Hamilton Loomis Kickin' It CD

Young Texas guitarist Hamilton Loomis' first disc for Blind Pig, Kickin' It, is a mixed bag of modern blues, modern funk, and slick soul. As a young man getting started in the blues, Loomis was mentored by Lone Star State legends Albert Collins, Clarence "Gatemouth" Brown, and Johnny Copeland. He seems proud to use those names in interviews and press releases, and rightfully so! You sense he is genuinely honored to have been taken under the wing of these elder statesmen. So, it comes as a bit of a surprise in the Kickin' It liner notes when Loomis brags, "This ain't yo' Grandpa's blues record," and how he's going to take "blues out of the box." If you associate Loomis' mentors with "grandpa's blues record," you probably won't get much enjoyment from Kickin' It. ~ Al Campbell

"Innovate, don't imitate." Hamilton Loomis took his mentor, Bo Diddley's advice. It speaks volumes when the likes of Diddley, Johnny "Clyde" Copeland, Clarence "Gatemouth" Brown, and Albert Collins take you under their wings. The twenty-something Texas sensation isn't just another cat-in-a-hat with a Strat. He has crafted his blues roots into a funk-a-fied recipe all his own.A multi-instrumentalist, Hamilton practically grew up in the spotlight. He began on drums and piano at age five, guitar at age six, then conquered the harmonica. Gigging non-stop since age fourteen, he formed a family doo-wop group with his musician parents. By seventeen, he had played the world-famous Delta Blues Festival for an audience of 40,000.Before he was eighteen, he was writing, arranging, and performing his own material. He produced his first CD, titled simply Hamilton, which received a Grammy nomination for "Best Contemporary Album of the Year".Bo Diddley described Hamilton's second disc, Just Gimme One Night, this way. "You got to put some seasoning in what you're doin', and this boy's got the whole salt shaker!" Hamilton's third release, All Fired Up, his fourth, Live: Highlights, and his latest, "Kickin' It", on Blind Pig Records, are both on radio rotation on both coasts. It has set the stage for him to stake his claim as a top contemporary performer.Touring for the past five years, his band radiates a potent vibe and boasts razor-sharp arrangements and Hamilton's groove-driven guitar, weaving around his silky, soul-drenched vocals."I can't forget the legends who believed in me, so paying my dues must include giving back to the community," states Hamilton. He has taught blues in the schools, holds community blues tributes, and gives regular harmonica clinics. Very few artists are able to meld such a strong sense of the past with such an ardent vision of the future.Above all, performing is Hamilton's forte. He establishes an easy rapport with his audience, which instantly feels his love of the music. Chris Rose of Eminence Speaker Corporation summed it up. "Seeing him perform at the 2001 NAMM Show renewed my faith in new music. He's the hottest thing out of Texas since the jalapeno!"

Recorded at Congress House, Austin, Texas and The Lodge Studios, Nashville, Tennessee.

Personnel: Hamilton Loomis (vocals, guitar, harmonica, vocoder, sound effects); Kevin Needham (tenor saxophone); Brant Leeper (piano, Fender Rhodes piano, background vocals); Nico Leophonte, Levi "The Hammer" Haddock III (drums).

Audio Mixer: Hamilton Loomis.

Liner Note Author: Hamilton Loomis.

Recording information: Congress House Studios, Austin, TX; The Lodge Studios, Nashville, TN.

Photographer: Bill Olive.

Arranger: Hamilton Loomis.

Personnel: Hamilton Loomis (vocals, guitar, harmonica, vocodor, bass); Brant Leeper (piano, keyboards, background vocals); Mike Cross (bass, background vocals); Nico Leophonte, Levi Haddock III (drums); The Primal Funk Horns.