Vacaville Represents at Sac IBC
Mick Martin’s Birthday Party
Northern California Blues Festival
Bodega Seafood, Art & Wine Festival - 8/23/08
B.B. is still the King of the Blues
Mr. December at Constable Jack's - 5/9/08
Cole Fonseca at the Torch Club - 3/28/08
The Cole Fonseca comeback is on!
What a pleasure it was to witness the ongoing return of Cole Fonseca to the blues scene at the Torch Club on Friday, March 28th. The blues girl and I were thinking of heading home early and then I started talking to Cole out in front of the club and he and guitarist J.D.Goodwin convinced me that we had to stay for the whole show or we might "miss something". What?
As it turns out, these young cats put on a fantastic show, with dynamic vocals, excellent musical blues talent and an infectuous stage presence. Cole's mastery of the blues at just twenty five years old is remarkable. Through an exciting three sets, as promised, the show just got stronger and stronger as the night went on.
Cole Fonseca, the son of a preacher/tractor salesman for Woodlake, Ca. in the Fresno valley was on his way. As a rising star in the blues world at twenty three years old, he had just opened for B.B. King in November, 2005, and had sparked the interest of Alligator Records, who were interested in signing him to a recording deal. On a fateful day in December that same year Cole was involved in a high speed car crash that took the life of one of his friends and left Cole severly injured. He suffered permanent paralysis to his left arm and was sure his career was over. After some rehabilitation and several bouts with depression, alot of prodding and pushing by a great cast of friends, Cole decided to get up and move forward. After discovering a dude who designed a sleeve for holding a harp to a microphone for one hand playing, Cole again started to practice and write songs. I has been a rocky road but it is really paying off.
Family and friends have been the catalyst, his father supporting him as well as his bass player, Phil Santellan, who moved from Portland, Oregon to join Cole's new band of characters. Phil is an exciting musician in his own right and adds to the life of the new party. Another great friend, one he considers like a brother, is guitarist J.D.Goodwin, a wild axe man with a rock-a-billy style and a formidable stage presence in his own right. At twenty eight yeals old, J.D. is also a song writer and heads up his own band, the Peacemakers. J.D. and Cole mixed it up during an extended jam at the end of one of the songs with Cole using his good hand to work up and down the guitar frets while J.D. picked away. It was great to see them together and having so much fun. You can see and feel the chemistry between these two as they work their way through the sets. Rounding out the group was drummer Randy Stindt, who was up to the challenge and provided a nice percussion influence to the night. Each set was a little wilder and a little more edgy as the night went on.Cole explained to me between sets, with a sly smile, that this was because they didn't want to scare the club management right away, until it was too late to get fired.
Beyond the great show these youngsters put on, they were really a nice bunch of guys. I talked with all of them at length before and after the show and was very impressed with their presence and dedication to their music, as well as their families, friends and faith. I forsee great things on the horizon for Cole and his buddies. Don't miss the chance to see them if they come your way. You will see an exciting blues show, for sure.
"Keep your eyes and ears open, the Blues are alive in Northern California!"
Blues Blowout at Cache Creek - 2/1/08
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