2008 Q and A with Lou Rye
Get the latest from the Elizabeth Hak question and answer session in AirdrieLIFE magazine with our "one and only" Lou Rye.
For the original article in AirdrieLife (click here)
With Sonny Rhodes
September 2007 Royal Hotel in Fernie, BC
December 2007 Grey Eagle Casino, Calgary
Lou Rye and The Lou Rye All-Stars had the great privilage of backing up "The Great Texas Blues Man", Sonny Rhodes and as usual, brought down the house.
Nominated for the World Music category
in the
2001 Detroit Metro Times Music Awards
North Bay Nugget
By Claire Paiement and Frank Rossi 1991
One listen and your ears will never be the
same. Lou Rye is the Blues. For over 20 years
he has delivered funky blues melodies laced
with New Orleans and Chicago- based influences.
Rarely content to do the obvious, Lou plays
guitar riffs reminiscent of Gatemouth Brown
and BB King and rearranges standard blues material
into no nonsense, high powered Rythym and Blues
send-ups. His original material hints at his
love for blues artist Etta James. As one listens
and hears his English and Continental European
influences, it becomes clear that his ambition
is to squeeze new ideas into familiar areas.
Lou has has worked with a ton of different
line-ups including locals George Reyes, (who
worked percussion with Santana (for 2 years
during his World Tour of ’79 to ’81,
also the Platters, Supremes and Johnny Mathis).
Frank Rossi, Tim Prothero, Peter Jay, Darryl
Day, Bill Stewart, Matthew Whitehead, and Peter
Bailey.
Phenomenews 1997
Lou Rye
“…One Who Brings the Love and the
Light”
Lou Rye is a guitarist with a resonating, beautiful
voice. Like a Cello, his voice is wide and has
a lot of presence. He accurately represents
the styles he plays….from Far East Indian
Ragas, to mainstream pop tunes, blues and most
especially his own compositions. With an excess
of 120 of his own, his music is emotional and
performed with high energy. Lou is an international
artist having played all over the world. All
of this lends itself to his ability of sharing
his emotional experiences with his audiences.
Seek him out and grasp the opportunity to travel
with his voice and guitar through the emotions
of life, of Lou Rye. And, by the way, his given
name, “Lutz” means “The one who
brings Love and Light”
(optimist)…..
Kurt Kunzat
Some people are born as musical souls. This
inner force drives them through life seeking
some musical fulfillment with instrument and
voice. This describes Lou Rye.
Over the years, Lou created original compositions
in Blues, Rock, Ballads and New-Age Ragas. And
while living in the Northern Ontario area and
playing with various bands, his music caught
the attention of the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation.
Wolf Hesse, CBCs northern talent scout, recorded
and aired an hour of Lou’s compositions.
Two Blues, three Ballads and one East Indian
Raga. “The technicians and others in the
studio were blown away”, said Lou, “They
said I should write more New Age music.”
Lou calls his Ragas, healing music. His Indian
music teacher said to him “The guitar sings…..The
guitar is your voice, so say something.”
And Lou does just that.
Larry Price
Lou Rye
Entertainer
Singer-Songwriter
Covering predominantly mainstream soft rock
and pop with excursions into Blues and Jazz.
Lou Rye matches his versatile guitar playing
with a resonating baritone. Lou's heartfelt,
high-energy performance does justice to his material,
especially his original compositions. Lou makes
you
feel "there" with his music. Seek him out. Grasp
the opportunity to travel with his unmistakable
voice and guitar through the emotions of life.
...Tom Kuzma
**
