If you're of an age, birthday and/or Christmas "presents" might actually have involved individual creativity — which is to say they weren't exclusively gift cards or electronics.

Consider Chris Bergson. By his 10th birthday, Bergson had already established a guitar-practice routine, so Mom and Dad gave him albums by Muddy Waters, Howlin' Wolf, Mike Bloomfield, Paul Butterfield, Thelonious Monk and Miles Davis.

They all resonated in a huge way.

Bergson is a tremendous blues-rock innovator who reveres tradition even as he moves into fresh directions. If you're a fan of Sonny Landreth, Tab Benoit or The Band, you must see the Chris Bergson Band Friday at the Katharine Hepburn Cultural Arts Center. To prepare, stream Bergson's "Live at Jazz Standard" or "Imitate the Sun."

Chris Bergson Band, 8 p.m. Friday, Katharine Hepburn Cultural Arts Center, 300 Main St., Old Saybrook; $25-$30; (877) 503-1286.