Kenny Wayne Shepherd Band "Live in Chicago"

Let us not forget that this guy had three platinum albums in the late 90's by the ripe old age of 22!  He's been studying the history of blues this past decade, and this live recording is from the supporting tour for the 10 Days Out:  Blues from the Backroads project.  And it was promptly nominated for Contemporary Blues Album of the Year for the upcoming Grammys... As it turns out, Kenny was sickly the day this was scheduled for recording, but he soldiered through and went on with the show...and he gets a Grammy nod for an off day...shit... 

This CD is about half of the nearly three-hour concert...shit, on an off day he'll play three hours...  and you can read the "featuring" names above.  Not your household list of major-name stars, but look up their resumes and get back to me...I'll wait...  The drummer is none other than Chris "Whipper" Layton of Double Trouble and the whole shebang is produced by Jerry Harrison, former member of Jonathan Richman's Modern Lovers and the Talking Heads, and he's pretty much been involved with KWS his entire professional career.  When vocalist Noah Hunt joined up for the second album, 3 #1 singles followed and the guys became their generation's version of Robin Trower and James Dewar.  Sorry, Jonny Lang, you've got a classic blues voice but you're no KWS on the six-string.  Shepherd doesn't hog the spotlight, either, deftly deferring to his band's considerable talents and stepping out to smoke the axe only when necessary.  Allow me to submit this video as evidence.  It was a promo clip in Canada, I think, of the blues classic "I'm a King Bee." 

I am so glad he's back, and let's hope for new studio material in 2011.  If you've ever considered yourself a SRV fan, you'll enjoy this recording.