Otis Taylor, Cris Jacobs (of The Bridge), Sol Roots, in Annapolis MD Thurs Feb 23!

On Thursday February 23 national blues artist Otis Taylor performs at the Rams Head in Annapolis Maryland, with Cris Jacobs (of The Bridge) scheduled for an opening set, and Sol Roots (of HGMN's Sol & Funk Root) performing an afterparty set.

On Thursday February 23, Sol performs a set at Rams Head Tavern located at 33 West St Annapolis, Maryland. This set will include stripped down raw funk, blues, and roots, and will be immediately be following the Otis Taylor Rams Head show. The Sol Roots trio presentation will include phenomenal DC area bassist Andreas Holmstrom and drummer Scott Rabino, who has also worked with blues legend Tommy Castro.

Rams Head prides itself on showcasing the best in national, regional, and local DC, MD music talent. This afterparty show is part of a music series presenting the best in regional talent.

Otis Taylor is a multi-instrumentalist whose talents include the guitar, banjo, mandolin, harmonica, and vocals. In 2001, he was awarded a fellowship to the Sundance Film Composers Laboratory. and as of 2008, has released nine blues albums on several record labels. His music tends to focus on the hard realities of life, especially relating to the black community. Some common themes in his music are murder, racism, poverty, and the need for redemption. To date, Taylor has eleven Blues Music Awards nominations while White African was named 'Best Artist Debut'.

Down Beat magazine critics' Poll named Taylor's Truth is Not Fiction as Blues CD of the Year for 2002. Living Blues readers' poll awarded Taylor (along with Etta James) the "Best Blues Entertainer" title in 2004. Down Beat named Taylor's Double V as Blues CD of the Year for 2005. Down Beat named Definition of a Circle as Blues CD of the Year for 2007. They also then named Recapturing the Banjo as "Blues CD of the Year, 2008."

His 2008 effort, Recapturing the Banjo, was an attempt to reconnect himself and the world with the true African origins of the banjo. "There may not be," claimed Down Beat in a review, "a better roots album released this year or decade than Recapturing the Banjo."

Cris Jacobs (front man for The Bridge) will be opening the Thursday night Rams Head show. The Bridge is a well known American jam band. They are based out of Baltimore, Maryland. The band is known for their live performances, blending "various elements of blues, folk, funk and bluegrass". They have toured nationally and have three powerful albums available. After ten years of touring the Bridge has gone into retirement, and front man Cris Jacobs carries on the the great music with some of Maryland top musicians!

Sol Roots is a fierce guitarist & soulful singer who has toured around the world with many roots, funk, and blues legends. Sol creates a unique blend of energetic rock, raw blues, reggae, and funk, all delivered with deep soul.

Sol Roots has performed at many premier festivals and venues across the east coast US, and his band includes musicians that have worked with Tommy Castro, Hobex, Corey Harris, Deanna Bogart, Jah Works, Mike Zito, Squirrel Nut Zippers and more.

Paying homage to the greats, Sol seeks to push musical boundaries and bring Roots Music to a new generation of listeners.

OTIS TAYLOR

"Deceptively simple on the surface, Otis Taylor’s music on Contraband is as deep as the human condition – and the potential audience is anyone with ears, soul, and a heart." - Jambands.com

"Love, loss, injustice, are all familiar themes in the songs Otis Taylor writes and performs with his tremendous band, which includes his daughter Cassie on bass. And the music comes from a man who’s done a lot more than just play the blues. He grew up in Denver, where he immersed himself in the local folklore center, learning the banjo. "- Alex Ashlock - Here and Now

CRIS JACOBS

"After 10 years as guitarist, songwriter, and singer for Baltimore band The Bridge, Cris Jacobs is embarking on a solo career. With the new Cris Jacobs Band, he has tapped some of Baltimore’s finest musicians and written a bunch of new material. With the upright bass wizardry of Jake Leckie, the textured and subtle drumming of Mike Gambone (also of The Bridge), and the beautiful, haunting pedal steel guitar work of Dave Hadley, this band creates a fresh and unique sonic palate that is a perfect complement to Cris’ soulful sound." - Cris Jacobs page

SOL ROOTS

"Sol is an impressive guitar player! Sol has an assured, confident voice that matches well with the bravado of his guitar playing. The album 'Freedom' proved to be quite a discovery for me.... "- J. Evan Wade - Home Grown Music Network

“A fierce guitarist and soulful singer...”- Woodsy - JamBase

“Sol's playing has been described as “musical glue," holding together many grooves and personalities. He has backed up legendary artists like Taj Mahal and Kenny Wayne Shepherd, opened for Robert Randolph, Wood Brothers, and has played with more obscure artists who have had unique perspectives and sounds. Though it all, he has learned many valuable lessons and is still able to hold on to the one thing that ties us all spiritually to one another — music.” - Jeff Reid - The Beat Magazine