David Shelley at Boston’s on the Beach

You don�t realize how much you miss David Shelley until you hear him play again and his music jolts your comfort zone. The blues-rocker who now makes his home in central Florida has a lot going for him: charisma, showmanship, a soulful voice, guitar slinger skills, and the best conga playing I�ve seen in a gringo. But it�s Shelley�s deep, almost encyclopedic knowledge of the blues and other forms of American roots music that sets him apart. A former guitar player for Cher, Shelly knows the music well. Last night, at Boston�s on the Beach in Delray Beach, he paid tribute to the recently deceased matriarch of the blues Koko Taylor with a heartfelt version of her classic �Evil Going On.� That song set the tone for the rest of the evening. He also performed Muddy Waters� �I�m Ready,� Warren Haynes �Soulshine,� and perhaps my Shelley favorite, a funky version of Johnny Winter�s �Dallas.� Dressed in a Hawaiian shirt

and cowboy hat, and sporting his trademark “outlaw” look, Shelley was the special guest at Blue Tuesday (every Tuesday at 8:30 p.m., no cover), a weekly series hosted by Famous Frank Ward , frontman for the Nucklebusters. Shelley did not play with his regular band and instead was backed by Ward on second guitar, Ron Taylor on keyboard, Jason Rosner on bass and Tim Kuchta on drums. The show took on the feel of a jam session, with a soulful guest harmonica player (sorry, did not catch his name) from another local act, Blues Dragon, nicely rounding out the last set. Shelley, who moved to Sebastian last year, is writing songs and working on a new CD. On Saturday, you can find him opening for classic rocker Mike Panera at Club Cinema , 3251 N. Federal Hwy., Pompano Beach. Show starts at 8 p.m. Reservations at 954-943-5226.

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David Shelley at Boston’s on the Beach

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