In tribute to the genius of Ray Charles, a swinging septet of outstanding Bay Area musicians offers their take on some of the highlights from Ray’s amazing songbook.

Tony Lindsay has 11 Grammy awards on his mantel after spending two decades as lead singer of Santana, and has recorded with Patti Austin, Aretha Franklin, Curtis Mayfield, and Steve Winwood.

Blues guitarist extraordinaire Chris Cain has played with Albert King and Albert Collins, Johnny Otis and Junior Wells, Boz Scaggs and Willie Nelson, and recorded ten solo albums, including his latest, So Many Miles, which the Chicago Blues Guide calls “a delicious blend of blues laced with jazz and rock.”

Glenn Walters sang lead for two sensational Bay Area bands, the Hoodoo Rhythm Devils and the Zasu Pitts Memorial Orchestra. The San Francisco Examiner called his voice “as warm, furry, and comforting as a mink coat. You just wanna wrap it around you.”

Bassist Dewayne Pate has worked with an array of top Bay Area talents including Huey Lewis and the News, Boz Scaggs, Maria Muldaur, and Robben Ford. He’s also a columnist for Bassics Magazine, and his instructional video, The Art of Tapping, has been widely popular. Reviewer Andrew Gilbert called his album Melting Pot “an impressive array of grooves.”

Jim Pugh is a distinguished trombonist, composer, and educator. The inspiring virtuosity and wonderful versatility he has demonstrated during the course of his career has caused Jim to be often honored as the “musician's musician”. Whether he is performing as a concerto soloist in a symphonic setting, recording and touring with legendary artists in the fields of classical, jazz, and rock, or bringing forth his own exciting new compositions that expand the role of brass in contemporary music, his creativity knows no boundaries. 

Deszon Claiborne is the drummer for Clockwork, the Tammy Hall Trio and has worked with Taj Mahal, Peter Apfelbaum, Gregory James, Jai Uttal, and Bill Ortiz.

Join these musical dynamos in a tribute to the genius of soul and blues, Ray Charles!

visit the Tony Lindsay website

visit the Chris Cain website

visit the Glenn Walters website

visit the Dewayne Pate website

visit the Jim Pugh website