Music
Press
No doubt about it. Known for her great voice, Jill West lives the blues and is evangelical about this American form of music. What's out-standing about 'Faceful of Blues' (Krisbee Records), her second CD, is not only the performance of West's crack "Blues Attack", but the band's original songs. "The Other Woman" and "Four Letter Word" stand up and shine alongside great covers like "Can I Change My Mind" and "I Put a Spell on You." Recorded at Mr. Small's Funhouse and engineered by Peter Beckerman, this may be the best blues CD to come out of Pittsburgh. - Pittsburgh Magazine
Air Fare Only $225.00 Round Trip!
Leaving Wed., Jan. 25-Sun., Jan. 29, 2006
Hotel Not Included. Call Trish West for Details: 412-760-9048
The Blues Society of Western Pennsylvania and Jill West and the Blues Attack are traveling to Memphis in January 2006 to compete in the International Blues Challenge as sponsored by The Blues Foundation. For a brief time, we have an opportunity to secure group rate air fares, at approximately $225 per person round trip, to travel to the event. Departure from Pittsburgh Wednesday, January 25, 2006, with a return to Pittsburgh Sunday January 29, 2006.
Anybody with an interest in accompanying us to Memphis for this incredible event on Beale Street can contact Trish West at: 412-760-9048. In order to secure this fantastic rate we need a commitment from at least 25 blues fans by November 15th, 2005. Note that this opportunity is available only for a short time and is for air transportation to Memphis only.
We will all be “on our own” as to transportation and lodging in Memphis, although rooms at all levels are readily available and transportation in Memphis is easy. All events for the International Blues Challenge will take place on Beale Street, so keep that in mind when choosing your hotel. Memphis has a good public transportation system (i.e. trolley, bus, taxis) that provides easy access from local hotels to event venues on Beale Street.
- The Blues Society of Western PA
Discography
Code Blue - 1997
Faceful of Blues - 2002
The band has the support of Pittsburgh local radio stations WYEP, WRCT, and WDVE.
Photos
Bio
Third Place Winners at the 2006 International Blues Challenge! Jill West and Blues Attack, a Pittsburgh based blues band play their own style of hard edged blues with a guitar blast, in the tradition of the Vaughn brothers, B. B. King, and Muddy Waters. Lead by the dynamic vocals of Miss Jill West, Blues Attack has been igniting audiences all over the tri-state area as well as opening for many national acts. Mark Cholewski's rhythmic and melodic guitar is a perfect balance to the often unpredictable Gregg Krupa, a veteran of the Pittsburgh blues scene. With "The Hammer" Hank Raffetto keeping it strong and straight ahead on the bass, and Nicky 'No Shoes' Crano sendin' that beat to the floor right to your feet, Blues Attack is a band to be reckoned with!!!
With the release of their second album, Faceful of Blues, Blues Attack won praise from Tom Hyslop of Blues Review. He writes about the "two-guitar onslaught" that inspired the band's name: "The stop-time 'Four Letter Word' is a gem of a performance, with nuanced delivery from West."
Rege Behe of the Tribune Review writes: "West is Pittsburgh's version of Koko Taylor, a superb blues vocalist who wraps herself around a lyric like few others." And Phil Harris calls West the "Queen of Pittsburgh Blues" in Pittsburgh Magazine as he writes: "Known for her great voice, Jill West lives the blues and is evangelical about this American form of music." You won't find her singing about throwing herself off a bridge because her man left her. She says: "I'm gonna sing, 'My man left me and I'm gonna throw him off a bridge.'"
Over its ten-year history, Blues Attack got their blues education playing the steel city's smoky bars and sharing the stage with greats like Koko Taylor, Buddy Guy, Bo Diddley, and B. B. King.
The 2002 release of Faceful of Blues features fourteen tracks of almost all original music. The band puts its own stamp on the blues with the more contemporary feel of songs like "The Other Woman" and "Beggin Song". Blues Attack plays covers of Tyrone Davis and Screamin' Jay Hawkins in addition to the ten original tracks on the album. Whether it's Jill West's straight-ahead version of Davis's "Change My Mind," or her heated rendition of Hawkins's "I Put a Spell on You," she spans the bridge from soulful to low-down moaning blues.
Blues Attack continues to pay their dues in the smoke-filled bars of Pittsburgh - where they like it best - but are ready to take their sound on the road.
For information on bookings and appearances:
Please contact Hank Raffetto at: 724-758-9612
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