New March Tour Dates Announced
LOS
ANGELES, CA – Forty Below Records has announced a February 26 release
date for the vinyl LP version of the latest album from legendary blues
artist, John Mayall, Find a Way to Care, which follows its
critically-acclaimed CD launch in September, 2015. John Mayall and his
band have scheduled a series of U.S. tour dates starting in early March
to help kick-off the LP’s debut.
To watch the video trailer premiere of the making of the Find a Way to Care album:
Since its release on CD, the reviews of Find a Way to Care have been universally glowing: “Find a Way to Care represents another soulful mile marker on John Mayall’s incredible life journey into the blues” – Living Blues;
“The Godfather of British Blues” has been experiencing a true artistic
and career renaissance lately and the revival continues with the release
of the brilliant new studio album, Find a Way to Care” – Relix Magazine; “A blues traditionalist at heart and a gambler by nature, Find a Way to Care proves that John Mayall still has a few musical tricks up his sleeve.” – Blues Music Magazine.
Produced by John Mayall (who also did the graphic design and artwork for the album) and Forty Below’s Eric Corne, Find a Way to Care was
recorded at the House of Blues Studio in Encino, California. In
addition to Mayall (vocals, piano, Hammond organ, Wurlitzer, clavinet,
guitar and harmonica), featured on the sessions are Rocky Athas (lead
and rhythm guitar), Greg Rzab (bass) and Jay Davenport (drums), who
collectively are now into their seventh year as John’s band. The group
is also augmented by a horn section on several tracks.
About
the new album, Eric Corne says, “I really wanted to feature John's
keyboard playing on this record. He’s truly one of the most lyrical,
economical and underrated keyboardists around. We also wanted to change
things up a bit after the success of A Special Life and
the addition of a horn section on several tracks was a really fun way to
do that. As good as the last album was, I think this one is even
better.”
The even-dozen tracks on Find a Way to Care include
a scintillating group of new songs and savvy covers of “Mother in Law
Blues” (Don Robey), “The River’s Invitation” (Percy Mayfield), “I Feel
So Bad”(Lightnin’ Hopkins), “Long Distance Call” (Muddy Waters), “I Want
All My Money Back” (Lee Baker) and Drifting Blues” (Charles Brown).
About his choice of cover songs on the new album, Mayall says, “Every
time I make an album, I always feel I owe it to my fans to come up with
fresh and varied interpretations of the blues. With this in mind, I
chose an assemblage of songs that includes perhaps some slightly
lesser-known bluesmen, and that all had either different beats or
special instrumental treatments. I also found three songs that would be
further enhanced by the addition of horns.”
Added
to the mix are original songs that always feature Mayall’s take on the
current human condition, as well as universal truths. “As always, I draw
from my own experiences and thoughts about things in my life so that
from album to album I create on ongoing musical diary of my life,” he
explains. “The blues never lets me down!”
Find a Way to Care comes
following an especially exciting year-long period of great music from
Mayall that included the 2014 release of his first studio album in five
years, A Special Life, and the April, 2015, release of John Mayall’s Bluesbreakers – Live in 1967 (Never Before Heard Live Performances).
The live album was a critically-lauded archival recording of one of the
best of his Bluesbreakers band lineups that featured Mayall, as well as
Peter Green (lead guitar), John McVie (bass) and Mick Fleetwood
(drums). It showcased a band that was together for only a scant three
months, yet created a lasting legacy, made an immense impact on music
and led to the formation of one of the most acclaimed groups of all-time
when Green, McVie and Fleetwood left to form Fleetwood Mac.
For
over 50 years, John Mayall has served as a pioneer of blues music,
rightly earning him the title, “The Godfather of British Blues.” In
2013, John signed with producer Eric Corne’s label, Forty Below Records,
and the three albums released since continue to raise Mayall’s
recognition as a true pioneer and innovator in blues and roots music. He
continues to perform extensively both in the USA and abroad, and has an
ambitious touring schedule in place for the rest of the summer and fall
that was booked by Monterey International Artists (www.montereyinternational.net).
For more information, visit www.johnmayall.com and www.fortybelowrecords.com
John Mayall Current US Tour Itinerary
3/8 City Winery Nashville, TN
3/9 Variety Playhouse Atlanta, GA
3/10 Bijou Theatre Knoxville, TN
3/11 Neighborhood Theatre Charlotte, NC
3/12 Lincoln Theatre Raleigh, NC
3/13 Tin Pan Richmond, VA
3/15 Rams Head on Stage Annapolis, MD
3/16 The Hamilton Washington, DC
3/17 Towne Crier Beacon, NY
3/18 Sellersville Theatre Sellersville, PA
3/19 Katherine Hepburn Arts Center Old Saybrook, CT
3/20 Boulton Center for the Performing Arts Bay Shore, NY
3/21-3/22 City Winery New York, NY
3/23 Bull Run Restaurant Shirley MA
3/24 Colonial Theatre Pittsfield, MA
3/25
Flying Monkey
Plymouth, NH
3/26 Cabot Theatre Beverly, MA
3/27 Narrows Center for the Arts Fall River, MA
Additional dates forthcoming …
