Osgood & Blaque: Bio

Osgood & Blaque Duo Band: Since 2003

Members: Greg Osgood and Cee Blaque

Genres: Soul, Blues, Jazz, Oldies Dance

Instruments played: Keyboard, drum, piano, bass, strings, horns, organ, harmonica, vocals

Location: Vicksburg, Mississippi

Greg Osgood and Cee Blaque are honored on a blues marker alongside other African American musicians of note including Willie Dixon, Louisiana Red, Artie "Blues Boy" White, Percy Strothers, Little Joe Blue, Milt Hinton, Muddy Waters, among others, who have lived in communities along the southern stretch of Highway 61 in Mississippi that are included along the blues trail. Osgood and Blaque duo-band is one of the most widely-acclaimed new musical acts to come along in years. "Greg Osgood is a master keyboard artist and vocalist and is the perfect complement to the passionate torch singer and harp-playing Cee Blaque".-Ernest McBride, The Jackson Advocate Like a blues marker that points the way, Osgood & Blaque duo band are themselves a living link to the blues and will continue to move forward in the advancement of their zealous mission.

Osgood & Blaque Duo Band continues to thrill audiences in many business communities and have enjoyed the unique privilege of entertaining United States personnel such as ambassadors, prime ministers, presidents, governors, mayors and sorority group leaders, in harmony with their motto: "Seest thou a man diligent in his business? he shall stand before kings".-Proverbs 22:29 [KJV]

* * * Historial Background * * *

Greg Osgood has enjoyed the privilege of entertaining multi-genre audiences around the world. From America to Asia and back to America he has experienced the musical cultures of Thailand, Taiwan, Okinawa and Tokyo, to name a few. Having toured with Purple Haze in the early '80s, he is no novice to the stage. Since then, he has performed as lead singer with several groups including The Dominoes (Jackson), Mississippi-145 (Vicksburg) and his latest duo-project. He presents melodies that are carefully blended against a backdrop of beautfiul keyboard fingered strings, piano and well-synced bass and drums.

Wielding a talent reminiscent of Stevie Wonder, his music ranges from romantic to dance, swing to pop, blues to country, a comfort enabling the listener to enjoy the soulful southern sound. Even his blues rhythms combine a foot-stomping, high-energy, funky soul combination; all powered by an emotionally charged live performance. It would seem as though he was somehow born into music. He remembers his mother singing to him while in the womb and many of his friends still say he can remember a song forever. Though not surrounded by notable stars and superstars, he began receiving musical instruction at age five as a protege' of Mott Willis who recorded during the early days of Hy-Tone Records, and appears in David Evan's book "Big Road Blues". As Osgood broadened his musical knowledge and abilities, he began developing skills that would enable him to embrace his vision completely. What he lacks in formal education he makes up with experience having performed over 11,700 shows since he began in 1982. Though Osgood is capable of performing a thousand covers, he also writes, records, performs, arranges and produces his own music. He has pioneered his solo act through the twentieth century into the digital age. He has written well over 200 original songs. He has acquired the admiration of his contemporaries. He has manipulated the "standard" in order to effect "change"; and there is no doubt that he will continue to practice his musical "magic" before a broader audience.

Cee Blaque's background begins as a young child at the Holly Grove Baptist Church. Her fire for singing was fueled by Mrs. Adlay Thomas, a superb vocalist at her church. "She is, to me, my greatest mentor! I have always, since I was a small girl, wanted to sing just like her. Her singing would reach out around you and stand you up, and fill you with the presence of spirit! Whenever I can, I go to hear her sing. She is still my teacher and still sings as great today as she did during my childhood!", Blaque admits. Blaque's harmonica style has been compared to that of Louisiana-born Little Walter who achieved a saxophone-like sound with his harmonica. Blaque's vocal delivery and careful harmonic phrases are a deep personification of her heartfelt yearnings while growing up in and around the Mississippi Delta and Catfish Row. Blaque's vocal performance offers intriquing embellishments to whatever she's singing, whether cover tunes or original material. Adding her own variety of harmonic calls, vocal scats coupled with authority and resilience, Blaque brings returns an era of Big Mama Thornton, Billie Holiday, Dinah Washington, Koko Taylor and Etta James, offering much more than meets the eye.

In an age where authentic blues bands are rare, Osgood & Blaque duo band have set higher standards for themselves in order to break "new ground"; presenting their music in an exciting, acceptable fashion, while preserving their mission. Their performance at the 22nd International Blues Challenge held on Beale Street in Memphis, Tennessee in 2006 was indicative of the trend and was so impressive that it prompted Director and Coordinator Joe Whitmer, to say about them: "I want to personally congratulate as well as thank you for making this year's challenge the best in history. You should be very proud of your performance on Beale Street! Everyone is raving about the great talent that you brought to town for the International Blues Challenge. My hat off to you" . Osgood & Blaque duo band made history again in 2007 as the first duo blues band to perform on a major casino stage in Mississippi, and perhaps, the entire southeastern region of the United States.

