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I started a quest to find terrific blues music and incredible musicianship when I was just a little kid. I also have a tremendous appreciation of fine musical instruments and equipment. One of my greatest joys all of my life was sharing my finds with my friends. I'm now publishing my journey. I hope that you come along!
Victor Wainwright & The Train On U.S./Canadian Tour
In Support of New Self-Titled Album (Ruf Records)
Perform Locally with The Train Horn Section: THE BANK &
BLUES
Thursday/Friday, March 29/30
(Record Release Party Both Nights)
(Daytona, FL) - Multiple award-winning
boogie-woogie blues pianist-vocalist Victor Wainwright kicks off his 2018 U.S./Canada
Spring/Summer Tour in support of just-released album Victor Wainwright
& the Train (Ruf Records), with a Record Release Party at The Bank & Blues,
701 Main St., two big nights, Thursday, March 29 and Friday, March 30.
Showtime: 9:00pm each night. Tickets: $48., Reserved Tickets (include new
CD); $38., (General Admission) each night. Info: (386)
252-9877 or visit https://daytonabeachmainstreet.com/venue/the-bank-blues-club/.
Also joining Wainwright and his band onstage: Star horn players, Doug
Woolverton (trumpet) and Mark Earley (alto, baritone sax).
~Victor Wainwright: What The Media Is Saying~
"Wainwright serves as an electrifying guide to a good
time-spinning tales, telling his listeners how to beat the blues, and
meticulously conjuring raw soul and energy out of his acoustic piano. He
displays a sharp sense of humor and a knack for storytelling... every
track is
brilliant."
LIVING BLUES
"Victor Wainwright is a world champion piano player,
two times over! Not only is Victor one of the greatest blues piano
players in the business, he’s also a world class-entertainer and
vocalist."
BLUES REVUE
“Savannah, GA native Victor Wainwright is all about
boogie-woogie piano, deep soul, and a voice that recalls Dr. John at his
best. He is a blues star, a tremendous player.”
CHICAGO BLUES GUIDE
"Victor Wainwright, winner of this year's Pinetop
Perkins Award at the BMA's, is a force to be reckoned with on a piano. He
IS honky-tonk and boogie, with a dose of rolling thunder. Wainwright's
playing is simply beautiful madness."
It had to be a train. The name of Victor
Wainwright's new band - and the sleeve image of their debut album - is
also the most fitting of metaphors. In music folklore, the train might
have associations with the freight-hopping bluesmen of yore, but with
this restless boogie-woogie innovator stoking the furnace, this latest
project is a charging locomotive - surging forward, crashing through
boundaries of genre, sweeping up fresh sounds and clattering headlong
past the doubters.
As the man himself hollers in the ivory-pounding
title track: "If you wanna boogie get aboard this train/Get yourself
a ticket or get out of the way..." At a sweet-spot in his career,
where most established stars would rest on their laurels, Victor
Wainwright & The Train instead rips up all that has gone before. The
twelve tracks are originals in every sense, written by Wainwright,
pricking up ears in a sterile music industry and stretching the concept
of roots in bold directions.
"I wanted to write this new music mostly on my
own," Wainwright explains, "as it was coming and speaking to
me. I believe that for roots music to grow, and reach out to new
audiences, we have to push it forward." The result is an album that
walks a tightrope between scholarly respect and anarchic irreverence.
You'll hear Wainwright twist boogie-woogie tradition on barrelhouse
thrillers like "Healing" and "Boogie Depression,"
both driven by his visceral piano style. But you'll also hear him
fearlessly explore the gamut of genre, from the Latin flavours and New
Orleans horns of "Wiltshire Grave," to the mellow
near-psychedelia of "Sunshine." It's a musical cocktail served
up by Wainwright's inimitable gravel-flecked vocal.
His words can be hilarious, as on "I'll Start
Tomorrow," on which he postpones his doctor's clean-living advice.
But they can also be heartfelt, on the gospel-tinged kiss-off of
"That's Love To Me". "I've tried to write songs that
remind us to love ourselves," explains Wainwright. "It doesn't
matter who voted for who, what your religion is, who you love..." On
this white-knuckle ride, only The Train could keep the material on the
tracks. "I ended up with a hit-squad of downright amazing musicians
that shared my curiosity for all corners of the roots genre. We wanted to
capture how we feel performing, right smack-dab on this record, and I
believe we've done that. Now I just try to keep up."
