Osprey Restaurant and Bar hosts free patio concert series, beginning with blues artist Sammy Eubanks

It’s all about atmosphere for the Osprey Restaurant and Bar as they put on their first organized concert series.

From May through October, Tuesday and Wednesday patrons at the Osprey can dine alongside the rapids of the Spokane River while listening to some of the best local talent the city has to offer from 6 to 9 p.m. The series kicks off with Sammy Eubanks.

The restaurant, in conjunction with the adjoining Ruby River Hotel, has had various performers on their outdoor patio before, but this is the first coordinated effort toward making music a staple at the Osprey – including a proper stage as well as quality lighting and audio arrangements.

“We’ve had really good artists in the past, we just haven’t had a really organized way of presentation and marketing,” said Dan Zimmerer, the president of Ruby Hospitality.

In order to select and contact local musicians for the series, they partnered with Bill Burke, who organizes the Labor Day mainstay Pig Out in the Park every year. Part of this process is sorting through the hundreds of artists that apply to play at the event in order to hire just about 80.

Besides setting a more relaxed environment and adding to customer experience, one of the goals of the series has been to help bolster the selected musicians and the scene itself. With a wide array of guests at the restaurant day after day, the series gives the artists the opportunity to present their music to varying audiences that may not be introduced to them otherwise.

This is one reason why the Osprey decide not to book different artists week after week, instead opting to offer a residency of sorts. With six artists/bands and six months in total, each will play there two days a week for a month before passing the torch on to the next.

Burke believes this style of concert series will give the performers the time to build an audience that wants to return to see them week after week.

“By doing four weeks in a row, it helps them build a local audience and at the same time, allows for fans to see them and hear them,” Burke said.

Starting the series off this month is Eubanks. Eubanks is well known throughout the Inland Northwest for his soul and blues sound, whether it be in a big band setting or solo – as he will be at the Osprey. He’s played at the restaurant before and has been working with Zimmerer, who always enjoys his sound, for about two decades.

Eubanks’ early influences were his father Jessie James Eubanks, BB King, Ray Charles, Steppenwolf and Eric Clapton.

“This will be a stripped-down experience with just Sammy, so I’m excited to see that acoustic, little more interactive experience,” Zimmerer said.

June will feature classic rock and blues musician Meghan Sullivan. Last year, Burke initially discovered Sullivan after she was featured on the cover of Washington Blues Magazine.

“I like the authenticity of her show and her presentation, she’s got an interesting stage presence,” Burke said.

Taking the stage in July is Kosta la Vista, a three-piece group that primarily covers electric, blues-based rock tunes by artists to the likes of Robert Cray, Eric Clapton, ZZ Top and more.

“I wanted to stretch the environment just a little bit by bringing in a three-piece, all electric band with drums,” Burke said.

Jason Garrett Evans will change things up in August with his neo-soul R&B sound. He was a street musician playing during Pig Out in the Park a few years ago when Burke heard him for the first time, and he says it is difficult not to be entranced by his excellent skills on the keys and his soulful voice.

“The minute I heard him, I virtually hired him on the spot,” Burke said.

September’s residency ownership goes to the Doghouse Boyz. The duo features a bassist and a guitarist usually playing the classic Dobro resonator blues guitar. The two bring the blues, jazz and folk to myriad events around the Inland Northwest.

“They’ve got a great presentation that way, as to an authentic Americana approach to music,” Burke said. “It’ll be very pleasing in that kind of environment.”

Wrapping up the series in October is the Ronaldos, a talented guitar and bass duo that explores the roots of jazz and R&B. The two will also play during the final week of July in place of Kosta la Vista.

“These guys are a little more sophisticated in nature,” Burke said.

Admission to the patio concert series is free. The full event schedule can be found online at ospreyspokane.com/events.