NEW SAVOY BROWN ALBUM 'CITY NIGHT' RELEASED ON JUNE 7th - New US Tour Dates Announced

NEW ALBUM ‘CITY NIGHT’ RELEASED ON JUNE 7th

New US Tour Dates Announced

Over 50 years of rocking the blues – Savoy Brown, with leader Kim Simmonds at the helm, return with 'City Night' – their 40^th album – released on June 7^th via Quarto Valley Records. After a recent European tour, Savoy Brown will hit the road in the US for a number of shows in August.

On the back of a number one Billboard blues hit in 2017, expectations are high for this new band offering. The album features Kim Simmonds on vocals and searing lead guitar, and he is complemented with the most consistent line-up in the band’s history, going strong for more than 10 years now with Pat DeSalvo on Bass and Garnet Grimm on Drums.

'City Night' is comprised of 12 high energy blues rock songs to surely please the worldwide fan base. "Walking on Hot Stones," “Payback Time," and "Don't Hang Me Out to Dry" will catch the attention of radio DJs looking for the fresh new sound Savoy Brown brings to roots music.

Savoy Brown was formed by guitarist Kim Simmonds in 1965 in London, England. Simmonds has been the group’s guiding hand from the first singles released in 1966 through the band’s newest effort, their fortieth album, released in 2019.



Energetic blues has been the calling card of the band from the beginning. “Blues rock” became the catch-all phrase in the late 1960s to describe the band’s music along with that of contemporaries such as Cream, Fleetwood Mac and Jimi Hendrix. In fact, in the 2013 drama film, Jimi Hendrix: All Is by My Side, a Savoy Brown song co-written by Simmonds was included in the soundtrack.



Many of the band’s singles and albums have appeared on the Billboard charts. Through the 1960s, 1970s and 1980s, songs such as I’m Tired, Train to Nowhere, Tell Mama and Lay Back in the Arms of Someone became Hot 100 entries. Two of the band’s albums in the 1970s, Looking In and Hellbound Train, appeared on the Billboard Top Forty charts. This pattern continues today, culminating with Witchy Feelin', the band’s 2017 album, reaching #1 on the Billboard Blues chart.



Along the way, Savoy Brown has toured continuously, making it one of the longest running blues/rock bands in existence. Through the years, the band has headlined concerts at many prestigious venues including Carnegie Hall, the Fillmore East, the Fillmore West and Royal Albert Hall in London. The band, having established national status in the 1970s, provided other groups opportunity. Kiss opened the bill on a Savoy Brown national tour, as did ZZ Top, The Doobie Brothers and many, many more acts.



Former members, having cut their teeth under Simmonds’ leadership, have gone on to complete their careers with other bands. Among others, these include singer Dave Walker with Fleetwood Mac, Andy Pyle with the Kinks and Paul Raymond with UFO. Previous band members including Lonesome Dave Peverett, Roger Earl and Tony Stevens, went on to become founding members of the multi-platinum act Foghat.



A resident of the USA since 1980, bandleader Simmonds has received many accolades himself. These include placement on the front cover of Guitar Player magazine, enshrinement on the Hollywood Rock Walk of Fame and acceptance in many regional “Halls of Fame” in the USA and Canada.



Said Simmonds, “I have always opted for a non-mainstream, yet complimentary, music route … one that would allow me personal and artistic freedom. In the end, it seems I’ve had the best of both worlds.”





Savoy Brown helped spawn the 1968 UK blues boom and later opened the eyes of many 1970s American teenagers to their own home territory blues artists. More than 50 years on, they still remain a progressive Blues rock force.



The three-piece line-up includes Kim Simmonds on guitar and vocals, Pat DeSalvo on bass and Garnet Grimm on drums. This trio has established itself as the longest-running consistent line-up in the band’s history, now going strong for more than 10 years. Their legacy continues with the 2019 release of City Night on the California label, Quarto Valley Records.



Savoy Brown and Kim Simmonds have a body of work that is matched by only a small portion of musical artists. As they continue to tour the world, young and old find inspiration in their timeless music, classic style and ageless performances.

TRACKLISTING – ‘CITY NIGHT’

1.      Walking On Hot Stones (4:32)

2.      Don’t Hang Me Out To Dry (4:20)

3.      Payback Time (4:53)

4.      Red Light Mama (4:15)

5.      Conjure Rhythm (4:52)

6.      Neighbourhood Blues (5:11)

7.      Selfish World (5:21)

8.      Wearing Thin (4:03)

9.      City Night (6:13)

10.  Hang In Touch (3:38)

11.  Superstitious Woman (4:21)

12.  Ain’t Gonna Worry (4:55)

U.S. Tour Dates

8/24                       Iron Horse Music Hall                                                    Northampton, MA

8/25                       Wolf Den at Mohegan Sun Casino                          Uncasville, CT

8/26                       City Winery                                                                        Boston, MA

8/29                       The Coach House                                                             San Juan Capistrano, CA

