Nancy Wenstrom
NW & Blues Kitchen
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check out this video I made of "Too Hot To Stop", a tune I wrote about the the late, great bluesman Ron Thompson after seeing him play back in the 1980's on Haight Street in SF. He later became both a mentor and a friend and he is revered and missed by many.
CLICK ON CD TO HEAR SOME SAMPLES
NANCY WENSTROM
Bay Area recording artist Nancy Wenstrom, is a singer, guitarist and songwriter extraordinaire who has recorded 8 solo albums since 1990 and has had a musical career that spans 4 decades. Blues Kitchen was her band/project from 2010-2013 that included both her original songs as well as cover tunes from some of her favorite guitarists, BB King, Jimi Hendrix, T-Bone Walker and others. Her love for rockin' blues guitar playing and arrangements with R&B horns was her inspiration for this venture. Brad Catania on trumpet and Guido Fazio on tenor sax made up the horn section extroidinaire, and they were responsible for the great horn arrnagements as well.
SARAH BAKER
On keyboards and vocals is the incomparable Sarah Baker, who was born near Memphis, Tennessee to a musical family, her southern musical roots running deep, beginning with her father, a gospel singer, whom she accompanied to country church revivals from the age of five. As a songwriter, vocalist, and pianist, she fuses elements of New Orleans traditions, swamp boogie, Memphis blues, and country to create an original, accessible style that resonates with a wide variety of musicians and bands. Dr. Baker (Ph.D) has recorded for London Records and Firenze Records as well as for various compilations. Her bands have appeared with artists such as Lou Rawls, Charles Brown, Etta James, Taj Majal, Charlie Musselwhite, and John Lee Hooker.
JAN MARTINELLI
On bass guitar is Jan Martinelli, a native San Franciscan, who began playing instruments at a very early age, starting with piano, guitar and drums and finally the bass guitar. In her twenty-five year professional career, she’s mastered a variety of musical styles with an emphasis on funk, jazz and latin jazz. Jan has toured with dozens of bands, playing major festivals, performance halls and clubs around the country, and has more than twenty recordings to her credit. She has worked with Terry Garthwaite, Larry Lynch, Holly Near, the Blazing Redheads, Mary Watkins, Robin Flower, Linda Tillery, Orquesta and Wild Mango, a seven piece World Jazz ensemble that toured nationally and internationally and has produced three CDs. She has played the Aspen Jazz Festival, Monterey Jazz Festival, Barbados Jazz Festival, Smithsonian and opened for Manhattan Transfer, Poncho Sanchez, Joe Lovano.
CHRIS LOCKHEED
On drums and backup vocals is the talented Chris Lockheed who has recorded with Capitol Records, Epic Records, CBS Records, Sony Records, Uni Records and has played with Goose Creek Symphony, Blue Cheer, New Riders Of The Purple Sage, Lightnin Hopkins, The Tubes.
Chris has recorded numerous national albums and has done many national tours with major acts. He is also currently playing with his ACDC tribute band BACKNBLACK and he does national shows with a Johnny Cash tribute RUSTY EVANS & RING OF FIRE.