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Stevie
Ray & Black Sheep
--- By DC Rapier Translated
by Kiki Wu
Proof of the power of the blues as a
"world music" can be found in Stevie Ray &
Black Sheep, the only Texas-style blues band in Taiwan
and the only one led by a local.
Inspired by the music of the late, great guitarist Stevie
Ray Vaughn, Black Sheep was formed in 2004 by Stevie
Ray, a member of the Paiwan Aborigine tribe. He notes
that the spirit and soul of blues has much in common
with the music of the aboriginal people of Taiwan. As
guitarist, song-writer and singer, Stevie Ray has dedicated
himself to developing his own sound and promoting blues
music in Taiwan. In 2005, the Black Sheep had the honor
of opening Taiwan's very first international blues festival,
the Blues and Bar-B-Q Bash, organised by the Blues Society
on Taiwan (BSot).
Joining Stevie Ray in the quest for
"mo' better blues" are two Japanese, Neishi
'Dafu' Daisuke on drums and Inoue 'Kazu' Kazuo on bass
guitar. Dafu is an honors graduate of the Musicians
Institute in LA and was an assistant teacher there.
Returning to Japan, he became a drum instructor at the
Musicians Institute, Japan. Since moving here in 2003,
he has played in many bands as a professional drummer.
Kazu studied music at Minnesota State University, Moorhead,
where he was the only Japanese selected to be a member
of the university's Masters Band. While in the US, Kazu
played music festivals and recorded CDs. In 2004, he
moved to Taiwan to pursue his music career and has been
very active on the local scene.
Stevie Ray and Black Sheep play their
special brand of blues in venues around the island.
Fans will be able to see Black Sheep perform at the
BSoT's Blues Bash 3 on November 4 and 5 at the Dream
Community in Xichi (Sichih). Check www.bsot-bluesbash.info
for details and get ready to lose your blues to the
music of Stevie Ray and Black Sheep.
DC 'deacon' Rapier is the founder and
president of the Blues Society on Taiwan and a member
of Chicago-style Blues band, BoPoMoFo. www.bsot.org
www.bsot-bluesbash.info www.bopomofo-blues.com
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