Grammy and Oscar Award winning singer/songwriter, Christopher Cross, will perform a one-off concert at London's prestigious Bloomsbury Theatre on Mond

Grammy and Oscar Award winning singer/songwriter, Christopher Cross, will perform his first and only UK concert in two years at London’s prestigious Bloomsbury Theatre on Monday 7th November 2011. Tickets go on sale Wednesday August 3rd at 10.00am. The special one-off UK show follows the recent release of Christopher’s new solo album, Doctor Faith.

Known to millions of music fans around the world, his classic hits include Sailing, Ride Like The Wind (covered by Saxon and East Side Beat) and the Oscar winning Arthur’s Theme (Best That You Can Do) from the hit movie ‘Arthur’ starring Dudley Moore.

LIVE AT THE BLOOMSBURY THEATRE
MONDAY 7th NOVEMBER 2011

24 Hour Box Office: 0871 230 1101
Book Online: www.seetickets.com

Tickets: £30.00
Venue Box Office: 020 7388 8822
www.thebloomsbury.com

The Bloomsbury Theatre
15 Gordon Street
London, WC1H 0AH

Accomplishments

5 Grammy Awards
1 Oscar Award
1 Golden Globe Award
9 Million Worldwide Album Sales
4 #1 Singles
9 Top 20 Pop/AC Hits
90 Songs Composed and Recorded

Christopher Cross - Official Biography

Christopher Cross was by far the biggest new star of 1980, virtually defining adult contemporary radio with a series of smoothly sophisticated ballads including the #1 hit, "Sailing."

Christopher Cross' 1980 self-titled debut album with the lead single Ride Like the Wind rocketed to the #2 spot; the massive success of the second single Sailing made Cross a superstar, and in the wake of two more Top 20 hits, Never Be the Same and Say You'll Be Mine, he walked off with an unprecedented and record-setting five Grammys in 1981, including Best New Artist and Song of the Year for Sailing.

He soon scored a second #1, as well as an Academy Award, with Arthur's Theme (Best That You Can Do), which he co-wrote with Burt Bacharach, Carole Bayer Sager, and Peter Allen for the smash Dudley Moore film comedy Arthur.

Christopher's much-anticipated second album Another Page (1983), produced the hits All Right, No Time for Talk, and a Top Ten entry for Think of Laura, a song that featured prominently in the daytime drama, General Hospital. Amazingly, he charted 8 singles into the Billboard Top-40 charts between 1980 and 1983.

Four years, two albums, eight hit singles, several world tours, five Grammy's, and one Oscar marked Christopher's meteoric rise to the top.

To date, Christopher has released eight albums (not counting hits packages), a body of work revealing a steady, focused dedication to that oh-so-rare commodity of the latter-day popster – artistic growth. Those who have followed Cross have reaped the rewards of set after set of intelligently written and performed melodic pop.

Over the years, Cross has remained a unique artist, replete with that confounding blend of sensitivity, determination and conviction of his own artistry.

Beyond the Cross-mania years, Christopher co-wrote and sang the song that helped define the 1984 Summer Olympics, A Chance for Heaven; he co-wrote and sang the delightful Loving Strangers for the hit 1986 Tom Hanks movie, Nothing in Common; and the following year he presented I Will (Take You Forever), a lovely duet with international Les Miserables star Frances Ruffelle, which tune has graced many a wedding (and is still on radio worldwide).

Singles from most all of his albums charted in Japan and elsewhere in East; and the rollicking In the Blink of an Eye enjoyed a smashing top-ten success in Germany and surrounding territories in 1992.

Christopher Cross' string of post-megahit albums from the mid-1980s to the present represents, in a consistent manner, a hard-travelled road of integrity, a refusal to compromise: Every Turn of the World, Christopher's foray into a harder rocking style which delighted fans; Back of My Mind, a collection of breezy pop perfection with a foreshadowing of the deeper range to come; Rendezvous, the insightful, landmark Cross set that found him tackling thoughtful subjects; Window, a heartfelt, acoustic-pop of the era; and Walking In Avalon / Red Room, arguably the very pinnacle of sophisticated, mature, and, lest we forget, fun.

Christopher continues to record and perform, averaging about 100 live shows per year. Every few years, the world has been gifted with a new set of songs, each of the albums growing innately from the last while resolutely advancing the state of his art. And he has continued to seek out his fans worldwide by regularly hitting the concert road, never depriving those fans of the early hits (played note-perfect), as well as a broad range of his latest work – the songs where his heart (and his art) truly lies. The audience response is never less than rapturous.

