April 12, 2005

It doesn’t matter what the calendar says, next weekend starts on Thursday and this is the middle of summer. It has to be, because Tommy Castro’s brand of shake-the-shack, blue-eyed soul is hot and sweaty roadhouse music that could leave you unfit for work or school the next day.

Castro, who brings his rocking band to Jazzbones on Thursday, is a Bay Area roots-and-blues-man with a taste for R&B and Memphis soul. His latest album, "Soul Shaker," is a first-rate collection of original tunes, and Castro’s vocals call to mind high-energy performers such as John Mellencamp, Delbert McClinton and Bob Seger.

The Tommy Castro Band, which has toured with the likes of B.B. King, Buddy Guy and John Hiatt, is a roots-music monster and regarded by many as the best live act in the Bay Area. Castro, who doubles on guitar, recently described the band in an article he wrote for The Denver Post:

"My group is a blues band the way the Rolling Stones are a blues band. It’s blues at its core, but our influences can be found all over the musical map --including soul and rock ’n’ roll. We just like to write, perform and record good songs. We let the song dictate the style it should be played in."

"Soul Shaker" proves his point. The album features uptempo rockers, blistering blues licks, soulful ballads, some Latin touches and rollicking boogie. Castro knows how to get the party started.

Rick Nelson

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