Station House Records artist: Kara Grainger - Living With Your Ghost - New Release Review

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Living With Your Ghost, from Kara Grainger and it's solid. Opening with straight up rocker and title track, Living With Your Ghost, Kara Grainger leads on vocal with Anders Osborne on guitar, Ivan Neville on keys, J.J. Johnson on drums and Dave Monsey on bass. With it's steady rhythm, slick guitar solo and memorable melody, this is a certain radio track. Working My Way Back Home has a particularly intriguing drum rhythm and super slide from Osborne. Very nice. My favorite vocal track on the release is Nowhere To Be Found nicely showcasing Grainger's emotional delivery, emphasized by Neville's organ work and warm slide work of Osborne. Spirited track, You're In New Orleans features a vocal duet by Osborne and Grainger. Lightly salted with guitar, drums and keys and with the injection of the Texas Horns, excellent. Funky, Groove Train really gets a great groove going with a solid bass line by Monsey and super punctuation by the Texas Horns. Grainger's sassy vocals, a hot sax solo and nicely executed guitar riffs by Osborne make this my favorite on the release. Reason To My Verse has a really soothing, John Hiatt feel, making it another strong entry to this release. Very nice. Wrapping the release is Freedom Song with a strong drums line and sonic guitar work surrounding the bluesy vocals of Grainger. This is an unusual but particularly cool track and an excellent closer for a cool release. 

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14th Annual Blues From The Top Festival: Trampled Under Foot Reunion, Much More!

14TH ANNUAL BLUES FROM THE TOP FESTIVAL FEATURES SPECIAL  TRAMPLED UNDER FOOT REUNION, AND FINEST MUSIC LINEUP YET! Two Big Days - Saturday, June 25 and Sunday, June 26 At Winter Park, CO PRESENTED BY THE GRAND COUNTY BLUES SOCIETY; PORTION OF PROCEEDS BENEFIT BLUE STAR CONNECTION     (WINTER PARK, CO) - This year's 14th Annual Blues From The Top Festival features its finest music lineup yet, with a reunion by renowned Blues-Americana group, Trampled Under Foot! The festival - presentede by the Grand County Blues Society- takes place Saturday, June 25 and Sunday, June 26, at Hideaway Park, 78820 US Highway 40, in Winter Park. A portion of the festival's proceeds benefit Blue Star Connection, now in it's tenth year of providing access and ownership of musical instruments for children and young adults with cancer and other serious challenges, as well as providing music therapy departments with instruments. Tickets (now through Sunday, May 15): $20. (1-day Pass) or $35. (2-day Pass), available at the bluesfromthetop.org website, Radio Shack in Fraser; and the Winter Park Visitor's Center. Ticket prices after May 15: General Admission 1-Day Pass (Saturday or Sunday), $28., General Admission 2-Day Pass $49. Kids 13 and under, free. Buy tickets/additional info: http://ezregister.com/events/16739/.            All other Festival information: www.bluesfromthetop.org     Grand County Blues Society Mission Statement is "To support the Blues by bringing National and International Blues Artists to Grand County on a regular basis, and to bring Blues Education into the schools of Grand County."  Trampled Under Foot reunites for the 14th Annual Blues From The Top Festival.  They perform on Saturday, June 25 in the headlining slot.    