Photo by Carissa Johnson
(JERSEY CITY, NJ) -- Fiery blues-rocker Debra Devi plans to mellow out for her show at Fox & Crow in the Heights on Saturday, April 8. “We love the intimacy of the Parlour at Fox and Crow,” Devi says. “This will be a full-band show, but with more acoustic guitar and Americana vibes. We’ll be trying out some new songs, too.”
Devi is currently mixing the follow-up to her live EP Jamification Station, Vol. 1, which reached #5 on the Relix/Jambands.com Top 30 Radio Chart and got rave reviews comparing her to artists like Susan Tedeschi, Grace Potter and Sheryl Crow. Devi and her crack band (John Roccesano on drums, Kevin Jones on bass, and Martin Schmid on keys) have been hitting festivals, most recently co-headlining The Haverford Music Festival with Joe Louis Walker and The Bongos.
In late March, Devi produced Blues Rock Women at The Bowery Electric in New York City, featuring Ruf Records blues artist Katie Henry, Devi, Danielia Cotton and The Outcrops. “I discovered I love producing shows when I did the three cross-genre ‘Jersey City Rocks White Eagle Hall’ concerts showcasing the diversity and talent here in Jersey City,” Devi says. “It’s really fun for me to put together a great bill that gives amazing female and/or artists of color a new opportunity to be seen and heard.”
Tickets are $10 at the door (cash or Venmo). Fox & Crow is located at 594 Palisade Avenue in Jersey City, New Jersey.
Devi’s growing acclaim as "one of the most remarkable guitarists on the East Coast." (Good Times) has led to festival dates from Memphis to Montana. Devi is the first female guitarist to endorse Homestead Amplifiers, which builds custom amps for Gov’t Mule, Gary Clark Jr. and Jimmy Herring. She is also a Fender and Shubb Capo artist.
Devi is the author of the popular book, The Language of the Blues (foreword by Dr. John) which won the ASCAP Deems Taylor Award. The book is blurbed by Bonnie Raitt, Joe Bonamassa, Hal Willner, Ministry singer Al Jourgensen, Ed Sanders, Bob Margolin and Jimmy Vivino.
Devi fell in love with electric guitar as a girl, listening to her teenage neighbor play Led Zeppelin while he worked on his car, and her brother’s rock albums. “I always sang the guitar solos, instead of the lyrics,” Devi says. Growing up in that Milwaukee suburb, though, she got the message that only boys played in bands.
When she saw Bonnie Raitt perform in college, Devi couldn’t stifle her longing to play anymore. She bought a Fender Mustang at a pawnshop and moved to NYC. There, Devi joined various bands, touring the US, Canada and Europe.
As a solo artist, Devi created a classic rock sound that enables her to indulge her love of guitar solos. Devi’s self-produced debut, Get Free (True Nature Records/Redeye), received raves from Vintage Guitar, Jambase, Marie Claire (Italy), Guitar International.
Devi returned to the studio to produce her Wild Little Girl EP. “Wild LIttle Girl reflects my desire to encourage girls and women to be creative and free, and fulfill their potential,” Devi says.
