Jon Spear Band Upcoming Appearances

The Jon Spear Band hails from Central Virginia and consists of Andy Burdetsky on bass; Dara James on lead vocals, guitar and harmonica; Jon Spear on guitar and vocals; and John Stubblefield on drums.    Upcoming Appearances .... We are fortunate to be performing at quite a few outstanding venues over the next few months, including the upcoming Parkfest Blues Festival on Saturday May 9, where we'll be joined by nationally-known artists Debbie Davies and JP Soars and the Red Hots along with some other fine bands.  If you want a preview of the talent that will be at Parkfest, you can hear all the artists on the latest BluzNdBlood podcast from Dave Harrison. Parkfest has such a great lineup that we'd go there even if we weren't playing!  Debbie Davies is an award-winning singer, songwriter, and guitar player of extraordinary talent.  A professional musician since the early 1980s, Debbie ranks among the top blues artists in the country. She has received ten nominations for Blues Music Awards, and in 1997 and 2010 won the award for Best Contemporary Female Blues Artist.  JP Soars is the winner of the 2009 International Blues Challenge and his 2011 CD "More Bees With Honey" garnered Soars a Blues Music Award nomination for "Best Contemporary Male Blues Artist of the Year," and was named both "Best Blues CD" and "Album of the Year" by the Palm Beach Post.  Additional artists at Parkfest include Anthony Rosano and the Conqueroos and In Layman Terms. Here are some additional venues where you can enjoy our music in the near future:  ★ Friday, May 8 @ Miller's Downtown Charlottesville 10pm ★ Saturday, May 9 @  Parkfest Blues Chesterfield VA 1 pm ★ Wed., May 20 @ Heritage on Main Waynesboro VA 7 pm ★ Sunday, May 24  Blues & Brews in the Blue Ridge @ Wintergreen 11am-6pm ★ Friday, June 5, 2015 @ Old Trail Fridays After Six 6-9 pm 1005 Heathercroft Circle Crozet, VA ★ Sunday, July 5 Starr Hill Brewery Crozet VA 2:30-5 pm ★ Saturday, July 25, 2015 Batesville Market 6 pm ★ Friday, August 7, 2015 @ JV's Restaurant Falls Church VA 9 pm ★ Sunday, August 23 @ Starr Hill Brewery Crozet VA 2:30-5 pm ★ Saturday, Sept. 19 @ Blues & Brews Festival Waynesboro, VA ★ Sunday, Sept. 27, 2015 @ The Camel Richmond VA 8pm

'OLD SOUL' Rises to #13 on National "Top 50" Blues Chart The latest weekly Roots Music Report (April 29) has just been published and the Jon Spear Band's "Old Soul" CD has risen to #13 on the national Contemporary Blues Album "Top 50" Chart.  The album is also #2 on the Virginia Chart with four of our songs listed among the top 16.  Meanwhile, across the pond, our CD is listed at #17 in the Top 50 list compiled monthly by the UK Independent Blues Broadcasters Association (March 2).  To date, our CD has been heard on over 60 stations on every continent except Antarctica, and we've signed up fans as far away as Japan,South Africa and Australia.   We've also had regular airplay on Siriusxm Bluesville for which we're very appreciative.  This wouldn't have been possible without the great work of Ravensworth Studios and producer Andy Waldeck along with Betsie Brown at Blind Raccoon who's been awesome in bringing our music to the attention of DJs and blues writers around the world.  We are also deeply appreciative of the Charlottesville-area stations that support local artists by playing their music: WTJU, WMRA and WNRN.  Latest Reviews of "Old Soul" "[The Devil's Highway] is one of those kind of songs that lyrically and musically could fit nicely into several music genres. It's blues, it's rock and give it to Toby Keith and it's a number one country hit. Well written, well sung and well performed." – Peter "Blewzzman" Lauro. Blues Editor @ www.Mary4Music.com "Old Soul is a highly enjoyable set of blues and soul that features some impressive original tunes. The veteran Spear, the rock-solid rhythm section, and the gifted young James proves to be a winning combination on this release."  – Graham Clarke. Blues Bytes Magazine "Forever Home is a laid back country blues track with strong radio appeal. A light slide guitar riff behind the clear vocals of James makes this track an absolute pop standout. With it's jazzy attack and nice harp work, this track is the most well rounded track on the release."  – Bman's Blues Report "The Jon Spear Band bring excellent musicianship, strong lyrics, and a rising star in young Dara James.  'Old Soul' is a fine debut from some of Virginia’s finest!"  – Sheryl and Don Crow donandsherylsbluesblog. "This central Virginia band has a definite old soul when it comes to their heartfelt nod to blues and soul, running a gamut of delectable styles. Some very intelligent songwriting, excellent musicianship and lyrics that delve into deep recesses one second and speak plainly the next flavor this debut with vibrant life and listenability"  – Mark E. Waterbury Music Morsels Reviews If you're interested in purchasing a copy of Old Soul, you can buy it directly from us at one of our upcoming gigs, or go to one of the online retailers who carry it  – CD Baby, Amazon.com and iTunes.

