Chris Beard Band

Talking with Living Blues - Living Blues

Concert review: Chris Beard plays hard, long and with showmanship and skill at 2nd Story Blues
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Categories: Concert Reviews, Music
Posted by Jodi Duckett at 01:42:08 PM on May 2, 2010

Dave Howell Special to The Morning Call

BEARD Chris Beard is working hard to build his reputation. Judging from his show Friday at 2nd Story Blues, it will not be long before he is one of the best known bluesmen in the country.

Performers who visit the Bethlehem club are known for crowd-pleasing moves like walking through the audience while playing guitar. Beard went beyond that to walk all the way to the front door and down the stairs and, playing his guitar the whole time, strut down the center of Third Street while cars passed him on both sides. Many of the audience watched from the windows of the club, and a few went down to take photos along the street. Incidentally, Beard did this twice, once for each set.

Beard can back up his showmanship with skill. He can rip off runs as fast as anyone, but at other times he played expressively, using his guitar as an extension of his voice. He favored long instrumentals, particularly slow blues, while including a bit of rock and roll and funk.

He has a fine blues voice, more gruff than melodic, and strong enough that he could occasionally stand in front of the stage without a mike and still be heard throughout the room.

Most of his material was original, including the slightly kinky “Tied Up, Tied Down, and Twisted” from a new CD to be released at the end of this month. Five-string bassist Richie Valentino took lead vocals at the beginning of the second set with Al Green’s “Love and Happiness” and Stevie Wonder’s “Superstition”.

Valentino and drummer Ken Kahler, who used a large kit with customized cymbals, played in a heavier, busier style, closer to modern than to traditional blues backup. John Tucker was fluent in many styles, as he emulated piano and organ on his two electric keyboards. Each member of this superior backup band took lengthy solos.

After three and a half hours including a break, much of the audience had left out of exhaustion. Beard himself seemed tired, although he made sure it did not affect his singing or playing.

You have to believe Beard when he says he loves the blues, and he genuinely enjoys his audiences, particularly the ladies. A few of them got to experience Beard up close as he played while sitting on their laps, or leaning against them. - Jodi Duckett

Featured Artist: Chris Beard

CD Title: Live Wire!

Year: 2005

Record Label: NorthernBlues Music

Style: Blues

Musicians: Chris Beard (lead guitar, rhythm guitar, vocals); Buddy Honeycutt (drums); Quinn Lawrence (horns); Marvin Parker (bass guitar except 7,11,12); Alan Murphy (keyboards except 7,11,12); Tony Jackson (bass on 7,12); Brother Wilson (rhythm guitar on 8,10); Darren Robinson (bass on 11); Steve Grills (rhythm guitar 11,12); George Snell (keyboards on 11,12).

Review: Pure emotion! Bluesman Chris Beard pours it out in abundance on his Live Wire session. Recorded live at concert in Grand Rapids and Chicago, the 48 year old guitarist bares his soul on this disc. Admitting a preference for live venues the singer includes three fine Dennis Walker songs from a studio session in Rochester, NY. Walker's songs are always a treat but Chris Beard's live tracks are more expressive.

Beard's new CD is impressive from the first note. He's a fiery player and a good writer. Five of his original compositions are included on the album. I especially liked the opener Born To Play The Blues and the witty Ten Toes Up, Ten Toes Down.

The highlight is Beard's treatment of Lucky Peterson's Tribute To Luther Allison done in two parts. Chris Beard makes his guitar bleed!

If you love hard-driving electric blues, drop by the singer's website and lend your ear to this one.

Tracks: Born To Play The Blues; Ten Toes Up; It's About Time; Tribute To Luther Allison Pt 1; Tribute To Luther Allison Pt 2; Caught Up; It's Over Pt 1; It's Over Pt 2; It's Over Pt 3; Street Of Broken Dreams; Never Felt No Blues; A Change Must Come; Can't Walk Away; Lock My Dreams; Who Can You Trust. - Art Tipaldia

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Download Chris Beard's Press Kit (PDF File)

Chris Beard’s third CD, “Live Wire”, produced by Chris, was releasde in May 2005. A compilation of two “live” performances in Grand Rapids, MI and Chicago, IL which contains six new songs and bonus studio tracks. Here's a recent review of "Live Wire":

You could say that Chris Beard likes to play guitar -- the nine minutes o fretboard pyrotechnics that make up the opening "Born to Play the Blues" make that all too apparent. This is a full-on electric blues (mostly) live disc, full of scintillating lead guitar (check out the inspired "Tribute to Luther Allison"), backed by a top-notch band, whose players also get a good workout, like keyboardist Alan Murphy on "It's About Time." But the inevitable focus is on Beard's massive skills. He's a good singer, if not outstanding, but he's a dynamic, inventive guitarist who seems to be at his happiest when dazzling an audience. Those cuts have an immediacy and energy that's missing on the three final studio t racks -- even the aching "Lock My Dreams," where he makes his guitar cry, lacks that energy. Having already established his reputation with his previous work, Beard cements his stature with this record, and sets himself up to take a place among the contemporary blues guitar greats.

