Rick Estrin & The Nightcats Set To Appear in Kansas City

Northern California's rocking blues masters Rick Estrin & The Nightcats, will celebrate the release of their new CD, You Asked For It...Live!, with a live performance at Knuckleheads Saloon in Kansas City on Monday, August 25, 2014.

Harmonica icon/vocalist/songwriter Rick Estrin, along with The Nightcats -- jaw-dropping guitarist Chris "Kid" Andersen, singing drummer (who plays standing up) J. Hansen and dynamic multi-instrumentalist Lorenzo Farrell (electric and acoustic bass, organ and piano) -- serve up fresh and modern original blues injected with a solid dose of gritty roadhouse rock 'n' roll.

Rick Estrin, who holds the 2013 Blues Music Award for Best Instrumentalist–Harmonica, is, according to the San Francisco Chronicle, “an amazing harmonica player, a soulful lead vocalist and a brilliant songwriter.” He ranks among the very best harp players, singers and songwriters in the blues world. His work on the reeds is deep in the tradition of harmonica masters Sonny Boy Williamson II and Little Walter Jacobs, while at the same time pushing that tradition forward with his unforgettable original songs. And his hipster, street-smart vocals are the perfect vehicle for driving those songs home. Blues Revue says “Estrin has created some of the finest blues songs of any artist on the planet. His carefully wrought lyrics penetrate human weakness with the precision of a boxer, though more often than not, he chooses to leave you laughing after the blow’s been struck.”

As a testament to their talent, audiences at their performances are often peppered with musicians wanting to glean a lick from these dynamic musical masters. Fans ask to go home with a CD that reflects what they just witnessed. Now, with You Asked For It...Live!, Rick Estrin & The Nightcats can satisfy their fans’ demands. Estrin recalls, “After shows, people are always asking, ’Are any of these CDs live? Which of your CDs is most like what you did tonight?’ Now, I can tell them, ‘This one right here. Thank you. We’ll be happy to sign it.’

I thought I'd share one of my favorite Estrin videos that I remember Denny Perkins shared with me awhile back ago.The Blues Cruise shows the fun side of the blues. Enjoy and then head out to see him in Kansas City!

(Press Release Courtesy of Alligator Records)