Club Hopper Finally Lands at Lively Spot

It was another Friday night in the Valley, and I was on the road, headed to the Classroom to hear blues man Ray Bailey do his thing.

I wanted to see if Bailey was as powerful a performer in person as he is on his recordings. Bailey currently has two CDs out: “Satan’s Horn” and “Blue Street.” Bailey sings with a quiet fire. He has the passion of the old blues masters, but the easy manner of his vocals belies his intensity, and his lyrics reflect contemporary urban life instead of relying on well-worn blues cliches.

Until recently, the Watts resident rarely did gigs this side of the Santa Monicas. Perhaps for that reason, the Classroom, which normally has a no-cover policy, was asking $5 at the door for Bailey’s appearances.

Heading north on Tampa Avenue, I was punching the buttons on the radio, and the Eagles came on. “Running down the road, trying to loosen my load . . . “ (I’m still not quite sure exactly what that means.) I pulled into a half-filled parking lot at the Northridge club midway through the second chorus.

Bailey was a no-show. The bartender said it was a last-minute cancellation; Bailey called in sick. I wondered if it was the type of flu musicians sometimes get when a call comes in for a better-paying gig. Who knows? Guess I’ll have to wait till next time to hear Ray.

It was only a bit past 10 so I decided to check out a different place. I headed south on Tampa to Ventura Boulevard, then drove east and stopped in front of the County Line Barbecue, where I caught the Libido Brothers, two guitarists and a bassist playing to an electronic drum machine.

The group played a tasteful rendition of “Cold Shot,” the Stevie Ray Vaughn tune, followed by similarly fine performances of several other cover tunes of a decidedly Latin jazz-rock feel. These guys worked well with the machine, handling endings and beginnings deftly and with skill.

The bar of the restaurant was almost empty. It was way past the dinner hour, and the band was sitting on stools, conveying a mellow energy. Next time I’ll have to check out the tri-tip. But this time, it was back to the car, going east on Ventura.

Next stop was Cozy’s Bar and Grill, where Catfish Hodge and his band were rockin’ to a full house. I was lucky to find a seat at the bar. Catfish has been around but hasn’t lost any of his passion for performing. He was putting out.

Cozy’s is a great place for listening, but its dance floor is small, which is definitely going to be a disadvantage this weekend when the quintessential dance band, Flattop Tom and his Jump Cats, shows up.

“Flattop” Tom Hall looks like he could have been my P.E. teacher back at Van Nuys High. Proving that looks are only sometimes deceiving, Hall actually spends his days as a P.E. teacher at Alhambra High. But at night, he fronts his own dance band, singing and playing blues harp.

Maybe not all that surprisingly, Hall started out as a swing dancer who got hooked on the blues styles of James Harmon, Paul Butterfield, William Clarke and others, and then he decided to take up the harmonica.

Hall started his own seven-piece jump blues band in 1992 and since then they’ve performed throughout Los Angeles. Their stage show is noted for Hall’s acrobatic jitterbug dance routines performed while his sidemen take their solos.

Besides their live performances, the band’s CD, “Rockin’ & Jumpin’ the Blues,” was released earlier this year. The album features 21 cuts, mostly originals, definitely designed to move your feet.

* Flattop Tom & the Jump Cats swing at Cozy’s Bar & Grill, 14058 Ventura Blvd., Sherman Oaks. $6 cover. Call (818) 986-6000.

* The Persuader Band plays Friday and the Birdman Blues Band on Saturday at the Classroom, 8333 Tampa Ave., Northridge. No cover. Call (818) 885-0250.

* Larkspur plays Thursday and the Libido Brothers play Friday and Saturday at County Line, 18588 Ventura Blvd., Tarzana. No cover. Call (818) 342-5171.