In truth, Wainwright has always been an artist that
sets the pace. Born into a musical family in Savannah, Georgia, the
formative influence of his father's vocals and grandfather's rolling
boogie-woogie piano compelled him into a life of music. By 2005, he'd
announced his talent with solo debut, Piana' From Savannah, while
his central role in Southern Hospitality and partnership with Stephen
Dees in WildRoots has seen him ignite stages and stereos for over a
decade. Among his numerous accolades: In 2013 and 2014, Wainwright won
the 'Pinetop Perkins Piano Player of the Year' at the Blues Music Awards.
Also in 2013, his collaborative album, Easy Livin' , made the Top
10 in the U.S. Billboard Top Blues Album Chart.
"Looking back on your career is a tough thing to
do," he says. "Challenges are many, and frequent, but when you
get it together, it can also be extremely rewarding." A man of many
talents, Wainwright is a composer, producer, vocalist, piano player and
award-winning entertainer. A long-standing leader of the boogie-woogie
pack, he could refer you to his BMA and Blues Blast trophies, or a
catalog that has repeatedly hijacked the Billboard Top 10. But rather
than dine out on past glories, this questing artist would rather you
joined him for the ride ahead. "Of course, I still have songs on
this album that are just about kicking ass and taking names, like The
Train," he laughs. "But if you listen to the lyrics, what I'm
really saying is, we got to get on the train and move forward
together."
Victor Wainwright & The Train - Upcoming Live
Shows & Special Events
March 29/30 (Thur./Fri.) THE BANK AND BLUES
Daytona Beach, FL
March 31
(Sat.)
BRADFORDVILLE BLUES CLUB
Tallahassee, FL
April 1/2 (Sun./Mon.)
PARADISE BAR &
GRILL
Pensacola Beach FL
April 3
(Tues.)
BLUE BAMBOO ARTS
CTR.
Winter Park, FL
April 4
(Wed.)
ENGLEWOODS ON DEARBORN Englewood, FL
April 5
(Thur.)
BUCKINGHAM BLUES
BAR
Ft. Myers, FL
April 6
(Fri.)
THE BLUE
ROOSTER
Sarasota, FL
April 7
(Sat.)
FUNKY
BISCUIT
Boca Raton, FL
April 8
(Sun.)
SPRINGING THE
BLUES
Jacksonville Bch FL
April 18
(Wed.)
CANADIAN CORPS UNIT 44 HALL Thorhold, Ontario
April 20
(Fri.)
SALLE PROMUTEL ASSURANCE Montmagny Que
April 21
(Sat.)
SALLE
SAGUENAY
Saguenay, Que
April 23
(Mon.)
ROCKLAND
PUB
Rockland, ME
April 26
(Thur.)
LA
BASOCHE
Gatineu, Que
April 27
(Fri.)
SALLE SANCTUAIRE DE ST. JAX Monteal, Que
April 28
(Sat.)
LA
BASOCHE
Gatineu, Que
May 24
(Thur.)
TRALF
Buffalo, NY
May 25
(Fri.)
RUSTY
RAIL
Mifflinburg, PA
May 26
(Sat.)
MADAMS
ORGAN
Washington, CD
May 27
(Sun.)
ROOSTER WALK MUSIC & ARTS FEST Martinsville, VA
June 9
(Sat.)
GREELEY BLUES JAM FESTIVAL Greeley, CO
June 23
(Sat.)
RIVERFRONT BLUES FESTIVAL
Ft. Smith, AR
July 2
(Mon.)
NANTUCKET
DEAMLAND
Nantucket, MA
July 4
(Wed.)
BLUES IN THE
BARN
Kingfield, ME
July 5
(Thur.)
MUSIC
SERIES
Norwich, ME
July 10/11 (Tues./Wed.) MONT-TREMBLANT
BLUES
Mont-Tremblant Que
July 13
(Fri.)
KALAMAZOO BLUES FESTIVAL Kalamazoo,
MI
July 14
(Sat.)
