Medina closes out blues concert series on Thursday with the Tommy Z Band

Press Release, Orleans Renaissance Group

Provided photo: Tommy Z, an award-winning blues guitarist and songwriter, closes out Medina’s Blue Thursdays concert series on Thursday.

MEDINA – With record crowds, the 2024 Blue Thursdays series comes to a close this Thursday with a much anticipated grand finale featuring the Tommy Z Band from Buffalo.

Among his numerous claims to fame, Tommy Z has had two albums that debuted in the Top 10 on Billboard’s Blues Albums Chart– Plug In And Play (#5) in 2021, and Blizzard Of Blues (#8) in 2016.

“Three years ago, Blue Thursdays set out to bring the extraordinary to Medina– an array of the best, award-winning, hall-of-fame caliber bands that people wouldn’t normally get a chance to see,” said Chris Busch, one of the event organizers.

“That’s the bar we’ve set for Blue Thursdays, and the grand finale with the Tommy Z Band accomplishes just that. His accolades and accomplishments on a national level are a mile long. To say we’re pumped to be able to bring this caliber of music to Medina is an understatement.”

As noted on tommyzband.com:

“Tommy Z is a contemporary blues/rock artist and radio host from Buffalo, NY who has been described as a ‘blues treasure’ (Jim Santella, Buffalo News), and ‘one of WNY’s best kept secrets’ (Sarah French, Blues Matters Magazine).”

“He is a guitar-driven, electric blues-based stylist onstage, but in the studio composes a variety of music. Experienced and versed in traditional blues, jazz, funk and rock styles, he is an artist who puts that soulful blues feeling into all the different music he performs or creates. His work and talent has been recognized with numerous awards over the years, including being voted Top Blues Vocalist in Western New York 2003/2004/2006, Top Blues Guitarist 1993, 1994, 1995, 1997, 2004, 2005, 2006 and his band has won the Top Blues/Crossover Blues Band categories 1994, 2005, 2006, and was honored with the Muddy Waters Award for “Artist of the Year” by the Blues Society of WNY in 2004 and 2024.”

“In 2007 Tommy was inducted into the Buffalo Music Hall of Fame, recognizing him alongside some of the best talent come out of WNY (including Rick James, The Goo Goo Dolls, Billy Sheehan, etc.). He has had the opportunity to perform, write, record and/or co-bill with some of the world’s top artists in the blues/rock genre including: B.B. King (and daughter Shirley), Buddy Guy (2023 Farewell Tour guest), Tom Hambridge, Johnny Winter, The Fabulous Thunderbirds, Jimmie Vaughan, Robert Cray, Jeff Healey, Colin James, Tinsley Ellis, Roomful of Blues, Blues Traveler, Derek Trucks, Joe Bonamassa, Robert Randolph, Peter Frampton, Ian Gillan (Deep Purple), Carey Bell, John Mayall, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Tommy Castro, Duke Robillard, Elvin Bishop, Eric Gales and many more.”

“All good things must come to an end and so it is with Blue Thursdays 2024, but not before we blow the doors off the park with Tommy Z,” said Busch.

Busch went on, “In talking about the gig last week, Tommy remarked, ‘Looking forward to it! I’ve got my touring band of Dave Herr from Charleston, Ray Hangen and Tom Scime from Florida coming up for this (gig).’”

The performance is scheduled for Thursday at 6 p.m. at State Street Park, Medina. Up-to-the-minute updates can be found on Facebook at “Blue Thursdays Medina.” The performance is free an open to the public with multiple food and beverage vendors on site.