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 Ten Years After |
 Rick Derringer |
 Edgar Winter |
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Review and photos by Mary Andrews Downtown Tucson rocked hard last night as the Rock 'N Blues Festival got under way.Canned Heat formed in Los Angeles in 1965. The founding members, Alan Wilson and Bob Hyte, are now deceased and the band has gone through many changes through the years since their appearance at Woodstock. Current members now are: Larry "The Mole" Taylor (bass, guitar, and Vocals), Adolfo "Fito" de la Parra (drums and vocals), Harvey "The Snake" Mandel (guitar), and Dale Westley Spalding (guitar, bass, harmonica, vocals). The band graced us with "Goin Up The Country" and "On The Road Again." The band was like a well-oiled machine that moved with flawless precision! Pat Travers has been on the rock scene since the mid-seventies. The other members of the band today consist of : Kirk McKim (guitars, vocals), Sandy Gennaro (drums), and Rodney O'Quinn (bass). Once the fan was turned on, Travers was ready to rock all night! The band paid homage to Jimi Hendrix with "Red House." They gave us some "Snortin' Whiskey" along with some other downhome blues! Rick Derringer hit the stage looking like a smaller version of Elton John! That's where the similarity between Derringer and John ends! Derringer started at the age of 17 in a group called the McCoys with a huge hit "Hang On Sloopy." As he matured, he turned to blues-rock and had a major hit with "Rock and Roll Hoochie Koo." Derringer has worked extensively with Edgar Winter and Steely Dan through his career. He announced early in the set he was "too old to play "Teenage Love Affair." He was quite happy to perform an extended version of "Sloopy" and "Hoochie Koo" though! Edgar Winter was a major highlight of the evening. I was a "hi-fi" aficionado back in the '70s and I remember every upscale stereo store that blasted Edgar Winter's "Frankenstein" until your pit-hair stood on end! Tweeters and woofers were put to supreme test with this monster track! Winter hails from Beaumont, TX and was a musical child prodigy. He formed the groups White Trash and later, The Edgar Winter Group. He invented the keyboard body strap early in his career, an innovation that allows him the freedom to move around freely stage! And, tonight, move around he did! His trip down memory lane started with "Tobacco Road." continued with "Free Ride," and finished with "Frankenstein." Time has been kind to Mr. Winter and the audience was the beneficiary of his good fortune! The final group was Ten Years After (TYA)! TYA is an English blues-rock band, most popular in the late 1960s and early 1970s. They are alumni of Woodstock. The most noticeable absence is that of Alvin Lee. Lee died earlier this year but he left the band in 2003. The band now consists of: Leo Lyons (bass), Chick Churchill (keyboards), Ric Lee (drums), and Joe Gooch (guitar and vocals). There are a lot of Alvin Lee purists out there as there should be. This band's strength has always been in the live performance, especially when Alvin lit up his guitar. The excitement is still there though thanks to Leo Lyons. The technical expertise is very much intact and it made for a very satisfying crowd experience! |
 Pat Travers |
 Canned Heat |
 Edgar Winter |
 Ten Years After |
 Canned Heat |
 Pat Travers |
 Canned Heat |
 Rick Derringer |
 Edgar Winter |
 Rick Derringer |
 Pat Travers |
 Edgar Winter |
 Ten Years After |