JASON RICCI & NEW BLOOD Source: Des Moines Register Date: 10/2009 Writer: Joe Lawler

Memphis singer Jason Ricci might not be quite what you would expect from a blues musician. He's young (35 this year), grew up playing in punk bands and lists rock acts like The Pixies as an influence alongside more traditional acts like Little Walter. He's also one of the few openly gay blues frontmen working today.

Not that Ricci makes that an important part of his act. His music is a hybrid of rocking blues and jam. He plays the harmonica with ferocious speed and intensity. He's drawn comparisons to acts like Phish, Robert Randolph and The Allman Brothers. In 1999 Ricci won the Mars National Harmonica Contest and he received the Muddy Waters Most Promising New Blues Artist award. The band is a touring machine, regularly playing more than 300 gigs a year.

Earlier this year Ricci and his band, New Blood, released their latest album, "Done With the Devil," working with producer John Adams whose previous projects included The Smiths and Ryan Adams. Like many jam acts, he encourages the recording and exchange of his shows, with a number of his shows available free at archive.org.