"Rompin', stompin' blues from a wonderful vocalist and master guitarist." - Vintage Guitar
Alligator Records Press Release- October 26, 2000 - West Coast blues guitarist/vocalist Rusty Zinn will celebrate his Alligator Records debut, The Chill, with a live performance in Hood River. The album features Zinn's West-Coast-swing-meets-Chicago-blues guitar playing and soulful vocals from the man Little Charlie Baty calls "the most impressive guitarist I've heard in years. He's the real deal." Concert information is as follows:
Saturday, November 11th Acoustic Slide Festival 102 Oak Avenue Hood River, OR 541.386.1900 10:00 p.m. / $17.00
THE CHILL, recorded in San Francisco, features Zinn's forceful, tasteful, fat-toned guitar playing and R&B inflected vocals on a vibrant mix of obscure blues songs and heart-pounding originals. From the soulful Ladies Choice to the foot-pounding She's Got Style to the down home Moonlight Blues (with a guest appearance by Elvin Bishop), The Chill swings, rocks and rolls from start to finish. Zinn recently signed with Piedmont Talent, so fans can expect aggressive touring that will bring his music to more places than ever before. "Zinn's sharp and assertive guitar work is one of the undersung pleasures of the current blues scene," said DownBeat.
Born in Long Beach, California in 1970, Rusty Zinn grew up in Santa Cruz . His brother introduced him to the blues at the age of 15 by bringing home Muddy Waters and Howlin' Wolf records. Rusty picked up the guitar at age 17, fascinated with the styles of Jimmy Rogers, Eddie Taylor, Robert Jr. Lockwood and Luther Tucker (a ground-breaking Chicago and San Francisco-based guitarist famed for his work with James Cotton, Little Walter, Otis Rush, Jimmy Rogers and Muddy Waters). Tucker played a pivotal role in Rusty's burgeoning career when he invited an 18-year-old Zinn to jam during a gig near Santa Cruz. Zinn's enthusiasm and intensity made such a big impact on Tucker that he took the young guitarist under his wing and shared musical ideas and years of road-tested experience with him. Zinn quickly made a name for himself playing in several Bay Area blues bands. As his reputation grew, he backed up touring blues luminaries Snooky Pryor and Jimmy Rogers. From there he went on the road with Bay Area harp veteran Wilson was so impressed with Rusty's playing he invited Rusty to Austin for the recording of his 1993 album, Tigerman. Wilson then asked Zinn to join his band. Soon afterwards, Wilson brought Rusty to the attention of Black Top Records, who signed Rusty to the label and released two critically acclaimed solo albums. Of the debut, Sittin' & Waitin', The Memphis Commercial Appeal raved, "Rusty Zinn is the real deal. To say this is the best blues release of the year is an understatement." With Zinn's Black Top follow up, CONFESSIN', things got even more exciting. "The cuts on CONFESSIN' play like time-capsuled tunes in a forgotten Memphis jukebox," shouted Blues Revue. "If rompin', stompin' pedal-to-the-metal blues is your thing, here's a record for you," announced Vintage Guitar.
Zinn earned a 1996 W.C. Handy Award nomination for Best New Blues Artist. He toured extensively and won fans all over the country with his blazing live performances and exceptional guitar playing at events like the Monterey Jazz Festival, the Long Beach Blues Festival, Blues By The Bay and the Russian River Blues Festival. His 1999 appearance at the San Francisco Blues Festival drew rave reviews and wildly enthusiastic ovations from the overflow crowd of seasoned blues fans.
"Rusty Zinn is the genuine article," said Blues Revue. "A young guitarist who is a piece of the blues future." "He sounds like a future master," agreed OffBeat. Indeed, with The Chill and continued touring on the way, Zinn's future is very bright. From the minute he strikes the first chord to the last note wrenched from his exhausted strings, Rusty Zinn leaves audiences everywhere amazed, knowing they've just witnessed one of the brightest young blues stars to emerge in years.
"The Chill" review is in the Blues News features section - see other articles, below