Each day of Blues From The Top features a star-studded lineup. Saturday it's a Trampled Under Foot Reunion Show, the Albert Castiglia Band (with Josh Smith and Kate Moss), Monkey Junk, Kara Grainger, Josh Hoyer & Soul Collective, and the Austin Young Blues all-Stars featuring Michaela Rae, Michael Hornbuckle and others. Sunday's lineup is headlined by guitarist Eric Gales, Samantha Fish Band, Jimmy Hall with My Blue Sky, Willie K and the Warehouse Blues Band, John Nemeth with Deana Bogart and Jimmy Carpenter, and the High Mountain Gospel Choir with Renee Austin, Tempa Singer, Southern Review, Bart Szop, and more. Both days also feature a "Keeping The Blues Alive" stage with many of today's best young national and regional blues talent.           Colorful blues guitarist Eric Gales (pictured) headlines the Sunday, June 26  star-studded 14th Annual Blues From The Top Festival lineup. About The 14th Annual Blues From The Top Festival Headliners    Trampled Under Foot: The soul blues trio Trampled Under Foot consists of siblings Danielle Schnebelen (lead vocals and bass), Nick Schnebelen (guitars and vocals) and Kris Schnebelen, (drums). They grew up with the blues in Kansas City. Their father, Bill, was a blues guitarist in the band Little Eva and would regularly take his three children to jam sessions. Growing up, the siblings played separately in numerous bands over the years. Danielle was in Fresh Brew (1999-2004), Kris was a staple at blues clubs, and Nick was in Killing Floor (or K-Floor), and briefly, Buddahead. Missing the family camaraderie, the siblings formed Trampled Under Foot in 2000. The band released four studio sessions: Trampled Under Foot (2006), May I Be Excused in (2008), and Wrong Side of the Blues in (2011). They also issued Live at the Notodden Blues Festival in 2010. The combination of those releases and non-stop touring caught the attention of the jazz and blues label Telarc, who signed the band in 2013. They issued their fifth studio album, Badlands, that same year. In 2016 the famed trip reunites to perform at the 14th Blues From The Top Festival.         Eric Gales: Blues guitar phenom Eric Gales was born and raised in Memphis, learning to play at age four from older brothers Eugene and Manuel in imitation of their upside-down, left-handed style (a tradition actually passed down from their grandfather, Dempsey Garrett Sr., who was known to jam with the likes of Muddy Waters and Howlin' Wolf). Winning his first blues contest at 11, four years later Eric signed to Elektra to issue his 1991 debut LP, recorded with Eugene on bass; Picture of a Thousand Faces followed in 1993. Manuel (who previously performed under the alias Little Jimmy King) reunited with his siblings for 1995's Left Hand Band, credited to the Gales Brothers. A newly matured Gales returned in spring 2001 to release his debut for MCA, That's What I Am. Often billed as the second coming of Jimi Hendrix, Gales, an adequate singer at best but a dynamite guitarist, suffered for the comparison. With Gales always influenced by Hendrix and the power trio format, his next albums, 2006's Crystal Vision and 2007's Psychedelic Underground, both released by Blues Bureau Records, seemed like facsimile Hendrix albums, right down to the album art. His next two releases from Blues Bureau, 2008's The Story of My Life and 2009's Layin' Down the Blues, found the Hendrix influence muted somewhat, but Gales, a breathtaking guitarist at times, still seemed to be looking for a way out of the Hendrix shadow and into his own voice. Gales returned in 2010 with Relentless, a collection of 13 originals, and followed it with the passionate Transformation a year later in 2011. The all-instrumental Ghost Notes arrived in the fall of 2013.   bluesfromthetop.org/ facebook.com/bluesfromthetop/

