JAMES ”BLOOD” ULMER MEMPHIS BLOOD BLUES BAND feat. RONNY DRAYTON (USA)

 

Concert during SBF 2015
Saturday, 11.07.2015,  9.20 p.m.
stage near the City Hall,  Kościuszki St./Mickiewicza St.
free admission

James Blood Ulmer, American jazz and blues guitarist, has started his music adventure with jazz. He became famous thanks to the cooperation with Ornette Coleman. He became interested in blues after more than 25 years since the first album was realeased. That was the time he already had a strong position among the classics of the genre. In many flattering reviews he was named the hope and future of blues.

And as James recalls himself – Blues is the first American music for free. Even though I’m a leader in several formations in one time, in which I play funk, black rock or jazz, I am trying to smuggle  a little blues to each of them.

Ulmer in four consecutive albums (produced by Vernon Reid) confirmed the validity of what he had said, developing  a position of  the most important, after  John Lee Hooker, blues singer and guitarist.  His music was discovered by a whole new generation of fans.

American musician is often described as the most original guitarist, since Jimi Hendrix, and his free-jazz improvisational mixture of sharp, jagged dance rhythms as the most important step in the jazz music.

 

During this years edition of Suwałki Blues Festival we will not hear,  in Ulmer’s band, already announced Veron Reid. Reid will be performing with AEROSMITH during their tour. Instead of Reid we will hear Ronny Drayton (USA) – a great guitar player and a long term coworker of James Blood Ulmer and a lider of a legendary funky formation “Defunkt” – Ronny Drayton”.

Drayton is a multitalented guitarist from New York who is fascianted with the work of Jimi Hendrix. He has performed with such artists as: Bill Laswell, Material, Alicia Keys, Marcus Miller, David Sylvian, Vernon Reid, Living Colour, Nona Hendryx or Meshell Ndegeocello.

He is in Memphis Blood Blues Band by no mistake. Drayton has been supporting James Blood Ulmer in the studio during recording of his albums such as: “Free Lancing” (1980), “Black Rock” (1981), “Blues Allnight” (1989), “Black and Blues” (1990), or” Blues Preacher” (1992), during wold tours. James Blood Ulmer called Ronny Drayton as aco-founder of his three albums. Not only for the fact of his unique guitar solos, but also for the true music vision, that has been performed constantly on all of the above mentioned albums.

 

JAMES “BLOOD” ULMER MEMPHIS BLOOD BLUES BAND feat. RONNY DRAYTON (USA):
James Blood Ulmer – vocal, guitar
Ronny Drayton – guitar
Leon Gruenbaum – keyboards
David Barnes – harmonica
Mark Peterson – bass
Aubrey Dayle – drums

Also visit:www.allmusic.com and Ronny Drayton on Facebook

 

Despite of our attempts to have Vernon Reid in Suwalki, we can now confirm that this performer will not play during SBF 2015.

The date of the Festiwal is in collision with already contracted concerts with Aerosmith in the USA.

After a long talk of Veron Reid and James Ulmer two of the great performers have decided that the best person to replace Vernon Reid will be Ronny Drayton, a great guitar player and a long term coworker of James Blood Ulmer and a lider of a legendary funky formation “Defunkt” – Ronny Drayton”.