MUMBAI: Contemporary blues pianist-vocalist Ron Tanski kicks off a month-long residency at Club 705, 705 Pier Ave., Hermosa Beach, Thursday, May 12, starting, also performing Thursday, May 19; Thursday, May 26; and Friday, June 3   

The Torrance-based musician  - who credits legendary keyboardist Jerry Lee Lewis as a main influence -  has been busy of late, recently performing with guitarist Randy Scott at the Simi Valley Blues Festival while getting ready to be one of the Main Stage headliners at the Real Blues Festival Of Orange County 2 on Sunday, May 15. Showing his versatility, Tanski performed at the renowned Coachella Music & Arts Festival in 2009 for a completely different crowd than the blues people he generally plays for  

Partly to promote the Real Blues Festival and also due to his regular radio airplay, Ron played live and was interviewed last weekend on Ann The Raven's Blues longtime show (KCSN 88.5), Dr. Barry's Blues show (KOCI 101.5), and BuddhaMan's International Experience (Errorfm). He was also the Spotlight Artist recently on American Veterans Radio, which broadcasts music from selected artists to our Armed Forces as well as listeners around the world. Additionally an interview with Ron airs on IndieMadMP3 all this week leading up to the Real Blues Festival    

Ron has been nominated in the "Best Blues, Roots or Americana" category for the 21st Annual (2011) Los Angeles Music Awards, taking place Thursday, November 10 at The Avalon in Hollywood. Past nominees include pop stars The Black Eyed Peas, rock singer Gwen Stefani, and  blues guitar ace Walter Trout, among others   

Tanski's most recent CD release "Dragged You Down" has received great response from both the print and broadcast media. Blues 411 Editor Jimi Patricola opines, "a superbly versatile player, he can boogie-woogie with the best of them, as shown in 'Hurricane Boogie,' and then proceed to take us way down in the alley with 'Never Have Another Chance With You' and then stroll through the double entendre 'Cookieman' with aplomb and all seriousness...(Ron) makes us all very comfortable with the blues and in turn we become voyeurs to his journey, all the while staying safe with our headphones on and a drink in our hand." Blue Monday Radio Show host John Hammer raves, "If you like your eighty-eights jumpin' and vocals rough and gruff, you're gonna love the Waits-ian sounds of Ron Tanski as he entices you into a dark corner of a smoky bar with 'Dragged You Down.' Southland Blues reviewer Jim Santella writes, "Ron Tanski plays boogie-woogie piano and other forms of blues passion as he sings a melancholy dozen that fills the room with emotional ties...his songs are original, his driving piano is masterful, and his veteran vocal attack remains both creative and resourceful." Brian Lush, host of the Rockwired Radio Show, states, "Ron Tanski is an ivory tickler to keep your eyes and ears opened for...this debut release is only the beginning for the Southern California-based bluesman."