That later work, much of it in collaboration with longtime cohort Rob Meurer, stands up to the best of better-known contemporary pop; some would say it stands a bit taller. It also stands as a testament to an artist who strives to deepen. Christopher Cross has many a laurel, none of which has ever been rested on.

Support Bman and your favorite band or venue - click Here

RUTHIE FOSTER’S NEW ALBUM, LET IT BURN, RECORDED IN NEW ORLEANS WITH SPECIAL GUESTS, EXPANDS MUSICAL BOUNDARIES

RUTHIE FOSTER’S NEW ALBUM, LET IT BURN,
RECORDED IN NEW ORLEANS WITH SPECIAL GUESTS,
EXPANDS MUSICAL BOUNDARIES

January 31 release on Blue Corn Music features Blind Boys of Alabama, soul legend William Bell, and songs by Adele, Black Keys, Los Lobos, Johnny Cash, The Band, Pete Seeger, Crosby, Stills & Nash and more.

AUSTIN, Texas — Those who have followed Ruthie Foster’s eclectic musical history know that she can burn down any stage with her combustible blend of soul, blues, rock, folk and gospel. And when Grammy Award-winning producer John Chelew suggested she record an album in New Orleans — with support handpicked from the Crescent City’s overflowing pool of talent — it was an opportunity for Ruthie to infuse fresh spices into her already rich sonic gumbo. The result is Let It Burn — slated for January 31, 2012 release on Blue Corn Music — a recording that smolders, sizzles and ignites with an intensity born from her vibrant voice and indelible presence.

Ruthie’s astonishing voice has taken her on an amazing ride. She came from humble church choir beginnings in rural Texas, followed by a tour of duty with the U.S. Navy Band, and ended up in New York City with a major-label development deal that went sour. After she moved back to Texas to care for her ailing mother, Foster took a break from singing professionally for a couple of years. When she resumed her music career in Austin, she became a regular nominee at the Austin Music Awards, winning Best Folk Artist in 2004-05 and Best Female Vocalist in 2007-08. Broadening her sound by blending blues and soul aspects into her folk roots, Ruthie added a Grammy nomination to her list of achievements (Best Contemporary Blues Album for her last studio release, 2009’s The Truth According to Ruthie Foster). And, in a nod to her astounding range, she then won seemingly contradictory Blues Music Association awards for both Best Traditional and Best Contemporary Female Blues Artist in back-to-back years.

In addition to leading her own band and touring it around the world, Foster has also collaborated on stage and recordings with a diverse list of artists including Warren Haynes, Big Head Todd, Bonnie Raitt, Eric Bibb and Paul Thorn. She’s a regular favorite at an equally diverse list of festivals such as the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival, the Monterey Blues Festival, Merlefest and the Kate Wolf Festival.

The ingredients for Let It Burn, recorded at New Orleans’ Piety Street Studios, start with some of that city’s most respected players: The Funky Meters’ rhythm section of bassist George Porter Jr. and drummer Russell Batiste, guitarist Dave Easley, and renowned saxophonist James Rivers collectively infuse the tracks with the groove-based, in-the-pocket vibe that comes naturally to New Orleans-bred musicians. The addition of Hammond B3 wizard Ike Stubblefield, who has toured and recorded with everyone from Curtis Mayfield to Eric Clapton, gives the album a jazzy organ-combo feel. Finally, legendary gospel singers the Blind Boys of Alabama and soul icon William Bell add extra depth to the project’s surprisingly eclectic collection of cover songs and fresh originals.

Besides the New Orleans location, there was another significant “first” associated with these sessions. “This is the only album I’ve done where I don’t play an instrument, which is really different. It gave me a lot more freedom vocally. Without a guitar, all I did was concentrate on singing,” Foster explains. “Sometimes I tried to channel Mavis Staples vocally, but I also wanted to bring a kind of Cassandra Wilson/Sade sultriness to some of the songs.”

The results are powerful, defining performances of Adele’s anthemic “Set Fire to the Rain,” John Martyn’s poignant and sensual “Don’t Want to Know,” and Johnny Cash’s “Ring of Fire,” all of which take on new vibrancy with distinctive musical arrangements and Ruthie’s commanding presence. The achingly beautiful, atmospheric ballad version of “Ring of Fire” is at the heart of this album, and potently showcases Foster as one of the finest interpretive singers of our time. “When it comes to songs, often older ones, I love it when they find me and that’s what happened with ‘Ring of Fire.’ I put myself inside of that song, which speaks to the passion of a new relationship,” she says.

