JOSE RAMIREZ Pura Lucky PETERSON Rest In Peace

BLUES MUSIC ONLINE - June 16, 2020 - Issue 15 Table Of Contents 06 - JOSE RAMIREZ "Pura Blues" By Jack Sullivan

12 - CD Review Here I Come By Jose Ramirez

14 - LUCKY PETERSON Rest In Peace By Art Tipaldi

17 - CD REVIEW Living In The Shadows By Joseph Jordan

COVER PHOTOGRAPHY © JIM HARTZELL PHOTOGRAPHY © MIKE LANDSMAN PHOTOGRAPHY © MIKE LANDSMAN JOSE RAMIREZ "PURA BLUES" By Jack Sullivan

PHOTOGRAPHY © MIKE LANDSMAN or 14 years the Bonita Springs Blues Music Online: When did you Blues Festival has become first discover the blues? Fknown for introducing Florida blues fans to new and upcoming Jose Ramirez: I was around 12 or blues musicians. As a sponsor since 13 and was interested in playing the 2011, the Blues Music Magazine , my dad told me “don’t even team has worked this event handling pick up the guitar without listening to artist CD sales, merchandise, and blues music first." Gratefully I followed renewing subscriptions. his advice and started studying B.B. This job requires our presence King’s masterful guitar playing. in the booths we are assigned to work in, and a view of the stage is not really Blues Music Online: Who were the a consideration. Rarely do we leave first blues artists you were listening the booth during sponsored events too? because we are usually busy BUT occasionally a band or band member Jose Ramirez: B.B. King, John Lee sounds so good it draws us out for Hooker, Buddy Guy, and Ray Charles a better view of their performance. were the very first ones I fell in love The 2016 was just such a year. with. Hearing the unbelievable tone of the guitar player and the fact that the hair Blues Music Online: What was it on both forearms reached for the sky about the blues that spoke to you? like the musical notes emanating from the guitar, my first question was “Who Jose Ramirez: The passion! Pure the hell is that?”. and simple, the passion! The way B.B. The sound reached into my soul King was able to tell a story, or the and like a zombie from an episode way Ray Charles would cry and moan of the Walking Dead mesmerized by while singing a slow blues. You could the sounds, ignoring the questions of just feel it, pure passion. “where are you going” I glided out of the booth in search of that guitarist Blues Music Online: When did you and an answer to my question. Jose first pick up your instrument? Ramirez the Tico from Costa Rica was the answer with his soaring riffs, soul Jose Ramirez: Right after I started touching tone, and rhythm playing listening, I knew playing was for me “Pura Blues” shook me to my core. so it must have been around 12 or 14 Thankfully, Jose has just released years old. his long-awaited inaugural CD and we caught up with him this week. Blues Music Online: Can you explain your learning process?

PHOTOGRAPHY © MIKE LANDSMAN Do you use records, lessons, jams, and Guy King, Sugaray Rayford, and or touring. Kingfish.

Jose Ramirez: I am a self-taught Blues Music Online: What are musician; my teachers were the records some of the most important musical that I could get my hands on. Costa lessons about the blues these mentors Rica was a difficult country growing up taught you? as an aspiring blues musician. Costa Ricans have no idea what blues music Jose Ramirez: I’ve learned a lot is and I encountered a lot of rejection specially from my good friend and and closed doors. After 10 years of producer Anson Funderburgh. We trying to establish myself as a blues had a great time recording my first musician there, I finally decided to album, and it is really an honor to really follow my dreams and come to have my favorite blues musician America. I was convinced I had what be producer of my debut album. I have it takes to be a part of the American studied Anson’s playing since I was blues industry. It’s been a long and a kid, and I keep learning every day. stony road but I’m finally here. What I’ve really loved about him is I have toured the U.S. in 2019 his kind and humble personality. This with over 25 shows all over the Midwest man touched the peak of success in and South including memorable shows the blues world and still, he’s the most at The House of Blues in down to earth person I’ve known. and Buddy Guy’s Legends. Buddy That is the way I’d like to live my Guy himself joined me onstage and career. we jammed. I’ve also toured Europe twice in the past two years including Blues Music Online: Explain over 45 shows all over Spain, England, what the recording has taught you. Belgium, and the Netherlands. Jose Ramirez: How deeply personal Blues Music Online: Who were and intimate recording sessions are. I some of the mentors that you were able was honored to have Anson produce it to play with? Who were some of the for me. Every song on the album tells mentors that you wish you could play a story that I have once lived through. with? He chose an amazing crew of session musicians for the recording, and we Jose Ramirez: I have been lucky had a blast working on my music. and blessed to have shared the stage We had the incomparable Jim with people like Anson Funderburgh, Pugh (The Robert Cray Band) on Janiva Magness, Andy T, Mark keyboards, Wes Starr on drums, Nate Hummel, Buddy Guy, and Brian Lee. Rowe on bass, and The Texas Horns. I’d love to share the stage with Anson also played his signature Fender Stratocaster on a few of my original songs. elements of the blues alive in your contemporary songs? Blues Music Online: Which guitarists were your Jose Ramirez: I grew up listening inspirations? to blues music, old school soul, and so those sounds still Jose Ramirez: If I had to make a top ring in my head. I like to blend my blues 5 it would look like this: with soul and R&B elements instead B.B. King, Robert Cray, Anson of mixing it with rock which is what a Funderburgh, Jimmie Vaughan, and lot of the current blues musicians do. Chris Vachon. I’d like to separate myself from that trend. Blues Music Online: How do you keep the traditional

PHOTOGRAPHY © JIM HARTZELL Blues Music Online: As a musician from Costa Rica, how difficult has it been to relocate to the U.S.?