As the dynamic duo of the south, they have brandished their talents throughout the very 'heart of the delta' with their Chicago-styled piano and harmonica blues, reminiscent of the early days of Willie Dixon and his Big Three Trio, Muddy Waters, Howlin’ Wolf, Koko Taylor and Jimmy Reed. Significantly, they have "played the blues" at Club Ebony in Indianola. They have "smoked the blues" at the Windy City Grill in Como. They have "held their ground" at Ground Zero Blues Club in Clarksdale. They have "cut-heads" on Beale Street in Memphis, Tennessee. Osgood & Blaque's most recent experience took them as far as Los Angeles, California, where they met and performed with outstanding bluesmen who toured with the legendary Willie Dixon and also recorded with Jimmy Reed. Blaque recalls: "People see us for the first time and think: ‘Wow, a guy that sounds like a whole band...and a female harmonica player...now that's rare!’" Everywhere we go, we find blues lovers who still buy blues cds, attend blues shows, and listen to radio stations that play blues music. They love us, they love our music and they love the blues”.

As inseparable business partners, Osgood & Blaque together have made significant contributions to the music industry producing several original recordings. Notwithstanding "Amour" and "Back To Back", Osgood's first two recordings, "The Good Is In The Man (2003)" featured a duet which reached the #1 music soul charts in 2007. "Through The Fire CD (2006)" presents an original compilation of soul and blues featuring a duet with Cee Blaque entitled "Never Gonna Give You Up", the same which reached the #2 spot, along with "Beale Street Blues Here I Come" appearing at #1 on Indie Music Blues Charts for four consecutive weeks, reappearing a second time for a streak of six weeks. "Re-Birth of the Blues CD (2007)", compiles an original collection reminiscent of Memphis Slim, Muddy Waters, Little Walter and Jimmy Reed, creating a dynamic blues and soul blend.

Every now and again someone comes along and brings back to our minds that there is still some uncharted talent ready to explode onto the music scene. Down-to-earth and humble, they eased onto the music scene with a subtle kick but soon afterward it became evident to all who have heard about them that Osgood & Blaque is one of the most widely-acclaimed new musical acts to come along in years. This is the moment for Osgood & Blaque. They are "the real deal". With a brilliant "guiding light" ahead of them, and the world of technology at their fingertips, we can expect to see more of Osgood & Blaque, "the Dynamic Duo of the South"!

* * * Accomplishments and Acknowledgements * * *

2004

Participated in the 2004 Regional Blues Challenge sponsored by the Vicksburg Blues Society and Ameristar Casino.

2005

Nominated to represent the Vicksburg Blues Society at 2006 Annual International Blues Challenge.

2006

Represented Vicksburg Blues Society at 2006 Annual International Blues Challenge held in Memphis, Tennessee.
Nominated twice for Entertainer Indie Award held in Nashville, Tennessee.
Awarded Willie Dixon Mural portrait by the Vicksburg Mural Commission.
Performed as featured group in conjuction with the "The Smithsonian Traveling Exhibit, New Harmonies: Celebrating American Roots Music" held at the Southern Cultural Heritage Center in Vicksburg, Mississippi.
Nominated For Princeton Premier Cup Award.

2007

Awarded Princeton Premier Cup Award
First duo music group to perform as a band on a casino stage in Mississippi.

2008

Rated by WAPT poll as the #2 band in the entire state (Mississippi) #1 Duo statewide.

2009

Greg Osgood and Cee Blaque are honored on a blues marker alongside other African American musicians of note including Willie Dixon, Louisiana Red, Artie "Blues Boy" White, Percy Strothers, Little Joe Blue, Milt Hinton, Muddy Waters, among others, who have lived in communities along the southern stretch of Highway 61 in Mississippi that are included along the blues trail. You may view this particular blues marker at the corner of Washington and Grove Streets in Vicksburg, Mississippi, or visit Mississippi Blues Trail
Greg Osgood and Cee Blaque have had the unique honor of performing with legendary entertainers Rufus McKay of the Red Tops and ACE recording artist J.T. Watkins.
"[These] musicians have and are setting the precedent for twentieth and twenty-first century music". -Mississippi Development Authority and the Mississippi Blues Trail Commission

* * * Publications: Press Releases & Reviews * * *

Publications involves those featuring press releases and/or public broadcasts:

*The Vicksburg Post (www.vicksburgpost.com)
*The Planet Weekly (www.theplanetweekly.com)
*The Jackson Advocate (www.jacksonadvocate.com)
*The Clarion-Ledger/Jackson Daily News (www.clarionledger.com)
*Jackson Free Press (www.jacksonfreepress.com)
*Natchez Democrat (www.natchezdemocrat.com)
*Hello Jackson (www.hellojackson.com)
*Cross Harp Chronicles (www.crossharpchronicles.com)
*2008 Best Local Bands A-List (http://wapt.cityvoter.com/a-list)
*Blues Historian (http://bluesman2001.blogspot.com)
*Dave's Indie Rock Talk Show (http://www.dirt-tv.com

* * * Mission Statement: Redefining The Band * * *

To integrate (MIDI) Musical Instrument Digital Interface technology with live performances for the purpose of introducing to the music world an innovative way to present live musical performances, strictly in an economic sense, in an effort to gain equity with other music genres, and by so doing, give solo and duo musical performers a competitive edge equal to or greater than an average band, thus offering individual musicians an alternative to the traditional "band".

* * * Discography * * *