Albert Cummings at the Redstone Room -- March 29.

Friday, March 29, 8 p.m.

The Redstone Room, 129 Main Street, Davenport IA

With Blues Rock Review calling him “a contemporary blues master” and Chicago Blues Guide labeling him an artist who “can sooth, stimulate, and in some cases electrify his audiences with his show-stopping performances,” blues singer/songwriter/guitarist Albert Cummings headlines a spirited Redstone Room concert on March 29, demonstrating the skills that led Grammy-winning producer David Z. to rave, “Albert Cummings writes, plays, and sings the blues like nobody else.”

A native of Williamstown, Massachusetts, the 51-year-old Cummings started playing the five-string banjo at the age of 12, and after becoming a fan of the early recordings of Stevie Ray Vaughan in his late teens, delivered his first public guitar performance in 1997. In his late 20s, after competing in the International Blues Challenge in Memphis, Cummings formed the band Swamp Yankee and released the independently produced album The Long Way, a recording that Bluesprint magazine described as “a barrage of guitar pyrotechnics that calls to mind a grand mix of the styles of past masters like Albert King, Freddie King, Stevie Ray Vaughan, and Jimmi Hendrix.” Cummings' acclaim led to him working with Double Trouble, the late Vaughan's rhythm section, and bassist Tommy Shannon and drummer Chris Layton were so impressed with his skills that they volunteered to play on and produce his solo debut recording, 2003’s self-released From the Heart. Recorded in Austin, Texas, it featured Cummings fronting Double Trouble (including Reese Winans) in their first recording project since Vaughan’s passing.

Cummings’ soulful and explosive approach to blues and rock caught the attention of Blind Pig Records, which signed him to a multi-album deal beginning in 2004, and led to the releases of the critically acclaimed True to Yourself in 2004 and Working Man in 2006. The live album Feel So Good followed in 2008, with 2012's No Regrets marking a professional turning point for Cummings: The release debuted at number one on the iTunes Blues Chart in the Unites States, Canada, and France, as well as at number five on Billboard's blues chart. With the album Someone Like You landing in 2015 and his credits including performances opposite the likes of B.B. King, Johnny Winter, and Buddy Guy, Guitar Edge magazine wrote, “The blues is best served up live, with an enthusiastic audience and a killin' band, and that's exactly what guitarist Albert Cummings does … . Cummings effortlessly shifts from chimney-subdued stylings to raucous roadhouse raunch to soaring yet stinging lead lines, driving his audience to frenzy in all the right places.”

Albert Cummings plays the Redstone Room on March 29 with an opening set by Hal Reed, admission is $18-20, and more information and tickets are available by calling (563)326-1333 or visiting RiverMusicExperience.org.

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