Hot Blues-Rock From Memphis

Band: The Eric Gales Band.

Personnel: Eric Gales, guitar; Eugene Gales, bass, vocals; Hubert Crawford Jr., drums.

History: Mozart-like legend has it that Memphis-based Eric Gales was just 4 when he started picking out guitar lines that he’d heard from his older brother Eugene’s albums of Eric Clapton, Jimi Hendrix, Jeff Beck and John McLaughlin. By the time he was 11, Eric was sitting in with his brother’s band, Weird, and the image of this little fret-buster helped make a winning impression at various battle of the bands contests. Renamed the Eric Gales Band and honing a hot, blues-rock, power-trio sound, the group drew the attention of producer Paul Ebersold, who brought them into the studio and encouraged Eugene to write songs. Those sessions led to a contract with Elektra Records, which hooked the band up with producer Jim Gaines (he’d worked with Stevie Ray Vaughan, Steve Miller and Santana) for the new debut album, “The Eric Gales Band.” Eric is still but 16--the band’s first national tour must end in time for him to be back in high school in the fall.

Sound: Though the group is named for Eric, Eugene writes and sings the band’s songs. Eric merely plays guitar. Merely? It’s plenty to justify his top billing. His style sounds like a cross of the Texas blues-rock of Stevie Ray Vaughan and the urban rock alloy of Living Colour’s Vernon Reid. Eugene’s songs also fit the slot between Vaughan and Living Colour, mixing elements of blues hoodoo (“Sign of the Storm”) and world-conscious commentary (“World for Ransom”) with the Memphis rock, blues and gospel the Gales absorbed while growing up.

Shows: Tonight at the Bacchanal in San Diego and Monday at the Whisky.