The BlueCats • Los Gatos Azul

JAZZMAN HAS THE BLUES - Lester McFarland, bass player extraordinaire and tenor in the classic Chitlin' circuit tradition, has worked and recorded with blues masters B.B. King, Albert Collins, and Robert Cray, in addition to his better known work with jazz greats such as Joe Sample and the Crusaders, the Jeff Lorber Fusion, Larry Carlton, Chick Corea, Esther Phillips, Tony Williams, Eddie Henderson, and many other fine artists. He has been cited in both Downbeat and Bass Player magazines, as well as many other local and regional magazines and newspapers. Greg Cruz, blues guitarist and baritone, has been polishing his Chicago styles blues licks for years with such groups as Canned Heat. Together they drove the Muddy Bottom Blues Boys (with singer James Mitchell Jr. and drummer Chris Pellani) to win the Los Angeles/Southwestern U.S.A. regional competition in the KLON National Blues Talent Search for the 1993 Long Beach Blues Festival.

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Why does he sing the blues?

(Everybody wants to know)

"Been around a long time, hey, I really paid my dues" - (check his ID!).

This song is might SO old that it is in the public domain, according to one friendly Blues Historian (whose e-mail I have temporarily misplaced, but will find sometime this week as I dig down through paper and give proper credit). A popular version was recorded by B.B. King on his 1975 Live and Well album. However, when I contacted BMI at pr@bmi.com in New York, the legal department said that just the arrangement was B.B.'s, not the actual song. Then another friendly Blues Historian, Gary Joneson, at BluesWeb found it in a BMI listing credited to B.B. and another person, Dave Clark. I logged back on to bmi.com and there it was - with two other listings to completely different writers and publishers. AUGHH. An even older version exists somewhere on an old '78 by Guitar Slim, from the 1940's, which Lester remembers hearing as a little boy. If anyone knows more than this, we would really appreciate the information, because we have a film offer from some folks who want to use our version for their film's theme. In the meantime, I guess I will be on the telephone and internet until I can find out. I downloaded BMI's clearance form in preparation, but it looks like you have to know who wrote the song before you can get clearance for it. What to do???????

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Where can I hear them live?

The primary current venue of the BlueCats is the perpetual street fair at the Santa Monica Promenade. And of course, the band continues to perform at many parties, weddings, clubs such as The House of Blues, The Big Easy and other events, and receives an increasingly number of commercials, TV and film offers, such as audience warm up band for the hit television comedy series Friends. In appreciation of the love and support they have received from their fans, the BlueCats have made a commitment to do benefits for worthy causes, most recently the City of Hope Wine Tasting event at the Beverly Hills Country Club and the Mountain Aids Foundation in Mailibu.

Of course, the absolute BEST way to hear the band live is to HIRE them! Both Lester and Greg are available together or individually for gigs, sessions, pickup bands, lessons, or whatever other types of projects you might have.

If you just can't get out or get enough, or just want to get an idea of what the band sounds like, we have a tape, Jazzman Sings the Blues, with covers favorites such as Mustang Sally by Bonnie Rice and Why I Sing the Blues, with original arrangements by Lester McFarland.

E-mail us at: procat@earthlink.net or anticat@aol.com

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How can I get in touch with them?

The BlueCats and friends welcome any and all messages from old friends and new. Until I get around to setting up the message form on the web site, you can e-mail us at:

Or, for the tradtionalists:

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