Windy City to California Cool: Blues Rockers Ronnie Baker Brooks and Coco Montoya @ Kent Stage on November 24, 2024 by Melissa Durse
I had the good fortune and (finally) the spare time to drive the quick hour or so to Kent, Ohio, to see Ronnie Baker Brooks and Coco Montoya the other night at the Kent Stage, and lemme tellya, it was a fantastic show, worth every moment and every mile! Both of these bluesmen are masters at their craft but their respective sounds reflect their respective homes; Chicago blues from RBB, who was born of one blues master and who grew up on the stomping grounds of many others there on the south side of Chicago, wearing and bearing that heritage proudly, and that West Coast blues sound from Coco, who hails from Santa Monica, CA, growing up with the big band, soul, salsa, and rock n roll of his parents’ record collection and played in the bands of mentors Albert Collins and John Mayall before carving out his niche with a one-of-a-kind, hard-hitting, heated musical and vocal style.
The first time I ever saw Ronnie Baker Brooks live, my thoughts were as follows: A) Chicago’s entire blues history just came to my town to play and B) it’s the musical equivalent of getting an authentic Chicago deep dish pizza delivered to my door, not necessarily in that order. RBB is SO Chicago, the epitome of Chicago blues, old and new, traditional and contemporary, and this show was no exception! He, along with Daryl Coutts on keyboard, Phil Castleberry on bass, and Chris Singleton on drums, started off the set with his 2006 tribute to his birthplace, “Born in Chicago,” then giving a nod to the masters with a rendition of “I Just Want to Make Love to You,” that would make said masters proud. We were then treated to five new songs off his latest work, Blues in my DNA, including the biographical title track that explains without complaint how he’s among the fruits of the Chicago blues roots and very grateful to be. Next was the modern melodic blues of “My Love Will Make you do Right”, followed by the more funky flavored “I’m Feelin’ You.” RBB told us a little story just then about sitting in with his dad for the first time at Pepper’s Hideaway, but then setting aside the guitar for basketball for the next several years before picking it up again. The slower-burning “Accept my Love,” was next, packing a very raw and sincere punch, as blues is wont to do, before presenting the lighter “My Boo.” RBB gave us another glimpse into his blues roots by sharing the story of going to Theresa’s Lounge with his dad, Lonnie Brooks, who would have the door staff keep an eye on him as he sat in the car and listened when his dad went in to play. Lastly, he harkened back to earlier days with “Stuck on Stupid” and “Take me Witcha”, some traditional blues songs with a foray into the fun of it, during which RBB took a walk off of the stage and got himself a drink at the bar during a very extended and fiery solo. As he made his way back to the stage, there was a seamless segue way into a little “Sweet Home Chicago” with a lot of audience participation; believe me, we ALL wanted to go!
A few quick and efficient minutes later, Chicago made way for California as Coco Montoya took the stage bearing his sunny yellow Stratocaster and coming in hot with, well, “Coming in Hot,” along with Nathan Brown on bass, Rena Beavers on drums, and Jeff Paris on keyboard. Despite a recent bout of laryngitis, he sings and plays with that power right out in front just as much as ever, an assertion of his passion for the genre. He then took a little detour south to cover Greg Allman’s “Before the Bullets Fly” and rolled back west for “Tumbleweed.” Bandmate/producer Jeff Paris rounded out “Stone Survivor” with his background vocals and keyboard. Next was a little long-time fan quiz that many of us passed, thus earning a backhanded compliment from Coco, by recognizing “Monkey See, Monkey Do” from 1996, then fast forward to 2023’s Writing on the Wall for “Natural Born Love Machine,” “Be Good to Yourself,” and then he slowed it to a “Stop.” Coco went “Back [to 2002] in a Cadillac” and Jeff Paris joined Coco on the guitar for “A Chip and a Chair,” playing some beautiful slide that complemented Coco’s lead perfectly, followed by the sassy blues sound of “Writing on the Wall.” As we all had hoped, Coco then invited Ronnie Baker Brooks back up to sit in with him “Stop Running Away from my Love,” and they engaged in a blues jam that stylistically meandered through their respective influences, respectfully fighting a battle of the blues axmen, therein; it may have been a tie between Coco and RBB but the real winner was us members of the audience who had the good fortune to witness each note with their chemistry and the camaraderie of that particular contest.
