And When I Die - Steve Katz

Steve Katz (born May 9, 1945) is a guitarist and record producer who is best known as a member of the rock group Blood, Sweat & Tears. Katz was an original member of the rock bands The Blues Project and American Flyer. As a producer, his credits include the 1979 album Short Stories Tall Tales for the Irish band Horslips, and the Lou Reed albums Rock 'n' Roll Animal and Sally Can't Dance and the Elliott Murphy album Night Lights. He is married to Alison Palmer, a ceramic artist. Steve Katz's professional career started in the late fifties on a local Schenectady, New York television program called Teenage Barn. Accompanied by piano, he would sing such hits of the day as "Tammy" and "April Love". At 15, Katz studied guitar with Dave Van Ronk and Reverend Gary Davis. It was at this time that he met and befriended guitarist Stefan Grossman. They would sometimes act as road managers for Reverend Davis and, in so doing, met many of the great “rediscovered” blues men of an earlier era, such as Son House, Skip James and Mississippi John Hurt. As a part of the Greenwich Village culture during this time, Katz, along with Grossman, Maria Muldaur, John Sebastian and David Grisman became interested in jug band music — the music of Cannon’s Jug Stompers and The Memphis Jug Band. They and other friends formed the Even Dozen Jug Band and recorded an album in 1964 for Elektra Records. Katz played washboard in the band. After a brief sabbatical in college, Katz, while teaching guitar in Greenwich Village, auditioned for the Danny Kalb Quartet as a two-week substitute for Artie Traum. Traum did not return to the group and when Al Kooper joined, the Blues Project was formed. They worked out of New York, and it was the mid-sixties, so the Blues Project experimented, dabbled in their own style and gave Katz an opportunity to showcase his own songs. The Blues Project recorded three albums while together in their first incarnation. "Steve’s Song", on the Projections album was the first original song that Katz had recorded. After two years as house band at the Cafe Au Go Go and Murray the K’s last “submarine race-watching” spectacular at the RKO 58th Street theater in New York, The Blues Project broke up, playing the Monterey Pop Festival as their last major engagement.  
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Death Letter Blues - Danny Kalb

Danny Kalb has long been recognized as one of America’s foremost guitarists. He is best known as the founding member of the legendary the Blues Project along with Al Kooper, a band that became one of the best-loved of the mid ’60′s, developing a strong national following and influencing untold numbers of aspiring young blues guitarists. Born into a musical family, Danny was raised in Mt. Vernon, NY. He spent his childhood surrounded by his parents’ folk, blues, jazz and classical records. He picked up the guitar at the age of 13 and hasn’t put it down since. He attended the University of Wisconsin but couldn’t resist the pull of Greenwich Village which was in the midst of a musical explosion boasting the likes of Bob Dylan, Jimi Hendrix, Richie Havens, Eric Anderson and Odetta. A protege of the great Dave Van Ronk, Danny established himself on this seminal folk and blues revival scene, first as a solo performer and session player with Phil Ochs, Pete Seeger and others, and later in his own right and in The New Strangers, his duo with Sam Charters. He absorbed the scene, jamming with blues greats Muddy Waters and John Lee Hooker. Danny founded the Blues Project in 1965. One of the classic bands of the period, their The Blues Project Live at Cafe Au Go-Go won great critical acclaim and won them their first gold record. On this album Danny’s signature tune “Alberta,” a soft ballad and “Down To Louisiana,” a rocking electric blues, established him as one of the preeminent blues players of his generation. Four albums followed that cemented their place in rock history. In the years that followed, he formed other bands and spent several years in retreat, living mainly in California. During this time, he continued to perfect his art and perform for his loyal following. He also contributed to recordings by Judy Collins, Phil Ochs and Dave Van Ronk among others. In addition to playing all dimensions of the blues guitar — both electric and traditional — he explored other genres of guitar composition: modern atonal and open tunings. Danny is also a teacher and has taught seminars and clinics. Danny has performed as a solo artist and in trio settings up and down the East Coast in recent years, and this is the part of his career that’s inspired I’m Gonna Live The Life I Sing About. Gritty blues, originals, and standards, his touch on the guitar is as exciting and individual as ever. From folk to blues to jazz, Danny’s experimental mindset and talent played significant part in redefining musical genres and boundaries and he is still an influence, as ahead now as he was when he began. If you like what I’m doing, Like ---Bman’s Blues Report--- Facebook Page! I’m looking for great talent and trying to grow the audience for your favorites band! -  ”LIKE”