Ruthie mines other tunes from a variety of sources such as the Black Keys (“Everlasting Light,” given a sparkling and righteous treatment), Pete Seeger (a dynamic, ominous swamp/jazz reimagining of “If I Had a Hammer”) and Los Lobos (the rambling, haunting “This Time”).

The church is never far from anything Foster touches as her spiritual original “Lord Remember Me” with the Blind Boys, featuring a sanctified slide solo from guitarist Easley, makes clear. The album’s opening and closing tracks also spotlight the Blind Boys and bookend the project with a devotional approach. “I haven’t lost my gospel in the way I approach a song,” explains Ruthie.

Another new Foster song is “Aim for the Heart” (a co-write with Jon Tiven), which works Porter’s funky bass, Stubblefield’s expressive organ and Easley’s snake-like guitar into a groove which supports the deeply personal motto (“Aim for the heart/And you’ll never go wrong”) that Foster has exhibited in both her life and music.

Rounding out this smoldering collection of tunes are covers of The Band’s melancholic “It Makes No Difference,” David Crosby’s politically charged “Long Time Gone” and William Bell’s classic “You Don’t Miss Your Water” (with Bell dueting on a slow, jazz/blues version of the standard, augmented by a stunning Rivers solo), all of which further display Ruthie’s uncanny knack for finding the simmering essence of any song.

On Let It Burn, Ruthie Foster takes the listener on her most personal journey yet, sounding like she is pouring her heart out late at night, and her deeply soulful vocals create a spiritual soundscape to support her testimony. This is the album her fans have been waiting for — and that the rest of the world will listen to in wonder.

RUTHIE FOSTER TOUR DATES

Sat., Jan. 14 NORFOLK, VA Attucks Theater
Sun., Jan. 15 CHARLESTON, WV Mountain Stage
Sat., Jan. 21 CROCKETT, TX Crockett Civic Theater
Tues., Jan. 31 LOS ANGELES, CA Grammy Museum (The Drop or L.A. media)
Wed., Feb. 1 LOS ANGELES, CA Grammy Museum (The Drop or L.A. media)
Thurs., Feb. 2 PORTLAND, OR Aladdin Theater, with Paul Thorn
Fri., Feb. 3 SPOKANE, WA The Bing Crosby Theater, with Paul Thorn
Sat., Feb. 4 SEATTLE, WA The Triple Door, with Paul Thorn
Mon., Feb. 6 CHICO, CA Sierra Nevada Brewing Co., with Paul Thorn
Tues., Feb. 7 ARCATA, CA Humboldt State University, with Paul Thorn
Wed., Feb. 8 NAPA, CA Napa Valley Opera House, with Paul Thorn
Thurs., Feb. 9 SAN FRANCISCO, CA Great American Music Hall, with Paul Thorn
Fri., Feb. 10 SANTA BARBARA, CA UC Santa Barbara, with Paul Thorn
Sat., Feb. 11 PHOENIX, AZ The Compound Grill, with Paul Thorn
Sun., Feb. 12 TUCSON, AZ Berger Performing Arts Center, with Paul Thorn
Tues., Feb. 14 STEAMBOAT SPRINGS, CO Strings Music Pavilion, with Paul Thorn
Thurs., Feb. 16 DURANGO, CO Fort Lewis College, with Paul Thorn
Fri., Feb. 17 BEAVER CREEK, CO Vilar Center for the Arts with Paul Thorn
Sat., Feb. 18 DENVER, CO Swallow Hill Music Presents @L2 Arts & Culture Center, with Paul Thorn
Thurs., Feb. 23 THE WOODLANDS, TX Dosey Doe Café
Fri., Feb. 24 AUSTIN, TX Antone’s
Fri., March 2 CARRBORO, NC Cat's Cradle, with Paul Thorn (T)
Sat., March 3 WINSTON-SALEM, NC Ziggy's, with Paul Thorn (T)
Sun., March 4 ROANOKE, VA Kirk Ave, with Paul Thorn (T)
Wed., March 7 ALEXANDRIA, VA Birchmere, with Paul Thorn (T)
Thurs., March 8 PHILADELPHIA, PA WCL, with Paul Thorn (T)
Fri., March 9 NEW YORK, NY City Winery, with Paul Thorn (T)
Sat., March 10 CHATHAM, NJ Sanctuary, with Paul Thorn (T)
Wed.-Fri., March 14-16 AUSTIN, TX SXSW
Fri., March 17 DALLAS, TX Kessler Theater
Sat.-Sun., March 24-25 SAVANNAH, GA Savannah Music Festival
Sat., March 31 SCHAUMBURG, IL Schaumburg Prairie Center for the Arts

