Chris Cain, Blues Guitarist, Singer and Songwriter

yes, i have met chris cain

Jun 02, 2007 12:48am number6 Total Posts: 6	a long time ago, in F7 at san jose city college… there i was, taking general education courses, thinking myself a potential music major (ha!) so, to pad out some credits, i took a class called “jazz improvisation” led by the great darrell johnston… at one point during the semester, d.j. brings out this cat, snappin’ bubble gum, wearing a purple baseball hat, chuck taylors, jeans, and a button-up shirt and vest…oh yeah, and shades too “this gentleman is chris cain. we will be playing blues today, and you all will take turns trading fours with chris…” that was 1982 (or was it ‘83…i did say it was a long time ago…) my life has never been the same since… chris challenged me to not only be a better guitar player, but also a better musician. he never, ever had to say anything…he did it all with his guitar… i was a believer. i ended up making “jazz improvisation” the bulk of my college “career,” each semester was like a snowflake. those times that chris would sit in were priceless. i asked him what albums should i get and study… his answers: bb king live at cook county jail the yellowjackets first album “the one with the yellow jacket, dig?” robben ford solo album (at the time it was the only one, the first one…) junior wells “hoodoo man blues” featuring buddy guy. i took it as gospel… ***** my dad was in charge of booking acts for a now defunct saloon in redwood city, ca…naturally, i kept elbowing him about chris… i can’t say i was the direct catalyst, but either way the chris cain band had a long tenure playing at barney steel’s on their blues tuesdays… hey chris—-if you peek in here…glad to see/hear yer still rockin. i took yer advice, and i’m still rockin too geoff sez “hi.” so does norm. btw…what ever happened to noel catura?

Aug 16, 2007 12:01pm Mark Total Posts: 7	Great story! I think Chris would recommend most of the same albums even today. Noel Catura spent quite a bit of time touring and recording with Joe Louis Walker and Sista Monica. I know a while back he played a little bit with Bobby Womack also. Now he lives in San Jose and has his own jazz group and still freelances with a bunch of groups as well as gives private lessons at Music Village in San Jose. One of the best sax players in the bay area!

Aug 16, 2007 02:36pm number6 Total Posts: 6	so, is it the “noel catura band?” i’d love to see him after 20 + years. noel was at city college too, for a little bit. that “jazz improv” class had a lot of san jose all star types pass through while i was there. i’m just not enthusiastic about seeing live shows like i used to be…i know chris has been to the little fox in RWC a few times, but i always find out after the fact. i’ll need to be more diligent. thanks for the reply, mark.

Aug 16, 2007 02:44pm Mark Total Posts: 7	I think it’s the Noel Catura Quartet or something like that. Here’s his website: http://home.earthlink.net/~ncatura/ . It’s simple but it has his calendar on it. I don’t get out to see a lot of shows really either. I did see Chris a few weeks back at Blues in the Park in Seaside though.

Aug 16, 2007 02:51pm number6 Total Posts: 6	thanks for the link…i haven’t seen the old boy since the late 80s… good stuff. it’s good to read that he’s active and also married to a musician. that always usually helps.

Dec 27, 2007 07:07pm Jonnyboy Total Posts: 3	Chris is one of the nicest people I’ve even known. He’s hilarious too. He’s the genuine article man.

Dec 27, 2007 07:50pm number6 Total Posts: 6	you bet, johnny. “he’s one of us” for sure. i still haven’t seen him since i started this thread; i’m never in tune with club gigs lately… i must make an effort!

Dec 28, 2007 04:49am Jonnyboy Total Posts: 3	I try to see him whenever he’s in town. I’m on the road alot myself but whenever our paths cross, it’s all smiles. Sometimes if he’s in town I’m playing already. When I told him he said “Good! You need to be out there playing!”