New Craig Chaquico album out Oct. 16th!

NEW CRAIG CHAQUICO ALBUM OUT OCTOBER 16th Craig Chaquico, platinum-selling lead guitarist and songwriter with Jefferson Starship as well as a chart-topping smooth jazz solo artist, takes a walk on the bluesier side of the street with his Blind Pig debut, Fire Red Moon. The American roots music label has announced an October 16, 2012 release date for the recording. From the radio-friendly opening tracks, "Lie To Me" (with vocal by Noah Hunt of the Kenny Wayne Shepherd Band) and "Devil's Daughter" to the thunderous conclusion of Robert Johnson's "Crossroads," Chaquico explores the thoroughfares and back alleys where blues and rock intersect. There's an instrumental version of Albert King's signature tune, "Born Under A Bad Sign," a rousing cover of Muddy Waters' "Rollin' And Tumblin'," and sterling originals that echo the stylings of blues/rock forerunners such as Cream, Jimi Hendrix, ZZ Top, and Steely Dan. There's even an instrumental tune entitled "Blue On Blue" that would appeal to Craig's many smooth jazz fans. As a teenager, Chaquico (pronounced Cha-KEY-so) was invited by Paul Kantner and Grace Slick to join Jefferson Starship and played a seminal role in making that group (later re-named Starship) one of the top selling bands in history, earning twenty platinum and gold albums. On the best-selling album of their career, Red Octopus, Rolling Stone remarked that "the emergence of guitarist Craig Chaquico resulted in the finest San Francisco music since the heyday of the Haight." Chaquico became a central figure in the band, playing lead guitar on all their hits from 1973 to 1990 including "Miracles," "We Built This City," "Sara" and "Nothing's Gonna Stop Us Now," and developing into one of their main songwriters. He wrote or co-wrote some of Starship's most memorable songs such as "Find Your Way Back," "Jane," "Layin' It On The Line," and "Rock and Roll Is Good Time Music." While others came and went, Craig is the only person in the band to appear on every recording, tour, MTV video, album, and hit song during that time. Then, after finding himself at the top of the national charts in each of three consecutive decades, Craig left the fast-paced pop world of arena rock and reinvented himself as a top-selling contemporary jazz/New Age guitarist, once again topping the Billboard and radio charts. Altogether, the acclaimed guitarist has sold over a million albums as a soloist. He was also voted the "Best Pop Instrumental Guitarist" by the readers of Guitar Player while Jazziz magazine listed him as one of the "Top 100 Most Influential Guitarists of All Time." Now entering the fifth decade of his illustrious career, with the release of Fire Red Moon Chaquico continues his improbable journey from the boy-wonder of 70's rock to genre-defying success as a top jazz and new age guitarist, returning now to the roots blues he listened to in his early teens. Says Chaquico, "The multi-platinum stadium rock period in my musical life was as rewarding as it was fun, and part of my higher musical education. And as much as I still love instrumental smooth jazz, which for me was always blues-based anyway, I sometimes missed the edge that I could experience with blues-based rock and roll." Blind Pig's signing of Chaquico continues something of a trend for the label, and the music business in general it seems - the release of roots blues albums from well-established rock stars. In recent years Blind Pig has released titles by two members of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame - Ray Manzarek of The Doors and Jeremy Spencer of Fleetwood Mac. Meanwhile, the market has seen very successful blues releases from pop star Cyndi Lauper and even well known TV actor Hugh Laurie. Publicity: Debra Regur pigpress@blindpigrecords.com 415-550-6484 Radio: Peter Robinson radio@blindpigrecords.com 773-772-0043 For more information visit www.blindpigrecords.com.