Support Bman and your favorite band or venue - click Here

JW-JONES - BREAKING BOUNDARIES WITH THE NEW CD 'SEVENTH HOUR' - March 2012

Canada's Top Touring Bluesman, JW-Jones is moving up with a boundary breaking CD. On his 7th release, aptly titled 'Seventh Hour', Jones has teamed up with multi-Juno award winning artist/producer, Steve Dawson, to mix the album. Previous releases have featured legendary guests Hubert Sumlin (Howlin' Wolf, Muddy Waters) and David "Fathead" Newman (Ray Charles); heavy-hitters Kim Wilson (Fabulous Thunderbirds) and Charlie Musselwhite; two of the most innovative guitarists of our time, Little Charlie Baty and Junior Watson; and Canadian billboard favorite, Colin James. Jones has cut records from Hollywood to Sun Studios in Memphis. Guitar World Magazine featured a CD called ‘Guitar Masters Vol. 2’ that put Jones alongside guitar stars B.B. King, Jimmy Page, and Carlos Santana among others, and he recently landed an endorsement deal with Gibson guitars. After performing in 17 countries, 4 continents, and releasing 6 critically acclaimed discs, it's time for a change. No famous guests. No fancy studios. This is JW-Jones and his band doing what they do best - right at home, recorded in J-Dub's living room by his go-to engineer for the last decade, Jason Jaknunas. Tracked on a crisp fall weekend, this cool release is sure to stir up some discussion about where his music is going as he soars in a vibrant new direction. Shattering visual boundaries is also an integral part of this project. Art director and commercial photographer Mitch Lenet (Panasonic, Subaru, Bell), has developed a concept for this package with cutting edge technology that is guaranteed to turn heads in the music and fashion world. While keeping one foot firmly planted in the roots he came from, Jones believes that appealing to a younger audience is the most important way to ensure the evolution of blues-based music. .
Support Bman and your favorite band or venue - click Here

British Guitarist Trevor Sewell Receives Triple Nominations in Major Hollywood Awards Ceremony.

Trevor Sewell is a British Guitarist who has just received three nominations in the
prestigious Hollywood Music in Media Awards to be held at the Kodak Complex in
Los Angeles on November 17th 2011.
Newcastle born musician Trevor Sewell has received 3 nominations in a
prestigious Awards ceremony in the U.S.A. The Hollywood Music and Media
Awards are held in November at the world famous Kodak Theatre Complex in
Hollywood the home of the Oscars.
Two of Trevor’s songs ‘Where the Wild Ones Go! And ‘Hundred Years’ both from
his current album ‘Calling Your Name’ have been nominated in the categories for
Best blues and Americana/Roots respectively. The album, which is available
Worldwide through iTunes Amazon CdBaby etc., has recently attracted
widespread radio play in the U.S.A. and Trevor is looking forward to attending the
Los Angeles Awards Ceremony on 17th November 2011.
Trevors’ Third Nomination comes in the form of a track from a side project that
he is currently working on entitled ‘The Big Sleep’ and this is nominated in the
Instrumental section. The track taken from the soon to be released album of all
new Film Noir and Surf influenced instrumentals will be released under the name
of ‘the Ad-Ventures’ in the New Year.
Meanwhile a new single ‘Don’t Need Nobody’ from the Calling Your name album
will be released to coincide with the Awards.
Legendary producer Stuart Epps [Led Zep, Elton John, Bill Wyman] recently had
this to say about his first encounter with Sewell’s music
“I’ve only just met this brilliant musician but i can tell you he is the real thing.
Heart felt, passionate and truly excellent rock/blues guitar playing and singing.
Comparable with some of the greats I’ve had the pleasure to work with.
Two of them called Lee, Albert Lee and Alvin Lee.
“Trevor is in my opinion from the same mould and his single ‘Don’t Need Nobody’
gives rock/blues a new boost. You’ve just got to love it!!!”
Trevor who has only recently embarked on a solo career after many years of
playing sessions and touring with other artists said:
“I was initially very pleased when I found out that I had been nominated in such
a high profile event as the Hollywood Music in Media Awards but was absolutely
astounded when I heard that I had been nominated 3 times – I just can’t wait to
go to Hollywood - roll on November.”