Baja Blues Festival

Bayou Blues Festival - Big Weekend

AVAILABLE NOW: KARA GRAINGER "SHIVER & SIGH"

BE AMONG THE FIRST & GET YOUR CD TODAY! Retail: $17.99 Discounted Price: $12.99 + s&h MUSICIANS: Kara Grainger: vocals, lead & slide guitar Hutch Hutchinson: bass Mike Finnigan: keys James Gadson: drums Jimi Bott: drums Kirk Fletcher: rhythm guitar Josh Sklair: rhythm guitar Mitch Grainger: harmonica Lenny Castro: percussion Paulie Cerra: saxophone & horn arrangements Paul Litteral: trumpet George Stanford: trombone TRACK LISTING:    01. Little Pack Of Lies (4:27) 02. Shiver & Sigh (4:22) 03. Lost In You (4:10) 04. Shut Down (3:37) 05. I'm Not Ready (3:32) 06. No Way You Can Hurt Me Now (3:44) 07. Holding Out For Love (4:06) 08. C'mon In My Kitchen (3:51) 09. You're The One (3:25) 10. Breaking Up Somebody's Home (4:12) 11. Overdue For The Blues (3:52) BOOKING: FESTIVALS EXCLUSIVE Phone: (818) 907-1613 Email: booking@festivalsexclusive.com Website: www.festivalsexclusive.com KARA GRAINGER "SHIVER & SIGH" Australia native, now Los Angeles based, Kara Grainger first picked up the guitar at age 12. She started performing in the late '90s as lead vocalist and guitarist with the successful Sydney-based blues outfit, Papa Lips. With her brother, acclaimed harmonica player Mitch Grainger, Kara and Papa Lips enjoyed a quintessentially Australian experience. Fuelled by national ABC Radio play for their two albums, "Harmony" and "High Time Now," the band toured up and down the sun drenched beach towns of Australia's east coast in an old Tarago van. They blew away audiences, soaked up the outdoor lifestyle, and notched up experience at all the significant blues and folk festivals along the way. In 2006, Kara signed to Australia's Craving Records as a solo artist who encouraged her to go to the United States to record the album. In 2008 she moved to Los Angeles, but continued to split her time between LA and Australia. Her debut CD, 2008's "Grand and Green River" received first prize in the IAP awards in Austin, Texas and also was in the top 40 Americana charts for over 34 weeks. In 2011, she released "LA Blues". Over the past several years, Kara Grainger has toured extensively throughout the U.S. and performed on the festival circuit in Europe, Australia and Asia. She has also opened the show for many great artists, such as Buddy Guy, Marc Cohn, Peter Frampton, and Heart. In October of 2012, Kara performed at the Rock n Roots Festival in Singapore where she opened the show for Robert Plant and his band. So what drives Kara Grainger? In short, she has an unflinching desire to express herself combined with a daily dedication to her craft. In person, she exudes depth, grace and authenticity. Of the songwriting process, Kara says, "While many of my songs are framed in tales of hardship and heartbreak, they're really representative of life's spiritual challenges, and for me, a quest for the ultimate truth. It's very healing when the right words come for a song, so much so that when I sing them, it's like something is finally resolved." Kara is a unique talent whose music uplifts and inspires audiences around the world. With Grammy Award winning producer David Z at the helm, and recorded at the Hobby Shop Studios in Los Angeles, "Shiver & Sigh's" 11 tracks include 5 Kara Grainger originals, as well as soulful re-imaginings of Robert Johnson's "C'mon in My Kitchen" and Al Jackson Jr./Timothy Matthews "Breaking up Somebody's Home". Joining Kara in the studio are Kirk Fletcher and Josh Sklair (guitars), Mike Finnigan (keys), Hutch Hutchinson (bass), Jimi Bott and James Gadson (drums), Lenny Castro (percussion), Mitch Grainger (harmonica), Paulie Cerra (saxophone), Paul Litteral (trumpet) and George Stanford (trombone). The result is a recording that shows the richness and diversity of Kara's influences -- Soul/Contemporary Pop/Americana/Blues. "The first time I saw Kara play live she HAD ME before the first song was through. Kara is a triple threat...Singer, guitar player and song writer." - Randy Chortkoff (Producer/Musician/C.E.O. Eclecto Groove Records/Delta Groove Music) "Kara Grainger is the REAL DEAL!" - David Z (Producer/Engineer - Johnny Lang, Etta James, Prince, Buddy Guy) "Classic songwriting skills, smooth sultry vocals, and the ability to whip up a storm with a fiery slide guitar. Very few can boast this set of trump cards, but it just happens to be the hand dealt to Australian singer, songwriter and guitarist Kara Grainger, who exhibits an effortlessly seductive and modern take on roots, blues and soul music." - Americanaroots.com "As a vocalist, Grainger has a throaty register that distinctly recalls Bonnie Raitt" – Austin Music Source "What an amazing talent she is. The Australian born singer/songwriter has been cranking out her soulful blend of blues and folk for several years and is just now starting to receive some long overdue acclaim here in the States... She plays with passion and grace...This is someone you're going to hear a lot about." - Vinylpile WWW.DELTAGROOVEMUSIC.COM

New Release Available Now: Kara Grainger "Shiver & Sigh"

