Cafe
R&B is a five-piece band consisting of female singer Roach, guitarist Byl Carruthers, keyboardists John "JT" Thomas, Harry Cohen, Stevie
Utstein, bassist Bobby Pickett, and drummer Stephen Klong. Longtime
music fans may remember lead singer "Roach" from her days fronting
L.A.'s "Roach and the White Boys" in the early 80's. The blues-based,
hard-rocking Los Angeles band Cafe R&B is fronted by Roach, who sings
rock and blues with great force. Critics in the U.S. and Europe have
compared her to the likes of Etta James, Tina Turner,
Aretha Franklin.
HITS Magazine declared: "Imagine Etta James riding a Harley out of an
active volcano, and you'll have some vague inkling as to the vocal
power...". Her Producer/Husband Byl Carruthers does amazing guitar work,
and writes the bands original material. When not producing music, he
also Produces and Directs television shows; his credits include "Oprah",
"Spy TV", and others. He’s also known as a walking encyclopedia of the
blues, who has written liner notes for several Blues Compilations.
Cafe R&B has passion for gritty, hard-hitting early blues and R&B.
Based in Los Angeles, for the past ten years Cafe R&B has honed their
ensemble legendary live performance skills at venues and blues clubs
throughout the US such as House of Blues and Buddy Guy's Legends, the
legendary San Francisco Blues Festival, 2005, Fire on the Mountain Blues
Festival in '05, 06, and '07, and Long Beach Blues Festival, just to
name a few. In Europe they have performed jam packed and sold-out
residencies in London, Barcelona, and Paris.