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Wednesday, January 6, 2016

Israeli Blues Rocker's “X-Mas Blues” and “New Year’s Blues” Trigger Avalanche of New Fans on Social Media





Israeli Blues Rocker's “X-Mas Blues” and “New Year’s Blues” Trigger Avalanche of New Fans on Social Media

(Lazer Lloyd on Facebook: http://facebook.com/lazerlloyd)

CHICAGO, IL - Lazer Lloyd, known as “Israel’s King of Blues Rock,” may have released the holiday songs of the season and grown legions of new fans in the process.  His “X-Mas Blues” (link below) posted on his Facebook page, quickly drew over 400,000 views and hundreds of comments. He followed that with “New Year’s Blues” (link below), attracting over one million views, 14,000 Likes, 10,000 Shares and 1,400 emotional and enthusiastic comments from music fans discovering him for the first time. The phenomenon has continued with “Living Is to Struggle,” a non-holiday tune which has now been viewed 800,000 times with 5,700 shares. Lloyd draws large crowds in Israel and has a growing, passionate following in the U.S., where his “Burning Thunder” is the #2 song of 2015 on the Blues Rock chart and “Broken Dreams” is #6. 

People of all kinds are discovering this genre-defying artist whose music is inspiring them to make comments such as:

Mike Scott (Iowa) “Would LOVE to find where I can purchase this song. I sat here in my office for 90 minutes, listening to it - over and over. Very cool sounds. First of its kind I've ever heard.”

Scott M. Bernard (Louisiana) “You got a sound that’s out this world man! Made me think, just because we say to ourselves ‘Guess I didn’t need 'em around when they hurt me’...doesn't make it any easier to let them go. Keep on jammin brother!”

Sidney Panek (Michigan) “Don't know how you popped up on my feed, but you're sticking around. Jimmy and SRV and anyone else I can think of comes back from the dead.”

Andy Alpern (Israel) “This was the only thing that stopped my baby crying after an hour straight this morning! Thanks Lazer.”

Jonjuan Santiago  (Florida) “Wow, amazing just what I need it at this moment going through a lot at the moment and something told me to click on this video and your energy with the electric guitar gave me goosebumps, love this video thank you…Much respect.”

Robert Stevens (Minnesota) “You have a true gift, this is the first I've seen you. Must See More. I've always wanted to play guitar, and you give me inspiration to try.
Thanks.”

Lazer's visibility has also been spreading through traditional media as shown by the raft of rave reviews printed throughout music publications in the summer of 2015. His current feature as one-to-watch in the glossy Vintage Guitar Magazine's 2016 holiday edition describes Lloyd “showing off his chops on tough blues-rockers, soul ballads, and funky Hendrix-inspired rock.” More http://lotsofloverecords.com
“Exuberant vocals and razor sharp guitar work” - Downbeat
“Reminds of Santana's Best” - Elmore
“An almost spiritual force” – Gonzo Online (Canada)

Whether smoking hot or meditative, Lloyd’s unique style is forged through the white-hot furnace of his three insatiable loves: songwriting, guitar, and communicating with the audience.  At the core he notes is, “Blues, roots rock, folk, it’s real; it’s about everyone’s life story and it heals.”

“Xmas Blues” by Lazer Lloyd

“New Year’s Blues” (original title is “Dikla”) by Lazer Lloyd

“Living Is To Struggle” by Lazer Lloyd

Lazer Lloyd on the phenomenon of his songs spreading around the world

“The X-Mas Blues was inspired by hearing many of my friends and fans from the U.S. talking about the pressures of the holiday and even complaining that they dread the holiday season either because of how competitive it can be or because of the feeling of loneliness it brings up. This is something I hear from both my family and friends from all backgrounds around the holiday season so I wanted to give over a message on the deeper meaning around the holidays.

“Within about 24 hours, as we climbed above 100,000 Facebook views, I realized that the song had really touched a nerve. So a few days later I posted “To Live Is to Struggle” and “New Year’s Blues.” The “New Years Blues” was originally entitled “Dikla” and it is an instrumental song which was written from a place of deep pain but also hope during this wave of terror here in Israel and around the world. The beauty is that the melody is wordless, so to each person it can mean something else. 