LIGHTHOUSE BLUES FESTIVAL
Kincardine, Ontario
Beth Hart Announces First Live
Release In 13 Years, 'Live From New York - Front and Center'
CD/DVD
set will be released on April 13th, 2018 via Provogue Records/Mascot Label
Group
Watch
Hart Perform "Tell Her You Belong To Me":
On March 7th, 2017, the GRAMMY nominated
"powerhouse vocalist" (Rolling Stone) Beth Hart performed
a very special, intimate concert at NYC's Iridium Jazz Club, which featured
songs from her latest album 'Fire on the Floor' and from throughout her career.
Now, 13 years after the release of her incredibly successful live release,
'Live at Paradiso,' Hart is treating fans to a DVD/CD release of this
standout performance with 'Live From New York - Front &
Center', out April 13th via Provogue
Records/Mascot Label Group. The performance is also featured on the
Season 8 premiere episode of Public Television's critically acclaimed concert
series, Front and Center (airing now, check local listings).
Known for her visceral, soul-baring vocals and
dynamic range, Hart is riding a creative tidal wave following the release of
her critically acclaimed 2016 studio album, 'Fire On The Floor',
as well as her just-released studio collaboration with guitarist Joe
Bonamassa, 'Black Coffee.' Leveling audiences with her
incredible power and celebrated burnt-honey vocals for 20 years, Hart has
just launched a 16-date coast-to-coast US tour, which will be followed by a
European tour in April-May 2018.
Hart has had an incredible career, beginning with
the release of a fistful of hit albums through the '90s, then reigniting in
the post-millennium as both a solo artist and the head-turning vocalist for
guitar heroes like Joe Bonamassa, Slash and long-time collaborator Jeff Beck.
But it's in recent times that Beth has truly blossomed, selling out
ever-larger venues in cities around the world, including New York, Los
Angeles, London, Paris, Berlin, Milan, Amsterdam, and Copenhagen. She is
recognized as one of the great live vocalists of our time, with a voice
"reminiscent of Etta James and Janis Joplin" (Music Connection),
topping Billboard's Blues Album Chart and receiving numerous GRAMMY and Blues
Music Awards nominations. Dubbed "the ultimate female rock star" by
The Blues Magazine, the Guardian has praised her "daring, brooding
performances" and The Times has called her "Extraordinary."
'Live From New York - Front And Center' will be released as a 2-disc DVD/CD set, mixed in
5.1 stereo, featuring never before seen bonus material, including an exclusive
interview with Hart. The audio from the performance will also be sold
separately as a digital release.
Track Listing
CD
01 - Let's Get Together
02 - Baddest Blues
03 - Jazz Man
04 - Delicious Surprise
05 - Broken And Ugly
06 - St. Teresa
07 - Isolation
08 - Tell Her You Belong To Me
09 - Fat Man
10 - Love Gangster
11 - Leave The Light On
12 - As Long As I Have A Song
DVD
01 - Let's Get Together
02 - Baddest Blues
03 - Jazz Man
04 - Delicious Surprise
05 - St. Teresa
06 - Tell Her You Belong To Me
07 - Fat Man
08 - Leave The Light On
09 - Can't Let Go
10 - As Long As I Have A Song
Bonus DVD features:
* Full Band Bonus Content (Love Gangster - Broken And Ugly - For My Friends)
* Acoustic Bonus Content (Isolation - My California - No Place Like Home)
* Beth Hart Interview
I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Midnight Jubilee, from Laurie Jane and The 45's and it's a lot of fun. Opening with springy, country blues flavored, Wait So Long, featuring Laurie Jane Duggins on lead vocal and a greasy loose slide guitar work by Cort Duggins, solid bass by Jason Embry and rockabilly style drums by Scott Dugdale. Cool opener. Title track, Midnight Jubilee is a smooth, radio style ballad with sinewy lap steel work by Cort under some of Laurie Jane's best vocals on the release. Howlin' Wolf's Howlin' For My Darlin' gets a rockabilly makeover and it has a great feel with swinging guitar riffs and a solid bass line. Down This Road has a cool, early 60's rock feel and Laurie Jane's lead work is tight, reinforced by snappy drum work by Dugdale. One of my favorites on the release, Couldn't Cry Alone, has a distinct old country ballad style and again gives Laurie Jane a real chance to shine. Very nice. Wrapping the release is rockabilly styled, Not With You. I really like the mix of Cort's loose guitar lead, Embry's right on bass and the New Orleans "falling down the stairs" drums styling of Dugdale.