8/30                       Ramona Mainstage                                                         Ramona, CA (San Diego Market)

8/31                       Fantasy Springs Resort Casino                   Indio, CA (Palm Springs Market)

9/1                         Bowlful of Blues Festival                                             Newton, IA (Des Moines market)

Stony Plain Records artist: Ear Worms - Duke Robillard Band - New Release review

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Ear Worms, from Duke Robillard Band it's quite good. Opening with rock n' roller, Don't Bother Trying To Steal Her Love, Dave Howard is up front on vocal with Bruce Bears on piano, Mark Teuxeira on drums and Marty Ballou on bass. Robillard shows his stuff with do real nice low octave tones and country twanging riffs. Chris Cote has lead vocal on Living With The Animals, a smooth bluesy ballad with stinging guitar riffs by Robillard. Beautiful phrasing and tone give this track an extra boost. Traditional pop tune, Careless Love gets some spice with an up bound swing beat and done totally instrumental with solid lead by Robillard and cool Hammond work by Bears. Very nice. Klem Kilmen is on lead vocal on Chuck Berry's Dear Dad, a fiery rocker with slick bluesy bends and tight riffs by Robillard and a cool piano solo by Bears. Allen Toussaint's funky, Yes We Can has some real nice edgy telecaster riffs, wah wah, almost sounding like the late great Roy Buchanan. This may be my favorite track on the release with just a low key bottom rumble and Bears on vocal. Very nice. Teixeira leads the way on the Neville Brothers' Yellow Moon. With it's swaying New Orleans sound, reverby guitar tones and boppy organ, this is another top track. Wrapping the release is classic R&B hit, You Belong To Me with nicely stylized, clean, round lead on guitar rather than vocal. Resting nicely in the warmth of Bears' organ work, and with a rich solo of his own, this is a solid closer for a real nice release.


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Auburn - Game Of Faith - New Release Review

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Game of Faith, from Auburn and it's quite interesting. Opening with Game of Faith, a cool jazzy pop track with really strong vocals by Liz Lenten and clean, stylized guitar work by Thomm Jutz really make this one of my favorites on the release. Backed by Mark Fain on bass, Lynn Williams on drums and Britt Savage on backing vocals, a real nice opener. Lightly salted funky track, I Don't Love Him has a great feel and just the right amount of lead guitar. A purposeful melody and lush chords make this track an outstanding radio prospect. I really like the delicate balance between Lenten's almost fragile vocal  and the saturated tone of the electric guitar on It's Not Love. Very interesting contrast. Another track that keeps me listening is Spoke In The Wheel and Lenten's almost Toya Wilson like vocal delivery, against the glistening chords of Jutz. Wrapping the release is sensitive ballad, His Arms and Lenten's vocals balanced lightly on the acoustic guitar work of Jutz. I wouldn't say this is a traditional blues release by any means, but it is a really interesting release.

Thanks

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Jason Robert - The Death of Stone Stanley - New Release Review

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, The Death of Stone Stanley, from Jason Robert and it's strong and upbeat but also deep and brooding. Opening with Someday, a southern style blues track with solid vocals by Robert who also plays steel resonator and drums, and includes bass work by Scott Longnecker. Mr. Bell is an interesting track constructed like a round and having not only strong emotion and to me a sound of the sea plus the inclusion of some pretty cool electric guitar work. One of my favorite tracks on the release is traditional Irish folk tune, Moonshiner, with a great melody, and featuring Jim McComas on guitar and harmonica. Traditional blues track, You Gotta Move features cool dual lead vocals and warm slide work giving it a fresh feel. Another of my favorites is Sat Around featuring Robert accompanying his own vocals on acoustic guitar only. Very nice. With a bit of raw contemporary feel, Never Gonna Die has a solid, stripped down blues bottom and features guitar soloing that is just different enough to be really cool. Another nice contemporary track, Hereafter, is my other favorite track on the release with nicely constructed melody, vocal and guitar lines. With woven lines of vocal, guitar and harmony, definitely a keeper. Wrapping the release is drone toned, Woke Up This Morning with monotoned guitar rhythm, basic slide and soulful vocals. Solid closer for a cool release. 

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Kelly's Lot - Can't Take My Soul - New Release Review

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Can't Take My Soul, from Kelly's Lot, and it's a cool mix of blues, rock, country and folk. Opening with Boogie rocker, All I Ever Want Is the Blues, Kelly, backed by Perry Robertson on guitar, Matt McFadden on bass, and Mike Sauer on drums set a rocking example. Funky, All Hope Ain't Lost, is a cool track with essential vocals and a great bass line by McFadden and the addition of Bobby Orgel on keys. Primarily acoustic sounding, Safe and Warm has a county/folk feel with a terrific melody and ambiance really showcasing Kelly's voice. Very nice. On Rise Up, Kelly duets with Jean-Francois Thomas with Rob Zucca on lead guitar. A real nice track with a bluesy feel and some clean, articulate guitar soloing. Another bluesy track, Broke Myself, has a shuffle approach with dominant bass bottom, more driven vocals by Kelly and features Frank Hinojosa on harmonica. Kelly steps up with a simple pop tune on Little Bit Of This, the certain front runner for radio airplay with it's strong melody and vocals. Wrapping the release is Mon Ami, an interesting pop track with strong vocals and a French twist. With Jean Paul Monshe' on accordion this track is a real nice closer for a solid release. 

