Cray Makes Blues Dance With Rhythm Virtuosic Guitar Work Keeps Crowd Moving

Robert Cray Saturday, Aug. 8, Festival at Sandpoint

The world is already aware that Robert Cray is a great blues player.

But on a perfect Saturday night in Sandpoint, he also demonstrated his exceptional qualities as a rhythm player.

No wonder this band bills itself as a rhythm-and-blues band, as opposed to a blues band. With Cray working his guitar in irresistible, chunky rhythm figures - and the band churning tightly behind him - it was nearly impossible to keep still. The sound harkened back to the Stax sound of the ‘60s.

While Cray and Co. may never match that sound, they came mighty close Saturday night. Even before the almost-full moon rose over the Selkirks, the sold-out crowd was dancing, swaying and screaming for more.

Cray and the band played several tunes from their latest album, “Sweet Potato Pie,” which would best be described as soul rather than blues. These songs, such as “Nothing Against You,” and “The One in the Middle,” sound good on CD, but they sound even better live, with the band locked into an infectious groove.

Cray’s vocals are of the smooth, soulful variety, a perfect match for his deeply emotional and thoughtful lyrics. His songs are devoid of arrogance or bluster - they are the songs of a decent man, trying to do right by love and right by the world.

And, of course, Cray can play the blues. Even on the most soulful songs, Cray lets loose with a bit of guitar virtuosity. He also played a number of songs from his more blues-oriented albums, including the exceptionally powerful “Strong Persuader,” demonstrating that this man can express his emotions as well, or better, with a Fender Stratocaster than he can with words.

Like a hitter who sprays the ball to all fields, Cray uses every part of the fingerboard to express himself. Yet Cray played one solo almost entirely in the lower register - a rumbling, rolling sound - making it all the more thrilling when he climbed the ladder to the piercing high notes. I’ve been to B.B. King shows where, I swear, the man never even touched his bass string.

Cray likes to use a lot of quick choppy notes, almost like a bebop player, but he is also a master at making the guitar sing when the song calls for it. You can almost hear the heartbreak.

Jim Pugh contributed many rollicking organ and piano solos, and drummer Kevin Hayes and Karl Sevareid made a fine rhythm section - with help from Cray’s inventive rhythm figures.

Spokane’s Paul Brasch opened the show with a fine solo set of country blues. His acoustic slide-guitar playing is remarkably clean and true to the original spirit of the Delta blues.