A1 Artist Spotlight.Com interviewed Jim King of Aunt Kizzy’z Boyz about their recorded It’s Tight Like That.  Excerpts of the interview are also in the podcast.
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Aunt Kizzy’z Boyz is a Delta Chicago blues band that is high energy. The boyz are preaching the gospel of good time blues, with Sugaray as the get in your face preacher that is going to tell how it’s going to be. You’d better have had a couple energy drinks in you or you’ll never keep up with the band.
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Aunt Kizzy’z Boyz have two great cd’s out. The first one Truck Full of Blues and the live cd I’ll play in the podcast It’s Tight Like That. The title really describes the music because it is very tight. You can’t help but to get up and have a good time when listening to this music. They played at a juke joint in Mississippi that B.B. King had just bought called Club Ebony. As expected Aunt Kizzy’z Boyz tore the house down. Club Ebony is a place that really knows the blues and expects to get a top notch artist to play there. For Aunt Kizzy’z Boyz to be so well recieved means they really are a good blues band
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Aunt Kizzy’z Boyz is based in California. They were formed in 2000 after guitarist Jim King and drummer Dwane Hathorn had played together on and off, and in different projects for about fourteen years. Dwane came up with the name for the band reading the book “Roots”. For the next few years different members passed through the band. In 2003 they ran in to Sugaray, at that point Jim and Dwane knew they had found the singer they needed. The current band includes Bastos Moenho who is from Angola, Africa and is the percussionist. Surprisingly his favorite artists are all guitarists Albert Collins, Albert King, and B.B. King. Joe Schiavone is the bass guitarist however, he does sing lead at times. Joe’s favorite artists are B.B. King, Buddy Guy, and Junior Wells. Drummer Dwane Hathorn grew up on blues, jazz, big band, and R&B which gives him an opportunity to practice his favorite quote “It’s all about the groove”. Michael Mack is the classically trained keyboardist who likes Herbie Hancock, Samuel Barber, Jimmy Smith, Patrick Moraz, and Dr. John. His favorite quote is by Bob Dylan, check out the website to see what it is.  
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Sugaray (Caron Rayford) is the charismatic jump shouting preacher of the blues from Tyler Texas. Raised in the church on gospel music you can feel the gospel roots in the blues he sings. One of his favorite songs is “Smokestack Lighting” and whether it’s Howlin’ Wolf, Sonny Boy Willamson, or The Yardbirds doing it, you can bet Sugaray can do it better. Some of Sugaray’s favorite artist are Son House, B.B. King, Muddy Waters, and Howlin’ Wolf. Jim King is the guitarist and writes the song with Sugaray. Jim has a solo cd When The Blues Are Green which is songs written by his favorite guitarist Peter Green. 
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Jim says there are no egos in the band, they all get along like family. If there is a problem they all work together to help each other. Jim’s wife, Kimberly and Sugaray’s wife, Pam do all the booking of shows, drawing up contracts, and making the band’s website. They have their own recording company, SugarKing Records, which has put out the two Aunt Kizzy’s Boyz cds as well as Jim King’s solo cd When The Blues Are Green. The band also does work with Blues in the School. They go out to schools and play music for the kids as well as teach the kids about where this music comes from. While on tour in Europe they called up schools to visit on their off days.
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The cd kicks off with Sugaray saying this is for all my people out in Texas. The band kicks in as Jim’s guitar screams out some great lead lines. You know from the start this is going to be a lot of fun. Sugaray is a “Texas Blues Man” and he is paying tribute to his home state of Texas.
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“Bad Girl” (but in a good way) is a great swinging Chicago shuffle. Lyrics to “Bad Girl” are fun just like the music, you just can’t help but have a lot of fun listening to these two lead off songs.  
