Bluesman Sean Costello on steps of stardom

By Derek Paiva
Advertiser Entertainment Writer

At 23, blues guitarist/vocalist Sean Costello is a seasoned professional and will be a featured player at tonight's Summertime Blues Festival at the Hawaiian Hut. Flournoy Holmes Summertime Blues Festival with Sean Costello and Dave Hole 8:30 p.m. today Hawaiian Hut $25 general, $22 advance 941-5205 Also: 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Palace Theatre in Hilo, (808) 934-7010; 7 p.m. Sunday, Ohana Keauhou Beach Resort in Kailua-Kona, (808) 322-3441

"Early on, I would say that I was into blues rock, especially," said Costello, from a Fresno, Calif., hotel room. "Jimi Hendrix, Led Zeppelin ... classic rock stuff. I liked to listen to it and I liked to read about it. And that's kind of how I got into blues — just reading about who these musicians listened to."

While going through bargain cassette tapes at a Atlanta record store, Costello found a $3.99 Howlin' Wolf recording. Recalling Hendrix's citing of the blues growler as a major influence, Costello forked over some of his allowance for his first blues album.

"Once I took it home and heard it, I said, 'All right, forget this rock and blues-rock stuff," remembered the Georgia-based Costello. "I wanted to hear the real stuff!" He's rarely listened to anything else since.

Now 23, and a touring professional bluesman since high school with three albums under his belt, Costello is sharing a potent blues double bill with slide guitar blues rocker Dave Hole at the Hawaiian Hut tonight. Two shows follow on Saturday in Hilo and on Sunday in Kailua-Kona.

Last year saw Costello reach down deep to find his inner Soul Brother Number One for an impassioned James Brown-esque wail on a cover of "I Want You So Bad." The track is on Costello's latest CD, "Moanin' For Molasses," a smokin' collection of soulful blues covers and '60s-era R&B-reminiscent originals that lend the musician an aura of being older and, well, darker than he obviously is.

"Thank you," Costello said, genuinely grateful for a compliment about the Brown cover. "I think I can pull that stuff off pretty good. And I think the more I get into it, the more I'll be able to pull it off."

Costello taught himself to play the guitar — and then the blues — mostly by listening to the masters every chance he got.

He turned professional after winning the prestigious Memphis Beale Street Blues Society's talent contest in 1994. He was 15.

"From that, I was able to get a band together and get gigs and management," said Costello shyly. "All that kind of stuff just fell into my lap, sort of."

He recorded his first album "Call the Cops" two years later, finding his post-high school career path somewhat decided for him rather quickly. After graduating, Costello was asked to contribute lead guitar to then-fledgling blues vocalist Susan Tedeschi's 1998 "Just Won't Burn" CD. The recording won Tedeschi a surprise Grammy nomination for best new artist of 1999.

Costello's band includes bassist Melvin Zachary, drummer Terrence Prather, keyboardist Matt Wauchope and pianist/harmonica player Paul Linden. Costello's first CD with the band, "Cuttin' In," was nominated for a 2000 W.C. Handy Award for best new artist. He counted among his career highlights so far playing with heroes such as B.B. King, Buddy Guy, Jody Williams and James Cotton.

"I'm just trying to do as much hard work as I can while I'm young, and maybe get to a place where as I get older, it'd be easier to go out on tour," said Costello, confessing to a bit of road weariness. "You know, to have a home life or a family and still go out and play. But hopefully, on a slightly bigger scale."