208 5Pari

GIGS

 

2025



16 JAN GUY TORTORA BAND - Blues Bar Tring:  Tring Park Cricket Club, London Road, Tring HP23 6HA  Tel:  07713 450992 Music at 8 PM  -  info and tickets  via  the  club's  WEBSITE  -  Guy & Band will be back at Tring, one of the finest clubs in the Southeast!  The Club would like to start the music at an earlier time of 8 PM, so make a note!!
11 FEB
GUY TORTORA BAND -  Music Den:   Hemnall Social Club, 50 Hemnall St, Epping CM16 4 LS  Tel:  01992 574150 - 8 PM - Tickets from Dennis Timbers  dennistimbers@msn.com  or via We Got Tickets
19 JUNE GUY TORTORA BAND:  Cotswold Merrymouth Inn:  Stow Road, Burford, nr Oxford OX7 6HR.  Blues at the Merrymouth continues at this lovely country inn.   As well as the music there is great food and drink available.  Guy & Band look forward to retuning again to the Cotswolds . . . Doors 7 PM. WEBSITE
27 JUNE
GUY TORTORA BAND - Church Crookham Hall:  Sandy Lane, Church Crookham, Fleet  GU52 8LD.  Presented by Bogaloo Entertainment.  Details to follow . . .
24 JULY
GUY TORTORA BAND  -  Teignmouth Jazz & Blues Club:  Corinthian Yacht Club,
Eastcliff Walk, Teignmouth TQ14 8TA  -  7:30 PM  -  Tickets via Ticketsource . . .  Or Contact:  adrienaraud@gmail.com  
 
2 OCT GUY TORTORA DUO:   Hneysuckle Inn, Ramsgate, 321 Honeysuckle Road, Ramsgate CT11 8AA  -  8 PM  -  The Blues With Bottle Club presents Guy and keysman Janos Bajtala at this gem of a pub in Ramsgate.
11 OCT
GUY TORTORA BAND:  Blues At Barleylands, Barleylands Sport and Social Club, 1 Barleylands Road, Billericay CM11 2UF  The Best Little Blues Club In Essex!!  WEBSITE Music starts at 2 PM
17 OCT
GUY TORTORA BAND at St. Harmonica's Blues Club:  at the Southgate Club, 17 Chase Side, London N14 5BP    Music at 8:30 PM.  Guy & Band return to this wonderful N London Club.  WEBSITE 




 


2024

 