Roy Rogers New Album Coming June 3rd Into The Wild Blue

ROY ROGERS  NEW ALBUM COMING JUNE 3RD INTO THE WILD BLUE

Into the Wild Blue coming June 2, 2015 Slide guitar master, Roy Rogers, again breaks new ground with his latest and highly anticipated solo album, Into the Wild Blue. Widely known for his work with The Delta Rhythm Kings, John Lee Hooker and Ray Manzarek, Grammy Award-winning Rogers blazes his own path with a solid collection of vocal and instrumental jams and ballads that breaks free from the restraints of convention, unfurling the genres of blues, rock and roots to exotic and exciting faraway places. Into the Wild Blue is Rogers' first solo effort in five years and is a distillation of a lifetime of myriad musical knowledge and experience; its multiplicity of styles are clearly steeped in tradition but reflect a broad musical sensibility. Rogers' background as a producer, songwriter, singer and unparalleled slide guitarist is extensive: a gifted guitar player by age 13 and influenced by legendary blues icon Robert Johnson, Rogers spent much of his youth hanging out in the vibrant San Francisco music scene during the 60's, gigging solo and with various bands in and around his native Northern California. In 1982, Rogers toured with John Lee Hooker, recording with him in the 90's as well as with BB King and even Miles Davis - experiences that would profoundly expand and mature his musical acumen - honing his exceptional writing, producing and performance talents. It was during this time when Rogers racked up eight Grammy nominations.  A year in the making, Into the Wild Blue is a showcase for Rogers' considerable slide guitar ability; clean and smooth licks executed with deft precision while ranging in mood from Southern Roadhouse Rock & Blues to ethereal and contemplative instrumentals and ballads. Into the Wild Blue kicks off with hard driving guitar in "Last Go-Round" - a rollicking and highly-danceable piece - that puts Rogers' searing slide-skills front and center. Whether through Rogers' thoughtful, poetic verse, driving rhythms or celestial instrumentals, every song is a chapter in a book you can't put down. In "Got to Believe" Rogers exquisitely arranges strings and slide with stirring female backup vocals - delivering audio alchemy that weaves rock, blues and soul into a bumping, full-bodied and tightly-produced arrangement. Tales of redemption, release and rejoice are delicately arranged in "Song for Robert (A Brother's Lament)". In this moving tribute to his brother, Rogers merges self-reflection, hope and celebration into a sublime, heartfelt instrumental that paints a picture and tells a story - all without saying a word. According to Roy Rogers, "I want to celebrate life through music." Into the Wild Blue achieves that mission and presents an enticing offering that transcends time-tested genres while putting Rogers' vast and ardent abilities on full display. PRE-ORDER INTO THE WILD BLUE & LISTEN ON iTUNES & AMAZON

