The Alligator Cats are a lively 5-piece blues band from Kent, taking audiences on a musical road trip along the Blues Highway — from the steaming streets of New Orleans all the way up through the crossroads of the Mississippi to the electrified clubs of Chicago. Driven by piano, a two-piece horn section of trumpet and saxophone, and fuelled by a love of rhythm, groove and good times, they draw on the full sweep of the blues tradition — from the raw Delta songs of Bessie Smith and Robert Johnson, through the jump and jive of Louis Jordan and the Harlem Hamfats, to the electric Chicago blues of Muddy Waters and B. B. King.
Led by Chris Kennedy on vocals and piano, with Nick Browne on saxophone, Jerome Davies on trumpet, Mark Stitson on drums and Darren Reynolds on bass, the Alligator Cats are a band built for dancing. They dress the part, they play with fire, and they make sure nobody goes home without a smile on their face.
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Live & In Session
One Scotch, One Bourbon, One Beer
Amos Milburn
Big Chief
Professor Longhair
Whiskeyland
Chris Kennedy
Tipitina
Professor Longhair
Oh Red!
Harlem Hamfats
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Whiskeyland is the Alligator Cats' latest album, recorded at Big Jelly Studios in Ramsgate. It features several original songs alongside live favourites, and is available on all major streaming platforms across the UK and Europe.
Climb aboard for a musical road trip down the Blues Highway — because when the Alligator Cats hit the stage, the good times roll and they don't stop.
This lively 5-piece band from Kent takes audiences on a journey through the full sweep of the blues tradition, from the steaming streets of New Orleans all the way up to the electrified clubs of Chicago. Driven by piano, a two-piece horn section, and fuelled by a love of rhythm, groove and good times, they bring the spirit of some of the greatest artists in American music history roaring back to life.
The journey begins in New Orleans, where Professor Longhair, Dr John and Allen Toussaint laid down the blueprint for a piano-led blues sound that was as much about dancing as it was about feeling. The Alligator Cats carry that tradition with them everywhere they play — expect rolling boogie rhythms, brass-tinged grooves and a crowd that can't keep still.
Heading north to the crossroads of the Mississippi Delta, the band draws on the raw and earthy roots of the blues — the timeless songs of Bessie Smith and Robert Johnson, as well as some reaching back to the very late 19th century. These are the songs that started it all, and in the hands of the Alligator Cats they sound as vital and alive as ever.
The road trip rolls on through Memphis, where the blues got looser and wilder — the jump and jive of Louis Jordan, the swinging energy of the Harlem Hamfats — before heading through St Louis; home of W. C. Handy, the man who first put the blues on paper, and the ever-popular songs of Chuck Berry.
Our final destination is Chicago, where Muddy Waters and B. B. King took the blues electric and made it shake the walls. The Alligator Cats bring that same electricity to every performance, whether they're playing a festival stage, a pub back room or a private event.
Led by Chris Kennedy on vocals and piano, with Nick Browne on saxophone, Jerome Davies on trumpet, Mark Stitson on drums and Darren Reynolds on bass; the Alligator Cats are a band built for dancing. They dress the part, they play with fire, and they make sure nobody goes home without a smile on their face.
Their 2024 album Whiskeyland, recorded at Big Jelly Studios in Ramsgate and released on In Harmony Records, captures the band's lively sound on record — featuring original songs alongside live favourites, and available on Spotify, Apple Music and Amazon Music.
For bookings and availability, contact [email protected] or find the band on Instagram and Facebook at @alligatorcats.
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