Discover The Soul of John Black

John A. Bigham, who was composer, guitarist and percussionist with Miles Davis and L.A. ska-punk outfit Fishbone, will play the Attucks Theatre on Saturday.

But you won't see his given name on the bill.

Rather, just as bluesmen McKinley Morganfield became Muddy Waters and Chester Burnett transformed into Howlin' Wolf, Bigham will appear as Black John fronting his trio, the Soul of John Black, performing material from his latest record, the critically acclaimed "Black John."

Other Soul of John Black albums include the self-titled 2003 debut and sophomore follow-up, "The Good Girl Blues," which was nominated as 2008 Best New Artist Recording by both the Blues Blast Awards and the Blues Music Foundation's prestigious Blues Awards, formerly the W.C. Handy Awards.

"I thought it would be fun and exciting" he said about his nom de music from his home base in Florence, a part of South Los Angeles.

"It's just a name, no big deal, just a name on the product. Everybody does it in the music business; a lot of blues players did it. I thought it would be a way to get into character, into the idea."

And that "idea" is his own style of blues, which makes up the core of Black John's soul. Critics have lauded Bigham's blend of country and big city electric blues with modern touches including funk and soul with a little hip-hop and electronics.

"It's a musical blend of the blues I listen to," explained Bigham, also a successful arranger and session musician whose collaborations include Dr. Dre, Everlast and Bruce Hornsby. "It's definitely blues-based."

That basis is the spooky, hoo-doo blues of Waters, Wolf, Robert Johnson and, his biggest influence, John Lee Hooker.

"A while back I just stumbled into the blues world and John Lee Hooker," he said.

Bigham said his "stumble" occurred when he was a member of Davis' band working on the soundtrack to the film "The Hot Spot." That obscure, yet pivotal, collaboration featured Davis performing with Hooker, Taj Mahal and several top studio session men.

"I was amazed to hear Miles and John Lee Hooker on the same record," Bigham mused. "But Miles was right at home on it, he definitely knew what the blues was all about. After all, there'd be no jazz without the blues. After that, I just followed Hooker into the blues."

Bigham said he'd never heard anything like Hooker's primal sounds.

"It was all that moanin', and that jangly guitar, that boogie guitar," he said. "That was exciting."

Taking that blues and adding one's personal stamp was something Bigham said he learned from his stints with Davis and Fishbone.

"The main thing I learned from both units was stay true to yourself, say what you mean and mean what you say. Hangin' with Miles, you didn't have to be like him; he was an independent thinker who was always looking for inspiration; he always wanted to hear something fresh."

Bigham said the Attucks audience will hear material taken from his three Soul of John Black albums with him on guitar and vocals backed by bass and drums. But don't expect the same old blues.

"They're not gonna hear us shuffle all night long," he vowed. "But it will be a good time, a time to dance. It'll be a bluesy-funky party."

Eric Feber, (757) 222-5203, eric.feber@pilotonline.com