Rick Holmstrom
Encyclopedia
Rick Holmstrom is an American
electric blues
and rhythm and blues
guitarist, singer and songwriter. Holmstrom has released five albums since 1996, and previously worked with William Clarke
and Rod Piazza
. In addition, Holmstrom has played and recorded with Jimmy Rogers
, Billy Boy Arnold
, Jody Williams
and R. L. Burnside
.
One critic observed of Holmstrom, "he delivers music with technical savvy and traditional stylings, without sacrificing originality and pure adventure".
, United States
, and his father was a DJ
. After relocating to Southern California, and while attending college in Redlands, California
, he joined a local blues group. Holmstrom also went to blues concerts, where he played guitar with Smokey Wilson
and Junior Watson
.
He joined William Clarke
's backing band, and played both lead
and rhythm guitar
for three years up to 1988. Joining forces with Johnny Dyer
, Holmstrom played on his albums, Listen Up (1994) and Shake It! (1995). He moved on to join Rod Piazza
's backing group, the Mighty Flyers and, in 1996, released his first solo album, Lookout! on Black Top Records
. It was an instrumental
affair, about which one reviewer noted "Holmstrom's inventive ideas are top-notch, making each track stand mightily on its own".
However, Holmstrom continued to perform with Piazza, and help him record Tough and Tender (1997). By 2000, Holmstrom's second solo effort, Gonna Get Wild was released on Tone-Cool Records, and he stayed long enough with Piazza's backing ensemble to participate on Beyond the Source (2001). Holmstrom next release, Hydraulic Groove (2002), saw him incorporate elements of jazz
and funk
to the overall blues pattern. One of his more daring efforts, the album included contributions from John Medeski
and DJ Logic
. Hydraulic Groove peaked at number 9 in the Billboard
Top Blues Albums chart. In 2005, Holmstrom played at the Dark Season Blues
festival
. Holmstrom turned to record production
duties for other musicians before, in 2006, releasing Live at the Cafe Boogaloo.
Holmstrom switched record label
to M.C. Records, and in 2007 issued Late in the Night.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
electric blues
Electric blues
Electric blues is a type of blues music distinguished by the amplification of the guitar, bass guitar, drums, and often the harmonica. Pioneered in the 1930s, it emerged as a genre in Chicago in the 1940s. It was taken up in many areas of America leading to the development of regional subgenres...
and rhythm and blues
Rhythm and blues
Rhythm and blues, often abbreviated to R&B, is a genre of popular African American music that originated in the 1940s. The term was originally used by record companies to describe recordings marketed predominantly to urban African Americans, at a time when "urbane, rocking, jazz based music with a...
guitarist, singer and songwriter. Holmstrom has released five albums since 1996, and previously worked with William Clarke
William Clarke (musician)
William Clarke was an American blues harmonica player. He was chiefly associated with the Chicago blues style of amplified harmonica, but also incorporated elements of soul jazz and swing into his playing.-Biography:...
and Rod Piazza
Rod Piazza
Rod Piazza is an American blues harmonica player and singer. He has been playing with his band The Mighty Flyers since 1980 which he formed with his pianist wife Honey Piazza...
. In addition, Holmstrom has played and recorded with Jimmy Rogers
Jimmy Rogers
Jimmy Rogers was an American Chicago blues singer, guitarist and harmonica player, best known for his work as a member of Muddy Waters' band of the 1950s.-Career:...
, Billy Boy Arnold
Billy Boy Arnold
Billy Boy Arnold is an American blues harmonica player, singer and songwriter.-Biography:...
, Jody Williams
Jody Williams (blues musician)
Joseph Leon Williams , better known as Jody Williams, is an American blues guitarist and singer. His singular guitar playing, marked by flamboyant string-bending, imaginative chord changes and a distinctive tone, was influential in the Chicago blues scene of the 1950s.-Career:In the mid 1950s,...
and R. L. Burnside
R. L. Burnside
Not to be confused with R. H. Burnside, stage director.R. L. Burnside , born Robert Lee Burnside, was an American blues singer, songwriter, and guitarist who lived much of his life in and around Holly Springs, Mississippi. He played music for much of his life, but did not receive much attention...
.
One critic observed of Holmstrom, "he delivers music with technical savvy and traditional stylings, without sacrificing originality and pure adventure".
Life and career
Holmstrom was born in Fairbanks, AlaskaFairbanks, Alaska
Fairbanks is a home rule city in and the borough seat of the Fairbanks North Star Borough in the U.S. state of Alaska.Fairbanks is the largest city in the Interior region of Alaska, and second largest in the state behind Anchorage...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, and his father was a DJ
Disc jockey
A disc jockey, also known as DJ, is a person who selects and plays recorded music for an audience. Originally, "disc" referred to phonograph records, not the later Compact Discs. Today, the term includes all forms of music playback, no matter the medium.There are several types of disc jockeys...
. After relocating to Southern California, and while attending college in Redlands, California
Redlands, California
Redlands is a city in San Bernardino County, California, United States. As of the 2010 census, the city had a population of 68,747, up from 63,591 at the 2000 census. The city is located east of downtown San Bernardino.- History :...
