Listen to Blues Phase

Born in the Mississippi Delta, B.B. King learned about the blues from his great-grandmother, who had been enslaved. She told him, “Singing about your sadness unburdens your soul.” ∙ A local church leader taught him how to play his first chord progression on a Silvertone guitar that King dreamed of owning one day. ∙ King earned the nickname Beale Street Blues Boy—or B.B. for short—while working as a DJ and singer at Memphis radio station WDIA. ∙ His breakthrough single, 1951’s “Three O’Clock Blues,” sparked a string of classics, including “Everyday I Have the Blues,” “Sweet Little Angel,” and “You Know I Love You” (featuring Ike Turner on piano). ∙ A tireless performer, King played an incredible 342 shows in 1956 and continued to perform more than 200 concerts a year until he was in his seventies. ∙ He broadened his audience by playing rock clubs, supporting The Rolling Stones, and recording music with Big K.R.I.T., U2, Elton John, Ringo Starr, and Bonnie Raitt. ∙ Beginning with his classic “The Thrill Is Gone,” King won 15 Grammy Awards, including honors for his 2000 collaboration with Eric Clapton, Riding With the King, and his final studio release, One Kind Favor. ∙ King was inducted into the Blues Hall of Fame in 1980 and the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 1987.

Though his public profile ebbed and flowed over the course of his career, Louisiana-born singer, songwriter, and guitarist Tony Joe White was revered by his peers and recognized by fans as the King of Swamp Rock. White's gritty, soulful music wove together elements of blues, country, and rock and was a unique, powerful reflection of his Southern roots, and his songs were richly detailed stories of life in the Mississippi Delta. Elvis Presley, Brook Benton, and Tina Turner all covered his songs, and he was a hero to roots music fans in Europe even when his career at home was overlooked. The best of his '60s and '70s work can be sampled on 2006's Swamp Music: The Complete Monument Recordings and 1993's The Best of Tony Joe White, and 2010's The Shine was a superior effort recorded after a long period under the radar.

“The California Honeydrops...evoke the greasy rumble of Booker T and channel the spiritual ecstasy of Sly and the Family Stone.” -Rolling Stone Formed in the subway systems of Oakland, retro-soul outfit The California Honeydrops are an electrifying group that defy convention at every turn. They’ve become a mainstay at festivals including Byron Bay Bluesfest (Australia), Outside Lands, Monterey Jazz, Lightning In A Bottle, and touring with B.B. King, Dr. John, Bonnie Raitt, Buddy Guy, and Allen Toussaint. Led by the enigmatic and energetic frontman, Lech Wierzynski, and drummer Benjamin Malament, each member of the band is a virtuoso in their own rite — Yanos “Johnny Bones” Lustig on saxophone, Lorenzo Loera on keyboards/guitar, Beaumont Beaullieu on bass, and regularly accompanied by Oliver Tuttle on trombone, Leon Cotter on saxophone/clarinet, and Miles Lyons on trombone/sousaphone — navigating through a vast repertoire of original songs and timeless classics every night. But what truly sets them apart is their unwavering commitment to the art of improvisation - a skill so finely honed that they have completely abandoned the use of set lists and no two shows are ever the same. Off stage, their music has been streamed more than 200 million times, and placed in a variety of TV and films, including “Dead To Me,” “Alaska Daily,” “Black-ish” and more. They are currently touring North America in support of their new deluxe album, 'Soft Spot'.

For nearly four decades Donavon Frankenreiter has been travelling the globe, first as a professional surfer and now as a musician. Born in Southern California, Donavon spent most of his youth chasing waves, turning pro at the age of 16. These days instead of surf competitions, it’s concert halls that brings Frankenreiter to town, where he entertains audiences with his unique blend of laid-back grooves, philosophical lyrics and soulful delivery. You can find him touring the world with his three-piece band and still catching waves anytime he can.