The Cash Box Kings

, "rdquo" -> One of the best blues bands in the land. Any of these musicians could have played with the great bands of the golden blues era. Together they keep a sound alive that many thought was no more." --- Living Blues , "rdquo" -> Unflinching blues distilled to its essence and steeped in tradition." --- Chicago Tribune , "rdquo" -> An enthusiastic celebration of Chicago blues in all of its electric forms. The Cash Box Kings don't merely pay homage to the past, they bring tradition into the present, making the case that the blues can still speak forcefully and directly about contemporary life." --- AllMusic For more than 25 years, The Cash Box Kings have been carrying the raw, rollicking spirit of classic Chicago blues into the present. Now, with a powerful new voice at the helm, the band is entering an exciting new chapter. Founded by Chicago Blues Hall of Fame inductee and harmonica powerhouse Joe Nosek, The Cash Box Kings have built an international reputation for their fiercely authentic take on the music they love. Their sound draws deeply from the electrifying blues of the 1950s and '60s, while embracing jumping proto-rock 'n' roll, early New Orleans-style R&B, Retro Soul, and the band's own hard-charging hybrid of Chicago blues and Memphis rockabilly---what the Kings affectionately call , "rdquo" -> bluesabilly." As MOJO put it, the band are , "rdquo" -> experts in classic Chicago grooves," evoking Muddy Waters and Little Walter while also delivering original songs that are , "rdquo" -> both funny and pointed." AllMusic praised their , "rdquo" -> enthusiastic celebration of Chicago blues in all of its electric forms," noting the band's combination of witty, sharp songwriting and an ability to bring tradition into the present: , "rdquo" -> The Cash Box Kings make the case that the blues can still speak forcefully and directly about contemporary life." Featuring Nosek and Webb alongside keyboardist Lee Kanehira, bassist John W. Lauler, guitarists Billy Flynn and Andrew Diehl, and drummers Derek Hendrickson and Kenny , "rdquo" -> Beedy Eyes" Smith, the album showcases everything that has made The Cash Box Kings a singular force in contemporary blues: deep Chicago grooves, explosive harmonica, powerful vocals, sharp songwriting, jumping rhythms, and the unmistakable chemistry of a great live band. That combination of reverence and originality has been at the heart of The Cash Box Kings since Nosek founded the group in Madison, Wisconsin, in 2001. As a teenager growing up in the Chicago suburbs, Nosek began sneaking into Chicago blues clubs to see legends including Junior Wells, James Cotton, Otis Rush, Jimmy Rogers, and Sunnyland Slim. Those experiences inspired him to take up harmonica and develop the driving, expressive style that has become one of the band's defining sounds. After moving to Madison to attend college, he began sitting in with artists including Clyde Stubblefield and Luther Allison before assembling a group of like-minded musicians determined to play raw, rough-edged, hard-charging blues. read more...