Kingfish Shows Phoenix Why the Blues Is in Good Hands

Christone “Kingfish” Ingram, a native son of Clarksdale, Mississippi, home of the Delta Blues scene, visited the Valley of the Sun and played a set at the local and famous Celebrity Theatre that was spot-on and would have made B.B. King proud. Ingram is getting a reputation as a great storyteller, and his love for the blues shows. The more I see him, and the more comfortable he gets on stage, the more you can see why so many say the future of the blues is in good hands with Kingfish.

Ingram surrounded himself with a killer cast of musicians as well: Randy Stevens on bass, DeShawn Alexander on keys, and Christopher Black on drums. These guys brought the old-school blues back to Phoenix. The tour is backing his newer album, Hard Road, and Ingram performed several songs from it, including “S.S.S.” as part of the encore.

I sort of love it when I see a show and afterward think about all the songs they didn’t play. I think that’s a great compliment to the performer, and if that’s the case, Ingram left a lot out on the table, leaving me wanting more but, at the same time, going home with a smile on my face.

Kingfish showing off his guitar playing was enough, but now add the lyrics and his songwriting skills, and you can see why folks gave him a standing O several times throughout the show. The best part is this 26-year-old phenom is just getting going. It’s a show you can’t miss when it’s his turn to come around. This is definitely for a blues crowd. It’s old-school, and it’s going to make the legends before him very proud.

I noticed Ingram talked a little bit more this time around, engaging with his fans, telling stories and having the crowd participate in one tune. Buddy Guy always shares many stories, and in time, so will Kingfish. You can’t help but gravitate to him, the same way Guy and King made you feel.

The beginning of the show was a great way to get the nearly sold-out audience warmed up, as well as Ingram. After four mind-blowing, guitar-filled jams, he left the stage and took a little break, handing the reins over to the band. Taking turns, they all played solos that kept everyone hopping before Kingfish returned to the stage.

Randy Stevens / Photo credit: Rick Scuteri for American Blues Scene

Deshawn Alexander / Photo credit: Rick Scuteri for American Blues Scene

Christopher Black / Photo credit: Rick Scuteri for American Blues Scene

Without blinking an eye, Ingram wandered through the crowd, giving some folks an up-close experience, even sitting down next to one fan that he probably will never forget. The more he played, the more this guitar-watching crowd marveled at what they were seeing. After a couple of oldies from his young library, like Rock and Roll, we were off to another great show at the world-famous Celebrity Theatre in the round. Not a bad seat in the house, and the stage spins so everyone can get the same vibes over and over.

Some don’t like the blues, but others like me LOVE the blues and can’t get enough of it. Performers like this are special, and if you get a chance, give Kingfish a try. It’s hard not to fall in love with this genre, especially when a gifted guitarist takes the stage.

Check out more from Ingram here.