Friday, 10 p.m. Tickets, $25 Hell yes Rufus! We got the blues . . .

And here's the recipe: Take a handful of Bermuda's top musical journeymen, front them with some of the Island's best singers and performers, add a touch of hilarity in the form of a wizened and wise-cracking puppet, and shake, shake, shake.

Rufus is a superbly-crafted, amazingly lifelike puppet operated by singer/dancer Daren Herbert. From his podium at the rear of the stage, Rufus talks about the blues, about Bermuda and about life in general -- like any bluesman worth his salt, Rufus has been down most de' roads.

But for all his rough charm, Rufus can't quite wrest the spotlight away from the rest of the cast of this blue smorgasbord. The band is as tight as one of beat-maestro Kevin Maybury's snares. He and fellow bandmembers Rick Hawke (guitar), James Richardson (keyboards) and Sidney Simmons (bass) provide the engine that drives this immensely entertaining blues revue.

And up front, the trio of Denise Whitter (producer), Daren Herbert and Elton Richardson provides all the croonin' and the movin' which is the icing on this piece of 12-bar cake.

The show, Wednesday through Friday nights at the Oasis's "Rock Room'', makes a compelling argument against all those naysayers who lament a lack of solid local entertainment. Here it is, folks. No weak links. All local and all talented, in a big way.

Producer Ms Whitter, while introducing the cast, told a surprisingly full house Wednesday night that Daren Herbert was on his way to Broadway. She was probably right. Mr. Herbert has the voice, the moves and the charisma to capture an audience and hang onto it -- either as himself, or as the voice of Rufus. Better see him while you can.

Ms Whitter herself, who thrilled local audiences last year as Billie Holiday in "Lady Day at Emmerson's Bar and Grill'', was sexy and sensational, once again. What a set of pipes! Her rendition of "T'ain't Nobody's Business'', a sort of Bermuda anti-anthem, brought the house down.

And rounding things out nicely (no reference to his curvaceous cranium intended) is Elton Richardson, whose laid-back and decidedly debonair personna is the perfect foil to Herbert's frenetic jivin' and wailin'.

The show was written by Deletta Gillespie, and a tip of the hat must go to Leigh Hawke on lighting and sound.

From the rollicking opener "Let the Good Times Roll'' through a sultry "See, See Rider'' to Downchild's classic "Flip, Flop and Fly'' at the end, no matter what flavour of blues tickles your musical buds, you'll find it here.

---- Steve Mundy RUFUS GOT THE BLUES -- The band (above, from left) James Richardson (musical director), Rick Hawke, Kevin Maybury and Sidney Simmons; and the singers (below, from left) Elton Richardson, Daren Herbert (with `Rufus') and Denise Whitter, also the producer.