfio Annibalini - Background Vocals, Keyboards, Percussion
Cory Turnbull - Bass
Marty Cordrey - Drums
Etric Lyons - Bass
Jorn Andersen - Drums

TRACKS
1. Grey CIty Storm
2. Morning Star
3. Backwater Blues
4. You Can Run But You Can't Hide
5. Were You There
6. Already Gone
7. Walk A Mile
8. Wrong Place, Wrong Time
9. Brown Sugar
10.Propaganda

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Innes Sibun - Tail Dragger (2007)

BIOGRAPHY
High energy blues played with passion !! Innes Sibun made his first album with legendary producer Mike Vernon who produced the John Mayall/Eric Clapton Beano album as well as all the Peter Green era Fleetwood Mac albums. In 1997 Innes met his hero when he opened up for Peter Green at a show in New York, he also played on "Rattlesnake guitar" a tribute cd dedicated to Peter Green which also featured Rory Gallagher, Ian Anderson, Harvey Mandell, Billy Sheehan & Snowy White. He played guitar for Robert Plant on his "Fate of nations" tour throughout America, Europe & South America & can be heard on Robert's "Sixty six to Timbuktu" album as well as on a track on his box set "Nine lives". He has made 5 albums with various independent blues labels such as Viceroy, Provogue & Ulftone. He has toured with Blues legends Johnny Adams, Wild child Butler, Jay Owens & Jesse "guitar" Taylor & opened up for Joe Louis Walker, Ronnie Earl, the fabulous thunderbirds, Roger Chapman, Chris Farlowe,Jools Holland, Walter Trout, Boy George, Dr.Feelgood, the Levellers, Nine below zero, the Bluesband, Kevin Coyne, & Moody Marsden to name but a few. He has also recorded or played live with the following......Wilbur Bascombe (Jeff Beck, aretha Franklin), Rob Stoner (Bob Dylan), Bobby Chouinard (Gary Moore), Jeff Simon (George Thorogood), Jimmy Kunes (Cactus), Leo Lyons, Ric Lee & Chick Churchill of Ten years after,Robert Hart (Bad company), Hamish Stewart (Average white band), Tony Remy, Dick Heckstall-Smith, Chris Youlsden (Savoy Brown), Stackridge, the Korgis, James Cotton, Sherman Robertson & more. His current band fuses blues with rock, jazz & more modern influences. Drummer Robbie Brian has played with Peter Gabriel, Hugh Cornwell & presently plays with Siouixie siouix & has been described as summoning the dark arts when he takes a drum solo (you have to be there !!!) Bassist Steve Hall & Hammond/Rhodes player Tim Blackmore are much in demand session players due to their soulful playing & high level of skill on their instruments. In 2006 the band played shows in Germany, belgium, Austria, Slovenia, Holland, Bosnia & the UK including Colne, Gloucester & Bristol international blues festivals. In 2007 with the release of the critically lauded album "Tail dragger" on ZYX records, Innes & band embarked on shows through Europe as well as taking in dates in Africa & the U.S.A. 2008 so far promises festivals in the UK & Canada as well as shows opening for Johnny Winter & Al Kooper. "The best blues you will hear this year" - Total guitar magazine. "Powerhouse guitarist who plays electric blues. Hugely popular on the continent, Innes is one of the many unsung heroes that populate a British music scene dominated by TV-promoted nonentities" - Venue magazine.

CREDITS
Tim Blackmore - Hammond organ, Piano.
Robbie Brian - drums.
Steve Hall - bass guitar.
Innes Sibun - Guitar, vocals, mandolin, dobro.

TRACKS
1 It Takes Time (Rush) 3:07
2 I Don't Get Fooled by Tears (Sibun) 2:54
3 I'll Never Love Again (Sibun) 2:31
4 I Want You Back (Sibun) 3:46
5 As the Years Go Passing By (Malone) 6:29
6 Don't Stop Believing (Sibun) 5:18
7 I Miss You (Daisy's Song) (Sibun) 3:28
8 Someone Like You (Sibun) 4:23
9 Southbound Train (Sibun) 2:50
10 Sweet Disposition (Sibun) 5:37
11 300 Miles Away (Sibun) 7:56
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Interpol - 11/03 - Via Funchal (SP)

A noite começou tipicamente paulistana, com uma garoa ácida e uma surpresa muito grande... Muitas pessoas se aglomeravam nas imediações do local e logo, a casa estaria cheia...
A noite começou com os gaúchos do Cachorro Grande, com um instrumental surpreendente. Uma bateria poderosa e uma guitarra incendiária, lembrando muito a sonoridade do saudoso Dr. Feelgood.
Mas o rock poderoso e gritado da banda parecia não conseguir quebrar o gelo com a platéia, que esperava a grande atração – o Interpol.
De início, não acreditava que tanta gente lotava o local para cantar a plenos pulmões todas as músicas da banda. A cada acorde da guitarra do performático Daniel Kessler (um show à parte, pois o cara tocava e dançava, deslizando pelo palco) a galera ia ao delírio, emocionando até mesmo meu coração gelado, pois estava preparado para um show frio, de pouca empatia entre banda e público; porém, a cada nova música, fui percebendo o quanto os caras são competentes.
O show durou um pouco mais de uma hora e meia, mas foi a certeza de que ao vivo, uma banda pode ser muito superior aos discos de estúdio. Wagner Gomes (waggom)