The Empire Roots Band includes some of the most reputed blues musicians of New York City, as Dave Keyes on piano, Woody Mann on guitar, Bill Sims Jr on vocal and Brian Glassman on bass These musicians came together for the first time to perform the music included in the film ‘Harlem Street Singer, a biographical movie that truly gathers with some fiction details the life of Reverend Gary Davis The album includes Reverend’s music but from a new and original perspective of Davis’ original blues and gospel songs, together with some own compositions All band musicians are great masters and ambassadors of what is known as roots music They have travelled all over the world and, only as an example, piano player Dave Keyes has recorded or shared stage with some of the most important blues and folk artists like Odetta, Bo Diddley, Tracy Nelson, Popa Chubby, Ruth Brown, Gladys Knight, David Johansen, Darlene Love or Lou Rawls Also, guitar player Woody Mann produced the film, and he also learned guitar directly from Reverend Gary Davis, playing and recording with Son House and Bukka White The Empire Roots Band pays tribute to one of their masters and mentors With this record they return the past to the present It is a real pleasure to listen and enjoy it