Little Charlie & The Nightcats
Renowned US blues band.
Governor Hindmarsh Hotel Wednesday September 29.

This jivey San Francisco Bay area quartet - the absolute state-of-the-art in contemporary white club blues - is constructed on the classic T-Bird chassis, but the standard formula has been customised with a decidedly personal stamp. 'Little Charlie' is guitarist Charlie Baty, who salts his blues with bop and billy touches, which display as much affinity with Roy Buchanan as the Brothers Vaughn. But the Nightcat's frontman is Rick Estrin, whose extrovert presence, witty originals and blasting harp seem to be beamed in from a parallel universe where Little Walter was a member of The Coasters. At the very least Estrin rolls J. Geils vocalist Peter Wolfe and harpist Magic Dick into one rail-thin, baggy suited hustler/clown. Baty and Estrin have been together since the mid-70's, and had earned an enviable home-state reputation as a 'Grade A Live Band', but they only managed to fight their way out of California when Alligator Records signed them in 1987. The resulting album 'All The Way Crazy', put them over first nationally, then internationally.

Their combination of cartoony humour, hepcat authenticity, crowd pleasing showmanship and solid musicality makes them the most impressive - not to mention the most fun - of all the would be successors to the Fabulous Thunderbirds crown. Driving from styles ranging from Chicago and jazzy West Coast blues to Texas Swing to rockabilly to surf music and R & B, the Nightcats sing mostly original songs, and are noted for their wry, satirical lyrics. They also perform adaptations of obscure older tunes.

Make no mistake, Little Charlie & The Nightcats are not new to the scene, they are a modern day revivalist band. Their utter mastery of American Roots music in any style is fuelled by Baty's jaw-dropping guitar acrobatics and driven by Estrin's winning original songs, wise-guy vocals and deep harmonica playing. In 1986, the band sent an unsolicited tape to Alligator Records. Alligator president, Bruce Iglauer was blown away, he flew to Sacramento to see the band and was sold. Their debut album, 'All The Way Crazy', was released in 1987 to overwhelming success. Almost immediately, they went from playing small Sacramento blues clubs to performing concerts around the country and around the world.

After their highly acclaimed appearance at the East Coast Blues Festival in 1992, followed by sold-out Australian tours in 1994 and 1996, their return to Australia is both overdue and much anticipated.

Now established as one of the world's most 'in demand' acts, the band is currently touring to promote their latest album, 'Shadow Of The Blues', which sees the band dive head first into the most straight ahead blues album of their long career. Featuring eight Estrin originals out of thirteen tunes, filled with humour, bravado, sophistication and style, the album showcases the band's ability to make the classic 1950's Chicago blues style meaningful to a 1999 audience.

"Shadow Of The Blues', finds Little Charlie & The Nightcats playing some of the toughest, deepest, and most original blues today. Searing and unbelievable guitar playing, cascades of harmonica riding waves of tight shuffles, foot stomping boogies and down-home blues all come together on this album to create a modern day blues classic. And going on 25 years now, the band will keep pushing the blues envelope forward. "As long as I keep buying the wrong lottery tickets", quips Rick Estrin, "this is what I'll be doing".

As well as Baty and Estrin, the band boasts one of the most solid, dependable rhythm sections in the business, in the form of Ronnie James Weber on stand-up bass and June Core on drums. This pair provide a relentless, driving groove allowing the other two to weave their magic spell on spellbound audiences.

Little Charlie and The Nightcats will be making only one South Australian appearance, at the Governor Hindmarsh Hotel on Wednesday night, September 29. Tickets are available at The Gov, or at Venue-Tix. Priced at $25:00 + booking for non-S.A. Blues Society members, and $20:00 + booking for members. Persian Blue have been given the honour of opening for this great band. See you all there.