My lovely wife Annette and I got to see one of the world’s greatest blues and rock guitarists on Friday night……Ana Popovic!  Nestled in the intimate 225 seat confines of the Fairfield Stage One Theatre, we enjoyed a two hour performance of songs from her last several albums as well as tunes by Stevie Ray Vaughan and Jimi Hendrix!

Ana was born and raised in Belgrade, Serbia and exposed to the blues by her DJ father Milton Popovic (with whom she released an album last year).  Starting to play guitar at fifteen, she feasted on tunes by Muddy Waters, T-Bone Walker, and B.B. King. She formed her first band in 1995 and released her first solo album HUSH to great acclaim in 2002. After a long time residency in Amsterdam, she moved with her husband and children to Memphis, Tennessee in 2012.

Ana’s playing style is almost effortless.  Unlike many artists I have seen over the years, she spends little time staring at the frets.  Her facial expressions are intense and her body motions while playing are seductive without being contrived.  And well….the six inch heels impressed Annette!

Her vocals were great and her singing (and song writing style) covered the range of the blues from jazzy tunes to R&B and some bad ass crankin’ blues rock. Overall a fantastic show!

During the next two months, Ana has been invited to play on the bill for the Experience Hendrix concerts. These concerts feature the best guitarists on the planet paying homage to Jimi and the guitar; a fitting tribute to Ana’s talent.

She also said during the show that she had a new album coming out in May entitled Trilogy that would be 3 CDs; one for some of her personal favorites, one of electric blues, and one focused on her love of jazz.  I can’t wait!  Ana also tours relentlessly; GO SEE HER!