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Here's the latest VizzTone news blast. There's been a lot happening, so it's a
long one! To make it easier to navigate, here's a little Table of Contents.
Read on for:
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BLUES MUSIC AWARDS
We had a natural ball in
Memphis last month, as expected. We were proud to root for all our nominees at
the Blues Music Awards, and thrilled to see Diunna Greenleaf
accept the Koko Taylor Award, Traditional Blues Female
Artist. We watched great performances by Little G
Weevil, Gracie Curran, and Bob
Margolin (performing on the eve of his birthday with Ronnie Earl.) Here
are a few pics.
Diunna Greenleaf accepting her
long-overdue Koko Taylor Award! (photo by Louis Blackwell)
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Bob Margolin with Ronnie
Earl
"Acoustic Blues Artist" nominee
Little G Weevil striking a blue mood (Photo by Louis Blackwell)
"Best Blues Song" nominee, Ruff
Kutt Blues Band's James Goode
..and "Best New Artist Debut"
nominee Gracie Curran tearing it up with guests Peter Parcek and Richard
Rosenblatt.
SNACK TIME! And what would the
BMA's be without the ever-popular SNACK TIME after-party!? That's Dave Keller,
Sax Gordon Beadle, Richard Rosenblatt, Dennis Gruenling, first-time snacker
James Montgomery, Amy Brat, Laura Chavez, Dave Gross, Kurt Kalker, Michael Bram,
Dean Shot, Matt Raymond, and Greg Nagy. (not pictured: Ricky Stevens, Dick
Shurman, and Zaida Zoller.) Yes, this is what happens in Memphis at 3AM.
;-)
VIZZTONE BLUES PARTY ON BEALE
Our annual BMA Blues Party On
Beale was nothing short of amazing! We kicked it off and 9:30, and rocked the
Rum Boogie until well past 2:00 AM. Bob Margolin was our congenial host, with a
house band featuring Dave Gross, Matt Raymond, Michael Bram and Dean Shot. The
evening featured performances by Bob Margolin, Candye Kane, Laura Chavez, Debbie
Davies, Mitch Woods, EG Kight, Bob Corritore, Diunna Greenleaf, Dave Gross, Long
Tall Deb, Colin John, Cathy Lemons, Dennis Gruenling, Little G Weevil, Michael
"Leroy" Bram, Dean Shot, Gracie Curran, Terry Hanck, and Richard
Rosenblatt.
 
Debbie Davies, Michael Bram, Dave
Gross, Laura Chavez
Bob Margolin, Matt Raymond, Cathy
Lemons, Phil Berkowitz
Michael Bram, EG Kight, Bob
Margolin
Bob about to become Laura's human
guitar strap, Rosy pretending nothing is unusual
Amy Brat with "Contemporary
Female Artist" nominee Candye Kane - bangs rule!
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AWARD SEASON AGAIN!
Now that we're starting to catch
our breath and regroup from the Blues Music Awards, it's time to think about the
next wave of awards, this time from three major Blues Publications!
 
BIG CITY BLUES:
Ruff Kutt Blues Band is nominated for the Big City Bues award,
COOLEST BLUES SONG IN THE WORLD 2014 for their song "That's When The Blues
Begins" – James Goode, writer / Zac Harmon,
vocalist / Anson Funderburgh, guitar. You can VOTE NOW until
June 30 by clicking the Big City Blues logo.
LIVING BLUES
AWARDS – Bob Corritore is nominated in the harmonica
category for the third year in a row - he won last year! Place your vote at
www.LivingBLues.com, now until July 15.
BLUES BLAST MUSIC
AWARDS: Blues Blast Magazine is having their annual awards ceremony
and celebration in Champaign, Illinois on October 23, 2014. Voting is from July
15 - Septmeber 15, 2014. For more info or to vote, click the Blues Blast Music
Awards logo, above. Nominees inclues:
COMING SOON!
GINA SICILIA
EP
Critically acclaimed
singer-songrwiter Gina Sicilia traveled to the Muscle Shoals, Alabama, area to
soak up the Southern Soul vibe for her new 5-song EP, The Alabama
Sessions. This is Gina’s first self-produced release, and
features her powerful, sultry vocals over five new original
compositions.
The Alabama Sessions
EP wil digitally released by VizzTone on July 29.
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CHRIS O'LEARY BAND LIVE
ALBUM
Chris O’Leary’s first two
albums established him as a driving force in modern blues. Former front man for
Levon Helm’s Barn Burners, Chris leads his horn-driven band through his
ultra-cool songs, taking the lead with powerful vocals and harmonica.
Live at BLUES NOW was recorded March 2014 in Basel,
Switzerland with special guest, veteran blues guitarist Alex
Schultz.