Follow Roy Rogers www.roy-rogers.com

OUT TOMORROW (5/5): Otis Taylor's 'Hey Joe Opus/Red Meat' features guests Warren Haynes, Langhorne Slim, String Cheese Incident

ROOTS MUSIC VISIONARY OTIS TAYLOR CREATES ATIMELESSS PSYCHEDELIC ALBUM AND DEBUTS HIS TRANCE BLUES FESTIVAL LABEL Hey Joe Opus/Red Meat seamlessly blends hypnotic songs and instrumentals; features guests Warren Haynes, Langhorne Slim and String Cheese Incident’s Bill Nershi, out May 5

BOULDER, Colo. — Hey Joe Opus/Red Meat, the new album from visionary roots music songwriter and bandleader Otis Taylor, is a psychedelic masterpiece. Blending his uniquely poetic songwriting and the compelling musical approach that he calls “trance blues,” the recording — due on May 5, 2015 on Taylor’s new Trance Blues Festival label — cuts to the core of the human spirit with its mix of vocal and instrumental performances, letting its hypnotic sound as well as Taylor’s lyrics tell its story. The artist explains that his 14th album is “about decisions and their consequences. It’s about how decisions and the actions that result can change our lives, the lives of our families and the lives of people we don’t even know. Sometimes you win in life; sometimes you lose. You want the outcome of your decisions to be good, but sometimes its bad. And that’s when you don’t eat the meat. The meat eats you.” Typical for Taylor, he’s found a unique way of expressing those ideas in a grand work. The songs on Hey Joe Opus/Red Meat comprise a suite in 10 parts, designed to be heard as a complete recording, with the classic song of decisions and their consequences “Hey Joe” as its overarching theme. That number, made famous as the debut single from the Jimi Hendrix Experience in 1966, was written by folk artist Billy Roberts and has intrigued Taylor and been part of his live concerts for two decades. In a gambit that recalls Pink Floyd’s use of recurring musical themes on their enduring multi-platinum album Wish You Were Here, “Hey Joe” appears on Hey Joe Opus/Red Meat twice. The first version, which starts the album, features Gov’t Mule and Allman Brothers guitarist Warren Haynes. The second features Langhorne Slim on backing vocals. Haynes also plays on the first of three appearances of the Taylor composition “Sunday Morning,” which follows. His bold guitar tones mesh perfectly with Taylor’s sonic tapestry as both songs set the tone for the album. The recurring motifs in “Sunday Morning” are especially striking, drawing on powerful, single-chord rhythms and the interplay of Taylor band members Todd Edmunds on bass, guitarist Taylor Scott, drummer Larry Thompson and violinist Anne Harris, who often plays melodic and textural foil to Taylor’s idiosyncratic, mesmerizing guitar. They’re joined by keyboardists Gus Skinas and Steve Vidaic, cornetist Ron Miles, banjo player David Moore and, on “Peggy Lee,” a song about a man undergoing a sex change, String Cheese Incident guitarist Bill Nershi. Together they bring Taylor’s unfailingly brilliant ideas to kaleidoscopic life. The album introduces four more new Taylor songs. “The Heart Is a Muscle” is a driving tune about the complexities of love and “Cold at Midnight” mixes loneliness and infidelity into Taylor’s potent aural swirl. There’s also “Red Meat,” driven by Taylor playing his signature model Santa Cruz acoustic guitar, and the elegant instrumental “They Wore Blue,” which transitions the album into its second half.  “I’m always trying to find something different to do with each album,” says Taylor. “It gets harder with each one I make, but I really enjoy the idea of challenging myself to find new ways to tell stories and make art.” His previous album, 2013’s My World Is Gone, explored the struggles of Native Americans and enlisted the virtuoso guitar of Indigenous frontman Mato Nanji, who is a member of the Nakota Nation. Taylor has been pursuing his own singular musical vision — a fusion of the primal hum of raw, primitive blues and contemporary, free-ranging expressionism — since the 1960s, when the banjoist, guitarist, bassist and harmonica player first toured the U.S. and Europe with a variety of blues-based bands including Zephyr, for whom Taylor played bass, and G&O Short Line, which included legendary guitarist Tommy Bolin. Taylor left the music business in 1977 to pursue dealing in art and antiques, and to raise a family. (His daughter Cassie has appeared on many of his recordings singing and playing bass, and today is a recording artist in her own right.) He also pursued his passion for bicycle racing, as a coach. During the ’90s, Taylor was drawn back into music making by friends in the Boulder area. By 1996 and the arrival of his debut album Blue-Eyed Monster, he was performing once again. With the release of his next two discs, When Negroes Walked the Earth and White African, Taylor began to emerge as a singular voice in the American roots scene, acclaimed here and abroad for his riveting music and his unflinching honesty in writing about racism, struggle, freedom, heritage and the complications of human life. To date he has received 16 Blues Music Award (BMA) nominations. White African captured a BMA for best debut album. Taylor is also nominated regularly as an instrumentalist for his banjo playing, and won a Blues Music Award for his original style in 2009, following the release of Recapturing the Banjo, an album that examined the instrument’s deep African roots. His albums Double V, Definition of a Circle and Recapturing the Banjo all won DownBeat’s Best Blues CD award in 2005, 2007 and 2008, respectively. He also took the magazine’s Critic’s Choice Award for Best Blues Album for 2003’s Truth Is Not Fiction. And Taylor has been nominated two times for the prestigious Académie Charles Cros award in France, winning the Grand Prix du Disc for Blues in 2012. Three years ago, Contraband — his 12th album — took the DownBeat Critics’ Choice award again for Blues Album of the Year. In 2009 Taylor’s Pentatonic Wars and Love Songs was unveiled the same week that two of his tunes appeared in the Hollywood blockbuster Public Enemy, directed by Michael Mann and starring Johnny Depp and Christian Bale. Previously his music had appeared in the 2007 Mark Wahlberg vehicle Shooter. And in 2000 Taylor was a fellow in the Sundance Institute’s Film Music Program.   In 2010 Taylor began his Trance Blues Festival, which gives his new label its name, in Boulder, Colorado. The annual event brings a broad cast of professional and amateur musicians together for three days of performances, jams and workshops. This year’s Trance Blues Festival will be held at the eTown Theater in Boulder on November 7. “Music is not a spectator sport,” he observes. “In a world where there is a lot of misunderstanding, music can help people communicate and break down barriers, and really start to see each other for who they are.” His songs also lend perspective, thanks to the spare and insightful lyrics and elemental music that’s always at the core of his albums, including Hey Joe Opus/Red Meat. “My music,” says Taylor, “is always about the truth. People care about the truth, because the truth is important. And I want people to care about my songs, because I push myself very hard to create each album and make it the best that I possibly can. My albums are my legacy, and I want them to endure.”

