The Xcelerators are a soulful group of veteran musicians who’ve landed in Tucson from across the country, each bringing decades of experience rooted in Blues and Americana music.

Guitarist Jimmy Crimmins began his blues journey in Madison, Wisconsin, sharing stages with legends including Pinetop Perkins and Albert King before making Tucson home as a founding member of The Xcelerators. Drummer Les Merrihew, a longtime veteran of the Seattle blues scene, has performed with icons such as Little Milton, Charlie Musselwhite, and Albert Collins, earning a reputation as one of Tucson’s hardest-working drummers. Harmonica player Tom Albanese, whose influences trace back to Paul Butterfield, spent decades performing in Chicago with artists including Johnny Littlejohn, Sam Lay, and Willie Hayes before returning to Tucson.

Pianist Ken Saydak, an acclaimed Chicago recording artist, has played and recorded with blues greats including Johnny Winter, Lonnie Brooks, and Mighty Joe Young, with music featured on Delmark and Alligator Records. Bassist Russ Sacks rounds out the lineup, bringing decades of blues experience shaped by time spent in New York, Los Angeles, and Chicago’s legendary blues scene.

Together, The Xcelerators deliver a high-energy blues experience filled with deep grooves, powerful musicianship, and the kind of soulful sound that keeps audiences dancing until the final note.