The Cobalt Rhythm Kings

Artist Information

Biography

Finalist -- 2011 Connecticut Blues Challenge

"Best Blues Band!" -- 2010 New Haven Advocate Grand Band Slam

The Cobalt Rhythm Kings are steeped in the jazzy jump blues of Louis Jordan, Big Joe Turner, Wynonie Harris and the Liggins brothers; the cool, raging West Coast swing blues of William Clarke, Rod Piazza and James Harman, and the hard-edged Chicago blues of Muddy Waters, Willie Dixon, Junior Wells and Freddie King, to name a few.

Formed in April 1996 as the outgrowth of four guys thrown together onstage one winter Sunday night at the cafe nine blues jam in New Haven, Connecticut, The Cobalt Rhythm Kings have played everywhere from New York City's former premier blues club, Chicago B.L.U.E.S., to the New Haven Jazz Festival, where they opened on the New Haven Green for the late Son Seals in August 1999, to the International Festival of Arts & Ideas' "Art on the Edge" festival.

The band made its debut on the national stage on Saturday, Oct. 8, 2005 at the 20th Annual Arkansas Blues and Heritage Festival -- formerly the King Biscuit Blues Festival -- in Helena, Arkansas.

Some other highlights: On Jan. 20,, 2007, The Cobalt Rhythm Kings played atop New Haven's Temple Street Garage to a crazy, early-morning crowd estimated at 20,000, just prior to the implosion of the New Haven Coliseum, the city's hockey arena. On Jan. 21, 2006, The Cobalt Rhythm Kings opened for the great Johnny Winter at Toad's Place, Connecticut's premier music club. On July 20, 2002, The Kings opened for blues great Etta James, Nathan & the Zydeco Cha Chas and the Fairfield Four in front of thousands of people at the first New Haven Blues & Roots Festival on the New Haven Green.

Other stops along the way have included many of Connecticut's better blues and music clubs, from cafe nine and The Blues Cafe in New Haven to Black Eyed Sally's and the Arch Street Tavern in Hartford to The BoxCar in Southport, Conn. Besides Etta, Johnny Winter and Son Seals, they have opened for, backed or appeared with the likes of Phil Guy, Bob Margolin, the Fabulous Thunderbirds, Luther "Guitar Junior" Johnson, Debbie Davies, Mark Naftalin, Roomful of Blues, Ronnie Earl and the Broadcasters, Michael Hill's Blues Mob, John Hammond Jr. and Ron Levy & His Wild Kingdom.

The Cobalt Rhythm Kings' Cobalt Records CD, "HOT . . . Like Red Pepper," contains nine songs -- four originals -- that range from up tempo, danceable jump blues to gritty, grinding Chicago blues and the flat-out boogie of "King of the Boogie," an original tune in memory of the late John Lee Hooker. The CD also includes "Tougher Than That," a powerful tribute to the found American spirit written in the wake of the September 11 terrorist attacks, and two other original songs: the bouncing, Chicago-style "Cross-Eyeded Mama" and the steamy, atmospheric "Louisiana Bayou."

In addition to the band's originals, the Cobalts are committed to resurrecting some of the great blues and swing numbers of the past and making sure that the people who brought them to the world get proper credit -- while at the same time doing them fresh rather than treating them as relics. Never heard of Buddy Johnson's "A Pretty Girl, a Cadillac and Some Money," Rudy Greene's "Juicy Fruit" or Albina Jones' "What's the Matter With You?" Get ready to boogie!

The Cobalt Rhythm Kings are eligible for the New England Foundation of the Arts' "New England States Touring," or "NEST," matching funds. To book The Cobalt Rhythm Kings, e-mail bookings@cobaltrhythmkings.com or call us at (203) 415-1670 !

Instrumentation

The current Cobalt lineup includes Chicago-born singer and harmonica player Mark Zaretsky, Chicago native and longtime New Havener Wendell Jones on bass and vocals, drummer Tony Lupia of Berlin, CT. laying down the beat and Greg Benn of West Haven, Conn. by way of Guilford, Conn. on guitar.

Discography

"HOT . . . Like Red Pepper," released in 2001 (re-released in 2002 with additional songs added) Cobalt Records.

Links

• Facebook
• MySpace

Audio

• The Cobalt Rhythm Kings: "Juicy Fruit"
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• The Cobalt Rhythm Kings: "Cross-Eyeded Mama"
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• The Cobalt Rhythm Kings: "Lover's Rock"
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Video

Photo Gallery

Press

• Strong praise for The Cobalt Rhythm Kings' inaugural CD, "HOT . . . Like Red Pepper" [+ Show ]
  

  "This is an honestly solid release that shows more passion than the oodles of blues bands out ther...
  "This is an honestly solid release that shows more passion than the oodles of blues bands out there that wrongfully worship at the altar of Mayall and Clapton."
  
