LoFi San Jose: Ron Thompson || Still Slidin' || Hidden Rock'n'Roll p.7

One summer evening in 2010 my family and I stumbled the short distance over to Poor House Bistro. Little did I know that my mind was about to get blown away by one, Ron Thompson.

I had no intention of seeing live music on the patio. My only intention was to go for a walk with the family, have a beer and maybe a bite to eat. I proceeded to go back the next four Wednesdays to catch the weekly hump day act of Ron Thompson (I did not see him "in a row" because one week he was wisked off to Poland to play in a blues festival).

Channeled through the powers of the internet, I was able to find out more about this guy. He is local by way of Newark, CA and at one time was the band leader for Johnny Lee Hooker in the 70s as well as a musical collaborator with Mick Fleetwood in the early 80s. He put out several Albums under Ron Thompson and the Resistors, and has been a mainstay on many local blues festivals for the last 40 years. With a resume that includes Big Mama Thornton, Tina Turner, Booker T., Percy Mayfield, Etta James, B.B. King and Jimmy Reed....simply put, he is a legend.

That initial night was magic. When I saw him go into a slide riff on a song, it was the first time I had ever heard something "live" that was reminiscent of a sound that I would hear on recording from the likes of Muddy Waters or Son House. This dude has that sound. He has the blues. I don't know much about his personal life (however I did overhear him say "man, after what I went through last year, I'm lucky to be here), but this dude is living the blues.

RT is also a master at the keyboards and usually tends to go into a blues/ boogie woogie piano jam for a few songs. This is good, but it is no comparison to what this guy can do on the guitar. The guitar is where he really shines.

If you ever want to catch him in the 408, he usually plays every Wednesday evening from 6pm to 9pm at the Poor House Bistro (down the street from the shark tank). This is a wonderful venue that lets anyone who has interest in the slide guitar to check out some real, blues action up close and personal.

Here are some pictures of Ron through the years...