Madison Square Park

RORY BLOCK

Rory Block comes to the stage with more than twenty highly acclaimed releases under her belt and five Blues Music Awards. Block has staked her claim to be one of America’s top acoustic blues women, an interpreter of the great Delta blues singers, a slide guitarist par excellence, and also a talented songwriter on her own account. Born and raised in Manhattan by a family that had bohemian leanings, she spent her formative years hanging out with musicians like Peter Rowan, John Sebastian, and Geoff Muldaur before picking up the guitar at the age of ten. Her record debut came two years later, backing her father on The Elektra String Band Project, a concept album. She has recorded with some of the biggest names in the music industry including Stevie Wonder, Bonnie Raitt, Taj Mahal, Keb Mo, Mary Chapin Carpenter and countless others. “Today she is widely regarded as the top female interpreter and authority on traditional country blues worldwide.” (The Blues Foundation)

HERITAGE BLUES TRIO

Heritage Blues Trio is an inspiring testament to the enduring power, possibilities and boundless beauty of African-American music. Junior Mack is a self-taught and gifted vocalist and guitarist; Bill Sims Jr. a vocalist and multi-instrumentalist and an internationally respected master of blues; and sister Chaney Sims has a voice steeped in field hollers, work songs, spirituals, blues, soul and R&B. The grit of low-down country and urban blues to the bold brass of New Orleans; the hand clapping, hustle and bustle of gospel to fiery postmodern, jazz-infused horn arrangements; the haunting cries of work songs to pulsating drums that reach back to the roots of it all—if you are lucky enough to hear the Heritage Blues Orchestra, you’ll experience this and more. “Elegant, fabulous and refreshing!” (Taj Mahal)