Jon Shain, FJ Ventre, Rissi Palmer

Jon Shain is a master of the Piedmont style of blues guitar fingerpicking, and while he’s had no shortage of regional acclaim, including winning the Triangle Blues Society competition last year, he also managed to claim top honors in 2019’s International Blues Challenge in Memphis. And once you’ve gotten the nod as a bluesman in Memphis, well, you can basically hang your hat anywhere. But Shain doesn’t box himself into being strictly a blues player, either. He works bits of folk, bluegrass, jazz, and more into his sound. His last couple of albums exemplify the open-endedness of his approach. Tomorrow Will Be Yesterday Soon is full of harmonically modern singer-songwriter material, while Getting’ Handy with the Blues is a roots-minded tribute to blues legend W.C. Handy. But whichever side of Shain is in the spotlight, be assured that you’ll hear a six-string heavyweight at work in this duo show with bassist FJ Ventre. Rissi Palmer opens.