25 JAN GUY TORTORA TRIO:  Cotswold Distillery Sessions - Cotswold Distillery Visitor Centre, Whichford Road, Shipston-on-Stour CV36 5EX Tel: 01608 238533  Doors:  7 PM
26 FEB GUY TORTORA DUO at MIDNIGHT SPECIAL BLUES CLUB:  The Cabin Bar, 173 - 175 London Road, Camberley GU15 3 JS Guy will be joined by Janos Bajtala on keys at this special venue in Camberley.  Tickets are available via the club's WEBSITE   Doors:  7:30 PM
2  MARCH GUY TORTORA DUO - SWANAGE BLUES WEEKEND: The Centre Acoustic Stage, 7 Chapel Lane, Swanage BH19 2PW  Guy will be performing with Janos Bajtala on keys, on stage at 2:30 PM.  Details and booking are at the Festival's WEBSITE
4 MAY GUY TORTORQA DUO at FIERY BIRD AMERICANA FESTIVAL:  at the Fiery Bird / Phoenix Cultural Centre, 32 Goldsworth Road, Woking GU21 6JT.  Guy will be playing with Janos Bajtala on keys at this great new Americana Festival in Woking.  Over two nights (4th & 5th May) there are lots of great acts on the bill including Catfish, Gary Fletcher, Spikedrivers, Mark Harrison.  Guy & Janos will be on stage at 6PM.  A Midnight Special Production.  Don't miss it!  WEBSITE
15 MAY GUY TORTORA BAND at DUSTY'S BLUES CLUB:  Holmer Green Sports Assn. Clubhouse, 87 Watchet Lane, Holmer Green, Bucks HP15 6UF.  Guy & Band will be back at Dusty's for another night of Blues, Roots and all things musical!  Doors at 7:30 PM.  WEBSITE 
23 MAY TORTORA & TYZACK:  Hot Box, 28-29 Viaduct Road, Chelmsford CM1 1TS  Tel:  01245 290117  = VENUE WEBSITE  Doors 7 PM.  Guy & Ben will bring thier Blues'n'Roots to the good people of Chelmsford . . .
6 JUNE GUY TORTORA DUO at OTTERTON MILL:  Otterton Mill, Fore Street, Otterton, Budleigh Salterton EX9 7HG.  Tel: 01395 568521  WEBSITE  Guy will be playing with keyboardist Janos Bajtala for this intimate gig at the wonderful Otterton Mill
5 JULY GUY TORTORA BAND at RIPLEY LIVE:  Town Hall, Ripley, Harrogate HG3 3AX  Tel:  01423 860340  WEBSITE  Guy & band will be performing in the upstairs venue.  Doors at 7 PM
6 JULY GUY TORTORA BAND at HARTLEYPOOL STEELIES: South Durham Social Club, 28 Westbourne Road, Hartlepool TS25 5RE Tel:  01429 402268.  Tickets via the Steelies.  It's a while since Guy & Band have played in Hartlepool, so this long awaited show is finally happening!  Find the Steelies on their FACEBBOOK PAGE  and also HERE.
7 JULY GUY TORTORA BAND:  at BLUEFUNK RHYTHM AND BLUES CLUB:  The Club@142, 142 Park Lane, Poynton, Stockport SK12 1RG.  Doors at 7 PM.    WEBSITE  Tel: 0781 888 4324
7 SEP GUY TORTORA BAND:  Blues At Barleylands, Barleylands Sport and Social Club, 1 Barleylands Road, Billericay CM11 2UF  The Best Little Blues Club In Essex!!  WEBSITE
12 SEP GUY TORTORA BAND:  Cotswold Merrymouth Inn, Stow Road, Burford, nr Oxford OX7 6HR.  Blues at the Merrymouth is a relatively new series of events at the Inn.  Guy & Band will play here again at this good venue . . . Doors 7 PM. WEBSITE
29 SEP GUY TORTORA BAND at OVAL TAVERN:  131 Oval Road, Croydon CR0 6BJ Tel: 020 8686 6023  Guy & Band wil be doing the long running Sunday session of blues at the Oval Tavern.  7 PM  WEBSITE
17 OCT TYZACK & TORTORA at The Function Room @ the Bent Arms:  98 High Street, Lindfield, W Sussex RH16 2HP  -  7:30 PM.  Guy & Ben will bring their special brand of Roots & Americana to this  relaxed venue at the Bent Arms.     Presented by Steve Lloyd and Tony Molloy.   Tickets available from:  https://www.ticketsource.co.uk/laf/t-qjpzdox
 
19 OCT GUY TORTORA BAND at Pinchbeck Village Hall, Knight Street, Pinchbeck PE11 3XA  A **CHARITY EVENT** raising money for MacMillan Nurses.  Tickets available from Uptown Vinyl Records, Baytree Garden Centre, Weston, Spalding Tel: 01775 722271  0r 07490 550839 or email them at: Contact@UptownVinylRecords.co.uk   You can also purchase tickets from the promoter John Pailing:  07853 963201  Doors at 7:30
22 NOV GUY TORTORA BAND at St. Harmonica's Blues Club:  at the Southgate Club, 17 Chase Side, London N14 5BP    Music at 8:30 PM.  Guy & Band are always happy to be back at this wonderful N London Club.  WEBSITE 
26 NOV TYZACK & TORTORA at Bletchley Blues Club:  at Bletchley Conservative Club, Queensway, Bletchley nr Milton Keynes MK2 2DN.  Guy & Ben will be back at this great club, hosted by Mark Stasiuk.  Doors 7:30 PM See their FACEBOOK PAGE
29 NOV GUY TORTORA *SOLO* supporting Reg Meuross at Cambridge Folk Club:  Guy will play a solo opening set for the super talented Reg Meuross at this long running and popular Folk Club in Cambridge, in the Golden Hind, 355 Milton Road, Cambridge CB4 1SP Doors at 7:15 - full info and ticket information from the Club  WEBSITE
5 DEC
TORTORA & TYZACK:  Honeysuckle Inn, 31 Honeysuckle Road, Ramsgate CT11 8AA  8 PM  Another "Blues With Bottle Club" presentation from the wonderful Sue Revell!!