Rock And Roll Hall Of Famer Elvin Bishop To Appear On CONAN on May 11

Blues guitar master Elvin Bishop -- newly inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame -- will appear on TBS' CONAN on Monday, May 11. The legendary guitarist will sit in with Jimmy Vivino and the Basic Cable Band for the duration of the show.

Last month, Bishop was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame for the groundbreaking music he made with The Paul Butterfield Blues Band. Bishop's latest solo album, Can't Even Do Wrong Right, has been hailed as the best of his long career. Rolling Stone says the CD is "among Bishop’s very best...Impeccable playing by a legendary guitarist…engaging singing and most notably, good spirits…a great showing for a distinguished American player."

Can't Even Do Wrong Right finds Bishop playing, writing and singing some of the most distinctive blues and roots music today. The album proves that Bishop is as vital and creative an artist now as he was when he first hit the national scene in 1965 with The Paul Butterfield Blues Band. He is as slyly good-humored and instantly crowd-pleasing as he was when he was scoring Southern rock-styled hits during the 1970s. For five decades, he has never stopped touring or releasing instantly recognizable music featuring his inventive playing, easygoing vocals, witty lyrics and good-time humor.

In addition to his new album and his Rock Hall induction, Bishop's 1975 hit Fooled Around And Fell In Love found new life in the 2014 box-office smash Guardians Of The Galaxy. The soundtrack hit #1 on the Billboard Top 200 chart and received a Grammy Award nomination.

Eller Soul Records artist: The Nighthawks - Back Porch Party - New Release Review

I just received the newest release, Back Porch Party, from The Nighthawks and I really like it. Recorded live at Montrose Studio in Richmond Virginia, this release keeps the volume nice and easy but the enthusiasm is high. Opening with Rock This House, Mark Wenner has got the harp cooking and, Wenner, Paul Bell (guitar), Johnny Castle (bass) and Mark Stutso (drums) harmonize nicely on vocals. Bell tosses in his own jazz filled riffs on guitar for a nice topper. Hot start! On Walkin' After Midnight, The Nighthawks get a easy pace, Wenner taking center stage on vocal and harp. Down In The Hole has a Latin rhythm with Bell emphasizing the tempo. The band breaks into a smooth shuffle and Wenner carries a nice harp solo throughout. Ike Turner's Matchbox is up next with a R&B swing. I really like Wenner's harp solo on this track which almost takes off. Bell gets a cool swing going on guitar as well with some dynamic chords. Super! Willie Dixon's Tiger In Your Tank is up next with it's fast paced rock beat. Bell takes one of his nicest solos on the release on this track blending picking and slide for a hot run. Bassist Johnny Castle's Jana Lee is a real rock and roller with a solid driving beat. The Nighthawks preserved a lot of Muddy Waters Rollin' Stone track with it's honest original feel. Swing rocker, Guard Your Heart, has Wenner back center stage with a real nice harp roll. Certainly one of my favorite tracks on the release. Down To My Last Million Tears is an old school blues rockers. Stutso's drum work does a lot to emphasize the pace and both Wenner and Bell take nice leads on the track. Fast paced rock a billy track Hey Miss Hey really lets Wenner cook on harp. A fast paced blues run by Bell and Castles driving bass runs pushed by Stutso gives this track a tight feel. Otis Hicks' Rooster Blues is a great rocker with Bell taking guitar solos and Wenner punctuating his phrases and then Wenner dishing out his own heat. Very nice! Wrapping the release is Back to The City, a smoking rocker with Wenner leading the way. This is a really nice jam with a great pace set by Bell and Wenner going over the top on harp and even a cool bass solo by Castle. Hot!

  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”

 

