The energy at the Winter Park Pub will kick up a notch Friday as the Todd Tijerina Band performs its cutting-edge blues-rock style during a free concert. Todd Tijerina creates his own style and sound, according to a review in Rootstime. His manner of guitar playing, singing and songwriting is refreshing and inspiring. Others agree, saying Tijerina’s music is distinctive, with powerful guitar playing, and that the band’s newest release, The Lowdown is a prime example of how to mix the old and new to get a feeling of something very special.The Todd Tijerina Band’s album Now is a prime example of their musical talent and is filled with that sultry blues sound and phenomenal guitar playing. It is a groovy collection that includes songs that have the inspiration of American blues guitarist Stevie Ray Vaughan, one of Todd Tijerina’s favorite guitarists.Like most musicians, Todd Tijerina started playing at a young age when a friend lent him a bass guitar. After he purchased his first electric guitar, he began teaching himself songs from his favorite albums and quickly realized what I wanted to be when I grew up – a professional musician. In his late teens, he was turned on to the music of Vaughan and Robert Cray and was exposed to the blues. Their styles were new and really grabbed me, like nothing I had heard before, Tijerina said. He immersed himself in the guitar, practiced every minute he could and began taking notes on the vocal stylings of different artists like Cray and B.B. King, two of his favorite singers.As a budding guitarist, Tijerina worked with several big names, including internationally known blues veteran Byther Smith and BB King’s daughter Shirley. He and the band have shared the stage with Kansas, Canned Heat and Jimmy Thackery & The Drivers.Tijerina said he has always striven to be unique as a songwriter and guitarist and the band’s one-of-a-kind sound is partly attributed to Tijerina’s songwriting skills. I try to sound like me and no one else, he said. Generally, I build around a bass line that I’ve written and try to invent a melody for the top, incorporating funk, rock and jazz ideas.Marco Topo plays bass for Tijerina, offering a stylish rhythm section. He studied at Berklee College of Music and toured nationally prior to joining the band. Bjorn Hamre, who plays drums to round out the band’s sound, also toured nationally and recorded with groups covering several genres, including Blues Traveler, G Love & Special Sauce, and Leftover Salmon.First of all, they’re outstanding musicians and very nice guys, Tijerina said of his bandmates. They’re really easy to work with. Bjorn’s an outstanding drummer. He has a lot of subtleties and nuances he adds. His feel always matches the song. It’s a lot of nice personal touches.This is the first time the band will play at the Pub and the second time the guys have been up to play in Winter Park. (That first time Tijerina played at The Slope.) Tijerina said he was looking for a hot spot to play in between two other gigs, one in Colorado Springs and one near Beaver Creek. He had heard about the Winter Park Pub and after he gave owner Jeff Williams a call he found out Williams had heard of Tijerina and the performance night was set.Tijerina said audiences at the Pub should look forward to a show with high energy, funky blues rock, and a lot of dancing. We go there to have fun and feed off of everyone else, he said. It’s a good feeling.For more information on the band or to sample its distinctive sounds visit http://www.tijerinaband.com, http://www.myspace.com/tijerinaband, or http://www.toddtijerina.com. Or better yet, go see them at the Pub Friday night. The Winter Park Pub is located at 78260 U.S. Highway 40 in Winter Park.