2012. Confirmed performers biographical notes

ROBERT CRAY

Columbus (Georgia, 1953)

Blues and Soul guitarist, singer and composer, winner of five Grammy awards. In 1980, he released his first album: Who’s Been Talkin, but he did not reach fame until he recorded Strong Persuader in 1986. In that same year he recorded Live Ballads In Dallas, together with Stevie Ray Vaughan and Eric Clapton. From then onwards he became an icon of current blues, together with Eric Clapton, BB King and others. Some of his albums include: Some Rainy Morning (1995), Take Your Shoes Off (1999), Time Will Tell (2003), and Twenty (2005).“Blues is the basis of our music”--says Cray himself-- “but it is not all we play. Back when I started playing guitar I wanted to be George Harrison, until I listened to Jimi Hendrix. Then, I wanted to be Albert Collins and Buddy Guy and BB King. And then there are singers like O.V. Wright and Bobby Blue Bland. Everything is mixed out there. Every time someone asks me where my music comes from, I give them five or six different references: a little rock, soul, jazz, blues and gospel”.

ERIC SARDINAS

Fort Lauderdale (Florida, 1970)

Eric Sardinas is a blues rock guitarist, well-known for his use of the so-called resophonic guitar (acoustic guitar with a resonator in the front board) and for his powerful live performances. He is considered to be a slide guitar virtuoso. He took a guitar in his arms for the first time at the age of six, learning to play by listening to old records of Charlie Patton and Muddy Waters. Despite being left-handed, he learnt to play right-handed, a fact which some think explains his amazing interpretation. In his teenage years he dived deep into blues music and, as he claims "it was the right thing for me; mixing all of my influences, it was here that I found my own sound. I feel so lucky of having been able to live from this music for 20 years, and my goal is to keep growing, improving and honoring this music". 

ZORA YOUNG

West Point (Mississippi, 1948)

Despite the prominent presence of celebrated blues artist Howlin' Wolf in her family tree, singer Zora Young grew up singing not blues, but gospel. Even when the Mississippi native shook off her roots at the age of seven to relocate with her family to Chicago, she attended the Greater Harvest Baptist Church and continued to sing gospel. It wasn't until later that she switched over to R&B, and evolved into a powerhouse blues vocalist with three decades of experience behind her. She has performed with a long list of artists, including Junior Wells, Jimmy Dawkins, Bobby Rush, Buddy Guy, Professor Eddie Lusk, Albert King, and B.B. King. Her recording credits include collaborations with Willie Dixon, Sunnyland Slim, Mississippi Heat, Paul de Lay, Maurice John Vaughn, and Hubert Sumlin among others.She is a veteran of more than 30 tours of Europe, and has been a featured performer three times at the Chicago Blues Festival, including headlining this world’s largest blues fest in ’06. She has performed throughout North America, and on stages in Italy, Germany, Belgium, Sweden, France, Switzerland, Greece, Austria, Tai Pei, and Turkey.

 
EDDIE SHAW

Stringtown (Mississippi, 1937)

When the blues revival of the 60's and 70's were in full swing if was only natural that Eddie Shaw was a focal point of the movement.  Most notably, Eddie Shaw & The Wolfrang was the original back-up band for the legendary Howlin' Wolf until his untimely death in 1975. . .but it doesn't end there.  The band has performed in virtually every state in the U.S. and in over a dozen foreign countries.  They have played everywhere from Carnegie Hall to the small, intimate blues clubs in Chicago to J.F.K.'s inauguration. They are considered to be one of the premier Chicago blues bands performing today.Eddie Shaw on tenor and alto saxes and harmonica is a very talented singer/songwriter, musician, arranger and band leader. He was Howlin' Wolf's personal manager for over five years and is one of the most respected blues musicians alive today.  

TAIL DRAGGER

Altheimer (Arkansas, en 1940)

Tail Dragger is a true, dramatic showman who possesses one of the most authentic and distinct Chicago Blues voices anyone will ever hear. While he's influenced vocally by Sonny Boy Williamson, Muddy, Jimmy Reed, and most directly by Howlin Wolf, much of his material is refreshingly original. Refusing to let anyone in the audience miss his point, he sets up his songs with real-life anecdotes, often hilarious, before illustrating his point with a song. When he sings, he can be tragic or humorous, but you can't ignore him as he transports audiences to the cotton fields of his youth and the rough Chicago ghetto clubs he still performs in today. 

VIRGINIA LABUAT

Linares (Jaen, 1982)

Since she was a little girl she has played guitar in a self-taught manner, composing her first song at the age of 12. From the age of 15 she sang in many bands: Fundación Virginia, Doctores del Swing, Little Vicky & the Shout Band and Boogie Flu. In 2009 she releases her first album "Labuat", which goes right up to become the 2nd best selling record in Spain. Nominated to "Album of the year" for the best seller artist in 2009, Virginia keeps on playing acoustic throughout Spain, the UK and Colombia while she prepares her second album. In 2011 she releases "The time is now" as her first single, reaching number 8 in the best sellers list. Some months later she launches "Dulce Hogar" (“Sweet Home”), composed and produced by herself, releasing a video clip for the single which she also produced.

FEDE AGUADO AND OSI MARTÍNEZ

Madrid

Fede Aguado and Osi Martínez represent the purest essence of Madrid street blues. Two 21st century troubadours who, without forgetting the ancient tradition of country blues, know how to communicate their music so effectively that they immediately get the involvement and complicity of the audience.Fede Aguado, voice, guitars and kazoo, is a true bluesman and one of the best artists of blues in Spanish. The stories in his lyrics are filled with irony, humour, originality and reflections about life. He has been on stages for thirty years. Osi Martínez, harmonica, is another long-known figure in the music scene since 1989. The way he intensely plays his Marine Band, stuck to it like a shipwrecked person to his raft, communicates, transmits and infects people with the feeling that flows from within: that’s blues.


TXUS BLUES AND JOSE BLUEFINGERS

Barcelona

Two senior musicians from Barcelona decide to form a duo with the aim of bringing Blues closer to all audiences, and for this reason they sing in Spanish, with simple instruments and carefree lyrics, because Blues is not only about crying. They have been called “Comedy Blues” and “The desmystifiers of Blues”. They frequently play on Barcelonan stages and their music is also known in the rest of the country thanks to radio broadcasting. They were invited to play in many Blues festivals:Their repertoire comprises their own songs, adaptations of classic blues songs and of other songs performed in Blues style, addressing current topics, always in a humorous note. Txus Blues in harmonica and voice, and Jose Bluefingers in guitar.

WHITE TOWELS

Gipuzkoa

WTBB is born by late 2008 as a trio made up by Alberto Cosgaya (Lasarte) in guitar, Javier Zarranz (Rentería) in bass, and Carlos Malles (Irun) in drums. After two year’s production, and presenting very few concerts, in April 2011 the Hondarribian singer Lisi García joins the band. But it is not until October of said year that the band is fully formed, when Josean San Miguel, also from Hondarribia, joins as pianist.From then on WTBB starts to offer concerts and in March they release their first rough cut. If you like real blues, White Towels is a band that certainly won’t go unnoticed.  Lisi’s voice together with Alberto’s guitar and a solid drum base ensure the creation of a pure atmosphere of Chicago south side.