Photos and Review by Lou Montesano
Ana Popovic’s Instagram account says she’s always on tour. That’s been largely true for the past 20 years since she moved from Serbia to the Netherlands and started playing Amsterdam blues clubs. Now living in LA, she’s a first-rate guitarist who’s shared the stage with Buddy Guy, Jeff Beck, Joe Bonamassa and many others, racking up numerous blues awards along the way.
Hitting the stage at New York’s Iridium Jazz Club for the first of two nights, Popovic immediately got the crowd on its feet with her fiery guitar and gritty vocals. She tours with a full band—including sax and trumpet—elevating her sound beyond barroom blues. Popovic’s the star, but she shares the spotlight with her bandmates, inviting each member to step out on multiple solos during her two-plus-hour set.
The band performed tracks from her most recent album, the coyly titled Like It On Top (produced by fellow bluesman Keb’ Mo’), cuts from her very first release, Hush! and select covers such as Jimi Hendrix’s “Crosstown Traffic.”
The Iridium is one of New York’s most intimate music clubs, and she forged a real connection between performer and audience. Upcoming on her perpetual tour, Popovic has additional dates on the East Coast before heading to City Winery Chicago and points west in March. Find a show near you, HERE
Ana’s Band:
– Ana Popovic: lead guitar & vocals
– Brooks Milgate: keys
– Jordan Carr: trumpet
– Evan Knight: saxophone
– Buthel Burns: bass + b-vocals
– Jerry Wayne Kelley Jr: drums + b-vocals
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