The story of NiteCry really begins in 1986 at the legendary JJ’s Blues Nightclub in San Jose , CA . The crowds who attended JJ’s popular Jam Nights had been treated to the raw, powerful and emotional playing of a young guitarist named René Solis. René wanted to put together a band where he could play his own music in his own way. His search for players with similar nterests and skill brought him to virtuoso keyboardist and prolific songwriter Richard Palmer . A veteran of several popular club bands in the 80’s, Richard shared René’s desire to build an original blues/R&B band to showcase their phenomenal talents. With four additional Bay Area musicians in tow, NiteCry was born.

The band quickly built a cult following in the Bay Area with their catchy original songs and inspired live shows. When their original bass player departed, René and Richard didn’t just want to add a replacement, they wanted to significantly upgrade NiteCry’s overall sound and power. Enter bassist/vocalist Johnny Yu . Johnny had been a a mainstay on the San Francisco club scene for years.

NiteCry’s sound took another giant leap forward – not only because of Johnny’s pedal-to-the-metal style, but also his incredible tenor which has become the anchor of NiteCry’s rich vocal harmonies.

NiteCry continued to flourish on the Bay Area Club scene. After working with a parade of lead vocalists over their first 5 years, the band wanted someone who would become their permanent front man. They found him in blue-eyed soul singer/guitarist Steve Siacotos. Steve had toiled in several rock ‘n’ roll bands and yearned to show off the R&B chops he’d learned from listening to the incredible soul singers of the 1960’s. NiteCry provided the perfect vehicle for Steve’s passionate love of R&B.

René, Richard, Johnny and Steve went on to release the two successful independent CD’s “Run for Cover” and “Too Cool to be Blue”. These two excellent collections of original music propelled NiteCry onto the national stage, gaining them prestigious slots at the Monterey Bay Blues Festival and San Francisco Blues Festival. They also were the West Coast Finalists in the nationwide KLON Blues Band Search.

After parting company in 2001 to pursue solo projects, NiteCry’s core quartet reunited in 2004. Having spent their entire career to date working with a single horn player, they felt a true horn section would lift NiteCry to yet another musical plateau. Chris Marquis joined the band and his presence was immediately felt. His unique playing style and unparalleled horn arrangements redefined NiteCry’s sound yet again. NiteCry’s efforts were immediately rewarded as they captured first place in the MBBF Battle of the Blues Bands which landed them a performance on the Main Stage at the 2004 Monterey Bay Blues Festival.

This melding of the old and the new is in complete evidence on their current CD release “Back in Town”. This is truly a “home grown” effort as the CD was written, performed, engineered and produced by members of the band. “Back in Town” showcases NiteCry’s mastery of diverse musical styles without forsaking the blues and R&B roots on which the band was founded. With the additional talents of drummer Michael L. Jiggets and saxophonist Danny Sandoval, NiteCry has embarked on a rigorous road schedule to bring their new music to fans past, present and future.