Presented by NIKKI COSSTELLO
About this Event:
RICK ESTRIN
Rick Estrin first jammed with blues master Lowell Fulson and was immediately hired to open five shows for R&B giant Z.Z. Hill. He worked five nights a week for almost a year with guitar legend Travis Phillips in a band fronted by famed pimp/bluesman Fillmore Slim (who was the centerpiece of the acclaimed Hughes Brothers documentary American Pimp). Slim introduced Estrin to singer Rodger Collins, the man who would become Rick’s first real musical mentor. Collins schooled Rick on the finer points of songwriting and show business.
At 19, Estrin relocated to Chicago and worked with some of the city’s best bluesmen. He met and jammed with the legendary Muddy Waters, who told Rick, “You outta sight, boy! You got that sound! You play like a man!” Muddy wanted Estrin to go on the road with him, but Estrin missed Muddy’s phone call and it never happened. Estrin eventually moved back to the Bay Area, met guitarist Charlie Baty and formed Little Charlie & The Nightcats. With Charlie’s retirement from touring in 2008, Rick brought in guitar virtuoso Kid Andersen and formed Rick Estrin & The Nightcats.
Estrin cites Sonny Boy Williamson II, Percy Mayfield and Detroit bluesman Baby Boy Warren as his major songwriting influences. 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 innovative songs. And his sly and soulful vocals are the perfect vehicle for driving those songs home.
CHICKENBONE SLIM & THE BISCUITS is an original Blues/Americana touring artist based in San Diego, CA. Signed in 2021 to Vizztone Records, Chickenbone is garnering national and international attention with his unique roots sound. Mixing blues with West Coast swing, rockabilly, and roots rock, and inspired by local roots artists The Paladins and Candye Cane, and dedicated to blues legend Tomcat Courtney, Chickenbone’s 4th all-original album, “Serve It To Me Hot” showcases Chickenbone’s songwriting and the wide range of the band’s talent, and is a solid artistic updating of roots music for the 21st century.
Chickenbone Slim and the Biscuits are a four-piece band that features Laura Chavez on lead guitar (2021 BMA Blues Guitarist Nominee) Marty Dodson on drums (Fabulous Thunderbirds) and 20-year-old prodigy Justice Guevera on electric and standup bass. The band performs 1-4 hours of primarily original music, from low-volume dinner shows to full concerts, suitable for dancing and fun! Highlights in 2021 include a performance at the San Diego Music Awards, where Chickenbone Slim and The Biscuits were nominated for best blues album with his 2020 album release “Sleeper” and received a standing ovation by their peers and music fans.
