Medina closes out blues concerts series with 2 more events in August

Provided photos: Tommy Z, left, and Frank Grizanti close out blues concerts in Medina with two more concerts in August.

Press Release, Orleans Renaissance Group, Blue Thursdays

MEDINA – With the arrival of August comes the last two shows at Medina’s Blue Thursdays free concert series, and each promises to be spectacular.

The series started on June 22 and ends on August 10 with a grand finale performance by the Tommy Z Band.

The concerts are at State Street Park Pavilion along the Erie Canal, 343 E Center St. The concerts so far have been drawing about 600 to 800 people. There are multiple food vendors including adult beverages.

This Thursday will see a command performance by guitar legend and Buffalo Music Hall of Famer Frank Grizanti.

Grizanti is one of Western New York’s most respected guitarists. He was inducted into the Buffalo Music Hall Of Fame in 2007. His peers have described him as “legendary.” He has also been described as “a true Buffalo treasure.”

He has worked with many great acts from Western New York such as The BBC Band, Geno McManus, Stone Flower, Sam Sugarman, Patti Parks Band, The Fabulous USA Band, Speedy Parker, Bass Reeves, Maria Sebastian, Steve Ballisteri, Anatara and many others.

The Frank Grizanti Band has opened for national acts such as Gino Vanelli, Foreigner, and Styx and has recorded in L.A., Toronto, Nashville and Buffalo.

A Blue Thursdays crowd favorite in 2022, his performance in Medina is a must-see event.

Aug. 10 will see a grand finale performance by internationally renowned Buffalo guitarist Tommy Z, a contemporary blues/rock artist and radio host from Buffalo. He 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 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.

In 2007 Tommy was inducted into the Buffalo Music Hall of Fame, recognizing him alongside some of the best talent come out of WNY.

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 and many more.

His first initiation to national touring was backing up Grammy-winning blues pianist Pinetop Perkins (Muddy Waters Band), who is credited as indirectly starting rock-n-roll. Tommy has come a long way from playing the top bars and music venues in Buffalo to being an international and US festival headliner.

All Blue Thursdays concerts are free and open to the public. Shows run from 6 to 8 p.m. There are no rain dates. The public is encouraged to start arriving at 5:30.

Gig updates, any cancellations and venue information can be found at ‘blue thursdays medina’ on Facebook. Further information and details can also be found on the web at bluethursdays.com.