Facebook:
http://facebook.com/trevorsewellmusic
“Like” Bman and get support for your favorite band or venue - click HERE

DICKEY BETTS TO HEADLINE ALS SUPPORT BENEFIT CONCERT FESTIVAL FOR “DANGEROUS” DAN TOLER ON NOVEMBER 12TH & 13T

DICKEY BETTS TO HEADLINE ALS SUPPORT BENEFIT CONCERT FESTIVAL FOR “DANGEROUS” DAN TOLER ON NOVEMBER 12TH & 13^TH

SARASOTA, FL - Rock and Roll Hall of Famer Dickey Betts and his Great Southern Band have signed on to headline the Dan Toler ALS Support Benefit Festival on November 12th and 13th at Herschberger Ranch in Sarasota. The benefit is being held to raise funds for Toler’s battle with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease. Herschberger Ranch is located at 13010 Fruitville Road, in Sarasota.

Also scheduled to appear are legendary singer Bonnie Bramlett, the queen of blue-eyed soul, and BlackHawk (headlining on the second day), which had a string of Top 10 country hits in the 1990s including “Every Once in A While” and “I’m Not Strong Enough to Say No.” Others set to appear include “American Idol” season four runner-up Bo Bice, The Artimus Pyle Band, Sean Chambers, Wilson Williams and His Platters, Tony Tyler’s newly named act Come Back Alice, the Mike Kach Group and many more. With such an impressive lineup, fans can hopefully get a chance to hear such Dickey Betts signature Allman Brothers Band classics as “Ramblin’ Man,” “In Memory of Elizabeth Reed” and “Jessica.”

Details: Dan Toler ALS Support Benefit Festival, Nov. 12 and 13 at Herschberger Ranch, 13010 Fruitville Road, Sarasota. Tickets: $20 (one day), $35 (two day pass), $100 (one day VIP), $150 (two day VIP), $5 for children ages 12 and under. For more information or to purchase tickets, call (941) 228-5099 or go online at the

Dan Toler official website: http://www.dantolerbenefit.myevent.com/?cp=1
Tickets will also be available at the ticket office on the days of the event.

“Dan’s always taken care of everybody around him,” said Mark Serio, charity event co-organizer and Mike Kach Group guitarist. “He’s a wonderful cat who I’ve known for 30 years and I would do anything for him. “This is a labor of love for all of us,” Serio added.

A resident of Manatee County’s Whitfield neighborhood, “Dangerous” Dan Toler played guitar in Great Southern before Betts, a resident of Sarasota, landed him The Allman Brothers Band gig in 1979. Toler can be heard on three ABB albums, including the group’s comeback Enlightened Rogues, which reached No. 9 on the Billboard album chart.

The Brothers disbanded in 1982 and Gregg Allman (a former Manatee County resident) formed his namesake solo band with Toler and recently deceased sibling David “Frankie” Toler on drums. Together they recorded the 1986 album, I’m No Angel, which produced the hit title track.

Toler rejoined Great Southern in 2002 and stayed for several years before leaving to pursue various other projects. He announced he had ALS in August of 2011. That same month a highly successful fund-raiser was held for Toler at Aces Live in Bradenton.

If you cannot attend, but would like to send a donation for Dan’s ALS medical treatment, send it to:

Dan Toler, ALS
PO Box 1786
Tallevast, FL 34270

“Like” Bman and get support for your favorite band or venue - click HERE

SEVERN RECORDS NAMED RECIPIENT OF 2012 KEEPING THE BLUES ALIVE AWARD FROM THE BLUES FOUNDATION

SEVERN RECORDS NAMED RECIPIENT OF 2012 KEEPING THE BLUES ALIVE AWARD FROM THE BLUES FOUNDATION

ANNAPOLIS, MD – The Blues Foundation in Memphis announced on Tuesday the recipients of its annual Keeping the Blues Alive Awards, and named Annapolis-based Severn Records as the honoree in the Record Label category. Recipients of the KBA

Awards will be honored during a recognition brunch Saturday, February 4, 2012, in Memphis, Tennessee. Each year, The Blues Foundation presents the KBA Awards to individuals and organizations that have made significant contributions to blues music. The KBA ceremony will be held in conjunction with the 28th International Blues Challenge (IBC), which begins January 31 and features the final rounds of the world’s largest and most prestigious blues music competition, as well as seminars, showcases, and receptions for blues societies, fans, and professionals.