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“Sugar Mama” is a Howlin’ Wolf song that was also covered by Rory Gallagher’s band Taste and Peter Green’s Fleetwood Mac.  All versions are quit different as is this version. While I like all of the other versions this one by Aunt Kizzy’s Boyz is the best by far to me. The song is more laid back with really great clean guitar playing, the organ playing adds a very nice dimension to the song. Having a full band really helps this over Rory Gallagher’s version with just a three piece band. Wolf’s version is 2:38, Mac’s is 4:14, Gallagher’s is 8:11 and Aunt Kizzy’s Boyz is 9:10 each one very much in a style of there own. Wish I could have played this cover because it real is a highlight of the guitar playing on this cd.”I Still Remember” is kind of a old time county blues chant.
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“Bundalogy” reminds me of something Santana would have in one of his records with all the percussion instruments on it. This was written by the drummer Dwane Hathorn and percussionist Bastos Moenho.  Since Bastos Moenho is from Africa these probably aren’t Spanish but African rhythms.
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“Juke Joint” was written after playing at Club Ebony in Mississippi. Jim said he had the music for a long time and Sugaray added the lyrics and hey we have another great song. This is another great upbeat fun party song.
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What can be said about a song like “Thrill is Gone” everyone knows this song by B.B. King. Others have recorded this classic like Aretha Franklin, Luther Allison, Willie Nelson and even Leslie West of Mountain fame. Aunt Kizzy’s Boyz do a more blue version with a little jazz in it. Like always the Boyz come through with a wonderful version. Almost everyone in the band cited B.B. King as one of their favorite blues artist it makes good sense to record this one.
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“Jelly Roll” like “Juke Joint” is a upbeat party song, little more on the side of rock than blues, definitely on the side of a fun time.  
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“Annie Mae’s Cafe” is a slow heartfelt blues song. One exception is about 7 minutes into the song Jim’s guitar gets stronger and stronger with a fabulous lead.
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The song is about a old man thinking back on his life and how he met his wife in “Annie Mae’s Cafe”. This is the only sad song on the cd. They prove here there can be more to Aunt Kizzy’s Boyz than just a fun time. This is a wonderful song of both deliverance of the words and music. “Annie Mae’s Cafe” would have been in the podcast but the song is ten minutes long. By playing this two other songs would have to be left out. Guess you’ll have to buy the cd, it’s well worth the money.
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With songs like a Texas Blues Man, Bad Girl, Sugar Mama, Juke Joint, Thrill is Gone, Jelly Roll, and Annie Mae’s Café this is a very strong cd. A six piece band that is this tight with strong vocals and soaring guitar is hard to find. Take the time to rewind the podcast to the start of the songs, play them over again, you’ll see this is a band with a bright future a head of them.
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That would be all if it just wasn’t for the fact that Jim King has a solo cd you should also check out. When the Blues Are Green is a cd of Peter Green songs, some he wrote, some he just defined with his interpretation. Peter Green as most of you know was the guiltiest that started Fleetwood Mac back in the late 60’s and pinned the song “Black Magic Woman” that became a big hit for Santana. Jim King does a great job on guitar and vocals with songs everyone should know, but sadly do not in most cases. Some of the eleven songs on When the Blues Are Green are “Rollin Man”, “Rattlesnake Shake”, “Long Grey Mare”, “Drifting” and still another good version of “Sugar Mama”
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Thanks to Aunt Kizzy’z Boyz for letting me play their songs and to Jim King for a great interview. Jim thanks for all the great stories about when you saw The Rolling Stones with Brian Jones, Jeff Beck Group with Rod Stewart, Fleetwood Mac with Peter Green, B.B., Albert, and Freddie King in concert. Sorry I did not have time to share all the stories. This man knows what a good concert is and is out there over 250 days a year making it happen for others to remember what a great concert is. Aunt Kizzy’s Boyz with Sugaray and Jim King.  
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Aunt Kizzy’z Boyz Website
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Aunt Kizzy’z Boyz - MySpace 
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CD Baby Website - to buy Aunt Kizzy’z Boyz cd It’s Tight Like That
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CD Baby Website - to buy Aunt Kizzy’z Boyz first cd Truck Full of Blues 
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CD Baby Website - to buy Jim King’s cd When the Blues Are Green
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 035 - Aunt Kizzy's Boyz - Delta Chicago Blues At It's Best [34:29m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download