The Rutland (Vermont) Herald
February 21, 2008



The Robert Cray Band A Paramount Draw

By Jennifer Bill Herald Staff


It is hard to believe when bluesman Robert Cray sings his song "Right
Next Door" that in just a few days, Rutland residents can take that
literally.

The Robert Cray Band, a leader in the contemporary soul-blues scene,
is set to shake the Paramount Theatre on Monday with a soulful evening
of smooth vocals, toe-tapping songs and exemplary guitar work that has
set Cray high up on a shelf among the old-school blues-guitar
fraternity of Eric Clapton, B.B. King, Buddy Guy and Jimmy Vaughn.

Cray, on the line from his Southern California home in Santa Barbara
County, speaks highly of his aforementioned guitar buddies and also
rolls out a long list of artists who have had an influence on his
3-1/2-decade career — Otis Rush, Magic Sam, Elmore James, Sam Cooke,
Bobby Bland, O.V. Wright and Dinah Washington, to name a few.

Their allure?

"There's an earthiness and a truthfulness to their music. Unabashed
honesty. That's what I like. I like it when somebody pours their
emotions into their playing," Cray said.

"That's what we hope to do with our music. When you sing those kinds
of songs, it's like therapy."

The renowned bluesman said the Paramount will be filled with a mix of
"soul, blues and a little bit of rock, with a touch of gospel in it.

"If people like those kinds of styles, we are a combo of all those
things. Oh, and with some strange hints here and there, hints of jazz,
Caribbean," said Cray, who has been married for 18 years and has a
nine-month-old son, Winston.

The guitarist is well-respected for his craft, known for choosing each
note carefully and guiding them through a "crisp and clear" delivery.

"It's crisp and clear because the sound is so bright; it's a real
bright sound."

Cray modestly chalks up his well-respected cadence to using "a hard
(guitar) pick."

At 54 years old, Cray says he has matured in his guitar playing,
finding a deeper appreciation for the song, especially after gleaning
style and substance from his contemporaries.

"I think the thing nowadays, I play a little less guitar. I have found
that the song is more important to me than playing a thousand notes a
second — which I can't do — but …" he trails off, laughing, "it's
lessons learned from someone like B.B. King. If he plays one note
that's it, it tells the story. He's my hero. It's telling the story,
the musical story — that's the approach I take to playing the guitar."

Cray's love affair with soul and blues struck him early, when he began
listening to his parents' records, a selection heavy on such artists
as John Lee Hooker, B.B. King and Sarah Vaughan.

With his sights set on becoming an architect, he began playing guitar
in his early teens and formed a band called Steakface, which seared
the thought of a lifelong career playing music.

"When I started playing guitar I got into The Beatles and everything
on the radio so that broadened my musical tastes. Also hanging out
with the musicians I did," Cray said. "I also listened to a lot of
jazz, bebop and, of course, who can deny Bob Marley.

"I listen to a lot of different kinds of music. So when we sit down to
write a song, you never know what might pop up or where the idea might
come from."

Cray formed his namesake band at the age of 20, and has since gone on
to win five Grammy awards. He has played with some of the best in the
business, taking on opening act duties for big-time stars including
Guy and Clapton, the latter of whom he toured with through the U.S.
and Canada and 15 countries in Europe through 2006 and 2007. He
co-wrote one of Clapton's most beloved songs, "Old Love," and he lent
his guitar slinging on two of John Lee Hooker's albums.

Cray said he and his longtime band — Jim Pugh on keyboards, bassist
Karl Sevareid and drummer Kevin Hayes, have been playing sporadically
through the winter months.

"We're doing little legs, two-week runs, three-day runs, three-week
runs and we have dates in Europe in June and July," he said.

Cray said it's been quite a while since he last played for Vermonters,
whom he said have "a wonderful living." He called residents
"out-of-the-way nice."

Two weeks ago, the band took a trip to Mumbai, India, to play the
two-day blues bash One-Tree Festival.

"People were calling out for songs of ours. It was amazing. We were
totally surprised," Cray said. "It was funny to hear people calling
out songs — all this great music they have in India and they are
calling out Robert Cray songs."

Amid a sometimes grueling tour schedule, Cray said life always rights
itself when he takes the stage.

"When we are on tour, it's the most fun part of your day. You're in
different towns and you're tired and you're looking for something
decent to eat, so many frustrations, but then you get on stage and you
forget all that."

The Robert Cray Band released the double-CD "Live From Across The
Pond," its first live album, last September, which was recorded
throughout the course of seven shows in May 2006 while Cray was on
tour with Clapton. The album was the inaugural release for Cray's
independent label, Nozzle Records, distributed by Vanguard Records.

Cray says a new offering — his 15th studio
album — should be released in the top of 2009.

"Towards the latter part of the year, we are going to carve out the
time to go to the studio to record a new record. It's that time. It's
coming up to two years (since the last new album)."

Cray says although he has new material floating about, the bulk of the
writing takes place before they go into the studio.

"I get more into it the closer I get to recording, that's how I work.
I work better under pressure," he laughed.

And as for Cray, he is still going strong, as are several of his
contemporaries. He said he wouldn't be surprised if Clapton — who
offered farewells on his last tour — was back in the game before long.

"No way. I think it's in his blood, it's like the Rolling Stones, they
never quit. B.B. King, he's 82 years old now, and still playing.

"I don't see myself stopping, you have a lot of fun when you play, I
think that's what drives people, those who perform. When it's in your
blood it's there and you can't stop it."



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