Curtis Salgado’s The Beautiful Lowdown is his own history lesson

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Curtis Salgado combined his interest in history and music to create latest album The Beautiful Lowdown

Curtis Salgado

Curtis Salgado combined his interest in history and music to create his latest album The Beautiful Lowdown, he’s explained.

The follow-up to Soul Shot includes forays into every sector of the the R&B genre, and reflects his interest in the past along with his passion for the sounds.

Salgado tells KMUW: “This record is basically everything under the umbrella, including reggae.

“I love reggae, the whole history with mento, ska and bluebeat. I’m a history freak – I want to know what makes things tick.

“At the same time, the only way I know how to make a living is through music.”

He began merging his two interests when he first heard Paul Butterfield covering Little Walter. “It led me to Little Walter – that just blew my mind,” he recalls. “I never heard Paul Butterfield again.”

And Salgado knows he has much more work to do, despite the acclaim drawn by The Beautiful Lowdown.

“This is going to sound like the glass is half full,” he says, “But I’m afraid that this is just another step. That’s me going, ‘I’ve got to get onto the next thing.’”

He’s currently completing a US tour.

Curtis Salgado US tour

Jul 09: Wallace Historic Wallace Blues Festival, ID
Jul 11: Albany Summer Sounds Concert, NY
Jul 28: West Linn Music In The Park, OR
Aug 19: Norwich Chenango Blues Festival

Curtis Salgado: "I was John Belushi's muse."

Martin Kielty
Freelance Online News Contributor

Not only is one-time online news editor Martin an established rock journalist and drummer, but he’s also penned several books on music history, including SAHB Story: The Tale of the Sensational Alex Harvey Band, a band he once managed, and the best-selling Apollo Memories about the history of the legendary and infamous Glasgow Apollo. Martin has written for Classic Rock and Prog and at one time had written more articles for Louder than anyone else (we think he's second now). He’s appeared on TV and when not delving intro all things music, can be found travelling along the UK’s vast canal network.