THE PERFORMERS

Vocalist, saxophonist and songwriter Bobby "Hurricane" Spencer
I Heard That!

It happened on the bandstand. After a particularly hot sax solo, J.J. Bad Boy Jones turned to the tenor man and said, "Bob, you the Hurricane!"

Let's step back a little. Vocalist, saxophonist and songwriter Bobby "Hurricane" Spencer has a musical past spanning forty years. Born in Detroit, Michigan he arrived in Alemeda, California by way of Arkansas at the tender age of eleven months.

Oakland in the sixties. There was Al's House of Smiles, the Showcase, the Sportsman, Esther's Orbit Room and the Continental Club. Later, the Shalamar and Troyce Key's famous Eli's Mile High Club.

If you were lucky enough to have heard the soul pumping from these clubs than you know the "Hurricane!" That's cause he was anchored dead center in the horn section of those house bands.

The house band played it all, jazz, soul, rhythm and blues and blues. In these house bands the "Hurricane" backed the likes of Big Mama Thornton, Sugar Pie De Santo, Charles Brown, Solomon Burke, Etta James, Lowell Fulson, Pee Wee Crayton, Z.Z. Hill, Percy Mayfield, Carla Thomas, Irma Thomas, Big Joe Turner, Elvin Bishop, Charlie Musselwhite, J.J. Malone and Red Foxx.

He played in the legendary bands of Jimmy McCracklin, Johnny Tolbert and De Thangs and Marvin Holmes and the Uptights. He played sessions with Roger Collins and played in Roger's band. There were sessions with J.J. Malone and Sonny Rhodes. As musical director he wrote charts, did sessions and recorded with Jimmy McCracklin. There were horn charts for Harold Andrews and work with Ray Shanklin at Fantasy Records.

Later he played with the Whispers and was writer and musical director for the Timex Social Club. As a writer Koko Taylor has recorded his work, check out "Fish in Dirty Water" on "Force of Nature".

Currently the "Hurricane" resides in Los Angeles and you can hear his horn at times with J.J. Badboy Jones, The Oozie Blues Show or Finis Tasby. If you're in Babe and Ricks on a given Friday or Saturday night you'll see him on stage with The Mighty Balls of Fire.

Did I mention that he can sing? His renditions of Danny Boy are legendary. The "Hurricane" is the real deal. Listen and you will hear it! From a whisper to a scream, float like a butterfly but sting like a bee, dues paid in full, fonky, a man who "took the whuppin" and is still standing. I hope you enjoy this CD as much as I do. But then I was involved. Check yourself!
James Todd

ELLIOTT CHAVERS Has been performing with The Oozie Blues off and on since 2004.
ELLIOTT CHAVERS a Saxophonist, Jazz and Blues Vocalist has enjoyed a career spanning 4 decades with credits reading like the Rhythm 'N Blues Hall of Fame. Chavers sultry sax has propelled hits to the national charts three times with "Butter Beans", Fool Fool Fool, "Rock My Soul.

Elliott began his career in music at the tender age of thirteen in Waco Texas. Elliott says that it was his Mother who ENCOURAGED him to play the saxophone, a move that would shape the rest of his life. By fourteen, he was playing in Nightclubs. Elliott's career was launched.

After attending college in Austin Texas, Elliott moved to Los Angeles. Making new connections in this industry town, he began to play in the local clubs, such as the Night Life, Memory Lane, and The California Club.

Elliott, arrived in Los Angeles in 1950 from Waco Texas to explore the Jazz scene. Finding "Jazz " a job and making a living was a complicated matter, as Elliott says in Texas all music is the same, in other words you played all styles from Jazz to Country to Western.

In order to survive he was called upon to join the Rhythm and Blues gigs, which he recorded over 100 records under his name. He was the Band Leader at the Infamous 5-4 Ballroom in Los Angeles during the entire 1960's/ He has performed with: Just to name a few: Sam Cooke, Clyde McPhatter, Lloyd Price, Jimmy McGriff, Roy Milton, Percy Mayfield, Jimmy Reed and many others.

Elliott has always been known for his "Big Texas Tenor" sound, but it was quite by accident that his singing career began. While appearing with Sam Cooke in Phoenix Arizona, Sam was late, there was no one else in the band that could sing. "Elliott stepped up to the mike and a "STAR" was born. Elliott also played the Saxophone Solo on the HIT RECORD "DADDY"S HOME" which was recorded with the Heartbeats.

These few notes is just a tip of the iceberg. Trying to name the Musicians and Bands that he has been associated with is just too numerous to mention.

"Legendary", is what he is called by many. Sound wise he takes a back seat to no one, including the old Masters, whom he highly regards as the real Saxophone Players.

His travels to Europe and thru out the United States has generated CD's and DVD's that are examples of his life.