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Lucas Haneman Express - Catch The Westbound - New Release Review

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Catch The Westbound, by Lucas Haneman Express and it has strong commercial potential. Opening with Lay It To The Line, Lucas Haneman Express shows a country rock opener with solid vocals and guitar lead by Haneman, drums by Jeff Asselin, backing vocals by Megan Laurence and Martin Newman on bass. Megan has the lead on soulful ballad, Wicked Ride, with a great melody, solid guitar work by Haneman and overall strong radio appeal. Blues rocker, Devil's In My Grave, has a great rock beat and well blended vocals. Again, solid radio appeal a well written music. My favorite track on the release is blues rocker, Night Takes The Chances (For GD). It's slighty funky bottom and, tight guitar work and particularly cool lead vocals push this one to the top. Wrapping the release is cool, Piedmont style blues track, To Be Brave, with nicely articulated acoustic guitar picking and some of Haneman's best vocals on the release. With added percussion backing and backing vocals, this is a super closer for a real nice release.

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Grooveyard Records artists: Head Honchos - Bring It On Home - New Release review

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Bring It On Home, by Head Honchos and it's electrified. Opening with Not For Me, Head Honchos with it's dual lead guitar combo of Rocco Calipari Sr. (also on lead vocal) and Rocco Calipari Jr., Roberto Agusto on bass and Scott Schultz on drums hits like a cannonball. Featuring Steve Ball on organ, this opening track is rockin. Work is another high energy track with really crisp drumming by Schultz and hot slide work by Calipari and a hot bass solo by Agusto. Very cool. Funky, Next To You, has a really nice bass line and hot slide tones. Vocal harmonies and overall music composition makes this one of my favorite tracks on the release. Swampy, Fire On The Bayou has a great southern funky party feel. CC Copeland really funks up the bass line and snappy percussion gives it a cool feel under smoking hot guitar riffs. That Driving Beat has more of a contemporary feel with a wall of horns featuring Joe Brown on sax and Mitch Coldman on trumpet. Copeland steps out again with a nice bass solo and Calipari flashes his hot hand as well with a rabid solo of his own. Don Nix's Going Down has been a favorite of mine since Jeff Beck ripped it back in the early 70's. Borrowing the template, Honchos really get things moving and Calipari lays into it with plenty of steam. His vocals are solid and with a driving bottom and Ball's keys, this track sails. Wrapping the release is Soul Free, a solid track melding all of the sounds that are the head Honchos. With it's lightly funky rhythm, harmonies and rich style, a cool closer. 

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Ross Osteen Band - Williwaw - New Release Review

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Williwaw, by Ross Osteen Band, and it's quite good. Opening with Muddy Waters' Mannish Boy, Osteen who handles guitar and lead vocal doesn't hold back. He howls out the lyrics like they had never been sung and his slide guitar riffs are fat. Backing Osteen id Patrick Gaynor on crisp drums and the thumping thunder of Jim Vint on bass. very cool. Show Her is a lumbering blues number with solid vocals and dynamic spacing to allow planet of room for Osteen's guitar work. Very nice. In John Lee Hooker style, Little Rooster is a great boogie with a stripped down feel. Vint's bass drives the train, Gaynor's snare work accents the rhythm and Osteen taunts himself vocal and guitar response. Very cool. Nighttime is a great jam over a Bo Diddley beat spurred on by Gaynor. Osteen's slide work is relentless. Wrapping the release is an interesting composition called Jellyfish Jam. It has a solid bottom from Vint and Gaynor over which Osteen lays down a rally interesting guitar composition... not bluesy...but really cool with effects. Cool closer. 

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Harpdog Brown - For Love & Money - New Release Review

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, For Love & Money, from Harpdog Brown and it's a 40's & 50's New Orleans flavored trip. Opening with swinging, No Eyes For Me with a hard driving bass line by Jeremy Holmes and stiff drum sticking by Robert Vail  Grant under the rowdy vocals of Brown and a full horn section featuring William Joseph Abbott on alto sax, Skye Lambourne on trombone and Jerry Cook on Bari and tenor sax. The Comeback has a cool, low slung feel with rich Hammond work by Dave Webb and a nice sax solo by Cook. Boogie track, Reefer Lovin' Woman opens with a great muted trombone intro by Lambourne over a boogie piano riff by Webb. Brown really digs in on vocals getting the band ramped up and with a lot of finesse, Abbott hits nice clarinet solo followed by another great trombone solo by Lambourne. Harpdog whips out his harp and lets it wail topping off this great boogie. One of my favorite tracks on the release is soulful New Orleans style track, A New Day Is Dawning, with an excellent clarinet solo by Abbott and a grate overall New Orleans blues feel. Brandon Issak's I'll Make It Up To You has a great swing. This track may be the best highlight for Harpdog's vocals and again, Abbott's clarinet work is stellar. Wrapping the release is ballad, Sasha's Lullaby, highlighting Harpdog on vocal and lush horn work on the refrain. A real nice alto sax solo by Abbott and a crisp piano solo by Webb flesh out this strong closer. 