Delmark Records artist; J.B. Hutto & His Hawks - Hawk Squat - New release Review

I just received the newest release, Hawk Squat, from J.B. Hutto and His Hawks with Sunnyland Slim and it's dynamite! This is a reissue of tracks recorded in 1966 and 1978, six of which are previously unreleased. Opening with Speak My Mind, Elmore James' influence on Hutto is immediately apparent. With classic James style slide riffs, Hutto launches and hits square on the target. His slide work is raw, real and hot! Excellent! Sunnyland Slim leads the way on slower blues track, If You Change Your Mind, and Hutto with his unmistakable vocals and slide work are backed by Dave Myers on bass, Frank Kirkland and Mauricce McIntyre on sax. Too Much Pride again shows the strong work of Slim on piano and Hutto on vocal and slide. McIntyre makes his presence known with cool sax backing. Great shuffle track, What Can You Get Outside That You Can't Get At Home has a real nice groove and shows Lee Jackson on lead guitar as well as Hutto on slide joined by Junior Pettis on bass. Sowing down the pace a bit, Hutto cries out The Same Mistake Twice. This track is particularly powerful with Hutto showing that he's equally effective as a lead vocalist as a slide player. Very strong! 20% Alcohol is a real cool blues rocker again with Jackson on guitar. Cool shuffle rocker, Hip Shakin' shows strong signs of early rock and roll. Aside from his distinct vocal style and trademark slide tone, this tone has totally dofferent characteristics than the balance and i really like it! Slow blues track, The Feeling Is Gone, is super with the general feel of The Sky Is Crying. Slim creates tension with his organ work but it's Hutto's vocals and slide work that really sets this track on into space. Excellent! Notoriety Woman has a distinctive Chicago sound and as fresh as the day it was cut. Too Late is another slow track with heavy slide work. Backed again by slim on organ, this track is spot on with excellent vocals and expressive slide work. Send Her Home To Me has a scatter lead guitar technique which is quite effective. I don't know that Hutto gets the credit as a vocalist that he deserves but these tracks are really hot! Slim takes a organ solo on this track and Hutto's guitar work is cool. Wrapping the original release is a fast paced blues track, title track Hawk Squat, and features an extended sax solo from McIntyre. An extended jam track with light cymbal work, a full kit drum solo and organ makes this a great track to conclude a release that I feel should be in every collection. There are 6 additional tracks on this release that were not included on the earlier release. This track, I'll Cry Tomorrow, is a great addition with heartfelt vocals interesting guitar work. The balance of the tracks are alternate tracks (included herein) and each has a fresh approach. Included are Speak My Mind (1&2), Too Much Pride, Hawk Squat and The Same Mistake Twice. I am really impressed by this release and it's quality not only in musicianship but in production quality. There is also 18 page booklet included with an additional 18 photos. A 2014 introduction by Bob Koester and original liner notes from 1968 by Bob and Sue Koester make for an interesting read.  

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”

Jumping Jack Records artist: Delta Moon - Low Down - New release review

I just received the newest release (May 5, 2015), Low Down, from Delta Moon and it's a warm mix of blues rock, country and radio play. Opening with Wrong Side Of Town, a blues rocker with Tom Gray on lead vocal and Mark Johnson playing bottleneck on a Rickenbacker spanish-electro guitar. A catchy melody and a JJ Cale like feel, this track should easily catch airplay. On New Orleans rhythm track, Afterglow, again has nice slide work with nice drum work from Marion Patton and bass work from Franher Joseph. Mark Johnson and Gray trade guitar riffs giving the track texture. Nothing You Can Tell A Fool has Muddy Waters like slide work from Johnson. Heavy tom tom work from Patton and backing vocals from Francine Reed, Johnson and Joseph nicely compliment the shimmery slide work throughout. Mean Streak has a solid radio theme and a slight funk on the bottom. Both lead and slide riffs on this track add nicely to the composition. Two stepper, Lowdown, a Tom Waits track, is my favorite track of the first half of the release with free wheelin' slide work from Johnson. Bob Dylan's, Down In The Flood, has a really cool feel with a underlying slide rhythm track. Johnson plays some of his nice slide riffs on this track and Francine Reeds vocals are a really nice addition. Cool rhythm is what it's all about on Open All Night. A rich drum rhythm with a really nice slide part and topped by Gray on harp makes this another of my favorite tracks on the release. Rock driver Shark In The Dark has super potential as a radio player with it's catchy melody, slide riffs and perfectly clicked vocals, set off by a clever drum part. Skip James' Hard Time Killing Floor Blues takes a more acoustic feel with Johnson on resonator and Gray laying down an eerie pedal steel slide. Cool track. Easy rocker, Matfly, is another track with strong airplay potential with Anna Kramer backing Gray on vocal and real slick slide work contrasted against a rock drum beat. Jelly Roll is an uptempo blues rocker with solid roots on the early blues. This track is my pick for the best track on the release with great slide work, a perfect groove and nicely blended vocals. Wrapping the release is Jacky Ray with a funky groove. Joseph lays down a cool bass line balanced against Gray on vocal and organ. Johnson has a saturated tone on guitar and slide giving the track an extra warm feeling. Nice conclusion to an overall cool 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”

 

Erja Lyytinen tour news story/ new live video

Erja Lyytinen is to release a new live album Live In London, via Tuohi Records on June 8^th. Dovetailing the release of the new album, Erja will embark on a 12-date UK tour this October along with a string of UK festival appearances.