The KBAs are awarded on the basis of merit by a select panel of blues professionals to those working to actively promote and document the music. “This year’s recipients showcase the breadth and diversity of the blues music community. The honorees range from a Mississippi juke joint to a Polish blues festival, from an educator specializing in the diddley bow and the khalam to one of rock’s most legendary guitarists, from a volunteer public radio jock to a television program reaching millions, but they all share a passion to bring the music to the people,” notes Jay Sieleman, Blues Foundation Executive Director.

Severn Records was founded in 1997 by David Earl and released its first three albums in 1998. Since that time, Severn has released over 50 critically-acclaimed titles. As one of the finest labels recording traditional and soul blues, Severn artists and recordings have been nominated for over 25 Blues Music Awards. Its roster of artists includes Tad Robinson, Lou Pride, Sugar Ray and the Bluetones, Darrell Nulisch, Johnny Moeller, The Chicago Blues Harmonica Project, Mike Morgan, Nora Jean Bruso, Clarence Spady, Big Joe & the Dynaflows, Steve Guyger, and many others. Severn Records will be announcing several new exciting artist signings over the next few months and recently moved into a state of the art, 3,100 square foot space that will house the label's offices and studios in Annapolis.

Tickets to the KBA ceremony are sold only as part of the IBC Big Blue ticket package, available online at www.blues.org or by calling 901.527.2583.

“Like” Bman and get support for your favorite band or venue - click HERE

Last week, JC Brooks and the Uptown Sound released their Bloodshot Records debut, Want More

Last week, JC Brooks and the Uptown Sound released their Bloodshot Records debut, Want More, an 11-song collection of soul crooning, R&B horn pops, and a raw post-punk aesthetic. Metromix mentioned that the album, “Sounds like the MC5 jamming with Otis Redding’s horn section.”

Following the release of their first single from the album, “Everything Will Be Fine” (available for download below), the band has followed up with a music video for the song as well. Co-created by the band and folks at Chicago’s storied Second City, the video is a fusing of retro ‘80s Dial-A-Lawyer commercials and a narrative that brings JC Brooks and the Uptown Sound from the street to the board room.

In addition to the main video, the band also made five short teaser videos that showcase their well-intentioned but somewhat misinformed manager, Glenn Peacock.

#1 “The Interview” - http://youtu.be/RaLWkVibVoQ

#2 “Wilco” - http://youtu.be/6tV2J8_Kky0

#3 “Bullies” - http://youtu.be/gcHAYcinJ8M

#4 “Shocktober” - http://youtu.be/MgkaMRqiik0

#5 “The Manager” - http://youtu.be/C_TRhRQ3n0E

*MP3>>RollingStone.com MP3 download of “Everything Will Be Fine.”

*STREAM>>NPR Music Song of the Day spotlighted the tune “I Got High.”

Want More 2011 Tour Dates:

11/3/2011	The Book & Stage at the Cosmopolitan	Las Vegas	NV
11/4/2011	The Book & Stage at the Cosmopolitan	Las Vegas	NV
11/5/2011	The Book & Stage at the Cosmopolitan	Las Vegas	NV
11/7/2011	The Doug Fir	Portland	OR
11/8/2011	The Triple Door	Seattle	WA
11/10/2011	Bottom of The Hill	San Francisco	CA
11/11/2011	Satellite	Los Angeles	CA
11/12/2011	Soda Bar	San Diego	CA
11/13/2011	Club Congress	Tucson	AZ
11/14/2011	Crescent Ballroom	Phoenix	AZ
11/16/2011	The Mohawk	Austin	TX
11/29/2011	Horseshoe Tavern	Toronto	Canada
12/1/2011	Beachland Tavern	Cleveland	OH
12/2/2011	The Basement	Columbus	OH
12/9/2011	Main St. in Over The Rhine	Cincinnati	OH
12/10/2011	Off Broadway	St. Louis	MO
12/14/2011	Black Cat	Washington	DC
12/15/2011	Kung Fu Necktie	Philadelphia	PA
12/16/2011	Mercury Lounge	New York	NY
12/30/2011	Schubas Tavern	Chicago	IL
12/31/2011	Schubas Tavern	Chicago	IL

Here’s what folks are saying:

JC Brooks and the Uptown Sound describe themselves as a post-punk soul band, but their sound is so much more expansive than that. Uptown Sound is on par with soul musicians from the heyday of the genre’s popularity. – Paste Magazine