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Ellis Mano Band - Here And Now - New Release Review

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Here and Now, from Ellis Mano Band and it's got swagger. Opening with blues rocker, Whiskey, Edis Mano on guitar, Severin Graf on bass and Nico Looser set a powerful bottom complimented by Kico Babic on Hammond setting a strong foundation for the strong vocals of Chris Ellis and backing vocals by Samina Afra and Sarah Huber. Very cool. Changing things  up, title track, Here and Now has a distinct R&B feel and Ellis lays it out there. Acoustically based, Goodbye My Love, is really a nice pop track with clean guitar soloing by Mano. My favorite track on the release is A Lifetime, with soulful vocals by Ellis and an explosive bluesy solo by Mano. Excellent! Wrapping the release is Jennine with it's New Orleans feel. With a distinct party feel, Dave Blaser adding slick trumpet and Ellis, Graf Looser, Mano and Weibel on backing vocals, a really nice closer. 

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Peter Poirier - Empty Arms - New Release Review

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Empty Arms, from Peter Poirier, and it's a solid does of R&B/blues. Opening with BB King's cool shuffle, Bad Luck, vocalist/lead guitar player takes the lead backed by a strong troupe of players including Brad Hallen (bass), Mark Teixeira (drums), Matt McCabe (piano) and Mark Earley (saxes). Sleepy John Estes' Someday Baby maintains much of it's original character  with maybe a little Muddy influence. Playing it fairly straight, Poirier's vocals are clean and his guitar lead tight. BB King's, I Wonder Why, is one of my favorite tracks on the release with a great swing. Earley lays in a real nice sax solo and Poirier's vocals and guitar work are really solid. With a Latin beat, BB Kings' And Like That is compact like BB wrote it with tight, essential guitar soloing and nice sax by Earley. Willie Dixon's I Cry For You has a super Chicago strut and Poirier's vocals are terrific. On Freddie King's,You Know That You Love Me, Poirier's guitar riffs are fluid and the piano work of McCabe's piano work is excellent. Wrapping the release is Freddie King's Heads Up with it's surf beat. Poirier works it hard against the tom tom work of Teixeira for a cool closing instrumental. 

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Gandy Dancer Records artist: Peter Ward - Train To Key Biscayne - New Release Review

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Train To Key Biscayne, from Peter Ward and it's energetic. Opening with The Luther Johnson Thing, Luther Guitar Junior Johnson is upfront on lead vocal with Peter Ward on guitar, Mudcat Ward on bass, Neil Gouvin on drums and Anthony Geraci on piano. A cool shuffle with slick guitar lead, nice harp and excellent vocal phrasing, a super opener. Laid back, almost country styled, title track, Train To Key Biscayne features Sugar Ray Norcia on lead vocal and Jiri Nedoma on piano. Ward's warm guitar soloing backed by the sax work of Aaron Gratzmiller gives it a cool retro feel. One of my favorite tracks on the release is Blues Elixir (Ronnie's Here) featuring Ward on lead vocal and really nice trademark guitar lead work by Ronnie Earl. Backed by Nedoma on piano and with solid harp work by Norcia, this is a really cool track. Johnny Nicholas is up front on lead vocal on Change (Ain't Never For The Good) and features excellent guitar work by Ward and a solid harp solo by Norcia. Geraci really gets the keys workin on this one and the drum reinforcement by Gouvin solidifies the natural swing. Very nice. Brisk swinger, As Long As I Have A Chance, again features Norcia on lead vocal and gives Ward and Geraci a great platform to showcase their soloing. Wrapping the release is Anthony's Son, a very clean guitar melody with Ward strumming chorded melody. Very nice closer for a very cool release.

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Albert Cummings - Live at the '62 Center - New Release Review

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Live at the '62 Center, from Albert Cummings and it's solid blues rocker. Opening with 500 Miles, a vibrant rocker, Cummings, a super guitar player and vocalist leads a great troupe of musicians including Warren Grant on drums, Yanko Valdes on bass, Pete Levin on keys, and Kit Holiday and Lydia Harrell on backing vocals. Driving high stepper, No Doubt shows all of the fire of a SRV track with wailing blues guitar soloing a tight drumming over a beefy bass line. Very cool. Boogie rocker, Sweet Love, has a great groove and taunts you to turn it up. Valdes' bass line and Cummings guitar lead keep the heat on.  My favorite track on the release is Lonely Bed with it's gripping guitar lead and Cummings pleading vocal style. Clocking in at over 8 minutes...wow! I love the saturated guitar tone that Cummings gets on Hurts Me Too. Taking Elmore James classic track, leaving out the slide and giving it a bouncy rhythm really works nicely. With real Texas flair, Up Your Sleeve has great body with a driving guitar lead, thumping bass line and rich organ, all supporting Cummings solid vocals. Wrapping the release is Glass House a classic blues rocker along the lines of Don Nix's Goin' Down. Cunnings knows how to work it with fluid blues rock guitar runs and a full insert of the Allman Brothers' Midnight Rider. This is a strong performance, not only for the blues/guitar enthusiast but for rockers. 