, he joined a local blues group. Holmstrom also went to blues concerts, where he played guitar with Smokey Wilson
Smokey Wilson
Smokey Wilson ) is an American West Coast blues guitarist. He has spent most of his career performing West Coast blues and Juke Joint blues in Los Angeles, California. He has recorded at least eleven albums for record labels such as P-Vine Records, Bullseye Blues and Texmuse Records...
and Junior Watson
Junior Watson
Junior Watson is an American jump blues guitarist and singer.-Career:Watson is regarded as an influential West Coast blues player. He was a founding member of the blues band The Mighty Flyers and, starting in the early 1980s, he performed with the band for a decade. He also performed with Canned...
.
He joined William Clarke
William Clarke (musician)
William Clarke was an American blues harmonica player. He was chiefly associated with the Chicago blues style of amplified harmonica, but also incorporated elements of soul jazz and swing into his playing.-Biography:...
's backing band, and played both lead
Lead guitar
Lead guitar is a guitar part which plays melody lines, instrumental fill passages, guitar solos, and occasionally, some riffs within a song structure...
and rhythm guitar
Rhythm guitar
Rhythm guitar is a technique and rôle that performs a combination of two functions: to provide all or part of the rhythmic pulse in conjunction with singers or other instruments; and to provide all or part of the harmony, ie. the chords, where a chord is a group of notes played together...
for three years up to 1988. Joining forces with Johnny Dyer
Johnny Dyer
Johnny Dyer is an American electric blues harmonicist and singer. He has received a nomination for a Blues Music Award, and been involved in a number of recordings in the last three decades, both as a solo performer and with other musicians.-Biography:Dyer grew up on the Stovall Plantation in...
, Holmstrom played on his albums, Listen Up (1994) and Shake It! (1995). He moved on to join Rod Piazza
Rod Piazza
Rod Piazza is an American blues harmonica player and singer. He has been playing with his band The Mighty Flyers since 1980 which he formed with his pianist wife Honey Piazza...
's backing group, the Mighty Flyers and, in 1996, released his first solo album, Lookout! on Black Top Records
Black Top Records
Black Top Records was a New Orleans, Louisiana based independent record label founded in 1981 by brothers Nauman S. Scott, III and Hammond Scott. The label specialized in blues and R&B music. The first release was "Talk To You By Hand" by Anson Funderburgh & The Rockets...
. It was an instrumental
Instrumental
An instrumental is a musical composition or recording without lyrics or singing, although it might include some non-articulate vocal input; the music is primarily or exclusively produced by musical instruments....
affair, about which one reviewer noted "Holmstrom's inventive ideas are top-notch, making each track stand mightily on its own".
However, Holmstrom continued to perform with Piazza, and help him record Tough and Tender (1997). By 2000, Holmstrom's second solo effort, Gonna Get Wild was released on Tone-Cool Records, and he stayed long enough with Piazza's backing ensemble to participate on Beyond the Source (2001). Holmstrom next release, Hydraulic Groove (2002), saw him incorporate elements of jazz
Jazz
Jazz is a musical style that originated at the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States. It was born out of a mix of African and European music traditions. From its early development until the present, jazz has incorporated music from 19th and 20th...
and funk
Funk
Funk is a music genre that originated in the mid-late 1960s when African American musicians blended soul music, jazz and R&B into a rhythmic, danceable new form of music. Funk de-emphasizes melody and harmony and brings a strong rhythmic groove of electric bass and drums to the foreground...
to the overall blues pattern. One of his more daring efforts, the album included contributions from John Medeski
John Medeski
Anthony John Medeski is an American jazz keyboards player and composer. Medeski is a veteran of New York's 1990s avant-garde jazz scene and is known popularly as a member of Medeski Martin & Wood...
and DJ Logic
DJ Logic
DJ Logic is an American turntablist active primarily in jazz and with jam bands.Kibler was born and raised in The Bronx. An early interest in hip hop led to his using the turntables, practicing often. Kibler was also interested in funk and jazz music, and began collaborating with various musicians...
. Hydraulic Groove peaked at number 9 in the Billboard
Billboard (magazine)
Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis...
Top Blues Albums chart. In 2005, Holmstrom played at the Dark Season Blues
Dark Season Blues
The Dark Season Blues festival is an annual event in late October at 78 degrees north in Longyearbyen , and marks the beginning of the dark season when daylight and the sun is about to leave Svalbard for four winter months....
festival
Music festival
A music festival is a festival oriented towards music that is sometimes presented with a theme such as musical genre, nationality or locality of musicians, or holiday. They are commonly held outdoors, and are often inclusive of other attractions such as food and merchandise vending machines,...
. Holmstrom turned to record production
Record producer
A record producer is an individual working within the music industry, whose job is to oversee and manage the recording of an artist's music...
duties for other musicians before, in 2006, releasing Live at the Cafe Boogaloo.
Holmstrom switched record label
Record label
In the music industry, a record label is a brand and a trademark associated with the marketing of music recordings and music videos. Most commonly, a record label is the company that manages such brands and trademarks, coordinates the production, manufacture, distribution, marketing and promotion,...
to M.C. Records, and in 2007 issued Late in the Night.
Discography
| Year | Title | Record label |
|---|---|---|
| 1996 | Lookout! | Black Top Black Top Records Black Top Records was a New Orleans, Louisiana based independent record label founded in 1981 by brothers Nauman S. Scott, III and Hammond Scott. The label specialized in blues and R&B music. The first release was "Talk To You By Hand" by Anson Funderburgh & The Rockets... |
| 2000 | Gonna Get Wild | Tone-Cool |
| 2002 | Hydraulic Groove | Tone-Cool |
| 2006 | Live at the Cafe Boogaloo | Tone-Cool |
| 2007 | Late in the Night | M.C. Records |