It's not too often we get a chance to have a young peacock like Jason Ricci to adorn our stage. This cat is absolutely trancendent. A flagrantly beautiful man, Ricci struts his stuff like a young Rod the Mod and gobbles up the audience with the audacity and good humor of Peter Wolf.

Ricci travels all over the world, plays about 300 gigs a year. And it shows. Ricci and New Blood, his top-notch band of rockin' funkified blues hooligans, are simply one of the best and tightest acts to come this way since Kim Wilson huffed and puffed blew the house down. It doesn't get any better than this. And you know why...it's that Ricci is unique. He's found his own voice. He's not the same old white guy blowing those stale Little Walter imitations with about as much feeling as Bush doin' the back door on Condoleezza and she gets them buck teeth caught on his zipper and Bush comes back to the Imperial bedroom with Condi hanging from his crotch and he says,
"just out trolling for some good back water catfish, Laura honey-dear".
But she ain't payin' "W" no mind 'cos she's watching "Dangerous Housewives" and ridin' a meat cleaver lookin' for a good Republican pony harness. But anyway...

Jason Ricci is one of the most savvy and energetic players to hit town in a long time. He plays with unusual speed and precision. From a freight train to a whisper, Ricci knows how to squeeze unusual sounds and couplings from his harp....and he's got an unusual vibrato that's otherworldly yet oddly human. Like A.P. Carter "bassing-in" on Maybelle and singin' a solo. He's listening to his own muse and putting a fresh face on the blues
Thank God

And he's got this guy Starsky. A great guitarist with lightning powered riffs and a tonal perfection this side of the pearly gates...

"St. Peter, you gotta let this guy in. I don't care if he's a sinner-man, devil musician and he hangs with Jason Ricci. His riff are sooo divine...can we make a deal?" The band opens with a powerful instrumental that takes us for a trip around the world. At times both celebratory and poignant, beautiful but discordant, divine yet very human.
This band jumps the funk. Their jazzy version of Mercy, Mercy, Mercy is rockin' and powerful. Get back Cannonball. Maybe that's what sets them apart from so many other blues bands...they are able to express themselves in any way they see fit and are not limited by others' notions about the blues. Whether it's the shuffle of Hip Shake", the punched-up 12-bar blues of Blue and Lonesomeor the funky rockin' take on Wish You Would, Ricci & New Blood put their own stamp on some of better known songs in their repetoire.
Tradition be damned, America's sinkin' and it's a brave new world
Ricci's got it goin' and he can "Hey Ya" like McClinton without the dreadlocks. He's a bonafide funk/punk master who can put you on with a half smile, a wink, and true joyousness. One of his best songs, My Head Is Bad Entertainment is a stone punk/blues masterpiece. A close second is Ricci's sexy funked-up blues workout on Scatch My Back
But he keeps you up on the edge of you seat wonderin' what he'll do nest...you can't predict what a skinny little street urchin might do...looks so sweet but them teeth are razor sharp. You might be lookin' for another blues and he throws out some New Orleans gumbo or some Count Basie swing...just havin' fun

For those brave souls who dared to venture forth on a Wednesday Night, I salute you for your interest.

You were well rewarded.

Peace,
Bo White
10/19/04