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Big Legal Mess Recoords artist: Jimbo Mathus - Incinerator - New Release Review

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Incinerator, from Jimbo Mathus and it's really good. if you've been reading my reviews and commentary for a while, you know that I really like the work of Mathus. His output varies from deep blues (Buddy Guy) and 30's jazz (Squirrel Nut Zippers) to Mississippi hill country music and flat out rock (and many things in between). I wasn't sure what to expect from Mathus on this outing after his multi year hiatus touring with the SNZ but it is seems to be an unsorted mixture of everything he's been working on for the past few years. Opening with You Are Like A Song, a cool natural country song featuring Mathus on piano and lead vocal, backed by Matt Patton on bass and Bronson Tew on guitar this track is an instant radio track. The melody will stick in your head and Patton and Tew's backing vocals are all country. Very nice. One of my favorite tracks on the release, Really Hurt Someone is a strong soul track with Mathus showing his emotion. Steve Butler on fiddle, paired with Mathus' own piano creates a great feel. Excellent! With a traditional waltz tempo and Mathus' wry styling, South of Laredo has a real nice old style country western feel. Mathus vocals, never pretty, are perfect for a track like this and the female vocals on this track are a great compliment. If you've been following Mathus' solo career for a while, you know he always has tracks that stand out and you don't know what they mean, but you really like them. Alligator Fish is one of them with it's raw hill country like vibe, James Brown boogaloo rhythm and distorted guitar railing by Bronson over Mathus' voodoo like chanting. Excellent! Another trait of Mathus' solo releases are simple traditional story telling songs with candid vocal discussion like David Bromberg or Porter Wagoner (among others). Jack Told The Devil is one such track and I really like it. Featuring some up front piano work by Mathus and Bobby Isbell on dobro, this is a great track. Another of my favorite tracks on the release is ballad, Sunken Road, a lovely composition reminiscent of Butcher Bird from Dark Night of the Soul and featured on TV's Ray Donovan. Lilly Hiatt sings along with Mathus on this track and adds nicely. Wrapping the release is Carter family's Give me The Roses in conventional country simple style. Mathus embraces these simple country roots and with nicely blended additional voices, fiddle (Butler), banjo (Ernie Welsh) and dobro (Isbell) an excellent closer for another really nice release from Mathus.

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Tokyo Tramps - If I Die Tomorrow - New Release Review

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, If I Die Tomorrow, from Tokyo Tramps and it's a cool and unusual mix of rock, blues and progressive music resulting in unique and enjoyable mix. Opening with Flowing Water, a cool rocker with a great beat, lead guitarist Satoru Nakagawa sets a theme and bassist Yukiko Fujii and Tim Carman on drums set a firm bottom. Cool opener. If I Die Tomorrow has interesting roots with construction not unlike the great Mountain or Hendrix, with it's heavy bottom by Fujii and screaming guitar work by Nakagawa. I really like Carman's drum attack and the Hendrix like overall feel on the track with Fujii adding keys. Very cool. Reverb saturated ballad, Woman is sensitive with a strong blues feel. Nakagawa doesn't pull any punches with his suspended guitar noted and screaming lines. Really nice. Misty Forest is one of my favorite tracks on the release with it's aggressive guitar lead and tight drumming. Nakagawa really knows how to control his sound and Carman is pushing all the way. Very nice. Talkin' To Someone brings to mind one of my favorite progressive bands,  Sunday All Over The World featuring Toyah Wilcox and Robert Fripp. The vocal mix and instrumental texture is intoxicating. Breaking into a straight up blues shuffle, Reprobates, Tramps and Saints is solid with ripping slide work from Nakagawa. Wrapping the release is laid back blues number, Blues In My Blood. With nicely blended vocals by Fujji and Nakagawa, Nakagawa's mellow slide work and the excellent drums rhythms of Carman, this is a solid closer for a really cool release.

If you love guitar led blues rock music with the likes of Pink Floyd, Mountain, Mahogany Rush, and Robin Trower I suspect that you'll enjoy this release.

