The Cobalt Rhythm Kings -- Cobalt Praise

What folks are saying about The Cobalt Rhythm Kings and their great new CD, "HOT . . . Like Red Pepper":
Hot Off the Presses:
"Y'all are from Connecticut? Get out! You guys sure don't play like no Yankees! The way you was playing, we thought y'all was from down here!"
-- fan at the 2005 Arkansas Blues & Heritage Festival, Helena, Ark, Oct. 7, 2005, after being told that the band he had just listened to, The Cobalt Rhythm Kings, had come all the way from New Haven, Conn. to play.

"Maybe the name of the former King Biscuit Blues Festival has changed, but that doesn't make playing it any less of an honor for one of New Haven's own - The Cobalt Rhythm Kings. The locally-based blues combo has earned itself a prime spot at the prestigious fest -- a free yearly event situated in the blues' Delta homeland, that's now called the Arkansas Blues & Heritage Festival -- after organizers selected them from among the bands in contention to play this year's Emerging Artists stages ... The Cobalt Rhythm Kings have been one of the New Haven area's biggest blues draws, performing regularly at venues like Café Nine, Café Atlantique and Toad's Place."
-- Nick Scalia, Play -- New Haven's Arts and Entertainment Weekly, September 28, 2005

CD Reviews:
From The New Haven Advocate, Sept. 20, 2001:
"This disc features six tracks that live most of the time on the jumpy, swingy side of Bluesville. Each member of the quartet is completely competent and emotive with his instrument (note the harp playin') but not overbearing and wanky. HOT . . . Like Red Pepper includes two originals, written and sung by guitarist Wendell (he's got a "Randy Newman sings the blues" set of pipes), and four covers. The thumbs-up CRK take on the Walter Williams tune "Bad Avenue" slows it down in a more trad blues style. and the original "Cross-Eyeded Mama" keeps the blues theme of visual impairment alive. This is an honestly solid release that shows more passion than the oodles of blues bands out there that wrongfully worship at the altar of Mayall and Clapton.
-- Craig Gilbert

From Gayles Corner (gaylescorner.com) January, 2002:
"I have to tell you. At 3AM, after listening to this CD several times, I couldn't decide whether I wanted to hug them all, or kill them all.... Why? Because the beat was so hot, sleep was not going to happen that night.
The arrangement was incredible. Just when I thought I was going to collapse (my neighbors must have thought ?!?!?!?!), a slower beat came to my rescue..... Let me give you a take at some of my favorites:
Your Hoodoo Man - Ladies, let me tell you, I was torn between wanting to take the vocalist, Mark Zaretsky, (who not only sings like he's making love to you, but whose harmonica sounds like an extension of his mouth (hmmmmmmm),) home with me, or dancing to the wonderful beat.... A great number.
Tougher Than That - This cut is an unbelievable tribute to the events of September 11th, and the unflappable strength of our country. If anybody would have told me that a Blues band could make this happen with love, respect, and incredible feeling, I would have had some pretty rude words to say before hearing Mark and his band do this one.... All I can say is WOW!!!!!
King of the Boogie - A tribute to Blues King John Lee Hooker, with an incredible solo by the band's very talented drummer, Gil Hawkins, Jr. Had me rockin' again....
Louisiana Bayou - Slowed the pace a little, and was it well timed!!! Wendell Jones and his magical guitar, and vocals along with a great solo guitar piece by Greg Benn, still had me rockin'. But at least I was breathing.
Bad Avenue - Guys, personal bias. I do not like violence, but it would have rocked me as an instrumental!
This CD has it all - Love, tribute, great lyrics, and a beat to get you up and moving, even if you were a Zombie. One comment worth noting- This is the first "old type Blues band" that I have heard that truly plays the sounds that all of us love and remember as the original "Blues". Kudos and bravo to The Cobalt Rhythm Kings. I look forward to meeting this incredible group from our own New Haven!!!
Give me the Blues! It's the sound of happiness, it's the heartbeat of the people, it's a provider of joy and peace to the soul."
-- Joyce Remo
OTHERS:
"The . . . Kings can often be found in local clubs, where (Cobalt leader Mark Zaretsky,) a harmonica fiend, blows through decades of music, from the '40s and '50s sounds of his Sweet Home Chicago to 21st-century originals. They released their first album, "Hot ... Like Red Pepper," last year."
               -- Fran Fried, New Haven Register, July 19, 2002

"Swinging ... and hot with a touch of California jump. Great!!!! For me 'Lover's Rock' and 'Cross-Eyeded Mama' are the top."
               -- Marco Trabalza, Foligno, Italy Italian blues collector

Your tunes are hot and burnin' ... It reminds me of Little Charlie and the Night Cats sometimes. Play on!
               -- Thai slide guitarist, club owner and band leader Suchart Panpie, Bebop Bar, Pai, Thailand

"On the US blues scene I found my new favourite . . . Their music is very fresh with deeeep feeling . . . Especially I like the beautiful hot harp melodic line together with swing, shuffle, boogie, funky guitar sound . . . THE COBALT RHYTHM KINGS are better than red pepper."
               -- Jacek Trzmiel, Warsaw, Poland
"I'm currently enjoying a cd I received from USA today, by The Cobalt Rhythm Kings...called "HOT ..Like Red Pepper "...pretty good stuff, especially lyrically !...Social commentary over the blues format !..Now ain't that what Blues is about ?"
              -- Australian bluesman Henry Correy, posted on Music-Discussion.com, Nov. 3, 2004

The Cobalt Rhythm Kings have been written up in both print and Web publications as far away as Australia and Poland, where they received a favorable review in (Twoj Blues) , Poland's leading blues magazine and were listed at # 73 on a list of the world's top blues bands at
(www.blues.pl) Poland's leading blues website!
You can see the list and try -- just try! -- to read about us in Polish, at:

http://www.blues.pl/index.php?Module=z1_BluesTop2003&plik=zespolsw&l=$l

For more information, to join the Cobalt e-mail list or to book The Cobalt Rhythm Kings, call 203-415-1670 or e-mail: info(at)cobaltrhythmkings.com .