Sugar Ray & the Bluetones Bring Their Bluesy "Evening" to Chan's

The award-winning act Sugar Ray and the Bluetones will return to Chan's this Saturday for a night of world-class music performed by seasoned blues veterans.

Their latest CD "Evening" is nominated for five Blues Music Awards to be chosen at the 33rd annual event in May of this year, including Album of the Year. "Evening" is the band's fifth album for Severn Records and their first release since, "My Life, My Friends, My Music" in 2007. The 2007 release was also nominated at the Blues Music Awards for "Album of the Year" and included their hit "Last Words of a Fool." This album is more a reflection of the band's live performances live than their previous recordings.

"We approached this new album like Hank Williams made records. I went in with my lyrics, just rough sketches of the songs and the great musicians in the Bluestones, who always play something exciting," said Sugar Ray, whose last name is Norcia. "This album is more spare, gritty and in the Chicago blues vein than when we used a full horn section in 'My Life, My Friends, My Music' which was more jump bluesy."

The new album contains nine original songs plus some covers including their blazing opener of Johnny Young's "I'm Having a Ball," Otis Rush's "You Know My Love" and the title track "Evening" which had been recorded by T. Bone Walker, Jimmy Rushing and others.

Norcia and the other members of the Bluetones are seasoned veterans in the music industry, sharpening their musical skills on tracks and live performances for more than thirty years. New England based Norcia's career kicked into high gear back in 1979 when he formed the original Sugar Ray and the Bluetones band, which included legendary guitarist Ronnie Earl. His vocal style is smooth as silk, yet infinitely expressive. From 1991 to 2000 he was the lead vocalist for Roomful of Blues. He has appeared on over 50 albums, including his work with the Bluetones and Roomful of Blues plus others with Duke Robillard, Ronnie Earl, Ann Peebles, Pinetop Perkins, Big Walter Horton and Otis Grand.

The Bluetones are: "Monster" Mike Welch, who has been a perennial blues guitar hero since his early teens; Anthony Geraci, who floats across that keyboard effortlessly; and the rhythm section of Michael "Mudcat" Ward on bass and Neil Gouvin on drums, who create the solid rhythm the lead instruments build upon.

The band will have one performance this Saturday at 8 p.m. Tickets are $15.