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Packrat's Smoke House - Men Of The Swamp Live - New Relase Review

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Men Of The Swamp Live, from Packrat's Smoke House and it's swampy delta blues at it's best. Opening with The Night Jack Frost Killed Possum Brown, a slow blues track with a raw edge with traces of Jr Kimbrough. Featuring Anthony "Packrat" Thompson on lead vocal and harmonica, Robert "Lightning Boy" Thomas on guitar, Aaron Pop Watson on drums, Kenny "The Wizard" Sly on bass and Peter Beers on keys. Taped live at Babe James Center, New Smyrna Beach, Florida, this is a really nice set. On Hush Hush, a definite Chicago style shuffle, Packrat's harp work is wailing and Lightning Boy's guitar work true to the style. Very cool. One of my favorite tracks on the release is Smoke Stack Lightning with Lightning Boy leading the way with a real round guitar sound and Packrat's wailing harp, this track is great! Another of my favorites on the release Smokehouse Boogie with a no holds barred guitar boogie. Lightning Boy really winds it out on this one with a relentless guitar lead played with Packrat's rugged vocals and the tight rhythm of Sly and Watson. Very cool. Wrapping the first side and concert one is Hoo Doo Woman's Blues with real R&B spank. Nicely blended vocals, packrat's harp and Beers on keys, this track is a great closer. Disc 2 was recorded at Bradforsville Blues Club and consists of 4 extended blues tracks. The shortest of the 4, clocking in at nearly 7 minutes, Sue City Sue is a solid shuffle with smooth vocals and pronounced bass by Sly. This is an earthy mix of R&B and blues in it's dirty best. Check it out.

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Legendary Singer-Songwriter Bruce Cockburn Showcases His Acoustic Guitar Technique on New Instrumental CD, "Crowing Ignites," Coming September 20 on True North Records, Supported by 40+ Date North American Tour

Legendary Singer-Songwriter Bruce Cockburn Showcases His Acoustic Guitar Technique on New Instrumental CD,

Crowing Ignites, Coming September 20 on True North Records, Supported by 40+ Date North American Tour

WATERDOWN, ON – True North Records announces a September 20 world-wide release date for Crowing Ignites, the new all-instrumental CD from legendary Canadian (now based in San Francisco) singer-songwriter Bruce Cockburn. 

Crowing Ignites was produced, recorded and mixed by Colin Linden, and recorded at the Firehouse in San Francisco. It showcases 11 all-original compositions by Cockburn, who plays acoustic guitar throughout, backed by a stellar cast of sympathetic musicians. Cockburn will support the new disc’s release with a summer/fall tour schedule throughout the United States and Canada. 



In 2005, Bruce Cockburn released Speechless, a collection of instrumental tracks that shone the spotlight on the singer-songwriter’s exceptional acoustic guitar playing. The album earned Cockburn a Canadian Folk Music Award for Best Instrumentalist and underscored his stature as one of the world’s premier pickers.



Already, The New York Times had credited Cockburn with having “the hardest-working right thumb in show business,” adding that he “materializes chords and modal filigrees while his thumb provides the music’s pulse and its foundation—at once a deep Celtic drone and the throb of a vigilant conscience.” Acoustic Guitar magazine was similarly laudatory in citing Cockburn’s guitar prowess, placing him in the prestigious company of legends like Andrés Segovia, Bill Frisell, Django Reinhardt and Mississippi John Hurt.



Now, with the intriguingly titled Crowing Ignites, Cockburn has released another dazzling instrumental album that will further cement his reputation as both an exceptional composer and a picker with few peers. Unlike Speechless, which included mostly previously recorded tracks, the latest album—Cockburn’s 34^th—features 11 brand new compositions. Although there’s not a single word spoken or sung, it’s as eloquent and expressive as any of the Canadian Hall of Famer’s lyric-laden albums. As his long-time producer, Colin Linden, puts it, “It’s amazing how much Bruce can say without saying anything.”



The album’s title is a literal translation of the Latin motto, “Accendit Cantu,” featured on the Cockburn family crest. Although a little puzzling, Cockburn liked the feeling it conveyed: “Energetic, blunt, Scottish as can be.” The album’s other nod to Cockburn’s Scottish heritage is heard on “Pibroch: The Wind in the Valley,” in which his guitar’s droning bass strings and melodic grace notes sound eerily like a Highland bagpipe. “I’ve always loved pibroch, or classic bagpipe music,” says Cockburn. “It seems to be in my blood. Makes me want to sip whiskey out of a sea shell on some rocky headland!”



While Cockburn reconnecting with his Gaelic roots is one of Crowing Ignites’ more surprising elements, there’s plenty else that will delight followers of his adventurous pursuits. Says Linden, who’s been a fan of Cockburn’s for 49 years, has produced 10 of his albums and played on the two before that: “Bruce is always trying new things, and I continue to be fascinated by where he goes musically.”



The album is rich in styles from folk and blues to jazz, all genres Cockburn has previously explored. But there are also deepening excursions into what might be called free-form world music. The hypnotic, kalimba-laden “Seven Daggers” and the trance-inducing “Bells of Gethsemane,” full of Tibetan cymbals, chimes and singing bowls, are highly atmospheric dreamscapes that showcase Cockburn’s world of wonders—and his improvisational gifts on both 12-string and baritone guitars. Each track was wholly created in the makeshift studio he and Linden put together in a converted fire station in Cockburn’s San Francisco neighborhood.