 

 

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Reviews:

(more to follow, as this site is updated)

Anywhere But Here:

Blues Matters! (UK) -


London-based California ex-pat Guy Tortora turns in a strong set of singer-songwriter rock, with sufficient blues influences to merit a review in this publication. Sonically and lyrically, we are in Dylan/Young/Browne territory here, with tracks built around intelligent lyrics and fingerstyle acoustic and electric guitar work. This includes some frequently deft slide playing of the tasteful lick variety rather than full-on Dust My Broom barnstorming. Of the two covers, the folkie rendition of The Drifters’ Under The Boardwalk comes off surprisingly well, thanks to the sheer chutzpah of the reinvention, which even includes an accordion solo. I also liked Tortora’s take on the Grateful Dead’s New Speedway Boogie, which stays close to the vibe of the original. But it’s the original compositions that bring home this album’s bacon. The opener, High Tide Deep Water, reworks an instantly familiar piano riff that probably harks back to a soul single before building up to a harmonica break. Flower Street and Koffeeville are both wistful evocations of homesickness, remembered girlfriends and a lonesome kind of lovin’. Withered On The Vine is a decent stab at a minor blues, while instrumental closer Goodnight & Good Luck is pleasant enough. But undoubted highlight of the CD is Pearl, a celebration of finding true love when you weren’t expecting it. It’s a great song. But any visions of Johanna that conquer your mind while listening to it will not be accidental.

DAVID OSLER

Rootstime (BE) -

Bluesman In a Boneyard, his 2015 album I reviewed here, was his fifth solo studio album. The tracklist of 'Anywhere But Here', Tortora's most recent studio album, contains eight original Americana/Blues/Roots songs and two covers. He recorded the songs in London during the pandemic lockdowns, with the regular members of his trusted band: Janos Bajtala on keys, Pete Hedley on drums & Costa Tancredi on bass.

 

‘Anywhere But Here’ opens with “High Tide Deep Water”. It is a song with which he and some band members - especially Bajtala from behind the piano - immediately attract attention. What follows next are mainly very atmospheric songs. Tortora's guitar is the mood maker on "Withered On the Vine" and "The Stranger", a song that sounds very autobiographical. During “Pearl” it is best to close your eyes, because then the slide guitar seduces you even more. The groove is certainly not missing on “New Speedway Boogie” and everyone surely knows the Tex Mex (sic) hit by The Drifters “Under The Boardwalk” or, are you ready for a coffee and the beautiful “Koffeeville”? “Good Night & Good Luck” is just about the perfect ending after that and confirms what I said in the beginning.


"With Anywhere But Here Tortora delivers another gem . . . "  Eric Schuurmans - Rootstime.be




Live -

Leek Blues & Americana Festival  -

. . . Tortora and his band took to the stage in this wonderful, welcoming theatre.  Wayfaring Stranger from the album Prodical Songs was the opening number.  A fantastic acoustic track . . . it was a brilliant way to start what would be a wonderful night of music.  Wonderful vocal from Tortora just washed over the audience, giving a warm feeling.  Virtually every song told a poignant story in Guy's own words only to be matched by a wonderful 4-piece band . . .

Stephen Harrison

Blues Bar Tring -

. . . Guy writes songs leaning very much on the Delta and the South:  songs about cotton, the Mississippi, Robert Johnson and his grave, and a bit of gospel.It lends a nostalgic authenticity to his performance.  He plays with some seasoned musicians:  Janos Bajtala on keys, Pete Hedley on drums, and (on this occasion) George Price on bass. Janos, as always, brought a cultivated atmosphere to the performance and Guy led the line with some lazy bottleneck and fine guitar.

..."Boneyard" Cotton Was King" and "Big Wheel" were great numbers, and Curtis Mayfield's "People Get Ready" an emotional inclusion.  The band sounded great . . .

Moz Copestake


Leek Blues & Americana Festival  - 

Running Horse, Nottingham UK --

Guy plays every conceivable blues style over the coure of the evening, alternating between National steel, acoustic and electric guitars. He plays lots of slide and is one of the toughetst and yet subtlest guitarists I've ver seen. The high quality of his playing coupled with his ferocious attack put me in mind of the superb American band Delta Moon, recent visitors to the venue. Guy's voice is great -- easy to listen to and he delivers the lyrics with great clarity and, yes, passion. they are really worth hearing, too, being thoughtful, often wryly funny and of course musically catchy, spellbinding, hypnotic, etc. I can imagine one or two big stars having a crack at this material. I'll go out on a limb and say Guy is possibly the best writer of new blues since Larry Garner. His band? Gawd, where do `I start? Janos on keyboards was a phenomenal blues player, alert to every single thing that the otehers - especially Guy - did. He provided a real musical foil for Guy's guitar which took the music to considerable heights of excitement. The bassist Brendan was a rock. Yes, I know it's a cliche but it's true. He had the range of skills associated with Jack Bruce and as for the drummer (Neil) he was awesome -- how can someone play as powerfully as him and yet blend in so unobtrusively? I've seen a lot of bands over th eyears and this band were one of the very best. Seriously, they were that good, ask anybody who was there, and do catch them live if you can. Dave Kingsbury

 

Cranleigh Review

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