Robert Cray - 4 Nights of Forty Years Live - Trailer Is Now Live...

                                                                                                                              

ROBERT CRAY BAND AND PROVOGUE / MASCOT LABEL

GROUP ANNOUNCE AUGUST 28 RELEASE DATE FOR

4 NIGHTS OF FORTY YEARS LIVE

DVD and Blu-ray Accompanying 2-CD Set Features 90 Minutes Of Live Concert Footage

Alongside An In-Depth Interview With Cray And His Band, and Testimonials From Legends

Eric Clapton, Buddy Guy, Keith Richards, Jimmie Vaughan and Bonnie Raitt

New York, NY --- Open ears and an open mind are the essence of singer, guitarist and songwriter Robert Cray, whose career spans from the roots of the blues to the pinnacles of rock, from the 80s to this moment. He grew up listening to the gospel of the Five Blind Boys of Mississippi, Bobby Bland's soul, Jimi Hendrix's rock guitar and the Beatles pop sounds. Those influences and the signature sound Cray has imprinted on modern popular music are brought together in the Robert Cray Band's double CD and video package 4 Nights of 40 Years Live.

The set will be available in a variety of formats -  2 LPs with digital download card, 2 CDs + DVD, Blu-Ray + 2 CDs and digitally. 4 Nights of 40 Years Live will be released August 28 on the Netherlands-based Mascot Label Group.

The first CD is fresh, live recordings from four nights recently recorded at four venues in the LA area. With his current band --longtime bassist, collaborator and friend Richard Cousins, keyboardist Dover Weinberg (who was in Cray's first band) and drummer Les Falconer (O'Jays, Keb 'Mo) – Cray fronts a group that is solid, seasoned and vital. The playing is in the moment, and the sound is singular.

The thirteen cuts are selected from the Cray Band's recording library of 20 releases.  Among them are rock radio favorites “Bad Influence” and “Right Next Door (Because of Me),” the soul searing “Love Gone to Waste,” and “These Things,” a bluesy ballad that features one of Cray's string-bending and mind-blowing guitar solos.  The live CD is the fourth Cray Band release produced by Steve Jordan, who plays drums on several cuts. Also guesting are vocalist Kim Wilson and harmonica player Lee Oskar, tenor saxophonist Trevor Lawrence, trumpeter Steve Madaio and saxophonist Tom Scott.

The bonus CD is a revealing glimpse of Cray's early career and the promise of a future that would reward fans for decades.  Selected from the band's set at the 1982 San Francisco Blues Festival and a 1987 appearance on the Dutch TV Show “Countdown,” the music captures the band's youthful presence and its ability to revive the blues without abandoning it. Included are favorites from the Cray's Band 80s set lists;  “Smoking Gun” and “Too Many Cooks.”

The 94 minute video in 4 Nights of 40 Years Live is a Cray Band convergence. Coming together are a mesmerizing blend of clips from the San Francisco Blues Festival, the Dutch TV show and the four concerts featured on the first CD. Between clips Cray comments on the band's history and his personal philosophy of music.  There is also behind the scenes footage of the band collaborating with producer Jordan. And putting the Cray Band in perspective are interviews with Eric Clapton, Keith Richards, Bonnie Raitt, Jimmie Vaughan and Buddy Guy each giving their personal response to the music and the man.

It is extraordinary for musicians to thrive over four decades, and the Robert Cray Band is just that, extraordinary. The group has won five Grammy Awards, put 15 studio albums on the Billboard Charts, sold millions of records and toured the globe, playing clubs, concert halls, festivals and large arenas. Whether opening for John Lee Hooker or Eric Clapton, the band has captured audiences with music that is original, a sound that is distinctively rootsy and a performance style that keeps fans flocking back to see the Robert Cray Band headlining. 4 Nights of 40 Years Live is a testament to the band's past success and proof that the Robert Cray Band is as live as ever.

The track listing of 4 NIGHTS OF FORTY YEARS LIVE features on Disc One: "Shiver," "I'll Always Remember You," "Poor Johnny," "Won't Be Coming Home," "On The Road Down," "Sittin' On Top Of The World," "Wrap It Up," "Love Gone To Waste," "Bad Influence," "These Things," "Right Next Door (Because Of Me)," "The Forecast (Calls For Pain)," and "Time Makes Two."  Disc Two presents "I Guess I Showed Her," "Right Next Door (Because Of Me)," "Smoking Gun," "Still Around," "Too Many Cooks," and "T-Bone Shuffle."  For detail on the DVD track listing visit: http://mascotlabelgroup.com/www.robertcray.com/

Robert Cray begins the North American leg of his global tour on July 30 in Paso Robles, CA at the California Mid-State Fair.  Confirmed appearances include:

7/30     Paso Robles, CA                                 California Mid-State Fair

7/31     Agoura Hills, CA                                The Canyon

8/01     Stateline, NV                                      Harrah's Lake Tahoe

8/02     Mammoth Lakes, CA                         Mammoth Lake Festival of Beers

8/04     Roseburg, OR                                     Music on the Half Shell

8/08     Lebanon, OR                                      Guitar Under The Stars (Cheadle Lake Park)

8/09     Snoqualmie, WA                                 Snoqualmie Casino Ballroom

8/11     Boise, ID                                             Egyptian Theatre

8/13     Breckenridge, CO                               Riverwalk Center

8/15     Boulder, CO                                       Chautauqua Auditorium

8/16     Deadwood, SD                                   Deadwood Mountain Hotel & Casino