Singing bowls, Cockburn explains, are an endless source of fascination to him, dating back to a trip he took to Kathmandu, as seen in the documentary Return to Nepal. There, Cockburn stumbled on a man selling the small inverted bells sometimes used in Buddhist religious practices and became instantly captivated by their vibrational power. “I had no particular attraction to them as meditation tools or anything,” says Cockburn. “I just thought they had a beautiful sound. After buying half a dozen in Kathmandu and more since, he now has a sizeable collection.



Two tracks on Crowing Ignites had their origins elsewhere. “The Groan,” a bluesy piece with guitar, mandolin and some collective handclapping from a group that includes Cockburn’s seven-year-old daughter, Iona, was something Cockburn composed for a Les Stroud documentary about the aftermath of a school shooting and the healing power of nature. And Cockburn wrote the jazz-tinged “Mt. Lefroy Waltz” for the Group of Seven Guitar Project on an instrument inspired by artist Lauren Harris and custom-made by luthier Linda Manzer. It was originally recorded, with cornet player Ron Miles, bassist Roberto Occhipinti and drummer Gary Craig, for Cockburn’s 2017 album Bone on Bone, but not released until now.



Cockburn doesn’t set out with any particular agenda when composing an instrumental. “It’s more about coming up with an interesting piece,” he says. “Who knows what triggers it—the mood of the day or a dream from the night before. Often the pieces are the result of sitting practicing or fooling around on the guitar. When I find something I like, I work it into a full piece.”



“Bardo Rush,” with its urgent, driving rhythm, came after one such dream, while the contemplative “Easter” and the mournful “April in Memphis” were composed on Easter Sunday and Martin Luther Day respectively. “Blind Willie,” named for one of Cockburn’s blues heroes, Blind Willie Johnson, features a fiery guitar and dobro exchange with Linden (Cockburn has previously recorded Johnson’s “Soul of a Man” on Nothing But a Burning Light). And the idea for the sprightly “Sweetness and Light,” featuring some of Cockburn’s best fingerpicking, developed quickly and its title, he says, became immediately obvious.



Meanwhile, “Angels in the Half Light” is steeped in dark and light colors and conveys ominous shades as well as feelings of hopefulness, seemingly touching on both spiritual and political concerns—hallmarks of Cockburn from day one. “It’s hard for me to imagine what people’s response is going to be to these pieces,” he says. “It’s different from songs with lyrics, where you hope listeners will understand, intellectually and emotionally, what you’re trying to convey. With instrumental stuff, that specificity isn’t there and the meaning is up for grabs. But I’m glad if people find a message in the music.”



More than 40 years since he embarked on his singer-songwriter career, Cockburn continues pushing himself to create—and winning accolades in the process. Most recently, the Order of Canada recipient earned a 2018 Juno Award for Contemporary Roots Album of the Year, for

Bone on Bone, received a Lifetime Achievement Award from SOCAN, the Peoples’ Voice Award from Folk Alliance International and was inducted into the Canadian Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2017. Cockburn, who released his memoir, Rumours of Glory, and its similarly titled companion box set the same year, shows no sign of stopping. As his producer-friend Linden says: “Like the great blues players he admires, Bruce just gets better with age.”

                                                                 Bruce Cockburn US Tour Dates

SEPT  7                                                   Sisters, OR                                         Sisters Folk Festival

SEPT  20                                                 Nashville, TN                                    City Winery

SEPT  21                                                 Ferdinand, IN                                   Ferdinand Folk Fest

SEPT  23                                                 Nelsonville, OH                                Stuart Opera House

SEPT  24                                                 Goshen, IN                                        John S Umble Center

SEPT  25                                                 Grand Rapids, MI                            Covenant Arts Center

SEPT  27                                                 Chicago, IL                                         Old Town School

SEPT  28                                                 Chicago, IL                                         Old Town School

SEPT  29                                                 Minneapolis, MN                            Cedar Cultural Center

SEPT  30                                                 Fargo, ND                                           Fargo Theatre

OCT   24                                                 Brooklyn, NY                                     Murmur Theatre

OCT   25                                                 Albany, NY                                         The Egg

OCT   26                                                 Collingswood, NJ                            Scottish Rite Theatre

OCT   27                                                 Washington, DC                              The Birchmere

NOV  10                                                 Seattle, WA                                       Neptune Theatre

NOV  11                                                 Missoula, MT                                    Wilma Theatre

NOV  12                                                 Boise, ID                                             Vac Theatre

NOV  14                                                 Salt Lake City, UT                            State Room

NOV  15                                                 Grand Junction, CO                        Avalon Theatre

NOV  16                                                 Durango, CO                                     Henry Strater Theatre

NOV  17                                                 Boulder, CO                                      Boulder Theatre

