Earlier this year, I had the distinct pleasure of witnessing the West Coast swing of the Lurrie Bell and Jason Ricci tour. With the celebrated rhythm section of Rena Beavers on drums and Paul Loranger on bass, the bands cruise through the Southwest was both fast and furious. With stops in San Diego, Los Angeles and Arizona this All-Star lineup provided a blues experience unlike any other.

The Gateway Arch towers over the mighty Mississippi. Built in 1963, it is today the symbol of St. Louis. Blues music fills the night, and St. Louisans sit at sidewalk cafes in the historic Soulard neighborhood in front of tables of toasted ravioli, paper-thin square-cut pizza, and frosted mugs of Bud, the beer here that is still king.

‘MOZ LIVE’ is the title of a new compact disc from the Chris Fast Band. As the name suggests, the project was captured ‘in the moment’ at the Mozambique Steakhouse in Laguna Beach. The end result; Fast has produced ten tracks that exemplify a night out with his band along with a couple hundred of his new best friends.