Slick bluesman’s Hendrix handle

Smooth blues guitarist Michael Damani will return to the South West tonight after making a huge impact as part of the Chicago Blues All-stars last year.

The enigmatic 25-year-old wowed audiences with Hendrix-style solos and headbanging riffs making the most intimate of crowds dance and sing.

Playing with the Original Chicago Blues All-Stars has been an education that has complemented Damani’s own creative energy and thirst for playing guitar onstage.

“It’s clued me in on a lot of wisdom that would’ve taken me a lifetime to discover on my own,” he said.

“That being said, I’ve also learnt a lot from my peers. I play in a group with modern R&B soul singer/songwriter Wyatt Waddell. Our shows are super high energy; we blend a lot of funk with neo-soul vibes.”

Damani is set to release his debut solo album, MiTOak, later this year.

MiTOak is both an exploration and invocation of a life lived in music, with all its ups and downs.

“MiTOak is me. It’s what my friends used to call me back in the day and the more I thought about it, the more I realised that it really is me,” Damani said. “MiTOak is the spirit of a strong oak tree that withstands the harshest storms to become fully mature.

“Whenever things don’t go as planned, I always stay focused on my growth as an individual, and I’ve written an album of music that illustrates this concept.”

Accompanying Damani on this WA tour will be Chicagoan multi-instrumentalist Jordan Dingle on bass and Tyler Ray, of local blues band Old Blood, on drums. “With us, you can expect the blues straight from the bottom of the deep-blue sea, as well as many other bright, vibrant colours and feelings,” Damani said. “One thing I’ve learnt about Australians, you guys are good folk, and I know that there will be lots of good energy exchange on and off the stage.”

Damani will perform at Settlers Tavern on Saturday and Sunday, March 14 and 15.

Entry is free.