Get Your Groove! with the Bruce Katz Band
Most jam fans know keyboard wizard Bruce Katz from his playing with The Greg Allman Band, Les Brers, Butch Trucks and The Freight Train Band, and Jaimoe’s Jasssz Band. The Blues Hall of Famer has a much deeper resume and an excellent band currently on tour.
Katz, much revered for his work on Hammond B3 organ and piano, has also toured with Ronnie Earl and The Broadcasters, Delbert McClinton, John Hammond, Duke Robillard and numerous other musical giants. And he has recorded with lots of others. Katz describes his music as “soul-jazz” and “jam-rock,” which covers a lot of bases.
After years of study, his first recordings were with Ronnie Earl and The Broadcasters, where he wrote or co-wrote many of the compositions, the most often covered of which is “Hippology.” His first solo album, Crescent Crawl, was issued in 1992. And since then he has been an integral part of the blues, rock, and jam scenes and produced eight more albums.
About the band’s newest album, Get Your Groove!, Katz said on his website:
We are all very excited about our new album, Get your Groove!, released on American Showplace Music label. I feel like this CD is our best one yet, combining our own approach to Blues, “Soul-Jazz” and “Jam Blues” music. There are ten original tunes, both vocal and instrumental and one classic blues tune, “Hesitation Blues”.
I have written a song on this CD entitled “Freight Train” for my bandmate and friend Butch Trucks, the legendary drummer and founding member of the Allman Brothers Band, who sadly left us in 2017. I wrote it, trying to write something that Butch would have loved to play. When we were getting ready to record, I asked Jaimoe, Butch’s drumming partner in the Allman Brothers, to come to the studio and play along with us. I think we did Butch proud, and I feel that this song is one of the highlights of the new album. Jaimoe ended up playing on two other tunes with us as well!
The Bruce Katz Band features Katz on Hammond B3 organ, Hammond bass, and piano; Chris Vitarello, guitar and vocals; and Ray Hangen, drums.
After a show Saturday (October 6th) in Beacon NY, Katz and band head to Florida for eight shows. There are seven shows throughout the Midwest and another six in the Northeast and Virginia. Find out what the excitement is all about!
Bruce Katz Band Get Your Groove! Tour
10/06 Towne Crier Cafe | Beacon NY w/ Paper Sun
10/11 The Ale and The Witch | St. Petersburg FL
10/12 The Blue Rooster | Sarasota FL
10/13 World Famous Buckingham Blues Bar | Ft. Myers FL
10/14 Arts Garage | Delray Beach FL
10/18 Two Brothers Hoodoo Lounge | Punta Gorda FL
10/19 Terra Firmata Tiki Bar | Stuart FL
10/20 Heidi’s Jazz Club | Cocoa Beach FL
10/21 Blue Jay Listening Room | Jacksonville Beach FL
10/28 Wakely’s on Varick | Utica NY
11/02 Live at The Falcon! | Marlboro NY
11/08 Knuckleheads Saloon | Kansas City MO
11/09 Zoo Bar | Lincoln NE
11/10 Corner Bar | Fremont NE
11/11 Nice | Des Moines IA
11/12 The Alamo | Springfield IL
11/15 Slippery Noodle | Indianapolis IN
11/17 Guy Hollerin’s | Ann Arbor MI
11/18 Sportsmen’s Tavern | Buffalo NY
12/01 Black Eyed Sally’s | Hartford CT
12/05 JV’s Restaurant | Falls Church VA
12/06 Bus and Ned’s Real BBQ | Henrico VA
