Last night at The 9:30 Club, I became re-acquainted with the Blues…through the incredible musical skills of a young man named Christone “Kingfish” Ingram. HisFish Grease: A Juke Joint Tour came to DC last night and those in attendance were witnesses to an incredible show. Christone, who is STILL a few months shy of 21, displayed a level of skill, stage presence and showmanship that is rarely found in someone his age. In addition to being an amazing guitar player, Christone has an impressive rich voice that was built to sing the blues.
Until I was offered the opportunity to cover last night’s show, I have to admit I was not aware of Mr. Ingram. Man, did that change last night! Christone delivered a two hour show (with no breaks). What was even more impressive was that he spent a good amount of time off stage, continuing to play and electrifying the dense crowd as he navigated his way through them. Ingram did not limit himself to the main floor, however, as he also ventured up to the 9:30 Club balcony and wowed us from above! The crowd loved his enthusiasm, humility and willingness to engage and rewarded Christone and his band with numerous thunderous ovations throughout his amazing performance.
Christone played many songs from his debut album, entitled Kingfish, which was released in May of this year. Just a few days ago, the Kingfish album was nominated for a Grammy for Best Traditional Blues Album. Although I enjoyed ALL the songs he performed last night, Outside of This Town, Love Ain’t My Favorite Word, Fresh Out and Listen stood out. Christone also delighted the crowd with his versions of well known classics like Jimi Hendrix’s Hey Joe, Albert King’s Born Under A Bad Sign, and (by request) Screamin’ Jay Hawkins’ I Put A Spell On You.
I would encourage anyone who likes the blues and exemplary guitar work to check out Christone “Kingfish” Ingram’s album. Better yet, plan to go see him perform live when he comes to your city. My prediction is that you will NOT be disappointed. His talent and potential are sure to attract many new fans to the Blues in the years ahead.
Enjoy these photos of Christone “Kingfish” Ingram performing on Thursday, November 21st at the 930 Club. All photos copyright and courtesy of David Dixon.
