Good day! I set up this placeholder Blogger page awhile ago....time to get going on the website now, right? Having performed with my own band- The Jimmy Dewrance Blues Band- for many years I've become a bit complacent about band outreach. In getting the word out about the latest gig I've found Facebook and direct email works well enough. My hangup is how my last name gets spelled....I guess it doesn't spell as it sounds to people. Durants, Durrance, Durrante, Duderanch....Deliverance(!)....thus I never used the my name.com web address. Used it for something else.
So, my solution is to reboot the band as Jimmy Dewrance & Too Gone Blue, and here we go with toogoneblue.com. Catchy and memorable, ain't it? Eventually this address will direct to a real website...
By the way Too Gone Blue is also the title to my first and only solo CD.
I've recorded with many other artists over the years.
Besides my own musical doings, I regularly perform with several other acts- notably The AJ Crawdaddy Band, Johnny Cat Soubrand & Friends and guest appearances with Jeffrey Halford and the Healers.
Too Gone Blue is versatile-The main four piece band for the club and festival scene as well as a duet or trio all of which delve into the depth and breadth of what I term "pre-rock blues". I've written a few songs but mostly lean on a repertoire centered on Chicago and West Coast blues of the 1950's and early 60's, think Lowell Fulson, Junior Parker, Frank Frost, Bobby Bland, Slim Harpo and of course Little Walter.
My basic biography: When I was a child I heard a song on the radio with a captivating harmonica melody, rode my bike to the music store and bought my very own harmonica. And kept at it for 40 years. Learned basic music theory, voice lessons and improvisation at San Jose City College and met many a great musician. Met Jay Meduri of Poorhouse Bistro fame at a record store. We started a band in 1987 which was a great learning experience and a whole lot of fun.
1992 was the year I got going as bandleader and have kept the act going ever since. Even when I joined other acts-notably the Elmer Lee Thomas Blues Review from 1995 to 2014-we backed up Brownie McGhee on his last tour-played The Fountain Blues Festival, Long Beach Blues Festival, San Francisco Blues Festival, a Canadian tour opening for The Robert Cray Band and so on. Just the best musical experience with the coolest cats in the room. The band didn't actually break up, just faded away into retirement.
That's enough for now. The last few years I've stayed busy making music with my friends traveling extensively in the bay area.
