105° marked the first blistering day of Summer at the Northern California Blues Festival in Fair Oaks, California. The late afternoon was heavy with heat, yet buzzing in anticipation of a sizzling hot, 7pc big blues band, the DELTA WIRES. Soon, die-hard Blues lovers would witness the electrifying performance immortalized on this CD: DELTA WIRES - LIVE @ 105°
Oakland's own, for more than 30 years, the DELTA WIRES is dedicated to modern blues while paying tribute to Blues origins of the Mississippi Delta. A brainchild of vocalist, harmonica player and front man, Ernie Pinata, who holds a Master of Fine Arts degree. Pinata recognized that the blues is art, that its components are deep-rooted elements, originating out of a culturally derived art form born in the rural South, and evolving to high art through its Northern urban migration. This perspective lends serious credence to how one views and hears the blues. 30 plus years later, the DELTA WIRES continue to perform, keeping Pinata's original vision alive, culminating in this, their 5th CD.
The DELTA WIRES, representing the Sacramento Blues Society, were Finalists out of hundreds of bands at the Blues Foundation's International Blues Challenge in Memphis.
Adding to their list of recent accomplishments, they were voted "BEST LIVE BAND", Readers' Pick, East Bay Express and "BEST BAND/MUSICAL ACT" in Oakland Magazine's annual readers' poll.
The DELTA WIRES are a high-energy musical experience and long-time crowd pleasers who are getting not only serious critical attention, but national exposure as well. Enjoy!
A FEW REVIEWS...
"DELTA WIRES rocked the stage at the 36th Annual (2008) San Francisco Blues Festival, proving what great talents these stalwarts of Bay Area blues truly are. They got the crowd shaking and moving and set the pace for a simmering day of blues." -Tom Mazzolini, Producer, San Francisco Blues Festival
"a tough, rocking, socking band, knocking out crowds...the WIRES are burning up!" -Joel Selvin, San Francisco Chronicle
"From jump rhythms to nasty, lowdown Windy City laments, DELTA WIRES electrifies the audience... This tight Bay Area troop, fronted by vocalist/harmonica genius/composer Ernie Pinata, melds Mississippi Delta tunes and Chicago-style arrangements with rock, soul, and swing sensitivity... It's terrific! This rockin' blues band is spectacular -- tight, topical, and torrid". -Lee Cooper, Ph.D. - Rock & Blues News
"They blow hard from the get-go, a tight horn section blending comfortably with the spirited, intense harmonica from lead man Ernie Pinata…as fierce a Sonny Boy Williamson-influenced harp as you will find" -Bill Kisliuk, BLUES ACCESS Magazine
REVIEWS of "Live @ 105 Degrees"
“Incredible! Fantastic…and thank you! We’re sweating in the studio, the music is so HOT…a great one to add to your collection of excellent DELTA WIRES!” -Kathleen Lawton “Crazy ‘Bout the Blues!” KCSM 91.1 FM, San Mateo CA
"Right out of the box the band is a powerhouse clicking on every cylinder. The disc's sound is an updated Louis Jordon west coast jump blues sound, but I mean that in the most complimentary way..... With each tune I am more and more impressed. Go buy this disc--you're going to love it! Ernie Pinata is a strong singer and harp player, and the band is tight and full. You can tell these guys have spent lots of time together on stage.
Bruce Edwards, MOBlues.org, Columbia MO
"DEFINITELY COOKING on all 7 cylinders...a SMOKIN' set of live music. You set the pace for the show when you opened with Willie Dixon's Monkey Man, that's coming out STRONG for 105 degrees! All and all it's a GREAT LIVE RECORDING that captures the band at it's BEST."
Al Lundy "HighwayBlues.org" KZUM 89.3 FM, Lincoln, NE
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