2015 UK TOUR DATES

LINTON FESTIVAL                                                             FRIDAY JUNE 19

DURHAM BLUES FESTIVAL                                           SATURDAY JUNE 20

CLEETHORPES BLUES FESTIVAL                                  SUNDAY JUNE 21

DARLINGTON, DARLINGTON BLUES CLUB             FRIDAY OCTOBER 2

SHEFFIELD, THE GREYSTONES                                    SATURDAY OCTOBER 3

BARNES, BULL'S HEAD                                                   MONDAY OCTOBER 5

WOLVERHAMPTON, ROBIN 2                                     WEDNESDAY OCTOBER 7

EDINBURGH, VOODOO ROOMS                                THURSDAY OCTOBER 8

KEIGHLEY, KEIGHLEY BLUES CLUB                            FRIDAY OCTOBER 9

OXFORD, HAVEN MUSIC CLUB                                   MONDAY OCTOBER 12

EVESHAM, IRON DOOR                                                 WEDNESDAY OCTOBER 14

CHISLEHURST, BEAVERWOOD CLUB                        THURSDAY OCTOBER 15

SUTTON, BOOM BOOM CLUB                                     FRIDAY OCTOBER 16

CHESTER, CHESTER BLUES FESTIVAL                        SATURDAY OCTOBER 17

FROME, FROME BLUES FESTIVAL                              SUNDAY OCTOBER 18

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”

 

New Cash Box Kings release out this Tuesday, April 28th!

NEW RELEASE FROM FAN FAVORITES THE CASH BOX KINGS! Blind Pig Records will release Holding Court, the latest album from award-winning fan favorites The Cash Box Kings, on April 28th! On this release the band continues their mission of carrying on the spirit of the 1940's and 50's post-war Chicago blues sound as well as the Delta blues music of the 20's and 30's. But these illustrious torchbear­ers also add a bravado, energy and freshness to the mix that results in a distinctive musical expe­rience. The Cash Box Kings are fronted by Joe Nosek, who writes and arranges songs, sings, and channels the spirits of Little Walter and Slim Harpo on harmonica, and singer and songwriter Oscar Wilson, a 6’3”, 300 hundred pound Muddy Waters-type throwback to the heyday of the Chicago blues scene.  No less a blues authority than Charlie Musselwhite said, "The Cash Box Kings play with taste and feel and it was faith restoring to know there are guys out there that still know and appreciate real blues."  And Living Blues said they are simply "one of the best blues bands in the land." On Holding Court The Cash Box Kings pay homage to some of the founding fathers and lesser-known artists of the Chicago blues scene, and they also throw some New Orleans, jump blues, ragtime, and swamp pop sounds into the mix. While the subject matter of many of the songs is familiar, they also touch on current issues such as the challenges of selling records and staying financially afloat in the era of digital piracy and streaming services, and the real struggle faced by many who are forced out of their neighborhoods due to the gentrification taking place in inner-city areas of Chicago and other urban centers in the U.S. The Cash Box Kings will be featured performers at this year's Chicago Blues Festival on June 13th.

RICHARD THOMPSON announces new album 'STILL' produced by JEFF TWEEDY

RICHARD THOMPSON announces new album 'STILL'
Produced by JEFF TWEEDY
Released June 29, 2015 on Proper Records
RICHARD THOMPSON ELECTRIC TRIO – UK tour in Aug & Sept 2015

“Richard Thompson is the kind of guitar player other guitar players revere. It’s not just his technique, nor the fact that he’s equally at home with an electric or an acoustic guitar. He’s also a songwriter of uncommon skill.” — NPR

"Richard's been one of my favorite guitar players for a very long time. When I think about it, he's also one of my favorite songwriters and favorite singers. He's the Ultimate Triple Threat. Getting to work closely with him on this record was a truly rewarding experience, not to mention a great thrill. And he keeps alive my streak of working exclusively with artists who make me look good as a producer." - Jeff Tweedy



FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – April 28th, 2015 – The renowned guitarist and songwriter Richard Thompson will release Still, an album of new music produced by Jeff Tweedy, on June 29, 2015 via Proper Records.