(Chris Nickson, All Music)




"I was five years old and I'd figured out Green Onions," Chris Beard says, recalling his first musical steps on a hot, hazy summer day in Rochester, New York. "My mom was, like, astounded. 'Joe, look at him! He's playing!' He wasn't even amazed. He was like, 'Mary, the kid's five years old. What do you expect?' It was like, "he should have been doing that when he was two." Not long after Green Onions , his father, bluesman Joe Beard, gave Chris his first guitar. "It was a Les Paul copy. We got instruments for Christmas. My brother Duane got drums. I got guitar." Today, four decades later, a Les Paul is still Chris' main guitar. And Chris sees not only humor in his dad's reaction , but also evidence of his expectations for his son even then. "It was like he already knew it was there...It wasn't surprising to him." With two CD's-one of which was nominated in 1998 for a W.C. Handy Award-a schedule that keeps him on the road most of the year, Chris Beard is fulfilling his father's expectations. Read complete article (PDF File)




At mid-afternoon, the Humidex was hitting its stickiest peak, 36 C, when Chris Beard entertained a sparse crowd of about 1,000. Their dedication was rewarded by Beard, son of bluesman joe Beard, during his slick 60-minute set. Fusing contemporary rock edges with traditional blues licks, the 48-year-old Rochester, N. Y. native made his guitar sing, wail, weep, scream and whisper. He also some apt ad-libbed lyrics into his final number: "I gave that woman everything she need but she made my heart bleed, That's why I'm here in London now, standin' in the hot sun and singin' the blues."

(Noel Gallagher, The London Free Press, 2008)


- Noel Gallagher, The London Free

There were some great surprises to the summer like when Chris Beard came to Union Street Station in August while touring in support of his JSP records release Born To Play The Blues. The 250 in attendance were awestruck by Beard's hard driving guitar playing. In fact, Beard, in the middle of his show, walked out of the club while playing his guitar and stood in the middle of the street and played for two minutes attracting a crowd. Many followed Beard back into Union street Station where he proceeded to jam for two hours. Remember the name because you will be hearing from New York's Chris Beard regularly.
- Richard A. Coates, Big City Blues Magazine

Live Performance Reviews
Page 7




CHRIS BEARD LIVE AT "BOURBON STREET BLUES"

MAY, 2008 - NASHVILLE, TN
BY PETER "BLEWZZMAN" LAURO, © 2008
I recently visited Nashville for the very first time in my life, but it will certainly not be my last. As a matter of fact, while there I spent most of my free time looking at houses. My company has an office there and I am hoping to, one day soon, call the city home. I didn't get to see as much of the city as I had hoped, and although there wasn't a whole lot of time to spend partying, I did discover the place I will certainly become a regular at once I relocate there. That place is BOURBON STREET BLUES.
Our day spent house hunting resulted in the day being very long and tedious. Combining being a bit tired with being very hungry we started out our night much earlier than usual. When we arrived at BOURBON STREET BLUES, we were the first two people there. We just wanted to get somewhere so that we could sit, eat and relax. Having to wait two hrs for the music to start was a non issue for us.
As we took our seats at a table, the pungent odor of last nights stale beer, mixed with the heavy doses of nicotine that filled the air, made us feel like we were actually strolling along Bourbon Street in New Orleans. It was a strange yet familiar fragrance.
Fearing the inevitable onslaught of a frenzied tobacco dependent audience, we quickly ordered dinner. I ordered a Bourbon Street sampler and my wife ordered the ribs. When we were done, both of us expressed how pleasantly surprised we were. We had come here expecting good blues but didn't expect to have an absolutely delicious dinner. My wife, who has had ribs all over the country claimed that she had just had the best ribs of her life and my nearly 300 lb body could not finish the abundant amount of delicious jambalaya, gumbo and red beans and rice that was placed in front of me.
It was getting close to show time and although we were disappointed that we would not be seeing BOURBON STREET BLUES' premier house band the STACY MITCHHART BAND, we were going to be treated to a show by CHRIS BEARD. As it turned out, getting to see CHRIS BEARD was a good and timely thing. First of all, his show was killer and secondly, since I am on the band selection committee for the RIVERWALK BLUES AND MUSIC FESTIVAL in Ft. Lauderdale Florida February 09 and CHRIS BEARD is one of the bands we were considering hiring, I could now make a more intelligent decision on this matter.
As we turned our consumption of food into a consumption of cocktails, it was now time to turn our attention to the stage. As the band was warming up..........never mind, I retract that statement. There's no warming up with these guys. Within 30 seconds of taking the stage, CHRIS BEARD on guitar and vocals, Tony Howard on drums, Richard Rodolph on bass and Zack Shelly on keyboards were all in mid show form. These guys heat up faster than a ship full of sailors back from six months at sea.
CHRIS started off the first set paying tribute to two of his, as well as two of my, all time favorite blues men - Luther Allison and Albert King. During a lengthy and blistering version of "I'LL PLAY THE BLUES FOR YOU", he left the club and played as he strolled down Historical Printers Alley. After several other covers CHRIS did and interestingly titled original called "TEN TOES UP" (TEN TOES DOWN). On this very funky number, the crowd was treated to a real good look at featured keyboarder Ian Sherman. Along with his boss, this is one hell of a one-two punch.
Unfortunately, due to a three set show, the first set rapidly came to a close. The all day house hunting, the pile of jambalaya and the cocktails had now taken their toll. There was no way this baby boomer could last any longer. However, we did see enough for a positive recommendation. The following morning, I called our festival promoter and I am very happy to say that I'll now be able to catch the rest of the show that I missed in BOURBON STREET BLUES that night right here in South Florida in November. CHRIS BEARD has been booked.
Thanks to the staff at my future hang out, BOURBON STREET BLUES, for the good service, the good food, the good vibes and the good blues.
- PETER BLEZZMAN LAURO