Howlin' Bob with Mark Serio & Friends at Mattison's City Grille

Can't believe I've never heard him sing and play before, but tonight I really enjoyed dancing to the mellow vocals and fluid lead guitar of Howlin' Bob, who joined Mark Serio, Burt Engelsman, and Rob Camilleri at Mattison's City Grille in downtown Sarasota. TIP: They're still playing as I write, so if you can make it downtown right now, it'll surely be worth the effort.

I had to smile at the several layers of "singing" that were happening simultaneously onstage, as Serio's and Bob's lead guitars "talked" back and forth, trading up-the-neck and down-the-neck licks, along with Bob's honey-throated lyrics in periodic dialogue with his own gas-can-body guitar.

The closest analogous voice I can think of is Willie Nelson's, although Bob's is completely without Willie's trademark nasal sound. I most liked Bob's facility with rolling out well-thought-out yet seemingly effortless modulations of vocal tone and guitar intensity.

Here's some video of Howlin' Bob at the weekly blues jam at the Flying Dog Cafe a few years back, to give you a flavor of his vibe. All I can say is he's one smooth cat.



Props, too, of course, to the whole band, all of whom were clearly having a great time improvising together. One great song leads to another, and I never can find the right moment to leave. Just don't want to miss all that excellence.