TALENT RUNS DEEP WITH MIDWESTERN MEN.

Byline: Fred Shuster Music Writer

It's hard to find music these days with a regional feel -- especially in the beer joints of Los Angeles.

One band that's bringing an organic country-tinged inclination to blues and r&b clubs around town is the Midwestern Icons -- a trio consisting of guitarist-singer Bill Lynch, top session drummer James Gadson and Bonedaddys bassist Rick Moors. All have pedigrees and hail from Kansas, although they met here around a dozen years ago.

``It's a very different approach to playing, something that's hard to put your finger on, but you know it when you hear it -- especially if you're from the area,'' Lynch said.

The Icons -- who move easily from convincing covers of tunes associated with Hank Williams, Freddy King, Mose Allison and Nat King Cole -- return to Cozy's in Sherman Oaks on Thursday. Last time they played there, word of mouth resulted in an enthusiastic crowd that even included a stray member of Phish.

``When I first moved out here in '85, I was surprised at how bad the local club scene was compared to the Midwest,'' Lynch said. ``I was used to playing anywhere from 300- to 700-seat venues for years and years. But out here it was little places with these tiny, tinny sound systems -- and I didn't hear very many unique-sounding bands. It was all good players doing `Knock on Wood.'''

Another thing that separates the Icons from the rest is Gadson, an elegant, in-demand r&b percussionist who's played on everything from the ``Saturday Night Fever'' soundtrack and a string of Bill Withers classics to Marvin Gaye's ``I Want You'' and recent Paul McCartney and Beck albums.

``Lynch plays a lot of different kinds of music -- he's not afraid to take chances,'' Gadson said. ``When he hits the bandstand, nothing's set. We just play to have a good time. He's a remarkable guitarist who can really play that thing. It's a different style from everyone else.''

Gadson was born into it. His father played drums for Jay McShann, the Kansas City bandleader credited with nurturing Charlie Parker.

After moving to L.A., Gadson became part of Charles Wright & the Watts 103rd Street Rhythm Band -- playing drums on such classics as ``Express Yourself'' (sampled by NWA) and ``High as Apple Pie'' (see Gang Starr and Main Source). On stage with the Icons, Gadson has been known to take the lead vocal of ``Stand by Me'' from behind his kit, trying on the voices of Sam Cooke, Smokey Robinson and others, ending with a hearty yodel. The Cozy's crowd loves it.

Still, unless you are a multitasking player, the L.A. club scene is a tough nut to crack.

``All I've ever done is play music -- I never even had a part-time job,'' says Lynch. ``You could do that in Kansas. But here?''

THE MIDWESTERN ICONS

Where: Cozy's, 14058 Ventura Blvd., Sherman Oaks.

When: 9 p.m. Thursday.

Tickets: $5. [phone]; cozys

blues.com.

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Photo:

Rick Moors, left, Bill Lynch and James Gadson are the Midwestern Icons.