“To me the message of these songs is not to deny the pain and terror we are experiencing, but to use them to connect with others and help heal their pain. I think the holidays to many people represents a time of loneliness and exclusion and I wanted my music to be a cure to that.

“I play about 100 shows overseas per year to literally every type of crowd and I firmly believe that even if our beliefs are not the same, we can all respect each other and learn from each other. I think we need musical and cultural bridges between people and that’s what I try to do.
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“I've made an effort to read through the thousands of comments and have replied to hundreds of them, and I see that the songs really touched people, each in their own way. This is unbelievably gratifying and humbling to me.”



Background

Israeli blues rocker Lazer Lloyd's burgeoning success in the international roots music scene was already growing into a powerful force for healing divisions and improving world unity. The trailblazing singer/songwriter’s live shows and his brand of blues and psychedelic roots rock are legendary in his home base of Israel. He is now blowing down the doors of clubs and festivals worldwide. Major influences include BB King, Bob Dylan, Jimi Hendrix, Stevie Ray Vaughan, Johnny Winter, Santana, and Middle Eastern Oud.
“Fasten your seatbelts!” wrote Gary von Tersch in his review. “I’m impressed by Lazer’s tightly composed compositions, deeply expressive writing, plangent vocals and crackerjack guitar and harmonica work.”

Tim Parsons, editor of Tahoe on Stage, laid out the case clearly: “It’s one thing to be a student of the blues, which began as gospel, and it’s another to be able to release the emotion to make it authentic. Lazer Lloyd does both.”

Davina and The Vagabonds To Release Nicollet And Tenth On March 25th....






DAVINA AND THE VAGABONDS TO RELEASE
NICOLLET AND TENTH ON MARCH 25th

Minneapolis, MN – Over the past several years, Davina And The Vagabonds, have been building an audience around the globe.  Their shows are filled with New Orleans charm, Memphis soul swagger, dark theatrical moments that evoke Kurt Weill, and tender gospel passages. Singer/pianist Davina Sowers' presence is indelible, while her voice defies simple categorization. Evoking comparisons as diverse as Etta James, Amy Winehouse, Billie Holiday and Betty Boop, she is simply a true original, presenting a personal vision that celebrates a century of American music.

With a full tour schedule already in place for the top of the new year, Davina And The Vagabonds will release a brand new live album: Nicollet And Tenth on March 25th.

Normally when an artist announces they are releasing a ‘live album’ it’s considered a stopgap or throwaway release, not vital to the artist’s collection.  In the case of Nicollet And Tenth, it couldn’t be any farther from the truth.  Davina And The Vagabonds have built their success on the road, and the two studio albums released by the group so far have tried to be a reflection of their rollicking focused performances, clean sound and raging fun. 

With the release of Nicollet And Tenth, the band is giving the listener a front row seat to what has made them popular in the first place, their live show.

“On the corner of Nicollet and Tenth, in downtown MPLS, lies a moody jazz club called the Dakota,” Davina remarked.  “The Vagabonds and I have been playing there for over 10 years. It is our second home and we are welcoming you to come in, grab a drink, and listen to us play our hearts out to you!” 

In 2011, Davina And The Vagabonds released her first full length, all original album Black Cloud. It was named one of the ten best releases of the year by their hometown daily the Minneapolis Star Tribune, and awarded 4 ½ stars from Downbeat Magazine. Their next release in 2014, Sunshine, hit number 13 in the Billboard Blues Chart, which led to an performance on the famed hit BBC show, Later with Jools Holland. 

