I am new to Guy King. But I caught him at Blues Fest doing a solo set and was knocked out. He is all about the Blues with a heavy dose of Jazz and Soul. Wanted to hear more, I got a chance to check out him with his band at SPACE in Evanston Monday night. I was very impressed.
King was born in Israel but made his way to Chicago. His repertoire seems pretty broadly based. I hear so many varied influences in his playing and song choices. King is a multi-talented individual. I am not sure what is actually better, his voice or his guitar playing.
King’s voice seems to run the range of the deep Blues to Ray Charles. His style is very polished. I can’t believe I never really heard of him before seeing him at Blues Fest. Maybe I did but dismissed the name because it sounds like he just combined the names of two Blues legends. Perhaps his name could possibly serve against his success. What’s in a name? Well, first impressions are everything and sometimes that works for or against you. Having said that, I think he will do well in this business.
His guitar playing is top notch, and man, can he phrase! I never found him to repeat himself all that much, as he displayed a great vocabulary of chords. I hear a lot of Wes Montgomery voicings in his music. King also uses his thumb instead of a pick ala Montgomery. That may seem like a limitation, but the tone you get by doing that is much warmer than using a pick.
King’s band was great, and they had to be keeping up with a such a gifted performer. One very solid drummer, one adventurous bass player and a great keys player kept the music flowing. Nobody stepped on anyone else’s toes. It was clearly King’s show. A very nice balance of dynamics kept his fans reeled in. I plan on seeing his act again when I can. It would be interesting to see him with his Little Big Band. King turned out to be a really nice guy, too. I said hello to him after the show and he was quite approachable. That is always a good thing. Like I always say, go support live music whenever you can. It is much better in person.
TimeLine Theatre Company, celebrated for its powerful and provocative productions that connect past, present, and future, announces a landmark 29th…
Chicago's Raven Theatre Company today announced its 43rd season, with productions appearing on its Edgewater stages at 6157 N. Clark St. in…
For a dose of summer fun, theatergoers are invited to grab their Walkman, cue up their favorite 80s mix tape,…
Lucid Theater announced today it will present the world premiere of BUDDHA'S BIRTHDAY by Chicago playwright Amy Crider, whose WELLS…
HONEYPOT originated as a creative nonfiction book by E. Patrick Johnson, Dean of the School of Communication at Northwestern University.…
It was a dark and stormy night as I motored to The Conspirators “Chicago Cop Macbeth,” with a fog of…
Broadway In Chicago announced today that HAMILTON will return to Chicago for a multi-week engagement beginning March 4, 2026 through April 26,…
An electrifying evening of artistic fusion unfolded at the Auditorium Theatre as Hiplet Ballerinas, the professional company of the Chicago…
We are inside the Pompeii Club. From everything Charity has told us, the club is the place to be, and…
With AI and other technological advancements continuing to change the landscape of how we work and interact with one another,…
Riots of laughter greeted the City Lit Theater world premiere of “R.U.R. [Rossum’s Universal Robots]” Wait. Could this be the…
Paramount Theatre’s smash hit Million Dollar Quartet, a “roof-rattling…rapturous celebration of early rock ‘n’ roll” (Daily Herald), won’t stop rockin’ anytime…
See Chicago Dance, the dance industry's nonprofit service organization celebrating its 20th anniversary in 2025, is proud to announce organizations…
Broadway In Chicago announced today that individual tickets for Disney’s The Lion King, are now on sale to the public. Tickets ranging…
I’ll just say it - Cats is going to blow your mind. Now running at the Paramount Theatre, this spectacular…
“Galileo” written in 1938 by German playwright Bertolt Brecht, tells the straightforward story of the 17th century physicist and astronomer’s…
The adage goes that you can’t choose your family but you can choose your friends. Throughout our lives, we meet…
Hell in a Handbag Productions is pleased to conclude its 2024/25 Season with the world premiere of QUEEN FOR A DAY written by…
If our day-to-day lives were a collective color, it would probably be the color blue. Whether you are feeling blue,…
Steppenwolf Theatre Company, the nation's premier ensemble theater company, is pleased to present Noah Diaz's whimsical, wild, unpredictable and deeply moving Chicago…
A fool and their money are soon parted as the old expression goes, but what do you do when that…
Broadway In Chicago is thrilled to announce that HADESTOWN, the winner of eight 2019 Tony Awards® including Best New Musical and the…
Definition Theatre is proud to present the world premiere of Black Bone, a bold new satire by Chicago playwright Tina Fakhrid-Deen…
Stories that explore the emotional lives of men—especially Black men—are still far too rare on the American stage. Outside the…
Chicago Opera Theater (COT), Chicago’s foremost producer of new and rarely staged operas, proudly presents the world premiere of She Who Dared by…
Something extraordinary happens on a street in Huntsville, Alabama. Mr. Woods (Keith Randolph Smith), a hard-working Black man in the…
The Den Theatre today announced upcoming June 2025 shows at the theatre's Wicker Park stages at 1331 N. Milwaukee Ave., including "Anatomy…
I reviewed TITUS ANDRONICUS in mid-February, so I was eager to see the sequel! In TITUS, Shakespeare tells the story…
BrightSide Theatre, Naperville’s professional theatre company, has announced the cast for the final show of its 13th season – the…
Eight Chicago artists from diverse backgrounds and disciplines have spent the last eight months in residence at the Chicago Puppet…
Does your theatre company want to connect with Buzz Center Stage or would you like to reach out and say "hello"? Message us through facebook or shoot us an email at info@buzzcenterstage.com.
*This disclaimer informs readers that the views, thoughts, and opinions expressed in the text belong solely to the author, and not necessarily to Buzz Center Stage. Buzz Center Stage is a non-profit, volunteer-based platform that enables, and encourages, staff members to post their own honest thoughts on a particular production.