Sometimes the blues comes at you out of the corner of your eye, when you least expect it. Case in point: Country blues guys Izzy Stetar and Chris Nacy. They've been playing in and around the Burgh for a while now, most recently as a country blues duo. Izzy was a 2006 finalist for the International Blues Challenge from the Blues Society of Western Pa. Izzy & Chris represented the West Virginia Blues Society in the 2008 blues duo category. So they've been around. And they've got some cred.
But it took Betsie Brown, a music publicist out of Memphis who's always on the lookout for regional acts to promote nationally, to send me "Preachin' the Blues, Vol. 1" (80/20 Music), last year's fine little gem of an album by Izzy and Chris. As often as they've been in the area, I have to admit to not having seen them. Heck, even BeerNotes missed them at the Bocktown Beer and Grill last year.
Let me say first that I'm sorry I missed them -- these young guys write, sing and play country blues with a vengeance, as well as an uncanny feeling for the spirit of the music. Guitarist Izzy, from Weirton, W.Va., is the vocalist. His whiskey-flavored vocals ride mean guitar licks, carried along by Chris on harp, flowing out of the great tradition of acoustic blues. If couldn't see the album cover, you might not think this rootsy music was possible from a couple of young white dudes.
Even more impressive is that their music here is all original, except for one track. It's one thing to be able to perform a musical style, it's another to re-create it yourself.
Since the CD has been out since last year, and I'm just catching up with it, some of you are probably already hip to their music and this album. If you're not, give it a spin. Go see them.
Here's a YouTube video of them playing a song from the CD, "Flat Broke and Busted":
By the way, thanks to everyine for all the comments lately, and especially to Bluzer for all the great links.
Posted
Jul 09 2009, 01:00 AM
by
Jim White