8/18     Apple Valley, MN                              Weesner Family Amphitheater @ MN Zoo

9/18     Flint, MI                                              The Whiting

9/19     Glenellyn, IL                                       McAninch Arts Center

9/22     Manhattan, KS                                    McCain Auditorium

9/24     Wichita, KS                                        Orpheum Theater

9/26     Columbia, MO                                    Roots n Blues n BBQ Festival

For More Information:

Steve Karas

SKH Music

skaras@skhmusic.com

www.robertcray.com

http://www.mascotlabelgroup.com/

Art: www.mascot-provogue.com/download

#6 on Billboard's Blues Album Chart - Adrianna Marie and Her Groovecutters

Billboard Reports Adrianna Marie and Her Groovecutters #6 in the Nation   Double Crossing Blues Album Continues Its Climb  Lake Arrowhead, CA (July 13, 2015) Shown directly below is the cover of the newest release from Adrianna Marie and Her Groovecutters.  The hot, rising album "Double Crossing Blues" moved to number six in the nation two weeks ago and remains at number six again this week according to Billboard's Blues Album chart report*. The release continues to be an airplay favorite of blues radio stations everywhere and reviews by the press have been glowing along with the continued rotation. Adrianna Marie and LA Jones team to release "Double Crossing Blues" Adrianna Marie, LA Jones, and Her Groovecutters were not only nominated for the coveted 2014 Blues Blast Award but also performed live on the main stage at the annual event.  Previous to the Blues Blast performance, which received rave reviews, the group performed at the Blues Foundation's annual Blues Music Awards in Memphis, Tennessee and received a glowing reception from fellow blues artists and blues fans alike.  Currently "Double Crossing Blues" is being performed nationwide at music festivals and club venues all around the country.  The cool, sophisticated swing blues music is not going out of style, in fact audience appeal reveals an absolute love for this flavor of the blues which is made unique by Adrianna's performance and LA's professional arrangements.  To put it mildly - classy swing blues music is an American favorite dating back decades.  So it's no wonder that the album is charting at number six as America continues its love affair with the music and live stage performances of Adrianna Marie and Her Groovecutters. * source: Billboard's Blues Album chart ranking weeks of July 11 & 18, 2015 Adrianna Marie and Her Groovecutters Official Website

Austin Museum Curates Sound Preservation Devices

Preserving Sound If you love listening to recorded music, you'll love this...... Technology is what really drives the music industry, it always has and probably that's the way it will remain for generations to come.  From wax cylinders to today's modern compact discs, it's technology that has allowed us to enjoy not only our music but spoken word recordings as well.  So who came up with this idea in the first place and how did it evolve into what it is today?  Those questions and others as well are the questions that the Museum of Magnetic Sound Recordings in Austin, Texas seeks to answer and share with the world. I remember when four track tape players for cars were introduced, why it was like having an LP in your car, you just simply had to have one.  Home reel to reel tape machines had been hot just prior to the beginning of that era.  My Uncle used to set a reel to reel up at our family holiday get togethers.  He got the biggest charge out of recording the extended family. Then the next time we would all be together we would get to hear his previous holiday recording.  You could actually experience the thrill of hearing yourself on tape back then. I remember that my Uncle and his wife would put ground beef into a frying pan and squeeze it with a metal spatula in an attempt to create a sizzling sound effect.  They would do the same thing with various kinds of crinkly sounding wrapping paper too.  They would record little skits and as kids we would marvel at the story line over and over again.  Perhaps you have a fond memory such as this as well?  Plus, I might add, who wasn't listening to the pre-recorded love songs of the greats back then?  Playing back recorded sound has been the rage since its inception. I recently met with Martin Theophilus at The Texas Recording Academy of Texas meeting in Austin. Martin curates the physical donations that are provided to the museum and writes about them on the organization's web site.  The goal is to create a permanent music museum in Austin for the vintage collection. You too can be a part of this endeavor to preserve historic sound equipment if you have either a monetary or physical donation you might like to share with the museum.  Plus volunteers are welcomed too.  In addition to preserving the physical devices the Museum is also documenting the persons who created and use the technology, including conducting  personal interviews.  Some very notable recording artists have stopped by and enjoyed it so much that they donated their personal recording equipment from years gone by.  Recently Ray Benson, the famed artist and producer, (Asleep at the Wheel) did just that in fact.  You can read about it on the museum's web site.  Take a trip down memory lane and perhaps even learn a thing or two that may surprise you by going to the museum's web site.  Enjoy!   Here's an example of a four track cartridge tape that was the hot ticket in the late 60's.  It's listed on Collector's Frenzy for $180.27 (US).  Imagine that - $180.27 in today's money.  Just makes you want to go look at your old collection and see what you have stored away.  Four track tape players for automobiles went out of style almost as fast as they came in by the way.  They were replaced with a newer technology, the eight track player, and yes we all had to have one...... You can still find these cartridges on eBay. They're called wax cylinders. The horizontal black cylinder you see in the photo is what the sound was stored on.  The title of the contents were were on the side lip. This is an example of what the professionals used prior to digital recording devices.  In the famed documentary "Sound City" artist after artist raves about the sound that the huge mixing board and recording device was able to capture.  No pro tools back then, just a good eye and ear for splicing is what was required. Official Museum of Magnetic Sound Recording Website To volunteer, donate financial aid or vintage equipment click here