Blues Two by Two (Tom Harold & Gordon Bonham and Andra Fay & Scott Ballantine)

In-person and online streaming options are available.

Blues is an improvisational art form that is quintessentially American. Each style of the blues has a unique harmonic syntax, melodic vocabulary, and associated improvisational techniques. During “Blues: Two by Two,” Gordon Bonham, Tom Harold, Andra Faye, and Scott Ballantine will deliver soulful and authentic blues performances in a variety of styles.

Bonham’s music blends styles from the Mississippi Delta to the back alleys of Chicago ,incorporating big Texas shuffles and West Coast swing. Bonham has performed with the legendary Pinetop Perkins and Robert Lockwood, Jr., and has opened for such greats as Buddy Guy, Robert Cray, and B. B. King. Harold performs harmonica and vocals with the Gordon Bonham Blues Band at clubs like The Slippery Noodle as well as arts and blues festivals. He also played on Bonham’s album of 11 original songs, Soon in the Morning.

Faye is acclaimed as the “First Lady of the Blues Mandolin.” She has has played with various bands, including Saffire – The Uppity Blues Women. In 2011, she formed a rootsy band called Andra Faye & The Rays. More recently, she joined forces with Ballantine, founder of The Strugglers, to create a dynamic blues duo that blends original compositions and traditional styles. Faye’s strong sultry vocals are perfectly matched to Ballantine’s inventive guitar mastery and exquisite phrasing with plucks, slides, bends, and vibrato. Their albums Laying Down Our Blues and Coulda Woulda Shoulda received acclaim both for their instrumental and vocal talents as well as their songwriting.

Saturday, Sep 21, 2024, 7 p.m. ET