Kurt Allen: For over a decade, Kurt Allen has been fusing gritty old school blues, vintage soul, swampy bayou funk, and more into a relentless blues-rock machine. His songwriting reflects craftsmanship honed by years of commitment, and his albums take the listener on an unforgettable ride to almost every corner of the blues universe. His latest release, Live From The Red Shed, is classic modern blues-rock. A true road warrior with a hardcore touring schedule that saw him playing 150-200 dates a year, Allen – like everyone else – was derailed for most of 2020-21 as the live music world shut down, but as soon as things began to open back up he was burning up the miles all over the lower 48. And, by the good graces of the Blues gods, he also ended up with a stellar live recording from The Red Shed in Hutchinson, Kansas. Over nine tracks Allen flexes his guitar muscle in a way only hinted at on previous studio releases.
James Barnes — known to audiences throughout the region as JB — carries the blues in his blood. Born in Cleveland, Ohio, and raised in New Jersey after his family moved east in 1965, he grew up steeped in the sound and spirit of the music. On his father’s side, JB traces his lineage back to Mississippi, the wellspring from which so much of this tradition flows. Those “Mississippi Roots” became more than just family history; they formed the bedrock of his artistic calling.
