Ezra Charles and The Texas Blues Band Gruene Hall, Gruene, Texas (06/17/07) — Image by kenne
Ezra Charles and The Texas Blues Band Gruene Hall, Gruene, Texas (06/17/07) — Image by kenne
Ezra Charles and The Texas Blues Band
What was almost ruined, because of heavy rains most of the day, turned out to be the best ever of the Bernhardt Winery Porch Series — even with the band not on the porch, but inside the winery. Ezra and the band more than made up for what may have been an inconvenience for some. The only thing missing was a beautiful sunset so common to this venue.
kenne
This is what we expect to see tomorrow evening listening to Ezra Charles and the Texas Blues Band at Bernhardt Winery. Check out FOBulous!
kenne
What a great change of pace for Market Street Jazz in the Park fans. The normal sounds of “Smooth Jazz,” which for many is just another name for “elevator music,” came alive with the Ezra Charles and the Works rocking blues. Ezra, a long-time gulf-coast favorite, wasted no time letting the hundreds of people in the park know they were in for an evening of blues, southeast Texas style, not smooth jazz. This bluesman also told the audience that he listens to the Sunday blues on 90.1 FM, not Smooth Jazz on 95.7 FM, the major sponsor of the Jazz in the Park series. Way to go Ezra!
At first glance, many of the audience looked like deer in the headlights as they began to reprogram their smooth jazz expectations. It didn’t take long for the music to begin reaching the rhythms in each of us, the depths of our soul.
After the first song, it may have been obvious to Ezra that most in the audience was hearing him for the first time, he ask for a show of hands. More hands than not went up and Ezra responded by asking, “Where have you been, under a rock?” — Never one to hold back what he thinks. With that, Ezra and the band went into playing some of his new music on the new about to be released CD. It was clear that this Beaumont product saw the perfect “teaching moment” and spent the next three hours increasing everyone’s knowledge and appreciation of blues music, southeast Texas-style.
I have had the privilege to hear Ezra on many occasions and have long loved his music and entertaining boogie/piano-style, but this was one of those raw times parallel universes crossed resulting in an evening to remember. (Ezra’s mother, handling the sell of CDs, ran out for the first time ever.) You can help create the crossing of parallel universities by taking in live-music in the greater Houston area regularly and inviting a friend.
If you are interested in learning more about Ezra Charles and the Works, visit http://www.ezracharles.com/
If you are interested in hearing and seeing soulful-blues at its best, then don’t miss Grady Gaines & the Texas Upsetters, with The Calvin Owens Orchestra opening, next Thursday, 6-9 pm at the “First Thursday Free Concert Series,” Heritage Park in Downtown Conroe. Tell your friends!
http://www.gradygaines.com/
kenne