Jose Ramirez: It’s been a long and stony road! Lots of sacrifices and —bluesdoodles.com painful experiences, but it has been worth every bit of it. I am finally here to stay.

Blues Music Online: What updates would you like to share with your fans?

Jose Ramirez: After finishing in 2nd place at the 2020 International Blues Challenge in Memphis this past February and now releasing my new album, things were looking great for this year until the pandemic hit. The band is already re-scheduling my U.S., Canada, and Europe tours for 2021. So, we will play and meet new fans very soon. I am currently booking some local shows in Florida for the rest of 2020. You can find all my dates

—Downbeat magazine on our website: joseramirezblues.com

It was great catching up with Jose “Pura Blues” Ramirez this week and listening to his debut CD. Take a minute and read the review for Here I —BLues music magazine Come which features some fine blues, soul, and rhythm and blues on the following pages. -BMM

—Bill wahl/jazz & blues report

JOSE RAMIREZ Here I Come Jose Ramirez Music

ot the Cleveland Indians infielder or the Atlantic NLeague pitcher. When this Jose Ramirez swings, he hits it out of the park wielding a guitar, while singing in a voice full of big heart and smooth soul. The 32-year-old Costa Rican won second place for the D.C. Blues Society at the 2020 International Blues Challenge in Memphis. Watch his videos. The reasons for his prize are obvious. Ramirez emulates his heroes, but engages his audiences with the kind of full-throttle passion that should ultimately secure him his own place in the blues. That confidence and zeal translates vividly through the nine originals and two covers that make up his recorded debut. Produced by Texas blues guitar great Anson Funderburgh, the album introduces Ramirez backed by a band of seasoned players including keyboardist Jim Pugh, drummer Wes Starr, bassist Nate Rowe, and the always tamale-hot Texas Horns. Funderburgh’s become quite an ace behind the boards. Ramirez says he set out to make a blues album influenced by both soul and R&B, topped with a little Johnny “Guitar” Watson funkiness. Funderburgh helped get him there with a Lone Star spit- shine. “Here I Come” sets it all in motion on a relaxed, but determined, piano-driven roll. Ramirez name-checks his heroes, and stabs beautifully at his guitar. “I Miss You Baby,” a 1950s T-Bone Walker tune by Freddie Simon, has him comfortable and convincing in a classic blues “big band” swing exhibition. The entire band plays with dazzling class, and Ramirez solos in inventive style. Funderburgh injects his own brand of rocket fuel into the sassy, rollicking “Gasoline And Matches,” as well as the grinding “Three Years.” With the latter tune, Ramirez obviously nods to Stevie Ray Vaughan in tempo and underlying guitar figure, but he and Funderburgh each play tasteful solos that open the familiar groove to new possibilities. On “As You Can See,” the mode of delivery changes to sexy, smoky R&B bathed in brass, reminding me of the music that Blood Sweat & Tears made with Al Kooper at the helm. Towards the end, they remake Robert Johnson’s “Traveling Riverside Blues” into a rubbery-tough soul/blues extravaganza, and make quite a case for it. Jose Ramirez clearly didn’t set out to revolutionize the blues, and Johnson’s tunes have certainly proved to be infinitely pliable. But Ramirez bends the old classic in a way only a true artist would. That, and everything here for that matter, makes him a new, young blues man to keep a sharp eye on. – Tom Clarke

LUCKY PETERSON REST IN PEACE By Art Tipaldi

PHOTOGRAPHY © BRIAN SMITH he blues world suffered another which became a national R&B hit. That devastating loss on Sunday, led to an album called Our Future and TMay 17, 2020 when shining star the aforementioned appearance with Lucky Peterson passed away. Since Carson. “I guess it tripped people his first appearance on the Johnny out seeing a five-year-old kid playing Carson’s Tonight Show as a five-year- organ on the Johnny Carson show,” old, Peterson exhibited an artistic life Peterson told me years ago.” By eight, of brilliance. I had already cut a couple of records, Born Judge Kenneth Peterson been on What’s My Line, To Tell The in 1964, Lucky was not like most Truth, all those national shows.” toddlers. At three, he began pounding At seven, he recorded his second on the family drum set; at four he album, The Father, Son, And The started playing the Hammond B-3 Blues, with his guitar playing father organ; by five he was guesting on James Peterson. At an age when most Johnny Carson’s Tonight Show. children were signing up for summer At five, Peterson recorded a camp or joining scouts, young Lucky single, “1-2-3-4,” with began touring the country as the child

PHOTOGRAPHY © BRIAN SMITH Roots Music Report - Week Of Jul. 25 - Best Blues Album Roots Music Report - Week Of Jul. 25 - Blues Rock Roots Music Report - Week Of Jul. 25 - Blues Contemporary Roots Music Report - Week Of Jul. 25 - Blues - Soul

Roots Music Report - Week Of Jul. 25 - Blues - Classic