MitziCowell.com - The Mitzi Cowell Experience

photo credit: Jamie Manser

A native of Tucson, Arizona, Mitzi Cowell has been playing guitar since the age of 13, when she first learned traditional fingerpicking. Quickly moving on to the electric guitar, her favorite 70's rock bands led her back to the old masters of the essence of the sound she wanted to create - the blues - with an emphasis on the transcendentally earthy music of the Mississippi Delta. Delta blues is the rhythmic, harmonic, and emotional basis from which she's never strayed far, even when she's tried.

For over 20 years Mitzi has played and recorded with numerous blues, R&B, classic rock, funk, variety, and original projects. Travelling to New Orleans in 1989, she quickly became immersed in the blues and R&B scene there, gigging constantly. When she returned to Tucson in 1990, she brought with her a looser yet more sophisticated rhythmic sense and a new musical vision. She began to express this sound in bands like Slant Six, the Visionary Blues Band, and the Mitzi Cowell Band, and on her 1998 solo debut "33."

In 2004, Mitzi had a political awakening that bounced her into the company of Bruce Springsteen and other formerly-non-political artists compelled to speak out musically about the current state of affairs. This resulted in the 2006 release "Ways and Means." Mitzi's recent tenure in Toronto, Canada as a graduate student in political theory is at the root of many of the social/political/spiritual lyrics and sounds on the latest EP-length CD " Love's so..."

Currently, Mitzi plays a variety of tasty blues arrangements and original music with her band, the Valiants. When she can, Mitzi jams with the incredible Carnivaleros and the most lovable Wayback Machine, and many others around Tucson. That's how our scene is, you know. You ought to visit. Really. When in Toronto, she can be seen live at local and regional venues.

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