Wednesday Night Blues at Charly's

Featuring some of the best Blues talent in Arizona! Starting our new year is guitarist Max Tovstyi from Phoenix, by way of the Ukraine, along with his bassist, Chris DeHerrera. Max has an extensive rock blues bio with over 16 albums to his credit!! Let\’s give him a warm welcome to a wintry Flagstaff! Next up is the ever-popular Garry Segal, a gifted multi-instrumentalist from Cottonwood, by way of Connecticut. Garry\’s flavor of Blues shades on the traditional side, as he incorporates slide guitar and harmonica into his song selections. Gary was a NAZBA runner-up in the solo competition in 2021. Following Garry, from Sedona by way of Detroit, is Rene Rice (or \”Simply Rene\”), along with Phoenix keyboardist extraordinaire, by way of Trenton, New Jersey, Les Paul Roque. Rene has performed with many great artists such as Ray Charles, The Temptations, Sheila E., and Aretha Franklin and was honored to sing the national anthem for the NBA’s Detroit Pistons and the Arizona Rattlers and performed for President Reagan. She was a Semifinalist at the 2017 IBC in Memphis and also performs as part of NAZBA\’s Ladies Sing the Blues show. Les Paul has traveled the globe, playing with Sister Sledge, Bonnie Pointer, and Luther Ingram, and worked for seven years as musical director for Mr. Billy Paul. Following Rene and Les, is the mighty duo of Ray DeSylvester and Steve Willis. If one plus one equals two, these two equal four! Both artists bring a blend of Chicago style and New Orleans flavor to the stage. Ray is a well-established artist in Northern AZ and his rendition of the Star Spangled Banner was performed for the Arizona Diamondbacks team! Ray represented NAZBA in the 2014 Memphis IBC and is a member of the AZ Blues HOF. Steve Willis, also an AZ Blues HOF member, has been in Arizona since 1967 and for many years played with the Elvin Bishop Band. Steve represented NAZBA in the Memphis IBC in 2022, and was a semi-finalist! Rounding out January, from Phoenix, is guitarist and vocalist Big Daddy D, Darryl Porras. Most recently Darryl was with the Cros Band in the 2022 Memphis IBC, finishing in second place, against some of the best bands in the world! Big Daddy D and the Dynamites will be celebrating its 25th anniversary later this year and the band, in various configurations, has played in most of the top Blues venues and festivals in AZ, along with many City and State sponsored events, including the AZ State Fair.

The NAZBA Wednesday Night Blues at Charly\’s continues to feature the best new and upcoming talent along with top established Arizona Blues artists. And there is always a jam after the first set! If you are coming to a NAZBA show, you can count on quality that can be seen, heard, and felt! On behalf of Dr. Bob Sellani and Roger Smith, and the Weatherford Hotel and staff, we thank you for your support and look forward to 2024!