Tommy Castro & The Painkillers (SUA)
Joi, 10 august, ora 20:30

În 2023, Tommy Castro a fost nominalizat a fost nominalizat la categoria Artistul Blues Rock al anului și a câștigat pentru a patra oară premiul B.B. King Entertainer of the Year!

De la debutul său solo în 1994, Tommy Castro a lansat 19 albume – ultimele șapte pentru Alligator – fiecare dintre acestea reprezentând un capitol unic din istoria lui Tommy Castro. De la R&B la blues pătimaș și până la rock ‘n’ roll autentic, fiecare album este construit pe fundația muzicală de nezdruncinat al lui Castro – un amestec dinamic de blues al anilor ‘60, cu accente soul și funk cu tentă latină, toate potențate de vocea și chitara uluitoare ale lui Castro.

În cei 30 ani de activitate, Tommy Castro și The Painkillers au susținut peste 6000 concerte, dintre care 3 sezoane ca trupă rezidentă pentru producția HBO „Comedy Showcase”, două turnee cu BB King și Buddy Guy, 40 de croaziere muzicale și au concertat la dintre unele cele mai mari festivaluri de muzică la nivel mondial. De-a lungul timpul au colaborat cu artiști precum: John Lee Hooker, Carlos Santana, Bob Weir, Gregg Allman, Dr John, Willie Nelson, Jeff Beck, Joe Bonamassa, Elvin Bishop, Charlie Musselwhite, Magic Dick din trupa J. Geils, Taj Mahal și Los Lobos.

Viața de turneu a fost întotdeauna a doua casă a lui Castro. Este un entertainer impresionant, captează aproape instantaneu atenția publicului și transformă mulțimile în fani devotați. Legendarul chitarist Joe Bonamassa spune despre Castro: „Tommy a fost întotdeauna pe primul loc în rândul chitariștilor de blues. El livrează întotdeauna un show grozav.”

Cel mai recent al album al lui Castro, o odisee adusă rădăcinilor sale muzicale, intitulat Tommy Castro Presents A Bluesman Came To Town, spune o poveste atemporală. La aceste proiect special Castro a lucrat împreună cu producătorul distins cu premiul Grammy – Tom Hambridge. Albumul spune povestea unui tânăr care lucrează la ferma familiei sale, și care este ”infectat” cu virusul bluesului. Pleacă la drum cu chitara sa în căutare de faimă și avere, doar pentru a descoperi că ceea ce a lăsat în urmă este comoara pe care a căutat-o în tot acest timp. Tommy Castro spune despre albumul „A Bluesman Came To Town” că ”nu este o poveste despre mine. Totuși, este inspirat din experiențele unora dintre prietenii mei. Am simțit direct pe pielea mea cum este să fii mereu pe drum.”

Așadar, concertul lui Tommy Castro din cadrul Braşov Jazz & Blues Festival e realmente un eveniment ce nu trebuie ratat de niciun fan al bluesului.

Tommy Castro and his band The Painkillers are finally coming back to Europe to celebrate his 30th band anniversary together with the release of his new album „A Bluesman Came To Town”.

No blues fan should pass up the chance to see this superstar live! 

The number of individual artists and bands who have sustained a thriving career for 30 years is extremely small and a practice in persistence. “We’ve lasted longer than all our marriages combined, and we’re still rockin somewhere nearly every night” Castro and McDonald jest as they remain the constant core of the group for 30 years.

The staggering number of shows performed together is well over 6000, including 3 seasons as house band for HBO productions “Comedy Showcase”, two summer long tours with BB King and Buddy Guy, 40 music cruises (including 33 consecutive sold out Legendary Rhythm and Blues Cruises), and many of the largest music festivals worldwide. The band’s collaborations have included John Lee Hooker, Carlos Santana, Bob Weir, Gregg Allman, Dr John, Willie Nelson, Jeff Beck, Joe Bonamassa, Elvin Bishop, Charlie Musselwhite, Magic Dick of The J. Geils Band, Taj Mahal and Los Lobos.

“Soul-baring, roadhouse-meets-church, Memphis guitar licks…gritty voice…Southern colors and rootsy textures.” – Washington Post

Castro started the group after he and McDonald met in the Warner Brothers recording act the Dynatones in 1990, then in 1992 the two got together to officially form The Tommy Castro Band. With attention to the boundaries of American roots music the group began developing their signature raw and driven sound. Castro immediately gained the attention of the Bay Area Music Scene winning several local music awards before embarking on a relenting worldwide foray.

“Castro is one of the brightest stars in the blues-soul genre. Voracious blues energy and ultimate soul power…impassioned vocals and pure inventiveness in his stellar guitar solos.” – Blues Music Magazine

During the 1990s and into the 2000s, Castro recorded a series of critically acclaimed CDs. In 2009 he joined Alligator Records releasing 8 albums to massive acclaim. This move paired the increasingly popular blues star with the largest independent Blues label currently celebrating 50 years of blues releases. Following his move to Alligator he won six career Blues Music Awards, including the coveted B.B. King Entertainer Of The Year Award (the very highest award a blues performer can receive). Despite the road schedule he also focused his attention to songwriting and as a writer and Castro ranks with some of the best.

“Castro’s originals are all instant classics.” – Goldmine, by Mike Greenblatt, April 14, 2019

The bands lineup has changed over their 3-decade span, as has its name, adding “The Painkillers” to the billing after a long-time fan pronounced the band’s music her “painkiller”. The moniker inspired Tommy and he immediately penned the song that became the title track of the Painkiller Album and eventually the band’s new name. McDonald, along with drummer Bowen Brown and keyboardist Michael Emerson, in the current lineup have now been playing together for seven years. They have coalesced into one of the telepathically tightest units Castro has ever assembled, making them one of the most in-demand live roots music acts performing today. Billboard says the band plays “irresistible contemporary blues-rock” with “street-level grit and soul.”