The new band, The DelRayz, still do some of the same original tunes that the Sistahs did, but also lots of new songs with vocals by our drummer, Dale, as well as from Rochelle.
New members are our old friend Jim Robertson, guitar and slide guitar, Scott Alamprese, bass and vocals, and Dale Loyola, drums and vocals.
The DelRayz: Bio
Rochelle Raya - Harmonica, vocals
Rochelle was born in East L.A. and moved to Phoenix at age 5.
In the early 80s she was introduced into the blues scene, jamming with Bob Corritore, Janiva Magness and many
other local blues notables at Macayo's in Scottsdale.
Her first blues band was called Just Cuz, a 4-piece all female group, and they went on to take 1st place in the Arizona
Blues Showdown. They competed in Memphis at the International Blues Competition and placed 4th.
Just Cuz won again in Arizona with new band members and placed 2nd in Memphis.
Rochelle was one of the founding members, along with Nancy Dalessandro, of Sistah Blue in 1995, another
all-female lineup that made a real impression on the Phoenix blues scene.
They took 1st place in 1996 and 2004 at the Blues Showdown, and placed 2nd in the Memphis competition in '96.
Sistah Blue won many awards throughout their 13 years in existence, including The New Times' " Best Blues Band "
numerous times. They recorded 3 CDs. Rochelle really helped define their sound.
Rochelle got her first harmonica at a Sly Stone concert when he threw his harp into the audience and she caught it.
It was the beginning of a beautiful relationship with that harmonica.
Her musical influences include Elvis, the Beatles, John Mayall, Paul Butterfield, Lee Oskar and the one and only James Brown, who
just may have been her daddy.
Rochelle is a member of the Arizona Blues Hall of Fame.
The DelRayz give Rochelle an opportunity to really shine as a vocalist, blues harp player and front person, where her energy and enthusiam is contagious and a driving force for the new band.
James Robertson - Slide guitar, guitar
James "Sweetfinger" Robertson was born and raised in the heart of potato
country, southern Idaho. He bought his first guitar in 1985 just after
graduating high school and it seems like he might just stick with it.
He moved to Phoenix, Arizona in 1992 after graduating with a degree in Art
from the University of Idaho and began to frequent local blues jams.
Through those jam nights he met many talented musicians, some of whom would
later become bandmates and friends.
Prior to the Delrayz, he played in the "Sweetfinger" Blues Band, Bent Blue,
and Jake De Snake and the Blues Constrictors. Known around town as a fine
slide guitar player, he cites Hound Dog Taylor, Elmore James, and local
legend Tony Bruno of Major Lingo as slide influences. The Delrayz have him
playing a fair bit of standard guitar as well.
Jim currently works at Precision Guitar in Phoenix, where he repairs,
services, modifies, and builds guitars. He digs lowbrow art, sci-fi, Thai
food and cheap beer .
Scott Alamprese - Bass, vocals
Scott was born and raised on the south side of Chicago to a family of jazz musicians, giving him a strong musical background to learn from. He later attended the Chicago Conservatory of Music. He played his first gig at age 13. From there he went on to play on a regular basis in the band opening for Styx.
Over the years, with his family's music connections, he's been fortunate to have played with Buddy Guy at his club, as well as Stevie Ray Vaughn, Junior Wells, and David Sanborn and Elements of the Allman Brothers band.
The original lineup of the band Chicago are friends of the family also, and often came to his house to visit and jam, as did numerous other musicians. Needless to say, this was a great influence in his choice of careers and love of the blues.
Scott's been in the Valley for over 21 years and has played with Whiskey River, The Kingsnakes, and a several others. As a member of The DelRayz, Scott brings his strong blues background, bass playing and vocal ability to help make the band as good as it can be.
Lila Sherman - vocalist
Lila Sherman is a powerhouse and has the pipes from heaven, we welcome another original member from Sista Blu and hall of famer as well !