Google “Samantha Fish,” and you will find a plethora of praise for this Kansas City bombshell who rocked the Cedarburg Cultural Center this past Saturday.
The near-capacity crowd in attendance was treated to a two-set performance that showcased many variations of Fish’s two main musical tools—her powerful alto vocals and her masterful guitar work. Fish played the latest installment of the CCC’s “Blues in the ‘Burgh” series. While Fish certainly knows the blues, classifying her simply as a blues player is like limiting cheese to only being paired with macaroni. Granted, you have an instance success, but have not begun to encounter the endless possibilities that exist beyond that. Fish’s interpretation of the blues, country rock, roots and Americana music showcased the versatility of this white-hot artist.
Fish has the look and musical chops to go far in the industry, and in many ways reminds me of an artist she lists as a childhood idol, Sheryl Crow. The crowd at the CCC saw and appreciated this, frequently rising to their feet with roaring applause after guitar solos and tunes.
For her sets, Fish alternated between three guitars, each of which greatly shaped the timbres of her music. Her primary guitar is a custom made Delaney “Fish-0-Caster”which features a sound hole in the shape of a fish. Set one opener, “Down in the Swamp” showcased the rich tonal quality of this guitar, as her solos took the listener down into the weeds.
In addition, Fish played an acoustic guitar on some of the softer numbers, and a very unique instrument, a Stogie Box blues guitar which she uses as her primary instrument for slide guitar tracks. Fish’s slide work in many ways reminded me of a young Derek Trucks. Fish masterfully put her own take on the classic RL Burnside Track, “Shake ‘Em On Down,” and the thick, muddy sound of the Stogie Box brought this tune to life.
Fish played original numbers alongside a wide array of covers. Of her original pieces, “Foolin’ Me” off of her latest record, Black Wind Howlin’ might be one of her finest tracks, as it combines all of the genres Fish plays in to create a laid back rock track with an infectious guitar groove. “Runaway,” another original that closed the first set, was a stand-out track as well with its fast paced tempo and swing rhythm.
Another highlight of the evening was Fish covering Screamin’ Jay Hawkins’s “I Put a Spell on You,” which showcased her vocal range and passion. Fish saved a great surprise for her encore where she slayed a cover of Black Sabbath’s “War Pigs,” a song that is usually reserved as a cover for hard-rock or metal leaning acts (like Faith No More, for example who covered the song on their 1989 The Real Thing LP). However, Fish nailed this track through her deep vocal range and passionate delivery.
While Fish was clearly the star of the night, her drummer Go-Go Ray, and bass player deserve a lot of props for gluing the numbers together.
As always, the Cedarburg Cultural Center gets a lot of props for booking adventurous acts like Fish who are clearly on the rise, and the wonderful hospitality of the staff at the venue makes always going to the CCC a fun time.
Follow her online here.
Words by Music Column writer, teacher, father, and all around good guy – Will Piper.
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