Category Archives: Walter Gentry

Stoney B Blues Summit Rocked the House – Gomez Blues Project

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Stoney B hosted his third annual blues summit Sunday evening at the TinRoof, and dozens of blues musicians and blues bands participated to a packed crowd.  It was a fantastic event, and I was able to get a lot of great video.

Alex Gomez was there with his Gomez Blues Project band, including a new blues singer in town, Cerissa Cole.  Wow, she has an incredible voice.  Here she is singing Aretha Franklin’s cover song Rock Steady.  She is with Alex Gomez on guitar, Victor Franklin on bass, Tony Peterson on drums & vocals, Walter Gentry playing the sax & Doc Holiday on keyboards.

And this next video is of them performing cover song Chain of Fools.

And last they did a Poppa Chubby cover song Stoop Down Baby, This tune features Walter Gentry on sax doing a solo and Alex Gomez on guitar.

San Diego Blues

Walter’s Chicken Wings Jam Night

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It was a slow (always that way after a holiday weekend) but good jam night at Patrick’s Pub.  Here is a clip of newcomer to the jam, Fred Lawson, on bass and singing You Better Pray.  Great song and some great solos from Johnny Vernazza on guitar, Chuck Arcilla on sax, and Walter Gentry on sax – our beloved jam host, along with Matthew Burgher on drums.

Note: Video is a bit grainy and a few times out of focus, which happens when the lighting isn’t that good where the sax players stand.  But still very worth watching.

San Diego Blues

Blues Jam Rocking with Lots of Brass

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Last night at Walter Gentry’s Chicken Wings blues jam at Patrick’s, we had a house full of brass (sax, trumpet and trombone).

In this video, visiting Australian Somerset Barnard is playing guitar and singing a Mojo Webb (another Australian bluesman) tune called Hands Like Mine.  The vocal sound quality isn’t that great, but the rest is really good and catches solos from everyone on stage.  Along with Somerset is Leonard Lee on guitar, Bert Hammer (visiting from Canada) on drums, Gary Stutts on bass, Steve Lang on harmonica, Chuck Arcilla on sax, Carlos Serrano on trumpet, Phil Lozano on trombone, and also on sax – a 21 year old I’m waiting to get the name of, who was amazing.

San Diego Blues

Full House at Walter’s Blues Jam

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Walter Gentry’s Tuesday night jam was another packed evening on and off the stage.  Who ever said blues is boring hasn’t been to a San Diego jam!

Here we have Ray Zvetini playing guitar and singing an Albert King (and later Eric Clapton) cover song Crosscut Saw.  With him on stage are Doyle Thomas on guitar, Seth Webster on bass, Lisa Viegas on drums, Tim Sutherland on keyboard, Ray Brown on trumpet and John Brooks on sax.

Some of the musicians switched out and Ray Brown took over the vocals and belted out that great Commodore’s cover song Brick House.  Justin Fools joined in on harmonica, Fuzzy Rankins played the keyboard, Matt Taylor was back on drums, and I’m not sure who was playing the other guitar.  Seth was still on bass, John was on sax, and I didn’t catch who joined them on trumpet.  The sound got a bit loud, so it didn’t pick up too well on my mic.

Earlier that night, Somerset Barnard, visiting from Australia, was performing one of his own tunes Nobody’s Fault.  He was joined by Seth Webster on bass guitar, Johnny Vernazza on guitar, Matt Taylor on drums, Ray Brown on trumpet and John Brooks on sax.

San Diego Blues

Chicago Blues Back in Town

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LaMonte DeMille is back in town with his Chicago Blues after being away this past year.  He was at Humphrey’s Backstage this weekend with his band, which includes many familiar faces in our blues scene (Walter Gentry on sax, Victor Franklin on bass and Ernie Ferrel on trumpet).

San Diego Blues

Hummin at Walter’s Tuesday Blues Jam

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Here’s a clip from Walter’s weekly Chicken Wings Jam at Patrick’s Pub.  I’m afraid it’s a bit grainy and dark, but it captures Shaaron Schuemaker on bass and singing that great cover song You Got Me Hummin, along with “Harmonica John” Frazer on harp, Johnny Vernazza on guitar (not sure who other guitarist was), Matt Taylor on drums, Tim Sutherland on keyboard, Chuck Arcilla on the sax, and Phil Lozano on trombone.

San Diego Blues

Higher Ground at Patrick’s

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Christine Gilardi and her newly formed band brought a mix of blues and soul to Patrick’s Thursday night.  Here is a clip of Christine singing Stevie Wonder’s cover song Higher Ground, along with James Ferguson on keyboard, David Lindgren on bass, Rene Woolley on drums, and Walter Gentry on sax.

Walter’s Blues Jam Hits the Spot

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I’ve been away too long from Walter’s weekly blues jam at Patrick’s Pub, which always brings in a great crowd and a good group of musicians each week.  All the different blues jams around town are unique and draw in a different mix of musicians from each other, and this jam is always lively, jammin and a good time!  I will be back more often 😉

Last night’s jam started at 9pm with members of the house jam band (who give up their spots to other musicians who come in after the first set) and last night they included Johnny Vernazza on guitar, Victor Marquez on guitar, Jim Reeves on bass guitar, Matt Taylor on drums, Tim Sutherland on keyboard, Chuck Arcilla playing the sax, Lampchops (Carlos Serrano) on trumpet and Phil Lozano on trombone.  Most of these guys have their own bands, and you can find them around town on other nights.

In this clip, Victor Marquez takes the lead with BB King cover song Why I Sing the Blues.

And in this clip, Johnny Vernazza leads and sings Buddy Guy’s cover song Talk to Me Baby.

Len Rainey & Midnight Players

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Len Rainey has Chicago roots, and you can hear it in the way he plays the blues.  You can find him regularly at Patrick’s Pub and Humphreys.

Last night I finally got some video of his band playing at Patrick’s, which includes Walter Gentry on sax, Johnny Vernazza on guitar, Matt on drums, and Len singing and playing bass.  Here he is performing a favorite cover song Black Cat Bone.

 

Walter Gentry Gives a Solo Sax Performance

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You don’t see Walter Gentry play his sax solo too often, so I was lucky to catch him perform last evening at his Chicken Wings Jam at Patrick’s Pub.  The audio on this video doesn’t do him justice.  He plays beautifully, as he did last night with his smooth and fluid notes.