Teresa James & The Rhythm Tramps – 8/6

Teresa James and the Rhythm Tramps are on quite a roll.

Her persuasive pipes slathered in honey and soaked in Texas-bred sass, keyboardist Teresa James and her band, the Rhythm Tramps, have long reigned as one of Los Angeles’ leading contemporary blues outfits, even though their uncommonly imaginative repertoire, much of it supplied by Terry Wilson, James’ husband, producer, and bassist, is by no means strictly limited to the 12-bar form. Their 2019 CD Here in Babylon was nominated for a Grammy in the Contemporary Blues Album category.

Rose-Colored Glasses, the band’s new release on Blue Heart Records, continues that tradition. It’s their 12th album and showcases Teresa’s way with a lyric and Terry’s songwriting, poured over grooves that hold until the last note. A coterie of Texas guitar greats guest on the set, including Anson Funderburgh, Lee Roy Parnell, Johnny Lee Schell, Snuffy Walden, and Dean Parks. "This new album is kind of veering a little bit more into soul," says Teresa. "But to me, blues is more of a state of mind. It’s where you’re coming from. It’s the attitude and the heart that you bring to it."

"There was always music playing in my house," Teresa says of her early start. "My dad was a huge music fan... I studied classical music until I was about a sophomore in high school. When I was like eight or so, my dad taught me how to play guitar." Those seeds led to a musical career that includes recordings with Walter Trout, Eric Burdon, Spencer Davis, Tommy Castro, Stephen Bruton, Randy Newman, LeeRoy Parnell, Neil Diamond, and more; plus live performances with Marcia Ball, Levon Helm, Lloyd Jones, Delbert McClinton, and Eric Burdon & the Animals. She has been a featured act on Delbert McClinton’s Sandy Beaches Cruises for more than twenty years.

Teresa ultimately left Houston at the encouragement of Terry Wilson and Tony Braunagel, who had relocated to L.A. "His songs are brilliant... Over the years, we have definitely developed a partnership that works," she says. The Rhythm Tramps consist of world-class players who have toured or recorded with artists including Eric Burdon & the Animals, Bonnie Raitt, Delbert McClinton, Jimmy Reed, Lightin’ Hopkins, Jimmy Vaughan, Johnny Nash, Smokey Robinson, Tom Jones, and Tower Of Power.

Discography highlights: The Rhythm Tramps' debut was The Whole Enchilada (1998). Subsequent releases include Live (2000), Oh Yeah! (2003), The Rhythm Method (2004), The Bottom Line (2007) — "We still do most of the songs on that album, and that was the one where we got the BMA nomination," Teresa says — followed by Country by Request (2008), You Know You Love It (2010), Come On Home (2012), Bonafide (2016), and the Grammy-nominated Here in Babylon (2018), which was mixed by Ed Cherney with Jay Bellerose on drums.

Teresa has also done vocal work on film soundtracks and song demos in Los Angeles. One of her favorite composers to work for is Randy Newman; she was one of the background singers on "Putin" from his 2017 CD Dark Matter.

Soon to have a full dozen albums spanning 23 years, Teresa James & the Rhythm Tramps remain a staple of the Los Angeles-area blues scene and an international touring artist. They move easily from Texas-style grease and blues into Memphis soul or New Orleans–flavored grooves. As one critic said, "there are no clichés in this band."

Event details:

DOORS: 5:30PM SHOWTIME: 7PM
Date: August 6
Time: 7:00 pm - 9:00 pm
Venue: The 443 Social Club & Lounge
Address: 443 Burnet Ave, Syracuse, NY 13203

Ticket info:
- The 443 is an intimate listening room with table service that seats 75 people.
- Most seats are sold as "Tables for Two" — the ticket admits TWO people.
- A limited number of single seats are available; single attendees may be sharing a table with other single attendees.
- Multiple tickets purchased under the same name will automatically be seated together (up to 6 people).
- Requesting a specific table is a perk reserved for VIP Patron members.
- If anyone in your party needs special seating arrangements (walker, cane, service animal, wheelchair, low table requirement, or to be seated with another party), please email us after you place your order and we’ll make it happen.
- All tickets are "WILL CALL" — no need to print anything out; give your name at the door.

Links:
- Website: https://teresajames.com/home
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TeresaJamesTheRhythmTramps
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/teresajamesmusic/
- Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/5DF9ghWMWb2famPGFAV5sm?si=XN_BMpGlRUuOfsyikx6Chw
- Tickets on EventBrite: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/teresa-james-the-rhythm-tramps-at-the-443-social-club-tickets-1988688717488?aff=oddtdtcreator
- Video: https://youtu.be/dttw1Gft-Ok?si=XIBPcUaBF-KK3F8j