Lydia Pense & Cold Blood With Fred Ross at San Jose Jazz Summer Fest at Plaza De César Chávez

Bay Area music pioneers Lydia Pense & Cold Blood paved the way for the soulful, horn-driven sound of “East Bay Grease.” With a history of filling iconic San Francisco venues in the ‘60s and ‘70s, Cold Blood is back to captivate listeners with toe-tapping rhythms and Pense’s ageless vocals.

Since their 1969 debut at San Francisco’s Fillmore, Cold Blood cast a spell on audiences across the Bay Area. Their funky, high-energy sound combined with the huge voice of their petite frontwoman quickly earned them a following. After hearing them perform, Bill Graham signed them to his San Francisco record label. The emerging East Bay Grease sound became attributed to Cold Blood and their Oakland peers, Tower of Power. Retaining a loyal fan base, Cold Blood continued performing and recording, but frequent personnel changes and low album distribution led to an eventual hiatus after recording their sixth album in 1976....

read more

Bay Area music pioneers Lydia Pense & Cold Blood paved the way for the soulful, horn-driven sound of “East Bay Grease.” With a history of filling iconic San Francisco venues in the ‘60s and ‘70s, Cold Blood is back to captivate listeners with toe-tapping rhythms and Pense’s ageless vocals.

Since their 1969 debut at San Francisco’s Fillmore, Cold Blood cast a spell on audiences across the Bay Area. Their funky, high-energy sound combined with the huge voice of their petite frontwoman quickly earned them a following. After hearing them perform, Bill Graham signed them to his San Francisco record label. The emerging East Bay Grease sound became attributed to Cold Blood and their Oakland peers, Tower of Power. Retaining a loyal fan base, Cold Blood continued performing and recording, but frequent personnel changes and low album distribution led to an eventual hiatus after recording their sixth album in 1976.

After many years off the road and out of the studio, Pense rounded up a new lineup of musicians who would begin the next chapter of Cold Blood. Their 2008 album Live Blood showed the world that the band could still get an audience on their feet. With the addition of San Francisco soul icon Fred Ross, Cold Blood promises to keep East Bay Grease alive for the next generation.

show less