Tommy Castro
NewMusicforOldFolks says …
Tommy Castro can exchange blues guitar licks with anybody, but there’s more to him than shredding. If you’re looking for your blues to be a little more danceable, this is the place to go. The San Francisco area native has been recording and touring for years and never fails to put on a first-class show. He plays more shows on the West Coast than the rest of the country, but Tommy makes it to the Heartland more than many California acts. Soul Shaker is a personal favorite, but there's not a bad choice in the bunch.
Artist's info
Website: tommycastro.com
See him live: Tour dates
Record company: Alligator Records
Genre: Blues, R&B
If you like this, look into: Coco Montoya, Robert Cray, Walter “Wolfman” Washington
Bio (from the artist's website)
Whether he’s squeezing out the deepest blues or playing the funkiest soul grooves, legendary blues and soul giant Tommy Castro knows how to ignite a crowd. Over the course of his still-unfolding career, the guitarist, vocalist and songwriter has released 15 albums ranging from horn-fueled soul and R&B to piping hot blues to fiery rock ‘n’ roll. He’s performed all over the world, earning countless fans with his legendary, sweat-drenched, exhilarating live shows. Castro’s band, The Painkillers—bassist Randy McDonald, drummer Bowen Brown and keyboardist Michael Emerson—have now been playing together over four years. After hundreds of live shows, they have coalesced into one of the telepathically tightest units Castro has ever assembled, making them one of the most in-demand live roots music acts performing today. Billboard says the band plays “irresistible contemporary blues-rock” with “street-level grit and soul.” (more)
Spotify sampler
Recordings
Most Recent
METHOD TO MY MADNESS (2015): Over the course of his four-decade career, Castro has played thousands of shows to hundreds of thousands of fans, packing dance floors, always leaving them screaming for more. He and his band, The Painkillers (currently featuring bassist Randy McDonald, keyboardist Michael Emerson and drummer Bowen Brown), play music that is guaranteed to fire up fans and with Method To My Madness, the group turns the intensity up another notch. “My main objective when making a new album,” says Castro, “is to do something different from before. I’ve always been a blues guy; it’s what I’m meant to do. But I’m always listening and reacting to what’s going on in the outside world, experimenting with my guitar tone and my songwriting approach to constantly keep my music fresh. In the end, though, my brand is on every song.” See the newmusicforoldfolks.com review
THE DEVIL YOU KNOW (2014): With his turbo-charged new Alligator Records album, The Devil You Know, multiple Blues Music Award-winner Tommy Castro strips his music down to its raw essence as he rockets into the next phase of his storied career. The Devil You Know, recorded in the Bay Area with his fiery new band The Painkillers and produced by Castro and Bonnie Hayes, is a contemporary blues tour-de-force. The album is an untamed, high-energy set of 13 songs, including nine written or co-written by Castro.
Others
No Foolin (1994)
Exception to the Rule (1995)
Can't Keep a Good Man Down (1997)
Right as Rain (1998)
Live at the Fillmore (2000)
Guilty of Love (2001)
Triple Trouble (2003)
Gratitude (2003)
Soul Shaker (2005)
Painkiller (2007)
Hard Believer (2009)
Tommy Castro Presents The Legendary Rhythm & Blues Revue! (2011)
