Harmonicist and singers Quique Gomez was born in Madrid. He started playing harmonica at age 18 and assembled his first band, Juan Bourbon, Juan Scoth & Juan Beer, at the age of 20. He’s traveled the Spanish stages with this band during the following decade, while studying and running a small club. In 2008, he visited Chicago and met some of the Blues’ greatest exponents with whom he started playing on both sides of the Atlantic. Quique has performed on  5 continents, with artists such as John Primer, Eddie C. Campbell, Bob Stroger, Rockin Johnny, Jimmy Burns, Tail Dragger, Kenny Blues and Boss Wayne.

Quique often puts the harmonica aside on occasions to show us his most “crooner” side as the BOB SANDS BIG BAND’s singer. With this New York band, he performs classics of swing with arrangements by Count Basie and Thad Jones accompanied by 18 musicians on stage.

As a complement to his life on stage, he gives harmonica classes at the “Escuela de Blues de Madrid” (Madrid Blues School) since 2013 and is the director of the Intensive Blues Course in Béjar, Spain, since 2009.

YOSHINOBU TAKEDA, a.k.a. TAKEZO, was born in Kagawa, Japan, and grew up in Kyoto. Takezo began singing in bands and composing music at the age of 12. Among his earliest influences were American movie soundtracks, The Beatles, and Otis Redding. His instincts brought him to San Francisco, California in 1985 to pursue a career in music. Since then, he has performed as a rhythm and blues singer/guitarist with artists such as Elvin Bishop, Angela Strehli, Joe Louis Walker, Norton Buffalo, and many others.

 "Takezo sings the blues as natural as someone born in Oakland, raised in a church, and studied with Junior Parker. He was meant to live the blues."

- Tom Mazzolini, Producer, SF Blues Festival

$12 General Admission