Since the beginning of the New Millennium, Albert Cummings has been leaving behind him a trail of scorched bandstands, transplanting his unique tone into the ear canals of those craving passionate, soulful blues-based songs served up with a hearty helping of blast-furnace rock-n-roll. Cummings performs on Sun., Mar. 11, at the State Theatre.
It’s readily apparent that what the man has talent for playing the guitar. His playing is white-hot and sharper than razor-wire, but it’s never fashioned with a duty of seeing how many notes he can cram into a single passage. It’s expressive, straight-from-the-heart and leaves no doubt as to why he’s been called a guitarist’s-guitarist by everyone from B.B. King to Johnny Winter and Buddy Guy. But Cummings’ hands are also comfortable wrapped around wood other than that found in the neck of his guitar.
He’s also a master carpenter and has been highly sought after for that skill for years, as well. “I’ve won eight national awards for building things and I’ve built some of the most incredible homes that have ever been built. I’m a fourth-generation builder; it’s in my blood,” Cummings said. “I love to create music that’s not been created before and that’s the same way with building…Music and building are alike in that regard; you’ve got to have a desire to make something that’s not there.”
The whiz-kid carpenter began his ascent to masterful blues rock guitarist at age 2, on the Northeast blues circuit with his band, Swamp Yankee.
Cummings has six albums out, starting with 2003’s From the Heart, featuring Cummings fronting Double Trouble (including Reese Winans) in their first recording project since Stevie Ray’s passing. For his newest recording, Someone Like You, Albert chose to record in Southern California with Grammy-winning producer David Z. (Buddy Guy, Prince, Jonny Lang, Gov’t Mule) at the helm. Said Z, “Albert Cummings writes, plays and sings the blues like nobody else. What a blast to watch him jell in the studio with some of the best musicians in Los Angeles.” One of those musicians was Blind Pig label mate and leader of The Basic Cable Band on the Conan TV show, Jimmy Vivino, who performs on three cuts.