Hello, this is Doc Ventura and I am pleased to meet you. I am a musician from Southern California by way of Chicago. I play blues, or at least that's what I am known for most. But, I play all kinds of covers however when I play small venues, or it is called for.
I like the older blues. The older the better. The roots. I don't copy but I listen and usually hear something differently. Amazing thing about that. I like covers...I feel them deeply like I do my own songs...even My Darling Clementine. After a while a lot of different music feels good. You're in good company.
Back to me. I play about 100 gigs per year. Just enough to keep me busy without having to run all around. I have played guitar for nn years and counting. I only learned how to play about 5 years ago however, though it's still a going concern. I learn something every time I go out and play. I meet new friends and enjoy figuring out what kind of music will make them happy. Is happy the right word? Maybe I'll settle for 'not bored'.
Delta by the Beach is the band that has kept me involved for the last going-on-two years. I play baritone guitar to better resemble some of the old styles where there was often not a bass player, just a low guitar part. I play bass too, but the baritone has a special magic in our arrangements.
For this first project our much bally-hood "Single of the Month" Project of 2021 I wrote most of the songs. It was easy to write for this band, all I had to do was close my eyes and I heard something good. Amazing thing about that.
It should be said that I am a guitarist by trade. I can play solos, slide, country, rock, blues with some proficiency. The baritone parts required me to think like a bass player and I learned a whole world of tricks, some courtesy of bass legend Ralph Carter of the Eddie Money Band. Biggest thing: guitarists think upbeat bass players thing downbeat
I still play guitar, solo primarily, but don't regret spending more time on the bass end. It has been a great experience. I heard a Paul McCartney quote about switching from guitar to bass. He said "I like it, I can control the whole band". It is true it is like being the catcher on the ball team (which I was as a lad). You get to set the pace of the game. In my case, second to Eddie Layman our drummer of course.