TERRY HANCK: Blues and soul music fans know that the soundtrack to early rock' n' roll ran on three-minute instrumentals with sax in the lead, and was directly related to 1950s and 1960s New Orleans R&B hits, along with that deep-fried wildness that came from Memphis. With this history lesson in mind, old school rock 'n' soul saxophonist and singer Terry Hanck makes perfect sense. Clearly, Hanck has worshipped at the right Southern altars-- those of such iconic R&B brothers as Fats Domino, Ray Charles, B. B. King, Lee Allen and King Curtis. "I write songs that you think you've heard for years," says the South Florida-based Hanck, who's got suave movie-star looks and a good time presence that immutably anchors the old-style R&B he adores.
As Living Blues writer Lee Hildebrand testified, "Hanck is one of the most formidable saxophonists in the blues and soul business. He has a virile tone and attack and an uncanny command of upper-register notes." But, whether it is a joyous jump blues romp or a steamy slow dance of a stroll--this is the kind of music that has mattered to the tall tenor man all his life...
It took one cross-country journey in the early 1960s for California to ensnare the Chicago-born Hanck. The sun-drenched lure of surfer life spoke oceans to the landlocked Windy City teen. "The whole California lifestyle thing--it just blew me away! There was never any doubt in my mind, once I got out of high school, where I was gonna end up."
Cut to Orange County, 1964: Surfing, diving, partying. And KBCA, one 24-hour AM jazz station in Los Angeles, that played everything from Muddy Waters to John Coltrane. For Hanck, that was it. As he slyly remembers: "All of a sudden, I needed something to do with my mind." He picked up a sax. "The tenor was the voice."
Six years later, in 1970, Hanck moved north to the East Bay. His first band was called Grayson Street. "We played Bo Diddley, R&B, simple stuff," he says. "We were too bluesy for the funk crowd, too funky for the rock 'n' roll crowd. They all hated us, except the musicians: That is always death, you know" Hanck says with a large twinkle in his eyes, "when you have real musicians coming to see you." https://www.terryhanck.net/
TREY WANVIG: Trey Wanvig is a 19-year-old blues guitarist and vocalist from Sarasota, Florida. Trey has been previously selected to represent various Florida blues societies in the International Blues Challenge in Memphis for the last 3 years, and will now be representing the Suncoast Blues Society as their very first Youth Showcase artist.
Trey has performed at numerous blues and music festivals including the Waterfront Blues Festival in Portland, Bradenton Blues Festival, Tall City Blues Fest in Texas, Dunedin Wines the Blues, Blues From the Top in Colorado, the Dallas International Guitar Festival, and Giving Hunger the Blues in Sarasota. Trey has also played at many legendary blues clubs and music venues around the country including B.B. King's on Beale Street in Memphis, Ground Zero Blues Club in Clarksdale, Mississippi, Ruth Eckerd Hall in Clearwater, Florida, and even aboard the Allure of the Seas, one of Royal Caribbean's "Oasis Class" mega cruise ships. In May of 2018, he was one of only 10 guitar players across the country invited to play at the Dallas International Guitar Festival's 10 Under 20 Event.
Trey was selected by the Grammy Foundation to partake in their Grammy Music Revolution Project conducted at Ruth Eckerd Hall in Clearwater. This has allowed him the opportunity to open many shows for a large number of prestigious artists, including Joe Bonamassa, Kenny Wayne Shepherd, Buddy Guy, and Alice Cooper.
* "Trey's playing stood out to me, played tasty licks, and had a great tone"- Bob Margolin, Guitarist for Muddy Waters
* "Trey Wanvig has got it going on big time. In my opinion his playing is far and above the most mature and tasteful of the new crop of blues guitarists. Make no mistake, when it's time to bring the fire, Trey's ready to strike that match!" Tas Cru
"Trey Wanvig is an amazing talent that plays far beyond his years. His chops and feel are well beyond his age. After sharing the stage with some of the most elite musicians in the world, I can honestly say that Trey will become an artist that others will aspire to." Rick Brothers Drummer for Brian Howe's Bad Company