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SNEAK PEEK - NEW VIZZTONE ARTISTS!
NEW VIZZTONE ARTIST - ROB
STONE!
VizzTone proudly welcomes
harp-playing vocalist Rob Stone to the family! Rob brings a hard-hitting fresh
energo to traditional Chicago blues, Centered in Chicago and LA, Rob has
established a solid reputation with his first three albums and high-powered live
shows in the US and around the world — he's doing a three week tour of Japan in
August. Esteemed journalist Bill Dahl writes, Rob Stone "respects Chicago
Blues enough to blow the dust right off it!"
Rob's new CD features a band
including Chris James, Partick Rynn, Willie Hayes and David Maxwell. Special
guests include Eddie Shaw, John Primer, and Henry Gray. Oh yeah, you're gonna
dig this one! Look for an early September release of Rob's new CD,
Gotta Keep Rollin. You'll be hearing MUCH more about
Rob Stone in the near future!
NEW VIZZTONE ARTIST -
ERIN HARPE AND THE DELTA SWINGERS!
We are particularly thrilled
to welcome Boston's Erin Harpe & the Delta Swingers to the VizzTone family.
Erin learned to play Delta Blues guitar at an early age from her father,
Maryland area bluesman Neil Harpe. She showed an immediate affinity for the
finger-picking style of Memhis Minnie and Kansas City Joe. Erin's travels
brought her an appreciation of World music styles, particularly Afro-Beat and
reggae. Landing in Boston, she did solo blues gigs, simultaneously started a
electro-funk dance band called Lovewhip, and self-released a couple of acoustic
blues CDs.
A few years ago, Erin formed
the Delta Swingers, a deep blues-based group that was also a dance band with a
wealth of influences. The sound was aptly christened "Charles River Delta
Blues" The Delta Swingers immediately won the Boston Blues Challenge, and went
to Memphis for the International Blues Challange, made a lot of friends, and got
to the semi-finals. THe band won a Boston Music Award, and Erin returned to the
IBC with her harp player to compete in the solo/duo category.
The Delta Swingers are: Erin
Harpe on guitar and vocals, Bob Nisi on drums and background vocals, Jim
Countryman on bass, and VizzTone co-founder Richard "Rosy" Rosenblatt on
harmonica. The new record was recorded in Boston, then mixed and mastered by
Dave Gross at Fat Rabbit Studios, with guest appearances by Dave Gross and Bob
Margolin. Coming pretty soon, we'll keep you posted!
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ARTIST NOTES
MIKEY JUNIOR,
JR!
Mikey Junior was on the road
with an all-star band, promoting his critically-acclaimed, radio-charting new
VizzTone album, Traveling South, heading towards Memphis to hit the
BMAs and perform at the VizzTone Blues Party on Beale, when suddenly... Mikey's
newest production, his first child, decided he wanted to make an early
appearance. Mikey returned home to help welcome Michael Grayson Hudak, born May
4, 2014, and let the very capable band of Dave Gross, Michael Bram, Matt Raymond
and Dean Shot carry on without him. Young Michael is doing fine, and exhibiting
excellent taste in music! By the way, have you seen Mikey Junior's official
music video? CLICK
HERE FOR THE MIKEY JUNIOR VIDEO!
LITTLE G WEEVIL, TV
STAR
Little G Weevil has been
having a hell of a year or so.. Winning the 2013 IBC in the solo/duo category,
releasing his VizzTone debut to widespread acclaim, BMA and Blues Blast Award
nominations, and now... TV stardom?
Much to his surprise, Little
G Weevil has been tapped as of the judges on the X
Factor TV show - the Hungarian version - for the next season.
The X Factor - created by Simon Cowell - (American
Idol) is a British television music competition to find new singing talent,
contested by aspiring singers drawn from public auditions. As the biggest talent
competition, the show airs in many countries all over the world. This is the 5th
season in Hungary with the first blues musician judge ever in the history of the
show. (check
out the above video to see the press fawning over him - it's in Hungarian, but
you get the picture!)
"Blues musicians hardly
ever get invited to a mainstream show like this. I`m very proud to represent my
genre. I hope that my presence will help gravitate more people towards blues and
blues related music. With over 2000 gigs behind me, 7 albums in the EU and the
US, i know i can help the contestants a lot and i`m very excited." - says
Weevil
In between shootings you find
Little G on the road. Last weekend he appeared on a festival in the Netherlands.
He's currently on a Hungarian tour, with dates followed in Spain. His next US
tour is in September.
