KINGS OF PLEASURE HAD TOO MANY DRIVERS BEHIND THE WHEEL LIKE HOLLYWOOD FATS

Last night i come so close to using this You Tube clip in recognition of blues genius HOLLYWOOD FATS aka MICHAEL MANN. The only reason why i opted to go with his last ever song RAMBLER , which dont get me wrong i think features some of the best electric blues guitar playing around, was because this performance isn't even HOLLYWOOD FATS, but an excellent subsitute for HOLLYWOOD FATS BAND if i may say so myself - called THE KINGS OF PLEASURE. These guys really do have a lot of great blues fusion dynamics, the band has been around since 2002 and was originally formed by the late DAN SANCHEZ, who passed away in early 2010. THE KINGS OF PLEASURE effortless combine the sort of galloping west coast electric blues which HOLLYWOOD FATS was legendary for with jazzed up 40`s swing and skip blues, a lot like LITTLE CHARLIE AND THE NIGHTCATS actually. It was only in mid 2011 that the four remaining members of the band decided to pick up the pieces after Sanchez's death and go back out on the road - in their own words, to keep playing the music that they and Dan loved so much. Little known TONY CASIO is now filling in the void left by Sanchez, the rest of the band is comprised of RYAN RAMOS (harmonica/vocals), JASON BALL (piano/vocals), DONALD DURHAM (bass) and CODY LOWERY on drums. They're just a fantastic blues party band, a bit of Hollywood Fats, Little Charlies and the Nighcats and definitely a big topping of JAMES HARMAN BAND as well. To be honest, even though i've sampled plenty of the band's songs on You Tube, i haven't categorised what albums they have released to date, i'll let you do that. It's not quite as good as HOLLYWOOD FATS, but The Kings of Pleasure cover of HF's TOO MANY DRIVERS, one of the great blues tracks of all time, isn't a bad replica. In particular i have to hand it to piano man JASON BALL here, his boogie woogie soloing for this performance almost makes up for the shortcomings of replacement guitarist Tony Casio, who like most blues guitarists isn't as good as Hollywood Fats. But it's still a great tribute to their hero.