Eric STECKEL Band - Live at Havana 2006

Eric STECKEL Band - Live at Havana 2006

Blues

Eric Steckel (born 1990) is an American blues guitarist and singer. His first album A Few Degrees Warmer was recorded live in 2002. He was just 11 years old and became the youngest in a series of precocious blues performers which began in the 1990s with the names of Jonny Lang, Shannon Curfman, and slightly later, Derek Trucks. As a child prodigy he has been invited to play on stage with such artists as John Mayall, Bob Margolin, Debbie Davies, James Armstrong, Tommy Castro, Solomon Burke, Hubert Sumlin, Craig Thatcher, Danny Bryant. In recent years he has been working with his own band and released three albums, including "Live at Havana 2006".
He has also played the Springing the Blues festival in Jacksonville Beach, Florida the last 4 years.
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Bouncing between original and cover songs, Steckel unplugs Fender attitudes and straddles a course into Freddie King territory, crossing over into Otis Rush turf and sneaking off into Allman Brothers psychedelia.
Whatever influences there were in the beginning, Eric is shedding them like snakeskin to nurture a sound of his own. Eric slow burns with "Radio Blues", immortalizes Santana with the Latino "Espirita" and turns "Little Wing" into an almost ten minute guitar pyrotechnical display that is spell-binding. His own "Philips Highway" sees the band aggregate riding the rock pony into the hills of blues.
The blueprints of Steckel's music come out of guitar player vaults that were reserved for cranking up blues rock to stadium levels. While many kids his age are listening to rap and hip-hop, Eric looks the other way, cranks up his guitar and pummels out licks that never lose their appeal for us older people who wish they made that giant step when they had the chance."
By Gary Weeks.
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What a surprise,looking for some records in my habitual Barcelona's records store (Disco 100, what a good professionals they are) I found this Eric Steckel's record 'Live at Havana' when exactly the day before I had read in Amazon its 'mbernocchi''s review. Although Steckel's youth (sixteen years) made me hesitate, I heeded `mbernocchi''s description and I bought it right away and went home to listen to it.

I am almost in full agreement with the whole of mbernocchi's point of view; very good guitar playing, even if somehow fuzzy in some passages of the disk; three great themes; a very good cover Freddie King's "San-Ho-Zay", the super slow Blues "Radio Blues" probably the best song of the record and very good Jimi Hendrix's cover "Little Wing". The other themes are on a good level although I would have liked to hear more piano and less organ and the version of Otis Rush's 'All your love' could have been somewhat better. Steckel is evidently influenced by one of the kings, the great Freddie King, and his voice, even if very correct, is what you would expect of someone so young. All in all it is a good disk for any Blues fan, and I am already playing it in the Blues program of Tiana's local radio station (this is a little town near Barcelona), for my listeners' delight.
Congratulations to this intrepid young Eric Steckel called to be in the higher spheres of modern Blues.
By  Jose Maria Domenech Fedi.
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If a teenager can produce heavy rocking guitar blues of this quality, there is no need to worry. This is blues guitar at it's best. If this came from a seasoned player with a long trackrecord, you'd hail it as one of his best. This player is barely into his teens and created this amazing blues cd. The playing is off the charts and his version of LITTLE WINGS is the best I've ever heard. I'm sure ERIC will figure heavily in the future of electric guitar. He already has an amazing phrase book and infuses everything he plays with his own imprint.
If you have any kind of interest in the electric guitar, you have to hear this !!!!!
By Hans D HARMS.
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Eric STECKEL - Guitars, vocals
Craig THATCHER - Guitars, vocals
Wayde LEONARD - Bass, vocals
Don PLOWMAN - Drums
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01. San-Ho Zay 5:04
02. Radio Blues 11:00
03. Espirita  4:57
04. Me & My Guitar 4:54
05. Philips Highway 5:35
06. Deep Fried 4:33
07. Jaywalkin' 4:33
08. Hey Sister 4:51
09. Little Wing 9:52
10. All Your Love 5:43
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Eric STECKEL Band - A Few Degrees Warmer 2002

Eric STECKEL Band - A Few Degrees Warmer 2002

Blues


With a feeling and natural ability that can't be explained for someone so young, Eric delivers a blues guitar performance with an intensity and skill that never fails to amaze.

Originally from Pennsylvania where he was first known for his energetic guest appearances with many of the area's finest performers, Eric's early musical influences inspired him to pick up his first Fender Stratocaster at the age of nine.

There was no looking back.............

