JONTAVIOUS WILLIS ( USA )
Grammy-nominated rising American acoustic blues star
Jontavious Willis, only a 27-year-old native of Georgia, already as a young man decided on his mission: to revive contemporary blues with the spirit of the past. This is not some superficial plagiarism, his author's acoustic blues is authentic, intimate and surprisingly contemporary. Nevertheless, in his work we can hear echoes of early blues greats such as Robert Johnson or Skip James. As a composer, he is often referred to as a direct successor of the tradition in which, for example, Taj Mahal or Keb' Mo' excel. It's no wonder that his second and so far last album, Spectacular Class (2019), for which he was nominated for a Grammy, was produced by these two living blues legends.
Born and raised in rural Georgia, Jontavious spent most of his childhood singing gospel music in a Baptist church. His passion for the blues ignited at the age of 14 when he came across a YouTube video of Muddy Waters playing the famous song "Hoochie Coochie Man". He achieved general recognition when Taj Mahal invited him to accompany him on stage in 2015. Shortly after, in 2018, Jontavious fronted Taj Mahal and Keb' Mo' during their joint TajMo tour.
His acoustic debut album Blue Metamorphosis (2016) received rave reviews in Living Blues and Blues & Rhythm magazines and won the Blues Foundation's International Blues Challenge 2018 award for Best Self-Produced CD. Grammy-nominated sophomore album Spectacular Class features Willis' exploration of a range of blues styles with a live ensemble. Jontavious Willis plays original songs dressed in traditional styles and presents a unique blend of time-honored yet modern, intellectual yet danceable blues.
Friday 18 October ** Bohuslav Martinů Concert Hall ** 19:00 ** entrance fee 390 CZK ** advance ticket sales from 16 September
Organizer: Alternative for culture zs
Co-organizer: UFFO
The festival is supported by the Ministry of Culture and the Hradec Králové region.