Super closer.
If you support live Blues acts, up and coming Blues talents and want to learn more about Blues news and Fathers of the Blues, Like ---Bman’s Blues Report--- Facebook Page! I’m looking for great talent and trying to grow the audience for your favorites band!- ”LIKE”
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I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release (4/20/18), Happy Songs for the Apocalypse, by Eric Corne and I really like it. Opening with Mad World, a British feeling folk tune with contemporary sensibility, it is acoustic and ethereal featuring Corne on vocal, acoustic and electric guitar, Eamon Ryland on pedal steel and Sasha Smith onWurlizter, Ian Walker on bass, David Ralicke on horns and Andrew Crosby on drums. Ridin' With Lady Luck is a simple Neil Young like rocker featuring Walter Trout on lead guitar, Corne on lead vocal and harp. One of the strongest radio tracks on the release is Locomotion with it's seductive rhythm, full horn work of Ralicke, tight drums by Blair Sinta and cool slide work by Eamon Ryland . Solid ballad, History Repeats, has a real nice symmetry. It puts me in mind of some of the strong tracks written by the band in the 70's with Skip Edwards on particularly nice pedal steel and keys, Ted Russell Kamp on bass and Matt Tecu on drums. Ashen Heart is one of my favorite tracks on the release with a strong melody some of my favorite vocals on the release. Corne, who sings, whistles and plays acoustic guitar on the track shows influence of Harry Nilsson...a strong compliment. Wrapping the release is Sing, Little Darlin' Sing, a solid track featuring Corne accompanying himself on Ukelele. This is a really understated release but one that has a memorable feel. Check it out!
If you support live Blues acts, up and coming Blues talents and want to learn more about Blues news and Fathers of the Blues, Like ---Bman’s Blues Report--- Facebook Page! I’m looking for great talent and trying to grow the audience for your favorites band!- ”LIKE”
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Driving home from work the other day I heard a song called “I Want My Dog To Live Longer” on the Bluesville channel on Sirius XM. It was done by Curtis Salgado&Alan Hager. I know Curtis and have seen him play a number of times but I did not know Alan who is a guitarist from Portland, OR where Curtis lives also. These two have played together off and on for quite a number of years. So now that Alan is the guitarist for Curtis’ road band I guess they figured the time was right. So it’s here and it’s called Rough Cut. Based on that one track I had to check it out. Once I heard it I had to tell Bman how much I liked it and he asked me to review it.
The album starts off with a very John Lee Hooker sounding track entitled “I Will Not Surrender.” This is a very personal blues written by Salgado. You can almost feel him fighting death as he sings. He’s survived liver cancer, lung cancer (twice), addiction, and quadruple bypass surgery. So he knows about not surrendering. A great opener for the album which turns out to be far from the blue-eyed soul Cutis is known for. This is definitely traditional blues, originals and covers both.
On the second track, “So Near To Nowhere,” Salgado breaks out his harp for the first time and the best lyrics on the album. “I’m asking God why I ain’t dead yet. He said, I warned ya boy but you never listen. The devil don’t want the competition.”
It’s mostly just a duo with Hager on guitar, Salgado on harp and vocals, although Curtis plays piano on one track. A few others have minimal accompaniment but otherwise it’s just two friends playing blues.
The duo cover a number of Blues classics such as Muddy Water’s I Can’t Be Satisfied which gets the country blues slide treatment from Hager which is strong in its own right and complements Salgado’s vocals perfectly. This theme repeats itself with many of the other covers such as Depot Blues by Son House and Long Train Blues by Robert Wilkins which is strong on harp as well.
The cover songs are absolutely great and also include Sonny Boy Williamson’s “Too Young To Die,” Big Bill Broonzy’s “I Want You By My Side,” and Elmore James’ version (not the Mississippi Fred McDowell one) of “You Got To Move” which contains some awesome Elmo slide by Hager. The tune entitled “Morning Train” is also commonly known as “Get Right Church,” and may be the strongest cover on the album.