Eric's passion for the Blues enabled him to soon share the stage with many nationally known artists including Bob Margolin, Debbie Davies, James Armstrong, Steve Guyger, Kenny Neal, Chris Beard, Tommy Castro, Joe Kubek, Bnois King, Solomon Burke, Ronnie Baker Brooks and Hubert Sumlin.
With a feeling and natural ability that just can't be explained for someone so young, Eric delivers a Freddie-BB-Albert King influenced performance with an intensity and skill that belies his youth. With a style at times reminiscent the great ones, Eric combines a variety of influences while reminding everyone the real thing comes from the heart and soul.
The Eric Steckel Band's debut CD, "A Few Degrees Warmer", was recorded live in April 2002 when Eric was a mere 11 years old. A Few Degrees quickly became a CDBaby Top Blues Seller and the record continues to delight Blues Guitar fans across the globe.
In November of 2003 the "ESB" appeared at the Sarasota Blues Festival where Eric delighted the crowd with his powerful set and cameo appearances to become the talk of the day. Although Eric would later earn a return invitation by popular demand in 2004, it was the 2003 festival where Eric was introduced by John Mayall as the youngest person ever on stage with the Bluesbreakers.
Eric left a lasting impression on Mayall and in the Summer of 2004, Eric appeared in Sweden, Norway and Denmark as a special guest with John Mayall and The Bluesbreakers during their Scandinavian Tour and in early 2005 Eric traveled to Los Angeles where he joined Mayall for session work on the recently released Bluesbreaker's record titled "Road Dogs". Listen for Eric's lead guitar work on the track "Chaos in the Neighborhood".
The ESB also developed their own faithful following through years of club gigs and festival appearances including opening sets in support of Marcia Ball, Tommy Castro, Shemekia Copeland and B.B. King.
After releasing a studio record titled "High Action" in 2004, the ESB traveled to Holland and Belgium in 2005 for a 10 concert tour promoted by Rounder-Europe and King Bee Music.
Eric now resides in Jacksonville, Florida where he was introduced to Duane Trucks who joined the band in late 2005 on drums. Music fans may immediately recognize Duane as Derek's younger brother and the nephew of Butch Trucks.
In celebration of Duane's arrival, the ESB released their third record, "Havana". Arguably their best work to date, "Havana" captures the essence of the band. Deeply rooted in the Blues, their performance recalls the sound of the 60s and 70s Blues Rock era.
In support of the European release of "Live at Havana" through Rounder-Europe, the ESB returned to Holland in 2006 where they had the honor to open for Johnny Winter at The Paradiso in Amsterdam and appeared at the Tegelen Blues Rock Festival.
The Summer of 2007 marked another milestone for Eric as the band played several prominent American music festivals and earned rave reviews and new fans during tours in Holland, Germany, Belgium and Italy, including a prime time performance at the legendary Pistoia Blues Festival where he opened for John Mayall and Gregg Allman.
With an eye to the future Eric has now started work on a new studio record.

Eric has performed live on-air on WDIY and WLVR in Bethlehem, PA and has been featured in The Allentown (PA) Morning Call, The Doylestown (PA) Intelligencer, The Philadelphia Inquirer, The (NY) Times-Herald Record, Music Head Magazine, The Warren (NJ) Reporter Forum, Guitar World Magazine, The Easton (PA) Express, The Bridgewater (NJ) Courier Times, The Sarasota (FL) Herald-Tribune, the Lancaster (PA) Sunday News and The Florida Times Union. International press includes 2005 features in the Haagshe Courant, De Telegraaph and a 2007 MusikMaker (NL) feature.Eric was also featured in a 2002 Comcast CN8 TV News Extra and in 2003 he has appeared on NBC 10 in Philadelphia, Comcast CN8, Fox Philadelphia and SNN6 in Sarasota. In 2005 Eric was featured on Reuters TV.

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Eric STECKEL- Guitars, vocals
Craig THATCHER- Guitars, vocals
Wayde LEONARD- Bass, vocals
Don PLOWMAN- Drums
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01. Rude Mood 3:40
02. Red House 5:59
03. Hideaway 5:56
04. Crossroads 3:14
05. The Sad Nite Owl 6:03
06. Jaywalkin' 4:44
07. Where I Play My Blues 8:17
08. Lenny 11:21
09. The Sky Is Crying 9:10
10. Bad Dog Blues 6:05
11. The Thrill Is Gone 3:52
12. Steppin' Out 5:22
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Eric STECKEL Band - High Action 2004

Eric STECKEL Band - High Action 2004

Blues

The studio debut of High Action by the Eric Steckel Band gets down to brass tacks of laying down 12 tracks of testosterone charged blues rock.
Drummer Wayne Smith and bass player Nick Franclik are the rear flanks for 13 year old Eric Steckel who is already a fretburner for someone so very young.

Getting things off to a good start is the kid can write songs of his own that hold up well. Inspiring tracks ranging from the Carlos Santana influenced "Espirita" to the bluesy riff boogie of "Hey Sister" are the showpieces for Steckel's over-the-top guitar playing.

A theme that is consistent throughout High Action. Leadoff track "Funky C Funky Do" instantly grabs the listener and is a perfect setting for "Slow Train." Both these numbers see Steckel cutting loose and squeezing much notes as possible into his blues jam explorations.

The buck doesn't stop there. The Stevie Ray smothered "Char-Broiled" revisits the good ole Texas Flood days. With almost half this cd being original material, Steckel can afford himself the opportunities to try his hand at cover tunes "Further On Up The Road" and "Born Under A Bad Sign."

While the attention is mostly focused on Eric, drummer Smith and bassist Franclik are more then just side players supporting a young boss. Nick's bass lines on "Born Under A Bad Sign" are audio resemblances to Billy Cox from the Band of Gypsies. And Wayne Smith's talents go beyond jack-hammering skins. His Hammond Organ playing in "Espirita" chases Latin grooves easily. And it's an earthy cushion for Steckel's biographical "Some People Tell Me." Their live reading of "Oh Yeah" recorded at the August 2003 Knowlton Riverfest captures The Eric Steckel Band turning on their audience. All three bandmembers are shakin their mojos as they romp their way through this number bathing the audience in their blues lovelight.

Steckel's admiration of heroes Vaughn, Hendrix, Albert, Freddy and B.B. King are openly worn on his sleeve. There are more years to invest to gain mileage needed for his vocals. Serious air guitar fanatics won't give a damn as this young kid has the chops to scare older veterans into putting their guitars away in the closet for good.
By Gary Weeks.
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Eric Steckel- Guitars, Vocals
Wayne Smith- Drums, Hammond Organ
Nick Franclik- Bass
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01. Funky C Funky Do
02. Slow Train
03. Espirita
04. Hey Sister
05. Char-Broiled
06. Some People Tell Me
07. Blues Is a Feelin'
08. Oh Yeah
09. Born Under a Bad Sign
10. Further on up the Road
11. Lucille
12. Never Run From the Rain
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