Watch Davina And The Vagabonds Perform “Red Shoes” live on Later With Jools Holland here: https://vid.me/5Jxz


NICOLLET AND TENTH - TRACK LISTING
Knock Me A Kiss
Black Cloud
Sunshine
Ain’t That A Shame
Louisiana Fairytale
Shake That Thing
Muddy Waters
You Must Be Losing Your Mind
Lipstick And Chrome
Start Runnin
I Would Rather Go Blind
Red Shoes
Pocket
Travelin All Alone
5 ft 2
Bee Sting
St. James
His Eye is On The Sparrow


2016 Davina And The Vagabonds Tour Dates
1/08                 Brainerd, MN                          NP Event Space
1/13                 Northampton, MA                  Iron Horse Music Hall
1/14                 Westerly, RI                            Knickerbocker
1/15                 New York, NY                       City Winery
1/16                 Williamsburg, VA                   Winter Blues Jazz Festival
1/20                 Chicago, IL                             City Winery
1/21                 Wisconsin Rapids, WI            McMillan Memorial Library
1/22                 St. Paul, MN                           Wilebski's Blues Saloon
1/23                 Marion, IA                              Campbell Steele
1/24                 Lansing, IA                             The Other Place
1/29                 Minneapolis, MN                    Crooked Pint
1/30                 Minneapolis, MN                    Crooked Pint
1/31                 Indianapolis, IN                      Jazz Kitchen
2/02                 Vienna, VA                             Jammin Java
2/03                 Richmond, VA                       Tuckahoe's Woman's Club
2/04                 Mifflinburg, PA                      Rusty Rail Brewing Company
2/05                 Wyomissing, PA                     Building 24
2/06                 Philadelphia, PA                     Chris' Jazz Cafe
2/08                 Ann Arbor, MI                        The Ark
2/09                 Grand Rapids, MI                   Tip Top Deluxe
2/10                 St. Louis, MO                         Old Rock House
2/11                 Kansas City, MO                    Knuckleheads
2/12                 Davenport, IA                         Redstone Room @ River Music Experience
2/13                 Racine, WI                              Racine Theatre
2/14                 Madison, WI                           Majestic Theatre
2/26                 Minneapolis, MN                    Dakota
2/27                 Minneapolis, MN                    Dakota
2/28                 Sioux Falls, SD                       Sioux Falls State Theatre
3/04                 Des Moines, IA                       Social Club
3/05                 Bloomington, IL                     American Red Cross Fundraiser
3/10                 Akron, OH                              Jilly's Music Room
3/11                 Cleveland, OH                        Music Box Supper Club
3/12                 New Cumberland, WV           Oak Glen Culture Club
3/19                 Mankato, MN                         Hooligan's
3/29                 Seattle, WA                            Jazz Alley
3/30                 Seattle, WA                            Jazz Alley
4/02                 Eureka, CA                             Redwood Coast Music Festival
4/21                 Minneapolis, MN                    Dakota
4/22                 Minneapolis, MN                    Dakota
4/23                 Zumbrota, MN                        Crossings
4/24                 Minneapolis, MN                    Dakota
5/03                 Hopkins, MN                          Hopkins Center For The Arts
5/12                 Minneapolis, MN                    Lowertown Line Filming
6/04                 Rapids, IA                              Veterans Memorial Building

Award-winning guitarist + singer-songwriter Cécile Doo-Kingué announces new album and Canadian tour dates


Anybody Listening Part 2: Dialogues available January 22, 2016


First single "Little Bit" available on iTunes, Radio Submit and cdkmusik.com






The early 2015 release of Montreal guitarist and singer-songwriter Cécile Doo-Kingué’s acclaimed solo acoustic recording, Anybody Listening Part 1: Monologues showcased Doo-Kingué’s songwriting in its rawest form, earning her accolades and multiple Maple Blues Award nominations for her exceptional guitar playing, soulful vocals, and powerful songwriting.

On January 22, 2016, Doo-Kingué will release the second chapter of her trilogy exploring blues, roots, and life in their myriad of aspects. Anybody Listening Part 2: Dialogues features her strength and versatility as an all-around guitarist and musician, from blues to jazz to folk to soul to rock n’ roll.  Fiery licks and seamless melody compliment her deep, laid-back voice throughout the album, leaving no doubt as to the guitarist’s oneness with the instrument, nor the unity of her sound.  Surrounded by a stellar cast of Montreal’s finest musicians, Doo-Kingué presents an eclectic collection of contemporary blues adding to the social commentary of Anybody Listening Part 1:Monologues, and celebrating life and music with fellow artists she is a fan of, in spaces that exude positive energy.