Which brings us back around to “I Want My Dog To Live Longer.” This song touches the heart of anybody who ever had, or has, a faithful canine companion. I can’t say it’s my favorite song on the record but it is obvious that Curtis Salgado and I see eye to eye on what enrichment dogs bring into our lives.
That all said, I really think this is going to be one of the overall strongest blues albums of 2018. The blend of originals and covers is a perfect balance. No flash guitar, no hot horns, just solid blues music which is not so easy to come by these days. It may be a Rough Cut but it is smoothly done.
If you support live Blues acts, up and coming Blues talents and want to learn more about Blues news and Fathers of the Blues, Like ---Bman’s Blues Report--- Facebook Page! I’m looking for great talent and trying to grow the audience for your favorites band!- ”LIKE”
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I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Mood Indigo: The Complete Bethlehem Singles, by Nina Simone and it's terrific. Opening with Porgy (I Loves You, Porgy), Simone on lead vocal and piano sets a standard that to today is still regarded as gold for jazz style. Backed by Jimmy Bond on bass and Albert "Tootie" Heath on drums, this is an excellent opener. Love Me Or Leave Me leaves no question of where contemporary vocalists such as Diana Krall's inspiration originates. This is the blueprint for bop jazz vocals. Very nice. Somber ballad, He Needs Me, not only shows the purity of Simone's vocals but the crystal clear classical style piano work that is her trademark. Showing her classical piano chops on the intro to Latin based instrumental, African Mailman, Simone really gets the rhythm moving on this one. Letting out the lead on title track, Mood Indigo, Simone really swings. Her vocal phrasing, over Bond's bass line is so excellent it gives you goose bumps... and dig her piano riffs! Good Bait is a great track with a solid walking bass line, steady drums and nicely executed piano melody. Strong. Wrapping this release is Simone's interpretation of My Baby Just Cares For Me with solid bass, brushes and piano on the up beat as rhythm. Her playful piano lead and stylized vocals on this track make for a great closer for a pretty incredible set.
If you support live Blues acts, up and coming Blues talents and want to learn more about Blues news and Fathers of the Blues, Like ---Bman’s Blues Report--- Facebook Page! I’m looking for great talent and trying to grow the audience for your favorites band!- ”LIKE”
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I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Gravity, from Laurie Morvan and she's got flair. Opening blues rocker, My Moderation is built around a classic blues rhythm set up by Bob Glaub on bass and Tony Braunagel on drums. Morvan has a really nice hand at the strat managing riffs solid riffs like child's play. Mike Finnigan is hot on the trail with his signature organ riffs and backing vocals are provided by Lisa Morvan, Maxayan Lewis and Kudisan Kai. Nice opener. Stay With Me features Morvan's stinging guitar riffs over a heavy lumbering bass line and thick B3 by Finnigan. With a dash of funk into a rockin mix, The Extra Mile, is one of my favorite tracks on the release. Blended vocal lead and really hot lead guitar is the ticket on this one with an obviously heavy bottom. Very nice. With a smooth melody, title track, Gravity,carried by Morvan on lead vocal and Jim Pugh on B3 is the definite radio on the release. Another track that shine brightly with fluid guitar lead is Dance In The Rain, Morvan not only handling lead vocals handily but also showing strong runs and nice guitar tone. Gotta Dig Deep has a really base blues root with a super foot drums accent and some constant double stop playing giving the track a particularly cool bluesy feel. Another stand out track, The Man Who Left Me, has a dark feel, super backing vocals by Lisa Morvan, Kai, Leslie Smith and Ricky Nelson. Morvan's slide guitar work on this track works nicely to reinforce the bluesy darkness. Very nice. On boogie track, I Want Answers, Morvan pairs her own lead vocal with guitar as Finnigan, Pugh and Braunagel dig in. Wrapping the release is another track with a bit of funk. Too Dumb To Quit works Morvan's straight vocal delivery against her slide guitar response over that funky bottom, giving it just the right chemistry. Excellent closer.