This Chicago band’s second album is a lively set of gritty old-school soul and funk injected with some raw garage-rock aggression. An energetic blend of tight, funky rhythms, stabbing horns, keyboards and guitars accompanies frontman JC Brooks, whose impressive vocals gracefully glide between grainy shouting and smooth crooning with some spine-tingling falsetto on songs ranging from hedonistic party starters to socially conscious anthems. – Don Yates, KEXP

Neo-Soul glory. – New York Times

A cross between the Chambers Brothers and agit-punks The Make-Up, Mr. Brooks and Co. are one of the hottest US soul acts right now. – MOJO Magazine

“Like” Bman and get support for your favorite band or venue - click HERE

BROTHER DEGE TO KICK-OFF BENELUX TOUR TOMORROW IN THE NETHERLANDS

CAJUN SLIDE BLUES MUSICIAN BROTHER DEGE TO KICK-OFF BENELUX TOUR TOMORROW IN THE NETHERLANDS

IN SUPPORT OF HIS WELL-RECEIVED DEBUT FULL-LENGTH ALBUM FOLK SONGS OF THE AMERICAN LONGHAIR

Get ready for some raw dirt, railroad pounding, swamp-fried, Louisiana Mekong Delta blues music. Like the mad lovechild of Robert Johnson and Jim Morrison, Dege Legg (aka Brother Dege), the Cajun-born and Louisiana-raised leader of the band Santeria, will be performing a November tour of Belgium & The Netherlands in support of his “slide/Dobro record” entitled Folk Songs Of The American Longhair, produced by four-time Grammy-winner Tony Daigle (Dr. John, Sonny Landreth, Gatemouth Brown, Bobby Charles), Legg and Primo (also from Santeria). This is Delta Blues for the 21st Century, raging out of the swamplands of Louisiana. Dripping with atmosphere and backwoods noir. The real deal—death-obsessed, god-fearing, foot stomping acoustic blues steeped in the devilish myths and haunted ambience that permeates every inch of Louisiana. Factor in some Historic longhaired rock & roll influences – from Sabbath to Black Flag – and you’ve got an art project and anthropological study wrapped in one time traveling package.

Folk Songs of the American Longhair takes the listener on a mind-bending, soul-crushing slide guitar journey into the backroads of the Deep South. Legg composed ten original tunes in the Delta-slide tradition, paying tribute to the old masters while pushing into the apocalyptic future. Much like the field recordings of Alan Lomax, the record tunnels into the ancient mysteries of pre-war blues, recorded in sheds, old houses and open fields. It’s like Son House at a surrealist convention.

Dege Legg is one of the best-kept secrets in the Deep South: an award-winning writer & musician from Lafayette, Louisiana. In 1994, he founded the underground southern-psych rock band, Santeria, which toured and gigged for 10 years in relative obscurity, pounding out a strange variety of "southern rock" that relied less on chest-thumping and beer guzzling, and more with concentrating their creative energies on expressing the isolation and loneliness of the modern south - at times loud and overbearing and alternately quiet, subdued and withdrawn. Over the years, he’s explored nearly every corner of weirdness imaginable in the Deep South from jails to homeless camps to driving a taxicab to being a staff writer for the alt-weekly The Independent Weekly.

BROTHER DEGE BENELUX TOUR DATES

Thursday 3 November: The Rambler, Eindhoven, Netherlands - www.therambler.nl

Friday 4 November: Morrison's Pub, Rossum , Netherlands - www.morrisons.nl

Saturday 5 November, middag: JaBo Gumbo Show, Radio 6 - http://gumbo.radio6.nl/ Nix Bluesclub, Enschede, Netherlands - www.bluesclub.nl

Sunday 6 November: De Groot, Eindhoven, Netherlands - www.kaffeedegroot.com

Monday 7 November: private function

Tuesday 8 November: Cultuurhuis, Heerlen, Netherlands - www.cultuurhuisheerlen.nl

Wednesday 9 November: De Bromfiets, Bonheiden, Belgium - www.denbromfiets.be

Thursday 10 November: De Bunker, Gemert, Netherlands - www.bunkergemert.nl

Friday 11 November: De Loods, Aarschot, Belgium - www.knoet.be

Saturday 12 November: Blaublues, Haringe , Belgium (B)- www.blaublues.be

Sunday 13 November: De Brouwerij, Asten, Netherlands - www.blastblues.nl en www.indebrouwerij.nl

HERE’S WHAT PEOPLE ARE SAYING ABOUT BROTHER DEGE:

