On the surface, there are few things to suggest any major connection between Rhode Island and Texas. Um ... let's see. You could fit 221 tiny Rhode Islands into one expansive Texas. Or from the other perspective: Newport, R.I., is one of the prettiest cities in the country. Midland, Texas, on the other hand, is ... well, ugh.

If you're a music fan, though, you might be aware of a magical blues pipeline that dates back to the 1970s runs directly from Austin to Westerly, and it includes a rich, overlapping legacy. Clubs like The Knickerbocker Café in Westerly and Antone's in Austin were two of the most renowned blues venues in the country. And acts like Texas' Fabulous Thunderbirds and Stevie Ray Vaughan & Double Trouble were celebrating the blues alongside Rhody's Roomful of Blues — and musicians therein became close pals and tour-mates, and they occasionally hopscotched from one band to another.

All of this history and spirit is captured in a new album by the Knickerbocker All-Stars called "Texas Rhody Blues." It's the third release by this accurately named lineup, with 16 different players from across the titular history contributing to the recording. In celebration, the All-Stars perform a CD release party Saturday in — where else? — Westerly at the recently-re-moniker'd Knickerbocker Music Center. The venue has become a nonprofit group focusing on musical education and lessons. Proceeds from ticket sales go to the Knick, with all monies from CD sales benefitting Stand Up for Animals, a non-profit outfit operating an animal shelter, adoption center and outreach facility.

And while many of the folks on the album can't make the show because of their own respective tour commitments, guitarist Duke Robillard and vocalists Sugar Ray Norcia and Willie J. Laws are tentatively scheduled to join the All-Stars in what should be an amazing night of music that stretches back over the decades.

Saxophonist Rich Lataille, the last original member of Roomful still in the band, says it's a bit disconcerting to reflect on "Texas Rhody Blues." He says, "In a way, it's a little melancholy because we all started out so long ago. You know, Roomful used to play quite a bit in Texas in the early days, and I don't think we knew at first what a strong blues scene Austin had. But we met Stevie Ray when he opened for us down there, and we figured it out pretty quickly. There's been a lot of great music and memories. I think this album reflects that connection."

Though Roomful established a reputation as a fiery, horn-driven unit reinventing jump blues, and the Texas guys emphasized a guitar-based Gulf Coast sound, each delighted in the other's stylings. Roomful members Doug James and Greg Piccolo guested on an early Fabulous Thunderbirds album, the Vaughan brothers would sit in whenever they were in Rhode Island, and Lou Ann Barton, the singer in Stevie Vaughan's early Triple Threat Revue, briefly relocated to Providence to sing with Roomful.

"She moved north in February," Lataille laughs, remembering, "and the weather was just too much of a culture shock. She didn't last too long up here."

Ultimately, though, the Austin climate was more inviting for some of the Roomful players. Over time, Keith Ferguson, Preston Hubbard, Fran Christina and Duke Robillard all did stints with the T-Birds.

As for "Texas Rhody Blues," it's an inspired set that features the blend of swing and roadhouse blues you'd expect from the titular theme. Standout tunes are "Reap What You Sow," "Blood Stains on the Wall" and "Ain't That Dandy."

The line-up is as remarkably good as you'd hope and features plenty of players from both states. Texans onboard are Jimmie Vaughan, Sugarray Rayford, Malford Milligan, Johnny Nicholas and Willie J Laws.  Current or former Roomful members contributing include Lataille, Al Copley, Duke Robillard, Al Basile, Fran Christina, Brad Hallen, James and Piccolo, Matt McCabe, Sugar Ray Norcia, and Curtis Salgado. And Massachusetts-based guitar heroes Ricky King Russell and Monster Mike Welch also add to the mix.

"We've done two previous All-Stars albums and, because it's what we do, they were pretty horn-heavy and based in jump blues," Lataille says. "But we thought it would be fun this time out to see who might want to participate on a project that drew on the old connection. We broached it with Jimmie and Duke, and they were both cool with it and came in and did three tunes.

"Then we got some amazing singers. Willie J. Laws, Malford Milligan, Sugarray Rayford ... they're all from Texas, and they're so good. It all worked so well and represents the best Texas and Rhode Island  have to offer. So many guys from so many bands ... It's hard to grasp, I guess, that we've all been doing this our whole lives. The idea is to pass that on, and that's what we hope to do with Knick Music Center. We'll focus on that as well as causes like Stand Up fo Animals. We're looking to help."

Knickerbocker All-Stars CD release party, 7 p.m. Saturday, Knickerbocker Music Center, 35 Railroad Ave., Westerly; $15-$20; (401) 315-5070, knickmusic.com.