Al Bake - Harmonica, Vocal, Guitar/ Fred Kaplan - Piano, Hammond B3 Organ/ Richard Innes - Drums/ Larry Taylor - Acoustic & Electric Bass/ Junior Watson or Kirk Fletcher - Guitar
Influences
All the incredible pre and post WWII rural and urban American musicians who created the greatest Blues, Jazz and Gospel music the world has ever heard.
Sounds Like
Never duplicating, but preserving and honoring those who came before us by respectfully studying and playing their art form ..... traditional Blues and Jazz from the 1930's through the 1960's.
Since arriving on Delta Groove The Hollywood Blue Flames have been hailed as the true torch bearers of classic blues in the modern age. Their unyielding and steadfast dedication to the art form has set the benchmark standard by which all other musicians must strive towards in order to obtain mastery within the traditional blues genre. The band's original inception dates back to the early 1970's with the formation of the Hollywood Fats Band, led by the brilliant, first-rate guitarist Michael "Hollywood Fats" Mann. Their one and only album, the self-titled "Hollywood Fats Band" released on PBR Records in 1979, laid the blueprint for modern day era West Coast Blues and is widely considered a landmark album of the genre.
Following Fats' premature death in 1986, the band laid dormant until the release of "Mr. Blake's Blues" on Blue Collar Records in 1997. Released under the banner of Big Al Blake & The Hollywood Fats Band, the recording reunited all four surviving members of the Hollywood Fats Band including Al Blake, Fred Kaplan, Larry Taylor and Richard Innes, along with top-flight guitarists Kid Ramos and Junior Watson. Years later, upon hearing the young emerging guitar virtuoso Kirk "Eli" Fletcher, Blake rechristened the band as The Hollywood Blue Flames and incorporated the blossoming talents of this promising new guitarist. Their 2005 Delta Groove debut "Soul Sanctuary" received unanimous praise and earned a Blues Music Award nomination for Comeback Album of the Year. A sophomore release, "Road To Rio," soon followed, surpassing critics and fan expectations alike as the band delivered another solid effort, only this time with the inclusion of a bonus disc containing previously unheard live performances of the original Hollywood Fats Band. The Hollywood Blue Flames were again recognized by another Blues Music Award nomination honoring them with Historical Album of the Year. "Road To Rio" also landed the 5 spot on Living Blues Magazine's Top 50 Blues Recordings of 2006.
"Deep In America" follows true to the formula of the band’s previous two-disc set, "Road To Rio," once again throwing open the vaults and treating fans to a virtual treasure trove of classic archival material obtained from two different eras of the band. Disc one gathers together a collection of recordings by The Hollywood Blue Flames featuring stellar support from guitarists Kirk Fletcher and Junior Watson, all drawn from various studio sessions over the years with previously unreleased material that includes outtakes, alternates and some newly recorded songs. Disc two contains more vintage live recordings taken from a variety of source materials by the original Hollywood Fats Band, showcasing the amazing talent of Hollywood Fats and the evolution the band was undergoing before his untimely death in 1986. "Deep In America" stands as a testament to the strength and power of a band whose music continues to burn ever so brightly after igniting that very first flame more than three decades ago.
heck yeah,that is the way to play it,fantastic sound,greetings from missoura:),also mi good friend and band mate (BAUGSY MAUGH) sends his best,specially to LARRY THE MOLE TAYLOR..best of everything.chili
Just finished the "Stay in School Tour" in LA where I performed with five other artists in area high schools! We got a great reception and had a great time!
DISNEY HERE I COME!! Big News: Radio Disney has cast me to play the lead in their new miniseries “My Dream.” I will play Kayla, a girl from the Midwest who wants to be a pop star! I've got a new song to record for the show - I think you're going to love it! The song – and me singing it - will also be featured in a new music video that Disney is producing. Production for “My Dream” starts in June, so stay tuned to Radio Disney and www.radiodisney.com.
Thanks for playing my songs so much, and giving me so much love. It motivates me in everything I do! I love you all and know that everything I get to do is in part because of the support you give me. I will do my best not to let you down.
1. LEVEE TOWN 2. THE HOLLYWOOD BLUE FLAMES Deep in America 3. DAVID GERALD Hell and Back 4. TODD WOLFE BAND Stripped Down at the Bang Palace 5. TINSLEY ELLIS Speak No Evil 6. BILLY LAVENDER Memphis Livin’ 7. MARK "GUITAR" MILLER Whatcha Gonna Do! 8. QUINTUS MCCORMICK BLUES BAND Hey Jodie 9. WALTER TROUT Unspoiled by Progress - 20 Years of Hardcore Blues 10. MIKE ZITO Pearl River 11. ERICK HOVEY Blues Farm 12. DENNIS JONES Pleasure and Pain 13. JP BLUES Die Happy 14. AYNSLEY LISTER Equilibrium 15. WATERMELON SLIM Escape from the Chicken Coop 16. JOHN MAYALL Tough 17. WILL TUCKER Stealin’ the Soul 18. DAVID GOGO Different Views 19. JEFF DALE & THE SOUTH WOODLAWNERS Blues from the South Side of My Soul 20. BILLY WALTON BAND Neon City 21. SWAMP CABBAGE Squeal 22. SEAN CHAMBERS Ten Til Midnight 23. BOOGIE BONE Bone-A-Fied 24. ROBBEN FORD Soul on Ten 25. DEANNA BOGART 11th Hour 26. FRANK LATORRE AND THE KING BEES King Bee Boogie 27. TOMMY LEE COOK Buckingham Peace of Mind 28. TOMMY CASTRO Hard Believer 29. DARRELL NULISCH Just For You 30. RAMBLIN’ DAWGS Shoot Em Up 31. JACKS O DIAMONDS Here There and Everywhere 32. REV. MARV WARD Love Like You Never Been Burned 33. TAIL DRAGGER Live at the Rooster Lounge 34. STEVE HOWELL Since I Saw You Last 35. JEFF GOLUB Blues For You 36. PORKBELLY FUTURES 37. BLUE CONDITION Cheap Wine 38. SHANNON CURFMAN What You're Getting Into 39. THE HOLMES BROTHERS Feed My Soul<
You helped us to get to rank 18 (as per today - from 810!!)! Now we only need a few more votes to get to the TOP 8 - and get ourselves a nice gig!
And just in in case you did not already vote, please give us these 2 minutes and do it here!
Und für die Bluesfans, die zuwenig Englisch verstehen: es geht einfach darum, dass wir soooo gerne diesen Open-Air-Gig kriegen würden. Und dafür brauchen wir jetzt noch DEINE STIMME! Danke.
It was my pleasure to add "Nit Wit" to my Internet radio playlist (playing independent music commercial-free 24x7) and introduced it on my weekly podcast found at http://indiemusicsampler.com/2010/01/22/ims-168/
Online Now!
Hello! Hollywood Blue Flames,
