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Event
Legends of the Blues VI
ARLINGTON ARTS COUNCIL PRESENTS LEGENDS OF THE BLUES VI
FEATURING COCO MONTOYA & HIS BAND
WITH OPENING ACT JOHN GREYHOUND MAXWELL
Saturday, November 17, 2018, Byrnes Performing Arts Center, Arlington, WA
Coco Montoya Taught by the Master of the Telecaster, Albert Collins, but with a hard-edged sound and style all his own, Coco Montoya mixes his forceful, melodic guitar playing and passionate vocals with memorable songs. He earned his status as a master guitarist and soul-powered vocalist through the years of paying his dues as a sideman with Collins (first as a drummer) and then with John Mayalls Bluesbreakers, before launching his solo career in 1993. Five years of constant touring with Collins and ten years with Mayall turned him into a monster player and dynamic performer. Guitar Player says Montoya plays stunning, powerhouse blues with a searing tone, emotional soloing, and energetic, unforced vocals.
Born in Santa Monica, California, Coco early on listened to his parents record collection of big band jazz, salsa, doo-wop and rock n roll. In 1969 he saw Albert King in Los Angeles and was transformed. After Albert got done playing, says Montoya, my life was changed. When he played, the music went right into my soul. It grabbed me so emotionally that I had tears welling up in my eyes. Nothing had ever affected me to this level. He showed me what music and playing the blues were all about. I knew that was what I wanted to do. In 1996, Coco Montoya to his own credit was nominated for multiple Blues Music Awards and walked away with the award for Best New Blues Artist.
Vintage Guitar says Coco just keeps getting better and betterrockin blues guitar that cuts straight to the heart of the matter. His guitar playing is funky and blistering; its perfect. Whatever he plays, he does it with fire and passion rarely seen in this day and age.
John Greyhound Maxwell A writer for the Golden Gate Blues Society says John Maxwell just stuns with his virtuosity in playing oldtime blues with some authentic ragtime thrown in and makes for pure listening enjoyment. Maxwells dexterous finger work, marvelous slide, and heartfelt, deep-baritone vocals prove him to be a major talent on the Bay Area roots scene.
A 1971 concert by B.B. King in Chicago set John Maxwell on the path to study the guitar. At the Old Town School of folk Music, John found John Long, a student of Homesick James, and slide guitar quickly became his passion. Two years in Tulsa led John to adapt his bottleneck slide style to bluegrass and country but blues remained number one thanks to his early years in Chicago. During his college years in St. Louis he met and played with blues legends Henry Townsend and Tommy Bankhead, had his own blues band, and played in rock and jazz bands before moving to San Francisco where he formed a punk band.
After six years of distraction, John moved to Minneapolis and joined an R&B band featuring Wee Willie Walker. An opening date for Charles Gatemouth Brown reignited a passion for acoustic blues. His talents have since earned him opening sets for Susan Tedeschi, Roy Rogers, Maria Muldaur, Ruthie Foster, Ramblin Jack Elliot, Jon Cleary, David Lindley, Marcia Ball, and most recently Taj Mahal and Keb Mo. John now resides in Port Townsend, WA, where he has taught slide guitar at the prestigious Port Townsend Acoustic Blues Festival. John Greyhound Maxwell is the Washington Blues Societys 2018 Best of the Blues Award recipient for Best Acoustic Guitar while also being a nominee for Best Solo/Duo Act.
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LocationByrnes Performing Arts Center (View)
18821 Crown Ridge Blvd.
Arlington, WA 98223
United States
Categories
| Kid Friendly: Yes! |
| Dog Friendly: No |
| Non-Smoking: Yes! |
| Wheelchair Accessible: Yes! |
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