“Contemporary blues is… when you can mix your other genres into blues… kind of make a melting pot of my influences from R&B and from rock and roll or from blues and kind of blend them all together.”
His live shows often bring together blues standards from some of his favorite artists like Stevie Ray Vaughan, Jimi Hendrix and Eric Gales. A recent video uploaded to Youtube shows Titus and company delivering a tasty rendition of Hendrix’s iconic “Little Wing” with some Eric Gales flair to it. For Titus, it’s important to add his own flavor and tone to the songs while still paying respect to the way the original players did it. Beyond that, original music has been shaping up for some time. While he has yet to put out any official releases, Titus Gillard songs such as “You Gone Get It” and others have made their way into the live sets. At the Covey Awards, Titus intends to pack their set with original music. Those official releases are on the way though, as Titus has been working with his friend and frequent collaborator Ra’Shad the Blues Kid on some studio material. Titus and Ra’Shad run tight together in the music scene, often performing together and working with the same key band members between both projects as they often perform as a package. Some of these players include Tyler Megiel, Delvin James, Roderick Crenshaw, Jadarion Taylor, JJ Carter and Anthony Woodhouse, many of whom will be performing the Coveys show. Titus has also appeared on some of Ra’Shad’s songs.
Looking forward, Titus Gillard plans to keep growing and expanding his presence in the region with new music and killer live shows. Look for a new website and artist merch in the coming months, and keep an eye on his socials for live videos and show dates. If you’re able to attend or watch the Coveys on April 22nd, you’ll be able to see first hand what Blues Power is about.
“I want to grab attention, I want people to be included, to feel included… I want them to remember the first ten minutes of the night,” Titus said. “I love playing on the coast. I love how I’ve been embraced by the community being the new guy and being a new musician. I’m glad to be able to start my career here.”
Get out there and catch a show.
~Support Local Music~
scott@coastobserver.com
@ScottiRedd9
“The Titus Gillard Blues Power Band” on Facebook. Search “Titus Gillard Band”
“Titus Gillard” on Youtube
Live shots by Chris Montgomery/ Montgophoto
Group shot @ International Blues Challenge