If you support live Blues acts, up and coming Blues talents and want to learn more about Blues news and Fathers of the Blues, Like ---Bman’s Blues Report--- Facebook Page! I’m looking for great talent and trying to grow the audience for your favorites band!- ”LIKE”
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I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, My Life, from Reverend Raven & the Chain Smokin' Alter Boys and I really like it. Opening with Handyman, an easy boogie, Rev Raven takes the wheel leading on vocal and guitar, backed by Cadillac Pete Rahn on harp, Brad Bill on bass, Vic Spann on drums and Ron Kovach on organ. With a zippy pace, Creature of Habit, has a real nice bass line by Bill and smooth vocals by Raven. Rahn gives the harp a nice run and the Rev follows up with a rip roaring guitar solo of his own. Very nice. Shuffle track, Bad Little Girls has a real nice feel with lead guitar swing and harp by Madison Slim. Raven really gets it going on guitar and with solid vocals, one of my favorites on the release. With a Latin rhythm, Once The Women Start Talking features Benny Rickin on harp and he does a real nice job and the Rev really shines on higher octave guitar riffs of his own giving this track a nice spin. Title track, My Life has the rich feel of Chicago blues with Rickin on harp, Bobby Lee Sellers Jr on drums and Danny Moore on piano. Another of my favorites on the release is driving boogie, Praying for a Princess featuring a great walking bass line by PT Pedersen and super nice rolling piano riffs by Moore. With a funky Freddie King style, Looking For Love has a cool swing, highlighted by excellent sax work by Big Al Groth and flashy guitar riffs by the Rev. I Can Do You Right has a great guitar feel with both trademark riffs and fluid runs. Excellent! Another track with a cool Freddie King vibe is She's Moving On. Pedersen's bass line lays the ground work on this one and Westside Andy Linderman lays down soulful harp lines in compliment to Raven's ultra bluesy guitar riffs giving this track a nice sting. Wrapping the release is jump track, I'm Your Honeyboy featuring Moore, Pedersen and Craig Panosh on drums. Moore takes a great piano lead followed by Linderman who spreads the heat on harp. The Rev takes the reins for the last run and he hits the road running with solid guitar runs making this an excellent closer for a real nice release.
If you support live Blues acts, up and coming Blues talents and want to learn more about Blues news and Fathers of the Blues, Like ---Bman’s Blues Report--- Facebook Page! I’m looking for great talent and trying to grow the audience for your favorites band!- ”LIKE”
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I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Wild, from Joanne Shaw Taylor and it's a cool guitar fused blues release. Opening with Dyin' To Know, Taylor leads with a driving rhythm and crisp but understated lead guitar behind her solid vocals and backed by Greg Morrow on drums, Rob McNelly on guitar, Michael Rhodes on bass and Steve Nathan on keys. Ready To Roll has real swagger and Taylor's voice really shines. Backing vocals by Mahalia Barnes, Juanita Tippins and Jade MacRae give the track fullness leading up to so real nice guitar slashes by Taylor. Very cool. Get You Back is a solid country rocker in the style of the Outlaws with nicely blended backing vocals and tight guitar riffs. I really like the bent guitar chords on the opening of ballad, Wild Is The Wind. Rhodes' bass line gives the track a richer contrast to Taylor's already enticing chords and strong vocals. Very nice. Rocker, Wanna Be My Lover has the drive of the Allman's, One Way Out and the energy of the Pointer Sisters, Neutron Dance. With it's quiet nature but strong emotion, I Wish I Could Wish You Back is one of the best tracks on the release with a really warm melody, light guitar acoustic work and soft slide guitar behind the song. Excellent! With an easy swing, My Heart's Got A Mind Of It's Own, slides back and forth off the funk. Horn work by Paulie Cerra on sax and Lee Thomburg on trumpet and Barnes, Tippins and MacRae on backing vocal and Taylor's own soulful guitar make this another top track. Wrapping the release is a real nice cover of Big Brother's arrangement of classic, Summertime. I really need to give Taylor a nice bump for this track because she has a super fat lower region and she uses it nicely rather than just over singing Joplin's own vocal emotion as I have heard in other covers of this track. She does cling relatively closely to Big Brother guitarists Andrew and Gurley's melodic take but this is where the comparison begins and ends. Her vocal interpretation is unique and inspired and her guitar soloing nicely phrased. Excellent closer.
