Cray is on the road promoting his new album called, ‘This Time’, which is due in stores August 11 and many of the songs from the album were featured during the show.  I was particularly impressed with ‘Trouble and Pain, and ‘Chicken in the Kitchen’.

Robert Cray’s performances are always polished and crisp. His show Saturday night was what can be expected from this veteran blues man. His melodic style of playing never falters during his live shows and each time I’ve seen him his performance has been stellar.

Cray is one of the few blues players that have actually had success crossing over into the mainstream market with songs like ‘Strong Persuader’ and ‘Smoking Gun’. Each song charted and sold reasonably well when released and put Robert Cray’s name in the music forefront for a time. He is still remembered mostly for those two hits but his catalog is much larger and better than two songs. He and the band performed both numbers Saturday to the crowd’s delight and expectations.

Songs performed such as ‘The Last Time and ‘Phone Booth’ are lesser known Cray standards but no less classic Robert Cray.

Other new songs featured Saturday night from his forthcoming album were ‘That’s What Keeps Me Rockin’, and ‘Love 2009’.

Robert Cray started playing guitar in his early teens in Newport News, Virginia and got hooked on blues greats such as Freddie King, Albert Collins and Muddy Waters. He eventually formed his own band and moved to the West coast.
One constant in Cray’s career has been his long time friend and bass player, Richard Cousins who was on hand Saturday. By 1978, The Robert Cray Band was becoming well known releasing their first album ‘Who’s Been Talkin’ in 1980. That’s where the Robert Cray story begins. He has continued to write new chapters in his career book through today and we can expect volumes more to be added.
Considering Cray’s extensive catalog of music with more waiting in the wings I believe we can consider him to be one of the few who will carry the blues torch well into this century.

This was another great show by a great performer at the House of Blues.