Anybody Listening Part 2: Dialogues is a family reunion, as much in the ‘whom’ as ‘where and how’ it was recorded.  Doo-Kingue called on long time collaborators Kim Richardson and Alan Prater, Kalmunity Vibe Collective regulars Malika Tirolien, Fredy V, Wayne Tennant, and Nadia Bashalani to ensure the soulful back vocals to the album.The album was predominantly tracked and entirely mixed at Bottega Studios in Kelowna, owned by the same patrons of the arts who run Streaming Café.  Most of the bed tracks are courtesy of two of her live trio rhythm sections, Anthony Pageot on drums, paired with Fredy V and Cedric Dind-Lavoie on bass.  The Dialogues version of “Six Letters features” two of Doo-Kingué’s favourite guitarists: her brother J.C ‘Dook’, and Montreal soul / funk legend Daniel ‘DJ’ Joseph, invited to play lead on the track alongside Kelowna-based banjoist Jesse Padgett.

Thematically, Anybody Listening Part 2: Dialogues continues the social commentary found on Monologues, adding disenfranchisement (Riot & Revolution), self-gratification (Pure Entertainment), and religious fanaticism (Faith) to the themes explored by the trilogy.  Cécile Doo-Kingué also celebrates the sweeter side of life, (Sunshine Lady, Thankful, and Little Bit) as a reminder that life is beautiful, despite the state of the world.  To pay tribute to one of her favourite guitarists while raising awareness of mental illness, Doo- Kingué ends the collection with a full steam version of Jimi Hendrix’s “Manic Depression”.

Cécile Doo-Kingué isn’t just another token “chick” guitarist; her talents are measured not by gender lines, but by the fact that she is quickly earning a stellar reputation and a place alongside Canada’s current roster of great guitarists. Powerful and raw, Cécile Doo-Kingué’s guitar prowess, lyrics, and sound make for enthralling and intimate communion.


Click here to request a digital download of Anybody Listening Part 2: Dialogues  
Click here to download album artwork
Click here to download promo photos of Cécile Doo-Kingué 

Anybody Listening Part 2: Dialogues Tracklist
1. Riot and Revolution
2. Sweet Talkin’ Devil
3. Anybody Listening
4. Little Bit
5. Six Letters
6. Thankful
7. Pure Entertainment
8. Animal Kingdom
9. Bloodstained Vodka
10. Faith
11. Sunshine Lady
12. Manic Depression


Cécile Doo-Kingué Tour Dates


Jan 14: Bruce Social Club, Thornbury ON 
Jan 15: Bruce Wine Bar, Thornbury ON 
Jan 16: The Townehouse, Sudbury ON 
Jan 18: Maple Blues Awards, Toronto ON 
Jan 21: Winterruption, Regina SK 
Jan 23: Creative City Centre, Regina SK
Jan 27: The Root, Lloydminister SK
Jan 29: Fish Creek Concerts, Calgary AB
Jan 30: Coldsnap Festival, Prince George BC
Feb 05: New Moon Folk Club, Edmonton AB
Feb 06:Flying Canoë Volant, Edmonton AB
Feb 07: Olive Bistro & Lounge, Jasper AB
Feb 11: Water Shed Arts Cafe, Langley BC
Feb 12: Fox Cabaret, Vancouver BC
Feb 13: Love Is The Answer Fundraiser, Vancouver BC
Feb 17: Plum, Lethbridge AB
Feb 19: La Grange Laurier, Laurier MB
Feb 20: Festival du Voyageur, Saint-Boniface, MB
Feb 21: Festival du Voyageur, Saint-Boniface, MB
Feb 25: Mid-Winter Blues Festival, Regina SK
Feb 26: Saskatoon Blues Festival, Saskatoon SK
Feb 27: Stircrazy Blues Festival, Swift Current SK
Mar 04: O Patro Vys, Montreal Homecoming show


                 @cdkmusik   /ceciledookinguemusik







 
Photo by Terry Hughes Images