If you support live Blues acts, up and coming Blues talents and want to learn more about Blues news and Fathers of the Blues, Like ---Bman’s Blues Report--- Facebook Page! I’m looking for great talent and trying to grow the audience for your favorites band!- ”LIKE”
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THE NORTH MISSISSIPPI ALLSTARS DISCOVER A NEW WAY
TO BOOGIE ON THEIR BLUES DANCE MUSIC EP
Luther and Cody
Dickinson will be romping and stomping
with some new beats when they tour the South
this spring.
HERNANDO, Miss. — For more than 20 years, Luther and
Cody Dickinson have made it their mission to keep alive the sound of
the Mississippi hill country blues; however, they have never been strict
traditionalists. As the North
Mississippi Allstars, they’ve soaked their songs in raw, unadulterated rock
‘n’ roll while stirring in fatback funk, slippery soul and righteous gospel
to reshape and push the blues into
contemporary relevance. Their red-hot stew of roots music — and ferocious
live shows — have attracted ardent fans around the globe. Critics have been
generous with their praise too. Rolling Stone’s David Fricke
proclaimed that “deep roots, improvising valor and live-Cream brawn come
easily” to the band, while the Oxford American credits them as having
“saved and revitalized southern rock.”
The
North Mississippi Allstars’ latest effort, Blue Dances Music (due
out on March 9, 2018), might be their boldest effort to date. The sonically
experimental EP introduces loops and programming to live recordings of
tracks from their most recent album, Prayer for Peace, creating, in
Cody Dickinson’s words, “an opportunity to explore this musical landscape
with full realization.”
This
project, which Cody describes as something that was just meant to be, began
when their song “Prayer for Peace” was recorded by the Blind Boys of
Alabama. A copy of it got to the Dickinsons, who happened to be writing
beats fused with gospel chord changes and blues rhythms. When they matched
this music with the Blind Boys’ a cappella singing, it all clicked and BDM
was born. This melding of rural blues and dance rhythms actually isn’t the
big sonic leap you might think because Hill Country Blues has always been
one-chord, hypnotic dance music.
Besides
“Prayer For Peace,” the EP holds reimagined versions of “Miss Maybelle,”
“Run Red Rooster,” and the Royal Remix of “Need To Be Free,” featuring
Sharde Thomas, Rev Sekou, Al Kapone, Frayser Boy and DJ Spanish Fly. Blues Dance Music takes listeners on a journey
through gospel, blues and rock music that has been fused with dance hall
beats.
The
size and scope of Blues
Dance Music is something Luther and Cody are extremely proud of.
The album, confides Cody, “took on a life of its own — I think you can hear
the excitement of discovery in the music.”
The
Dickinsons also are excited because this spring they will get to do one of
the things that they love the best: play live. Starting in early April,
North Mississippi Allstars will embark on a six-week tour. On April 5, they
will kick things off in St. Louis, followed by shows in Kansas City and
Bloomington, IL; however, most of their time will be spent traipsing around
their old stomping grounds in southeastern America.
Stops will include appearances at the Savannah Music Festival and
Merlefest, as well as a trip north for a show in Asbury Park, N.J. You can
find the complete tour itinerary below. Given the Dickinsons’ affection for
live performances, you can bet these won’t be the only stages that they’ll
be playing on this year.
North
Mississippi Allstars tour dates:
Thurs.,
April 5 ST. LOUIS, MO Delmar Hall
Fri., April
6 KANSAS CITY, MO Knuckleheads
Sun., April
8 BLOOMINGTON, IL Castle Theatre
Thurs.,
April 12 SAVANNAH, GA Savannah Music Festival
Fri., April
13 BIRMINGHAM, AL Avondale Brewing Company
Thurs.,
April 19 MACON, GA Hargray Capitol Theatre
Fri., April
20 LIVE OAK, FL Wanee Festival
Sat., April
21 CHARLESTON, SC Music Farm
Fri., April
27 ASBURY PARK, NJ House of Independents
Sat., April
28 WILKESBORO, NC Merlefest
Fri., May
4 MEMPHIS, TN Beale Street Music Festival
Sat., May
5 NEW ORLEANS, LA Tipitina’s
Sun., May
6 DALLAS, TX Dallas International Guitar Festical
Fri., May
11 CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA Jefferson Theatre
