Umberto Porcaro & The Shuffle Kings
Umberto Porcaro & The Shuffle Kings
Genres: blues, guitar, harmonica, blues rock, harmonica blues
The Nick Moss Band featuring Dennis Gruenling
About Umberto Porcaro & The Shuffle Kings
About Umberto Porcaro, singer, guitarist and band leader was born in Palermo in 1979, but for his musical style may have been born in any town in Texas or California. In fact it is considered one of the most talented bluesman in Italy, and his ability led him to be appreciated abroad, both in Europe and the United States. “Umberto Porcaro & The Rollercoaster” was his first group and with this line up he recorded You Belong To Me in 2002, followed by his attendance at major Blues and Jazz Festivals and has the opportunity to share the stage with artists such as B.B. King, Buddy Guy, Robben Ford, Roy Rogers, Canned Heat, The Blues Band. In 2005 he released his second CD Burn The Day Away with excellent recognition from Italian and foreign reviews. Biography Umberto Porcaro, singer, guitarist and band leader was born in Palermo (Italy)in 1979. After years of classical and jazz guitar studies, Umberto fell in love with the blues, on a hot May’s night. As years passed, he started studying and understanding all aspects of blues. Moved by curiosity, he travelled to the “House of Blues” in Chicago. In fact it is considered one of the most talented bluesman in Italy, and his ability led him to be appreciated abroad, both in Europe and the United States. This experience proved to be very strong and being in contact with masters of the Chicago style as Billy branch and Fernando Jones, on which he performed in duet sessions along many city venues. In fact, during 2001 he decide to found his first band, “Umberto Porcaro & Roller Coaster” and his debut album “You belong to me”. In the following years, Umberto doesn’t stop and wins selections for “Obiettivo Blues”, a contest for emerging bluesmen arranged by the “Pistoia Blues Festival”, being the first sicilian artist into the festival’s history. The Pistoia milestone is a turning point for Umberto, who shares the stage with artists like BB.KING, BUDDY GUY, ROBBEN FORD, ROY ROGERS, CANNED HEAT, THE BLUES BAND, and figure in the record compilation produced after the festival. In fact it is considered one of the most talented bluesman in Italy, and his ability led him to be appreciated abroad, both in Europe and the United States. Andy Just april 2011, Stones CafèAfter 4 years, Umberto complete his 2nd record “Burn the day away”, with 4 covers and 10 original songs, getting noticed by local and international press. But Umberto’s very dream is to come back to the US. So, in 2006 he follows his dreams and move for a short period on the West Coast, between L.A. and San Francisco. Here he decides to really put himself into the local blues circuit, playing in famous venues like the Cafè Boogaloo in Hermosa Beach (Los Angeles), the Mojo Lounge in Freemont and the Biscuit and Blues in San Francisco, meeting great blues artists and getting in artistic partnerships with the likes of KIM WILSON, KID RAMOS, JUNIOR WATSON, HOLLYWOOD BLUES FLAMES, MARK HUMMEL and R.J.MISCHO. Back to Italy, and ending his band project, he starts touring Europe with the likes of Jerry Portnoy, Sonny Rhodes, RJ.Mischo, Andy Just, Pat Wilder, Texas Slim, Vivian Vance Kelly, Brian Templeton, Dave Rileyy and takes part in important europeans Blues festivals like Vache de Blues (France), Bellinzona Blues Passion (Switzerland), Blues and Jazzy Rallye (Luxembourg), Hookrock(Belgium), Pistoia Blues Festival (Italy) e Magic Blues (Switzerland). Today Umberto, after years of successful experiences, has created his own style, taking notes from the Californian Old School and sounds of the Texas Blues, and he’s a favourite of critics and public one of most respected and widely known blues contemporary in europe. All his of his concerts are made of his experiences, and he’s able to synthesize showmanship with musical improvisation turning him into a public favourite. In his last work with the new band “The Shuffle Kings”, “Pleasure is my business”, he takes the listener to a trip between Texas and Chicago. “Pleasure is my business” is a compendium of all studies and efforts, where the sound of his guitar is now unmistakable and his voice hot and scratchy make every blues fan dreaming. “Blues will never die because on every planet’s corner there are boys like Umberto Porcaro in love with a simple and immortal music”. This would be a nice compliment from anyone, but this in fact came from the Blues legend B.B. King. A real honor and not only an amazing achievement. (“La Republica” – Tuesday, 9th of July 2002) Website: Umberto Porcaro Official Website
Taken from Last.fm
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