NOV  19                                                 Phoenix, AZ                                      MIM

NOV   20                                                Los Angeles, CA                               McCabe’s Guitar Shop

NOV   21                                                Berkeley, CA                                     Freight & Salvage

NOV   22                                                Berkeley, CA                                     Freight & Salvage

Josh Newcom To Release "The Blues Gonna Getcha" On June 28th - Video Debut Today

JOSH NEWCOM TO RELEASE THE BLUES GONNA GETCHA

VIA WARPAINT ENTERTAINMENT ON JUNE 28, 2019

Prolific Entertainer Plans Vast Itinerary to Support Multiple Upcoming 

Studio Albums Scheduled Over the Coming Year

ALBUM RELEASE SHOW PLANNED ON JUNE 28 IN INDIANOLA, MISSISSIPPI 

AT B.B. KING’S CLUB EBONY –  ALL BOX OFFICE PROCEEDS TO BE 

DONATED TO THE B.B. KING MUSEUM 

Rose Bud, AR --- Josh Newcom is an anomaly. As a musician and entertainer, he is continually in a whirlwind of creation. His mind never hits pause, and inspiration comes from all facets of life, family, his travels, alongside any subject that enters the bandwidth of his mind. Over the course of the last year and a half, he self-produced ten albums, each genre specific. As opposed to confining his talent to a sole genre, his love of all music has been the inspiration to pool these individual creations in to collected bodies of work, each loosely defined as Country, Bluegrass, Blues, Rock and others.  First up on June 28 is the release of The Blues Gonna Getcha via Warpaint Entertainment (www.warpaintentertainment.com).  That forthcoming album  is available for sale here: https://www.warpaintentertainment.com/store.

Newcom shares, “My love for the Blues was first and for most inspired by Muddy Waters and Stevie Ray Vaughan. When I first heard Muddy Waters sing and play his songs in that raw and sweaty sound, I knew that was going to be a huge stimulant for my creativity. And hearing Stevie Ray Vaughan play the Blues changed everything I thought about guitar. It literally made me drop everything and focus only on the Blues for many months. Now B.B. King, Howlin’ Wolf, Etta James, Mavis Staples, Buddy Guy, Rosetta Tharpe and many more are who I turn to for inspiration ensuring my soul flows out freely through my voice and fingers.”



Listening to The Blues Gonna Getcha, there is no question the pure powerful, natural intonation is there as Newcom delivers his lyrics in song. And as a player, he is real, taking inspiration from the forefathers of the genre who came before. When asked about which specific carry the most significant meaning to him personally, he offers, “I’m not the type of songwriter who writes just to have another song. I love every song I put out equally or I wouldn’t put them out. That being said, some are written to carry the torch for how I want an album to flow, and the overall feeling I’m looking for. I wrote ‘Girl Got The Mojo’ with full intentions of it starting the album off, and revealing exactly what the album was. The same goes for the ending with ‘When She’s Shakin’. The title track ‘The Blues Gonna Getcha’ is exactly what I wanted a song to be to exhibit the inspiration I got from my blues heroes.”



As an artist, he has been a work in progress, growing through self-discovery and a work ethic second to none. He began his career a decade ago, finding peaks of success, and some heartache along the way. In his past, he has been a sought-after music video director based out of Nashville which led to a relationship with Merle Haggard, and a hired gun engineer who also performed all of the instruments on demos for a number of entertainers who are major artists today.  Newcom is driven by belief in himself, performing over two hundred shows a year across The United States with his wife and family in tow. Some of those journeys are captured on the long-form episodic series “Renegades, Outlaws & Gypsies” which can be screened on his web site here: https://www.warpaintentertainment.com/josh-newcom-video. 



Newcom will be appearing across the country in support of this release, and albums forthcoming throughout 2019 and 2020.  On June 28, he’ll appear in Indianola, Mississippi at B.B. King’s Club Ebony with all box office proceeds earmarked for donation to the B.B. King Museum. For more information please visit https://bbkingmuseum.org/.  Confirmed performances include:



6/21     Tupelo, MS                                         The Thirsty Devil (Band)

6/22     Decatur, AL                                        Hard Docks (Band)

6/28     Indianola, MS                                     B.B. King’s Club Ebony

6/29     Little Rock, AR                                  South On Main (Band)

7/06     Mobile, AL                                         Veets (Band)

7/07     Navarre, FL                                        Juana’s Pagodas 

7/08     Navarre, FL                                        Juana’s Pagodas

7/09     Navarre, FL                                        Juana’s Pagodas

7/10     Perdido Key, FL                                 Flora Bama (Band)

7/13     Jackson, MS                                       Martin’s Downtown (Band)

7/19     Memphis, TN                                      Hi Tone (Big Room)

8/03     Oklahoma City, OK                            Margarita Island (Band)

8/17     Mountain Home, AR                          Royal 66

9/06     Houston, TX                                       Firehouse Saloon (Band)

9/07     Sargent, TX                                        Sargent Fest (Band)