Jimmy Dewrance Blues Band

The evolution of the blues as a distinct musical style has followed no intelligent design - it has a will of its own. From its genesis as the hard-boiled-bare-truth field holler the blues is a true world music, adapting to circumstances as it’s made a world wide journey. Jimmy Dewrance got hooked on the blues real young, second hand by way of Paul Butterfield and John Mayall. Listening to records, then hitching rides to Winterland in San Francisco, to see the greats back when Bill Graham was producing an amazing run of eclectic shows. Imagine, Freddie King, Albert King and B.B. King in one night!Took well into the 80’s for Jimmy to realize what the blues were like before rock and roll took over. Find an old Fender amp, crystal microphone, old tubes in that amp - that helps. Play to your tone. Jimmy founded the “Redevelopment Blues Project” in 1987 and it was all sideways after that. A long period of attenuated perdition ensued. Many long nights in the dives grinding it out. In 1993 JD started another band, the “Blackjacks,” with a host of players that went on to perform with their erstwhile heroes and mentors, Johnny Cat is touring with Terry Hanck, Kedar Roy and Jimmy Mulleniux with Junior Watson, Vance Ehlers with Little Charlie and the Nightcats. We’re on the right track…in 1995 Jimmy was offered a tour with the great Brownie McGee, as a member of the Elmer Lee Thomas Blues Revue. Tour got as far as the Long Beach Blues Festival, but then Brownie became ill, for the last time. Send the ticket to Australia back, guess that’s part of paying your dues. Played many a fine gig with Elmer Lee, San Francisco Blues Festival, tour of Canada, working…Jimmy recorded a CD “Too Gone Blue” in 1998, and made his band first priority then. Much help from Little Jonny Lawton as well as recording on Jonny’s 1998 CD “Windin.” Jimmy played the blues circuit in NorCal, still at it. Also did another duet, with a finger picking Folk guitarist named Chris Ramey. Chris was on the bus with Cassidy and the Merry Pranksters, the “Telepathic Kid” in the Tom Wolfe book, hellova picker and he dug into the blues with a vengeance. They played 100’s of gigs, recorded a CD “Something Borrowed, Something Blue” in 2001. Chris became suddenly ill and passed away in 2003. Many a side project, Jimmy has been the house harmonica player for a couple of studios, recording on Jeffrey Halford’s 2005 release “Railbirds,” and a slew of folk wax for Chuck McCabe and Jay Howlett, among others. What up now? A new recording is in progress . Oh, the band sounds like - let’s call it West Coast Blues with a shot of funk and a little rock chaser - harmonica, dirty enough guitar, bass, standup when necessary, fat shuffle back beat. We keep showing up for the gigs, wherever they be, still based in the SF area. Keep yer chops up and stay blue!