"An incendiary fusion of Chicago Blues boilerplate and his own mercurial imagination, hyper-kinetic energy, and dazzling technical dexterity."
David Whiteis - Chicago Reader
"If there is a Chicago Blues child who perhaps epitomizes the blues life, it's Lurrie Bell, the premier guitarist in the Windy City." Boston Blues News Born in 1958, the son of famed blues harmonica player Carey Bell, Lurrie Bell picked up his father's guitar at age of five and taught himself to play. He was clearly gifted. In addition, he grew up with many of the Chicago blues legends around him. Eddie Taylor, Big Walter Horton, Eddie C. Campbell, Eddie Clearwater, Lovie Lee, Sunnyland Slim, Jimmy Dawkins and many more were frequent visitors to his house. They all helped to shape and school him in the blues, but none as much as his father's long-time employer Muddy Waters. At seven years old, Bell left Chicago to live in Mississippi and Alabama with his grandparents. During this time he played mostly in the church, immersing himself in the passionate expressiveness of the gospel tradition. At fourteen he moved back to Chicago and continued to play in church as well as forming his first blues band while attending high school. more...   Matthew Curry has built a multi-generational audience through a deep, pure connection forged with fans that have encountered him via headline appearances and cherished support opportunities from some of the most successful touring artists in the history of music. Simply, he is a singer-songwriter writing songs that draw from personal inspirations, incorporating elements of blues, rock, southern rock, and old school country in to his repertoire. His guitar playing is becoming world renowned, yet for Curry his perspective is broader sharing. "Of course the guitar is a HUGE part of my music, but something I really like to focus on is trying to make good songs. Songs people can relate to. Songs people immediately want to sing along to or tap their feet to. It is reaffirming to experience this wide spectrum of audience coming out, and when I'm on stage seeing a mix of young, old, and middle age, alongside an even split of males and females singing along to every song, I know that I'm headed down the right path."     King Benny is a Blues/Rock based band out of a small river town by the Mississippi River called Louisiana, Missouri. The band blends influences from the Delta Blues of the 1920's and 30's with the Electrified Blues and Folk Music of the 1960's, as well as rock and roll from the the 70's to form their sound. Their original music prompted Woodstock co-creator, Artie Kornfeld to call them "A Bluesier version of The Band". The band was featured on Kornfeld's "Spirt Show". Guitarist Ben Cordes stated, "I always dreamt of playing Woodstock, so being on Artie's show, was the 2nd best thing. It's nice to know that the man that helped bring Woodstock together digs what you're doing". |
