Blues on the Hill will kick off its 2008 season in a big way Saturday with bands carrying horn sections.
Headliner Willie J. Laws will have a six-piece band backing him up while Evelyn Rubio brings eight members of the Calvin Owens Orchestra to back her up.
The free concert kicks off at 6 p.m. in McKelvey Park with music by BC & Soul Express followed by a set from Mike Milligan & the Altar Boyz.
Milligan and company are from the Austin/San Antonio area.
Originally from Mexico City, Rubio spent five years singing and playing saxophone with a Playa Del Carmen blues band before moving to Houston.
She teamed up with blues legend Calvin Owens and his orchestra as both a vocalist and sax player. The former B.B. King trumpeter and Bayou City blues fixture lent his "Orquestra Azul," to Rubio's 2007 album "La Mujer Que Canta Blues."
"I translated blues songs in English into Spanish for the album," Rubio said. These included well-known standards such as Barbara Lynn's "You're going to Lose a Good Thing."
While Owens, who passed away a few months ago, operated with 18 pieces, Rubio will try to make do with just eight on Saturday.
"I'm trying to keep that full sound," she said. "I really like it. But I'm nervous. This is our first gig with this lineup. It's kind of an experiment."
"It's going to be a dynamite show," Laws said. "I'm really looking forward to it."
The McAllen-Based Laws just released his fifth album, "Running Out of Lies."
"We actually prefer people download it from kingwilliamsound.com or iTunes," he said. "It's just easier."
Laws became a professional musician in 1985, landing his first gig with the renowned Phillip Walker.
He grew up in Taft, just north of Corpus Christi. Laws has a musical family including his cousins and jazz greats Hubert and Ronnie Laws and the late Billy Preston.
Laws said most of his influences are from the Lone Star State.
"Texas cats? We're the baddest cats in the land when it comes to this music. We really know how to swing," Laws said. "But for influences, any blues player worth his salt has to mention the three Kings: B.B., Albert and Freddie."
Playing all over this country and Europe for the past two decades has brought Laws to a thoughtful conclusion.
"I'm not rich or famous, but I'm fortunate - I'm blessed that I'm still able to do something I love to do," he said. "A lot of people can't say that."
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BLUES ON THE HILL kicks off its season of free concerts at 6 p.m. Saturday in Harlingen's McKelvey Park. Scheduled acts include Willie J. Laws and the Tex Mex Horns, Evelyn Rubio, Mike Milligan & The Altar Boyz, and special guests BC & Soul Express. Free.
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2008 Schedule
Saturday
* Willie J. Laws and the Tex Mex Horns
* Evelyn Rubio and Orquestra Azul
* Mike Milligan
* BC and Soul Express
June 14
* Jimmy Thackeray and the Drivers
* Jake Andrews
* Big Brucie and the Maxtones
* Lauren Ashley and the Fedoras
Aug. 23
* Rob Roy Parnell
* Jeremiah Johnson
* The Leigh Hollis Band
* The Roachs