	BE AMONG THE FIRST & GET YOUR CD TODAY BEFORE IT'S AVAILABLE IN STORES! Retail: $17.99 Discounted Price: $12.99 + s&h MUSICIANS: Kara Grainger: vocals, lead & slide guitar Hutch Hutchinson: bass Mike Finnigan: keys James Gadson: drums Jimi Bott: drums Kirk Fletcher: rhythm guitar Josh Sklair: rhythm guitar Mitch Grainger: harmonica Lenny Castro: percussion Paulie Cerra: saxophone & horn arrangements Paul Litteral: trumpet George Stanford: trombone TRACK LISTING: 01. Little Pack Of Lies (4:27) 02. Shiver & Sigh (4:22) 03. Lost In You (4:10) 04. Shut Down (3:37) 05. I'm Not Ready (3:32) 06. No Way You Can Hurt Me Now (3:44) 07. Holding Out For Love (4:06) 08. C'mon In My Kitchen (3:51) 09. You're The One (3:25) 10. Breaking Up Somebody's Home (4:12) 11. Overdue For The Blues (3:52) BOOKING: FESTIVALS EXCLUSIVE Phone: (818) 907-1613 Email: booking@festivalsexclusive.com Website: www.festivalsexclusive.com KARA GRAINGER "SHIVER & SIGH" Australia native, now Los Angeles based, Kara Grainger first picked up the guitar at age 12. She started performing in the late '90s as lead vocalist and guitarist with the successful Sydney-based blues outfit, Papa Lips. With her brother, acclaimed harmonica player Mitch Grainger, Kara and Papa Lips enjoyed a quintessentially Australian experience. Fuelled by national ABC Radio play for their two albums, "Harmony" and "High Time Now," the band toured up and down the sun drenched beach towns of Australia's east coast in an old Tarago van. They blew away audiences, soaked up the outdoor lifestyle, and notched up experience at all the significant blues and folk festivals along the way. In 2006, Kara signed to Australia's Craving Records as a solo artist who encouraged her to go to the United States to record the album. In 2008 she moved to Los Angeles, but continued to split her time between LA and Australia. Her debut CD, 2008's "Grand and Green River" received first prize in the IAP awards in Austin, Texas and also was in the top 40 Americana charts for over 34 weeks. In 2011, she released "LA Blues". Over the past several years, Kara Grainger has toured extensively throughout the U.S. and performed on the festival circuit in Europe, Australia and Asia. She has also opened the show for many great artists, such as Buddy Guy, Marc Cohn, Peter Frampton, and Heart. In October of 2012, Kara performed at the Rock n Roots Festival in Singapore where she opened the show for Robert Plant and his band. So what drives Kara Grainger? In short, she has an unflinching desire to express herself combined with a daily dedication to her craft. In person, she exudes depth, grace and authenticity. Of the songwriting process, Kara says, "While many of my songs are framed in tales of hardship and heartbreak, they're really representative of life's spiritual challenges, and for me, a quest for the ultimate truth. It's very healing when the right words come for a song, so much so that when I sing them, it's like something is finally resolved." Kara is a unique talent whose music uplifts and inspires audiences around the world. With Grammy Award winning producer David Z at the helm, and recorded at the Hobby Shop Studios in Los Angeles, "Shiver & Sigh's" 11 tracks include 5 Kara Grainger originals, as well as soulful re-imaginings of Robert Johnson's "C'mon in My Kitchen" and Al Jackson Jr./Timothy Matthews "Breaking up Somebody's Home". Joining Kara in the studio are Kirk Fletcher and Josh Sklair (guitars), Mike Finnigan (keys), Hutch Hutchinson (bass), Jimi Bott and James Gadson (drums), Lenny Castro (percussion), Mitch Grainger (harmonica), Paulie Cerra (saxophone), Paul Litteral (trumpet) and George Stanford (trombone). The result is a recording that shows the richness and diversity of Kara's influences -- Soul/Contemporary Pop/Americana/Blues. "The first time I saw Kara play live she HAD ME before the first song was through. Kara is a triple threat...Singer, guitar player and song writer." - Randy Chortkoff (Producer/Musician/C.E.O. Eclecto Groove Records/Delta Groove Music) "Kara Grainger is the REAL DEAL!" - David Z (Producer/Engineer - Johnny Lang, Etta James, Prince, Buddy Guy) "Classic songwriting skills, smooth sultry vocals, and the ability to whip up a storm with a fiery slide guitar. Very few can boast this set of trump cards, but it just happens to be the hand dealt to Australian singer, songwriter and guitarist Kara Grainger, who exhibits an effortlessly seductive and modern take on roots, blues and soul music." - Americanaroots.com "As a vocalist, Grainger has a throaty register that distinctly recalls Bonnie Raitt" – Austin Music Source "What an amazing talent she is. The Australian born singer/songwriter has been cranking out her soulful blend of blues and folk for several years and is just now starting to receive some long overdue acclaim here in the States... She plays with passion and grace...This is someone you're going to hear a lot about." - Vinylpile WWW.DELTAGROOVEMUSIC.COM