Mesmerizing guitarist Claude Bourbon blends blues with Spanish and Middle Eastern styles into something that is wildly exciting and fascinating. He performs at Boulevard Music on Saturday, so he told the News about what he has in store for Culver City…
When did you start playing and performing?
I started playing in the mid ‘70s, and it all started getting serious pretty soon when I got to learn classical guitar in a music school in Fribourg, Switzerland. I studied there for about seven years. In the meantime I was involved in different projects, in different bands.
Describe your sound…
Nowadays and for the last 30 years I’ve been playing as a solo act. Fingerpicking my guitar and singing. I mostly play my own tunes and mix it up with instrumental pieces inspired by Spanish music and blues. It’s mostly sung in English with only a couple of tunes in French.
What are your career highlights so far?
Many but maybe irrelevant for you. One that sticks out though is meeting Tony Joe White in Birmingham, England 10 years ago.
Do you have recorded music available?
I have my two latest CDs available on my website www.claudebourbon.org, and also available at the shows. You can also find all my records on the usual download platforms.
Have you performed at Boulevard Music before? Any memories?
I played at Boulevard music a couple of years ago and really look forward to being back in this great venue.
What can the audience expect from the set this time?
What I’m going to play is a mixture of my latest two CDs – Cold River and Home Cooked – plus a few new songs that will be on my new record.
What else do you have coming up?
I started this tour on April 12 in Solomons, Maryland and it will wind up on June 8 in Orlando, Florida. In-between, there will have been 34 shows and a lot of miles.
Claude Bourbon performs at 8 p.m. on Saturday, May 11 at Boulevard Music. Go to boulevardmusic.com for more information about the show and claudebourbon.org for more about the artist.
Elsewhere this week
The Culver Hotel will be hosting the likes of Sylvia & the Rhythm Boys, and Scotty Bramer. Go to culverhotel.com for more info.
There’s a full program of music at the Cinema Bar this week, as usual. The Hot Club of Los Angeles plays every Monday, and Wednesdays are singer/songwriter and open mic night. Other artists performing this week include Bruce Ray White, The Clams, Dylan Salfer Band, and more. Go to thecinemabar.com for more info.