Kal David lives in Palm Springs & is still actively gigging & in July 1998 opened his own club ‘The Blue Guitar”. Career highlights: 1943: Kal David born in Chicago. Grows up listening to blues, gospel and R&B. 1961: Kal David and the Exceptions, featuring future Chicago vocalist Peter Cetera on bass, signed to VeeJay Records, the label of John Lee Hooker, Jimmy Reed, Curtis Mayfield and The Beatles before their Capitol Records releases. 1962: Kal and the Exceptions learn the blues working the same Chicago clubs as Reed and Howlin' Wolf seven nights a week from 9 p.m. to 5 a.m. with a matinee on Sunday. They serve as the resident band at the Brown Derby in Chicago Heights, often backing up the Dells of "Oh What A Night" fame. 1965: Left the Exceptions early that year and played in a band with Verne Johnson and a bass player named Jim Towns in Blue Island, Illinois. Kal had the ability to carry the guitar work and the vocals. After that he started sessions with Paul Cotton and formed the Rovin' Kind. 1968: Rovin' Kind change their name to Illinois Speed Press and move permanently to Los Angeles. 1970: Kal and Paul's differing musical directions become evident and Kal leaves the Illinois Speed Press. 1971: The bearded, long-haired Kal records in San Francisco with Harvey Brooks former bass player for Electric Flag, Bob Dylan and Miles Davis. They form The Fabulous Rhinestones and move to Woodstock, N.Y., where they play with friends like Chicago blues man Paul Butterfield and members of The Band. 1977: Kal begins a relationship with Laurie Bono after seeing her sing jazz with Brooks in Woodstock. The Fabulous Rhinestones disband after recording three albums, performing with John Lennon and Yoko Ono at a peace rally, touring with Stevie Wonder, War, The Doobie Brothers and The Allman Bros. 1978: Kal and Laurie move to Atlanta for four months, then head to Los Angeles, where David works as a session guitarist and sideman for such as Etta james, Al Kooper and Johnny Rivers, who also uses Bono as a backup singer. 1981: Kal and Laurie form the 12-piece Dream Band, featuring trumpeter Steve Madaio and members of Doc Severinsen's "Tonight Show" band. They record a demo with Woodstock founder Artie Kornfeld but it's never released. 1983: Dream Band folds when Laurie Bono becomes one of Bette Midler's backup singers, The Harlettes. 1985: Kal replaces ex-Rolling Stone guitarist Mick Taylor in John Mayall's Bluesbreakers. Tour U.S., Europe and Canada. 1986: Johnny Rivers co-produces Kal and Laurie live at Le Cafe in Sherman Oaks. Association with Rivers continues with tours throughout the U.S., Brazil and Argentina and two albums, including "The Sun Recordings, " recorded at Sun Studios in Memphis. 1990: Kal and Laurie lead an L.A. club band between recording sessions and head the weekly Pro Jam at the China Club in Hollywood, featuring such rock stars as Stills, The Eagles, Brian Wilson, John Entwhistle and Joe Walsh and
blues greats like Sam Taylor and Floyd Dixon. 1994: Kal and Laurie record "Double Tuff" with the Tower of Power horn section. Rolling Stone Magazine gives it three stars. 1995: Kal and Laurie move to Palm Springs, where they play concerts and nightclubs dates between out-of-town recording sessions and performances at such places as Mohegan Sun Resort in Connecticut and B.B. King's in Universal City. 1998: They open their Palm Springs nightclub, The Blue Guitar 2001: Still rockin' at the Blue Guitar. Live CD released - "Live at the Blue Guitar...by request". 2004: Sold the Blue Guitar to give more committment to external performances.
Kal's recording career began as a teenager when, as a member of Kal David and the Exceptions, he signed a contract with King Records and was later signed to Vee-Jay Records. Another member of the group was Peter Cetera, who later became the
vocalist for a band known as Chicago.
After leaving the Illinois Speed Press served Kal moved to
Woodstock, New York, where he formed the Fabulous Rhinestones with ex-Electric Flag bassist Harvey Brooks. They recorded
three well received albums: Fabulous Rhinestones, Freewheelin' for Paramount Records, and Rhinestones for 20th Century
Records. With the Rhinestones, Kal refined his talents as a guitarist, vocalist, and songwriter to the point where even today, long
after its disbanding, the group is remembered with fondness and respect for its musical contributions.
A significant musical partnership began in Woodstock when one evening Kal, following the advice of some fellow musicians
went to hear singer/songwriter Lauri Bono perform at a local club. They have been partners ever since, making a move together
to Los Angeles.
Kal made his true commitment to the blues idiom as a guitarist and as a singer/songwriter. In the studio or on tour, his
commitment was evident in his work as a sideman for Etta James and Johnny Rivers, with partner Lauri, and with John Mayall
and the Bluesbreakers, where he inherited the lead guitar chair from Mick Taylor.
At this point in his career, Kal realized that it was time for him to front his own band, playing and singing the music which best
showcased his abilities as a performer. Kal put together his own group of musicians, also featuring Lauri as a vocalist, and
recorded two albums for SoulCoast Records, Never a Dull Moment and Double Tuff. With impressive record sales internationally
and numerous television appearances, including a one-hour Kal David special in Germany, Kal's reputation grew worldwide.
While living in Los Angeles, The Kal David Band, with Kal as Musical Director headed up the weekly Pro-Jam at the infamous
China Club in Hollywood, playing host to such guests as Stevie Wonder, Bobby Brown, John Entwistle, Larry Carlton, Brian
Wilson, Stephen Stills, Joe Walsh, Paul Young, and Blues greats, Sam Taylor and Floyd Dixon, and many more who would spread
the word about Kal and his music.
Looking for a different creative environment, Kal and Lauri moved to Palm Springs, where they established themselves and
formed a new band, Kal David and the Real Deal. Kal's mastery of the blues guitar and charismatic blues vocals combined with
Lauri's dynamic and provocative voice, backed up by the incomparable Hammond B-3 playing style of Tony Patler, formerly
Musical Director for Chaka Kahn, and Alan Diaz, formerly the drummer for Sergio Mendez, constitute the new band.
After living in Palm Springs for 7 years, Kal and Lauri realized that the only way to continue making music was to either go on the
road or play in local clubs which were not really set up to properly present their talents. They decided, rather, to open their own
nightclub that would be dedicated to the proliferation of blues and jazz presented in an intimate concert venue.
Blue Guitar came to life on July 14, 1998, to the delight of locals and visitors alike. It is situated on the second floor with a
balcony overlooking beautiful downtown Palm Springs. On most nights you'll hear Kal David and the Real Deal featuring Lauri
Bono rocking the house, along with blues and rock greats like Johnny Rivers, Finas Tasby, Johnny Dyer and a host of others who
have graced the stage. "Blue Guitar Celebrates Diversity" is their motto and you'll find people from all walks of life enjoying the
high tech industrial design, beautifully appointed decor, excellent sound system and lights, as they are transported by a very
special musical experience.
Kal and Lauri continue to go on selected tours including the top-rated Mohegan Sun Resort and Casino in Connecticut, other
great clubs on the East Coast and B.B. Kings Blues Club in Los Angeles, where the band always plays to sold out audiences.
Visit Kal's website
