NJBS presented its Showcase Series featuring Chris Bergson & Ellis Hooks, as well as John Sheehan on Saturday, April 13, 2024, in The Lounge at Factory Records to a sold-out appreciative crowd.
Chris Bergson is an internationally acclaimed American-born guitarist, singer, and songwriter. “Chris Bergson plays the kind of guitar you can build a house on – it’s B.B. meets Steve Cropper meets John Scofield.” (ROLL Magazine) Hailed as “the New York street poet with a blues soul” (MOJO) and “one of the most inventive songwriters in modern blues music,” (All Music Guide).
In 2013, Bergson began performing and writing songs with acclaimed soul singer Ellis Hooks. Born in Bromley, Alabama, All Music Guide calls Hooks “the true continuum in the celebrated Southern traditions of soul, blues, and gospel.” Bergson and Hooks met in 2004 when they were sharing a bill at NYC’s Joe’s Pub. Their collaboration over the next decade would find them selling out shows at top NYC venues like Jazz Standard and City Winery and headlining festivals in Europe including France’s oldest Blues festival, the Cahors Blues Festival.
Below are some photos from the event, thanks to Pat Auriemma.
Opening the event was dedicated finger-style guitar player, John Sheehan. John Sheehan is a Composer/Guitarist/Singer/Songwriter from Ringwood, NJ. He is a steadfast proponent of the solo finger-style guitar performance. Sincere listeners of his music have compared him to such diverse artists as Leo Kottke, Jorma Kaukonen, Mark Knophler, Michael Hedges, John Prine, Steve Earle, and Jimmy Buffett. John gives credit to J.S. Bach and John Fahey as well as many more. He has shared the stage with, guitar greats Tal Farlow, Jorma, Tom Doyle, John Renbourne, and Adrian Legge; as well as, singer/songwriters Chris Smithers, Jonathan Edwards, Greg Brown, and Slaid Cleaves.