Tony Vegas is a recent transplant to New Orleans but he's traveled a musical journey to get where he is and has gained much from his voyages. Tony started playing guitar in 1959 taught by Merejo Martinez, a blind recording artist who worked in the studio of his grandfather’s radio station CMHK in Casa Virgilio, Cuba.  Tony came to the US with his family in 1962 and got his next inspiration from the '60 &'70's British blues artists, when he first heard Eric Clapton play “Hideaway” back in 1966, “Man, it was the coolest. Then I jammed with these old blues guys and I was really surprised that they knew “Hideaway” and they quickly told me that I was playing Freddie King!” From there Tony took the time to learn and gain inspiration from the original blues classics where the music has it's roots.

The album starts off with what could be the ultimate revenge song, “Since You Left Me” with Tony boasting with satifaction that he hasn't had the blues since she left. Any red blooded man would notice “Hey Loretta” from the way she wears her red sweater.  As recent immigrant to the Crescent City “Cajun Ladies” sounds like a cross between  Leon Russell's “Delta Lady” and the Beatles “I Saw Her Standing There” his guitar is as hot and spicy as the southern belles he's singing about. After looking for luv the joy of finding real love comes through in “Because You Touched My Heart” with a chord structure and slide guitar work reminiscent of George Harrison. “Driving On Sunday” is a cruisin' number with the addition of an organ groove reminiscent of “Groovin” by the Rascals, but his jazzy guitar playing has a warm mellow feeling like a lazy afternoon and leaves the other grooves in the dust. The drums and vocals stay rock steady as the guitar goes wild in the upbeat number,“You Just Went A Little Crazy” really showing what Tony can do when he lets loose. Taking it back to the bar with “The Oppa Loompa” Vegas's guitar playing makes up for the silly title on this danceable number. Tony has put together his tribute to Freddie King by not playing “Hideaway” note for note but working all around the theme on “Freddy Rides Again” and does the Texas blues master proud. Pulling all his influences together, “Have You Ever Had The Blues?” is a look into the Tony Vegas blues experience, his singing is crisp and tough and the guitar screams and hums along as Vegas proves he's learned his lessons well. On the club circuit they want a band to do some covers and with Tony's choice of Otis Redding's “Try a Little Tenderness” his vocals stand out with some tough blue eyed soul. He pulls it off with a unique arrangement of guitar filling in the lines where back up singers or horns would be expected and has the energy and power to pull it off.

Tony Vegas is a hard hitting guitar slinger who makes that electric guitar squawk and scream plus he's got a voice that is good enough to sell the songs on their own. He might not have the Crescent City soul of his adopted city but he's got all the blues and soul he'll ever need. —Roger & Margaret White This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it