New Blues – The Ty Curtis Band

Ok so yesterday when I was reviewing the Roots Music Report Blues Chart and at number 25 sat The Ty Curtis Band and their album Cross the Line. Since they were one of the names I didn’t recognize I went to Rhapsody to check them out. Rhapsody didn’t have the new album but did have some previously releases and I listened a bit to Down on My Luck. The first couple of tracks sounded good but I moved on and listened to some others. Well today I went back and listened again to the whole album and boy am I glad I did! I’ve said before if you give me a band with some good vocals, a good guitar and harp and I’m a happy camper. This band has all that!  The band’s great vocals and driving guitar come from Ty Curtis, masterful harmonica and powerful vocals from Hank Shreve. Bass player Milo Fultz adds some harmony vocals and a steady bass line and Davis “Super D” Brown on drums rounds out  rhythm section. Others agree with me, from their Facebook page:

The Ty Curtis Band recently earned 2nd place in the prestigious 2009 International Blues Challenge. The Challenge started with more than 2,000 bands in nine countries and 36 states. One hundred bands earned the right to come to Memphis, ten made it to the Finals and The Ty Curtis Band was voted 2nd place by a panel judges made up of industry professionals.

Joe Whitmer, the coordinator of the International Blues Challenge, said, “I think they are a pretty tight and polished band. They are young, they do have a traditional feel about them, so I think they advanced because they play some damn good blues.” As Paul DeLay said, “Ty plays it like a young man should, straight ahead and from heart.”

The band hails from Oregon and they  have opened  for Chris Cain, Coco Montoya, The Doobie Brothers, Roy Rogers, Paul DeLay, Curtis Salgado, Walter Trout, Big Monti and Lloyd Jones. The music on Down on My Luck ranges from a jump blues tracks like “Bluer Than Blue” to ballads like “Down on My Luck” and “Lose Yourself” (a really  nice slow blues number) to the slightly gypsy sounding “Treat Me This Way” and on them all Ty’s guitar shines through,  Hank’s harp is great and Milo’s bass and Davis’ drumming provide that driving beat. For me it’s just and outstanding album that had my toes a tappin’ and I was singing along on one track after one listen! So I know that the album is  going to stay on the player for a while. So check them out! As for me now I have to go find their latest  Cross the Line.

You can check them out on Facebook, Reverbnation or their website.

Here’s the band at 2009 Redwood Run: