In May of 2018, we experienced a truly magical musical moment - the Bona Fida Blues Review performance at The Listening Room Phoenix featuring Scotty Spenner, the True Flavor Blues Band and Arizonas King of the Blues, Big Pete Pearson. This performance was recorded and a full-length CD has been produced and will be released for the world to enjoy. And now the celebration continues.
Please join Scotty, the True Flavor Blues Band and Big Peter Pearson for this night of music, history and discussion as we release this new CD. Your ticket purchase includes the new CD!
Musical artist Scotty Spenner is a vocalist, guitar player and teacher with a long-distinguished career. In addition to electric and acoustic guitar he also plays mandolin, ukulele and harmonica; with an extensive repertoire that ranges from original complex Ragtime tunes, pre-war blues, Irish fiddle tunes to Django Reinhardt-style jazz. His prodigious knowledge of musical and performance theory are paralleled by his first-hand antidotal historical knowledge of performers, vintage guitars and technical evolution.
Mr. Spenners professionalism, versatility and ingenuity garnered the 2017 City of Phoenix Mayors Award for the Arts and has allowed him to headline and share local and national stages with a diverse collection of iconic performers including: Big Pete Pearson, Dino Spells, John Hammond, Honey Boy Edwards, Buddy Guy, Alvin Youngblood Hart, Koko Taylor, Bobby Blue Bland and many others. In addition to his solo acoustic performances, Spenner moves adroitly between engagements with True Flavor Blues Band, The Saints of Eirinn and as a longstanding member of Big Pete Pearsons Blues Band.
Mr. Spenner has recorded two solo CDs: The First Thing Smoking (1996) and Hardscrabble Blues (2014).
The True Flavor Blues Band is a traditional blues combo that can play a wide range of styles and includes Charles Smith on Piano, Scotty Spenner on guitar, vocals and harmonica, James Robertson on guitar and slide guitar, Curt Arndt on bass and Vince Curtis on drums and percussion.
Born in Kingston, Jamaica on October 4, 1936. He was raised by his grandparents in St. Johns Baptist community just outside Austin. His grandfather was a minister and his grandmother was a missionary. Big Pete was only 9 years of age when he gave his first performance at a local bar. He was a regular at juke joints such as the Victory Grill, Charlies Playhouse, Big Marys Bar & Grille, Ernies Chicken Shack and Sams Showcase. Playing in these juke joints was dangerous, real dangerous, says Pete. But I played them anyway and those were my growing up years. Big Pete has not left the stage since and is a veteran performer/song writer of 71 years and has been on countless festival and club stages throughout the world.
His physical stature and strong voice have commanded attention for decades. He is a father figure to many bluesmen and women who have cut their teeth playing in his bands. Though he is a local legend Big Petes greatness is known throughout the world, frequently performing in Europe with his European band, The Gamblers. (You are invited to go to youtube.com and type in, Big Pete Pearson and the Gamblers). While in the States he performs with his other band, The Big Pete Blues Band, featuring long-time guitarist Scotty Spenner.
Big Pete has created and written many albums. His most memorable CDs include, One More Drink, Im Here Baby (which hit # 1 worldwide and won Best Blues Album of the Year at the Independent Music Awards in 2007) Finger In Your Eye, his 2009 release, The Screamer. Since the Screamers release it has hit #1 worldwide on the blues charts. In April of 2012, Big Pete released his newest album entitled, "Choose", his first album recorded with celebrated Italian blues band, The Gamblers. Today, Big Pete can be seen, more often than not, performing live in Europe with the Gamblers.