Still will be available in several configurations including a twelve-track CD, a twelve-track double 180-gram vinyl album and a deluxe CD package that includes a five-song EP from a previously un-released session.

Still was recorded in a two-story rehearsal loft in Chicago over the course of just nine days with Wilco’s Jeff Tweedy at the helm, backed by several longtime players from both Thompson’s and Tweedy’s bands. Thompson enlisted Tweedy’s production skills in an effort to shake up his own creative approach to making records. “It turned out be really good idea,” says Thompson. “Jeff is musically very sympathetic. Although some of his contributions are probably rather subtle to the listener’s ear, they were really interesting and his suggestions were always very pertinent.”

“I really tried to not have any preconceived ideas,” Thompson says of working with Tweedy, “but of course you do. I tried to shove those to the back of my mind. You don’t really know until you turn up — what the studio is like, what the gear is like. It ended up being a nice unfolding of surprises.”

The key to Still’s emotional resonance is a set of gripping new Thompson compositions rich with his signature mix of trenchant insight, gallows humor, and keen empathy for characters at the brink of being overcome by their emotions, their pasts, or themselves.

A recipient of BBC’s Lifetime Achievement Award and Mojo’s Les Paul Award, Richard Thompson was appointed Officer of the Order of the British Empire in the 2011 New Year Honours List. The Americana Music Association also recently honored him with a Lifetime Achievement Award for Songwriting. Robert Plant, REM, Elvis Costello, Bonnie Raitt and many others have recorded Thompson’s songs.

Taken as a whole, Still is a powerful dispatch from an acknowledged master who remains unafraid to put himself into demanding new environments – its title reflecting that resilience and seemingly endless resourcefulness. “Or,” Thompson adds slyly, “it could be read as ‘Is he still performing? I thought he died years ago.”

Pre-order 'Still' here:

Propermusic: http://smarturl.it/6rh581
Amazon: http://smarturl.it/gogobx
iTunes: http://smarturl.it/fkzbdk

http://www.proper-records.co.uk/richardthompson-still/

Still - TRACK LISTING:

1) She Never Could Resist A Winding Road
2) Beatnik Walking
3) Patty Don’t You Put Me Down
4) Broken Doll
5) All Buttoned Up
6) Josephine
7) Long John Silver
8) Pony In The Stable
9) Where’s Your Heart
10) No Peace No End
11) Dungeons For Eyes
12) Guitar Heroes

RICHARD THOMPSON ELECTRIC TRIO – UK TOUR DATES

Fri 28 Aug  Wareham, Dorset Purbeck Valley Folk Festival (solo)
Sun 30 Aug Shrewsbury Shrewsbury Folk Festival
Tue 01 Sep  Dublin Vicar Street
Wed 02 Sep  Perth Perth Concert Hall
Thu 03 Sep  Aberdeen Aberdeen Music Hall
Sat 05 Sep  Edinburgh Queens Hall
Sun 06 Sep  Gateshead Sage
Tue 08 Sep  Liverpool Philharmonic Hall
Wed 09 Sep  Salford Lowry
Thu 10 Sep  Sheffield City Hall
Sat 12 Sep  Nottingham Royal Centre
Sun 13 Sep  Birmingham Symphony Hall
Tue 15 Sep  Cardiff St. David's Hall
Wed 16 Sep  Bristol Colston Hall
Fri 18 Sep  Ipswich Regent Theatre
Sat 19 Sep  Cambridge Corn Exchange
Sun 20 Sep  London Royal Festival Hall

Website: http://www.richardthompson-music.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RichardThompsonMusic
Twitter:  https://twitter.com/RthompsonMusic
Instagram: https://instagram.com/rjthompsonmusic