WEST COAST BLUES

The Oozie Blues

Please see the review on The Oozie Blues on our Upcoming Issue Page for the background on "Josie and Norman Pingrey and their ‘Labor-of-Love’- The Oozie Blues. Norman & Josie are the epitome of the altruistic Blues crusaders that we so desperately need all over North America...Norm, a long-time Blues bassist, (John Lee Hooker, Smokey Wilson, Deacon Jones, Mickey Champion a/o) had all the club circuit savvy and connections, plus he also had a foot-in-the-door at all the ‘underground’ Black Blues hangouts that still existed.  Josie, on the other hand, was well-versed in booking, publicity, promoting, organizing and ‘babysittin’ musicians so it was probably a natural ‘given’ to take on the task of preserving and promoting the L.A. Blues.  Hence the birth of The Oozie Blues, a band with a core rhythm section of Norm (bass) and Johnny ‘D’ Dominguez on drums.  Johnny has played with EVERYBODY and is also one of the best on the backbeat.  The idea was to connect with a fluid core line-up of L.A. Blues veterans so that Oozie Blues built up a reputation as a band that always had at least 3 or 4 ‘stars’ in the line-up.  Not only do audiences get a mega-dose of Authentic Blues, but the featured artists get a chance to play regularly and get the exposure they need so desperately with White fans. On this CD, the first Oozie Blues release, we have a superb Blues smorgasbord with sax legend Elliott Chavers, Big Terry DeRouen (who may be the greatest Blues guitarist alive), ‘Mr. Blues’ Leshun, one of the finest vocalists in California (by way of Texas) and one of the best kept Blues guitar secrets – the great Honey Davis.  May the Oozie Blues continue to lead their California Blues crusade ‘til every one of the great 1950s/60s L.A. Blues legends are household names...Check out the Oozie Blues website to find out what’s happening with many L.A. Blues legends."

Andy Grigg, Real Blues Magazine

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The Oozie Blues all-stars include; Norm Pingrey - bass guitar, Arturo Perez - guitar, Terry DeRouen - guitar, Steve Guillory - guitar, Honey Davis - guitar, Johnny "D" - drums, Anthony Davis - drums, Joe Houston - sax, Wayne Wayne - sax, Jonny Viau - sax, Elliott Chavers - sax, Mister Blues Leshun - vocals.

More information on West Coast Artists coming soon...