[4/5 stars] There ain’t anybody else out there doing it like this. Dege Legg (aka Brother Dege) is an anomaly – a one-man slide, country blues Dobro player, born & raised in the Cajun prairielands of southern Louisiana. With no label, no big budget promo, no hype, and no BS, his self-released album 'Folk Songs of the American Longhair' his been making its way around the world like the little engine that could." - UNCUT

“Santeria frontman Dege Legg presents himself here as Brother Dege, a guitar-slidin’ force of nature whose songs could fill a hall with their effortless, mostly-acoustic verve. Ranging from quietly desperate to careening full-tilt boogie, Folksongs of the American Longhair is a testament to the idea that less can, in fact, be considerably more. Fans of slide guitar, Southern gothic, or plain old rock & roll attitude need to run, not walk, and check out Brother Dege ASAP. This outstanding record is a case study in how one guy with a steel guitar and minimal accompaniment can out-rock a roomful of electric bombast, given the right songs, the right skills, and the right voice. Brother Dege has ‘em all." - POPMATTERS

"... an updated perspective of the age-old Delta blues. Compared to the mammoth sound production of his Lafayette electric-rock groups Santeria and Black Bayou Construkt, here Dege works in an austere one-man band setting reminiscent of his inspirations. After that, it’s his own game: one slide-stinging dobro and a helluva stomping foot." - DAN WILLGING / OFFBEAT MAGAZINE

“Swampy, post-Americana blues…” – RIVERFRONT TIMES / ST. LOUIS

“…offbeat, moaning swamp-guitar gems” – PHILLY.COM

“Great stuff indeed!” - RAVEN’ N’ BLUES RADIO / LONDON

If you’re interested in the evolution of local music, Brother Dege’s show is not to be missed. – THE TIMES / LAFAYETTE, LA

“Really one of the most outstanding CDs I’ve heard this year so far. Great slide guitar, great vocals and production. Outstanding.” – DON CAMPAU / NO PIGEONHOLES RADIO

“Folk Songs Of The American Longhair is in the tradition of the slide guitar Delta blues tradition, but with Legg’s own twist.” – CLASSIC ROCK MAGAZINE / U.K.

“I don’t hear this type of music enough of these days. “ – WTUL RADIO / NEW ORLEANS

“… sounds both ancient and modern, like an indie-rock cover of something Alan Lomax may have recorded a hundred years ago.” – THE MIDNIGHT CAFE

“…harrowing, stripped-down Delta-blues which was recorded in sheds, old houses and open fields for maximum intensity. There’s minimal instrumentation on Folk Songs Of The American Longhair. In fact it is a return to the unprocessed basics, almost all of the tracks feature only one vocal, one slide guitar and one foot stomping. Hard.

If you like Seasick Steve, then this is voodoo drenched genuine article. Think William Elliott Whitmore meets Leonard Cohen at a seance in the swamps.” – MAD MACKEREL / U.K.

"The American Folk Songs Of Long Hair" is an album that continues to captivate with each listen. A must!” – ALT COUNTRY FORUM / NETHERLANDS

“Folk Songs of The American Longhair is a Delta Blues masterpiece and Brother Dege is, dare I say, the Robert Johnson of the 21^st Century.” – ROOTSVILLE / BELGIUM

“Twangy guitar, a foot stomping rhythm and soulful vocals, Brother Dege is pure blues that doesn't layer on anything unnecessary.” – PLUG-IN MUSIC

“Folk Songs of The American Longhair is an iconic, bare bones Delta blues record, just Dege and a Dobro, and the steel on every song echoes like falling tears in a mausoleum. It’s a chilling portrait of death and redemption, an ode to the long road, and each and every slide draws you down into the earth’s waiting dirt.” – BROKEN BEARD

“Dege Legg, from Louisiana, comes armed with a dobro and echoing voice. Ten masterful tunes spiced in Cajun delta blues and steeped in bubbling bayou mushroom tea. Recorded in a shed in Southern Louisiana these sonic vignettes are equal parts foreboding, mysterious, and inspiring. Tunes for the weary eyed freight train hopper or the soundtrack for a rustic Americana slideshow when salvation comes due. Up tempo Gulf coast pyschedelia that even at its bleakest will have your feet tapping. Enough good things can't be said about this album.” - COSMATOMIC BLOG

“Brother Dege writes brilliant visual texts that are at the same time spiritual and macabre, but always with the soul of a Cajun bluesman.” - ROOTSTIME / BELGIUM

“Like” Bman and get support for your favorite band or venue - click HERE