  -- Craig Gilbert,
  
  

• "Hot stuff . . . in New Haven, CT"
  

  "They play some hot stuff up in New Haven, Connecticut"

• At 3AM, after listening to this CD several times, I couldn't decide whether I wanted to hug them all, or kill them all . . . All I can say is WOW!!!!! [+ Show ]
  

  "I have to tell you. At 3AM, after listening to this CD several times, I couldn't decide whethe...
  "I have to tell you. At 3AM, after listening to this CD several times, I couldn't decide whether I wanted to hug them all, or kill them all . . . Why? Because the beat was so hot, sleep was not going to happen that night . . .
  
  Ladies, let me tell you, I was torn between wanting to take the vocalist, Mark Zaretsky, (who not only sings like he's making love to you, but whose harmonica sounds like an extension of his mouth (hmmmmmmm),) home with me, or dancing to the wonderful beat . . .
  
  This CD has it all - Love, tribute, great lyrics, and a beat to get you up and moving, even if you were a Zombie . . . All I can say is WOW!!!!!
  
  -- Joyce Remo
  

• "A harmonica fiend . . ." [+ Show ]
  

  "The . . . Kings can often be found in local clubs, where (Cobalt leader Mark Zaretsky,) a harmonica..."The . . . Kings can often be found in local clubs, where (Cobalt leader Mark Zaretsky,) a harmonica fiend, blows through decades of music, from the '40s and '50s sounds of his Sweet Home Chicago to 21st-century originals."
  
  -- Fran Fried

• "Swinging ... and hot with a touch of California jump. Great!!!!" [+ Show ]
  

  "Swinging ... and hot with a touch of California jump. Great!!!! For me 'Lover's Rock' and 'Cross-...
  "Swinging ... and hot with a touch of California jump. Great!!!! For me 'Lover's Rock' and 'Cross-Eyeded Mama' are the top."
  
  -- Marco Trabalza, Foligno, Italy Italian blues collector

• "My new favourite . . . Their music is very fresh with deeeep feeling . . ." [+ Show ]
  

  "On the US blues scene I found my new favourite . . . Their music is very fresh with deeeep feelin...
  "On the US blues scene I found my new favourite . . . Their music is very fresh with deeeep feeling . . . Especially I like the beautiful hot harp melodic line together with swing, shuffle, boogie, funky guitar sound . . . THE COBALT RHYTHM KINGS are better than red pepper."

• "Hot and burnin' ... " [+ Show ]
  

  "Your tunes are hot and burnin' ... It reminds me of Little Charlie and the Night Cats sometimes. ...
  "Your tunes are hot and burnin' ... It reminds me of Little Charlie and the Night Cats sometimes. Play on!"
  -- Thai slide guitarist and band leader Suchart Panpie, owner of the Beebop nightclub, Pai, Thailand
  

• Among the best blues bands of 2003 [+ Show ]
  

  Poland's leading blues web site, www.blues.pl , recently listed The Cobalt Rhythm Kings among the be...Poland's leading blues web site, www.blues.pl , recently listed The Cobalt Rhythm Kings among the best blues bands of 2003 -- number 73, right after Bonnie Raitt and before Otis Rush, Lil Ed and the Blues Imperials or Robert Cray!
  

• Awesome Music: The winners of the New Haven Advocate’s 2010 Grand Band Slam [+ Show ]
  

  Cobalt Rhythm Kings cobaltrhythmkings.com myspace.com/thecobaltrhythmkings Mark Zaretsky, fro...Cobalt Rhythm Kings
  
  cobaltrhythmkings.com
  myspace.com/thecobaltrhythmkings
  
  Mark Zaretsky, frontman and harmonica player for the Kings, is thrilled that his blues band took this year’s award. He says the Best Blues win is among the band’s crowning achievements, “especially coming in the midst of the toughest year ever to try to book the band.” And mind you, this is a group that has played the 2005 Arkansas Blues & Heritage Festival, whose members have played with greats like former Muddy Waters sidemen Pinetop Perkins, Willie “Big Eyes” Smith and Bob Margolin, and even opened for Etta James. The Kings, well-versed in blues literature, play a variety of subgenres, showcasing the music’s jazz, swing and rock influences.
  
  

Setlist

Typical set list:

Set one:

key
C Every Day I Have The Blues
G I Wouldn't Treat A Dog
(The Way You Treated Me)
Bb Route 66
C Messin' With The Man
B The Thrill is Gone
A Howlin' For My Baby
D minor Lover's Rock
C Tore Down
G Black Magic Woman / Wang Dang Doodle
/ Hit the Road, Jack
A Louisiana Bayou
Bb Flip, Flop, Fly

Set two:

A My Dream
G I'll Play The Blues For You
B Break These Chains
A Cross-Eyeded Mama
A Your Hoodoo Man
G Goin' Down to Big Mary's
F Let Me Love You
F Let The Good Times Roll
C Bad Avenue
C I'd Rather Drink Muddy Water

Set Three:

A Killin' Floor / Cross-cut Saw / Ooh Baby
B Can I Change My Mind?
Eb A Pretty Girl (A Cadillac & Some Money)
A King of the Boogie
F What's The Matter With You?
B Turn on Your Love Light
B b Juicy Fruit
E Pipeline / Secret Agent Man
E Got My Mojo Workin'

Basic Requirements

Calendar