FIONA BOYES, NOTES FROM
THE ROAD
Eight weeks = eight
countries; greetings from the road! I am currently in the final stages of a big
tour that started in the USA at MerleFest, NC, and has taken me to fantastic
gigs round Europe. Club dates and Jazz/Blues festivals in Belgium, Austria,
Luxembourg, Switzerland, Italy, Germany and Holland - even managed to fit in an
arty photo shoot with Italian rock photographer, Cristina Arrigoni!
LONG TALL
DEB
Long Tall Deb continues to
knock 'em dead with her band the Werewolves of Alabama (long story, ask her
sometime!) at shows and festivals around the world. ReverbNation liked her song
"Married to the Blues" so much, they made her Featured Artist of the Week. Deb
and the Werewolves are currently working on a brand new single, while gearing up
for a busy festival season to include a performance at the Ottawa Blues Fest and
a tour of Italy!
DOUG DEMING & DENNIS
GRUENLING with THE JEWEL TONES
Doug, Dennis and Jewel Tones
are in the middle of major summer tours through the US, and also appearing in
France. They headlined at the First Annual Brevard Blues Festival recently with
special guest Anson Funderburgh. (Pictured above: Anson Funderburgh, Dennis
Gruenling, Doug Deming, Andrew Gohman, Brian Phillips) On this tour they will
also hitting the Mississippi Valley Blues Festival, Field Of Blues Festival, and
Vache de Blues festival in France, as well as blues venues and concerts all over
the east coast & midwest.
 
EG KIGHT - MULTI-TALENTED
MUSICIAN, SONGWRITER, PHOTOGRAPHER
Starting the year out on a
good note, EG Kight's song, “Blue Dawn”, written with Tom Horner and Sunny
Stephens, aired on ABC Family's "The Fosters" show in February. Then she teamed
up with "Belle of the Blues" Lisa Biales, and together as the "Peach Pickin'
Mamas" they toured Indiana and Ohio. Last month, Kight took to the Rum Boogie
stage in Memphis for the VizzTone jam, and had a blast jammin' with Bob
Margolin.
EG is also a photographer,
and has been asked by a book publisher to use one of her photos for the cover of
a book on the life and times of Robert Johnson. (See above!) The book is set to
be released later this year.
Kight's upcoming tour dates
include a museum of art in Knoxville, a Billiards club in Chattanooga, the BBC
in Tallahassee, the Bradenton Blues Festival, more clubs, and several house
concerts and private parties. Find all dates at www.EGKightMusic.com
BOB MARGOLIN - STEADY
ROLLIN' AS ALWAYS
Bob reports: "I'm still
steady rollin' for my own gigs, but my shades misted up on the eyes side when my
dear friend Diunna Greenleaf won the Koko Taylor Traditional Blues Woman for
2014 at the Blues Music Awards. I am inspired by her music and her friendship
and we're conspiring to write some songs together and record and tour. Diunna is
a treasure!"
RUFF KUTT BLUES
BAND
James Goode, old coach and
producer/bassist/songwriter for the Ruff Kutt Blues Band, has been writing and
producing new songs for future projects. Right now the title song from their
VizzTone CD, "That's When The Blues Begins", written by James and featuring Zac
Harmon on vocals and Anson Funderburgh, is nominated for 2014 COOLEST BLUES SONG
IN THE WORLD by Big CIty Blues magazine. James won this same award last year!
(pictured above) There's just about one week left to vote, so let's go for two
in a row - CLICK
HERE TO VOTE NOW!
DAVE
GROSS
In the studio and on the
road, Dave Gross is an amazing perpetual motion machine! (Arty photo by Jen
Taylor!) Dave reports:
"I've been in the studio
the last few weeks finishing up overdubs and mixing for Erin Harpe's upcoming
album, as well as finishing the master for The Chris O'Leary Band's upcoming
live release. I was touring earlier this year with Candye Kane & Laura
Chavez, in the Northeast and Canada, as well as many regional and road
performances with Mikey Junior (as well as many throughout the rest of the
year). I'll be traveling from 6/26-7/26 playing guitar with Chris O'Leary,
across the country and up to the Northwest and then back in the studio for a few
new exciting projects in August!"
MICHAEL
BRAM
Michael "Leroy" Bram is
widely known for playing drums with the stars - but he's also a a hell of a
blues singer/songwriter/guitarist/harp player, as his VizzTone album and his
Memphis performance will attest!
Michael reports: "Writing
and in pre-pre-production for next album... Just returned from "Traveling
South" tour with Mikey Jr.... which ended up being the Mikey-less Mikey Jr Band
due to his wife going in to labor during the first gig! Finished the tour with
Dave Gross and Dean Shot culminating in 4 glorious days in MEMPHIS, where we
were the house band and featured performers at the Vizztone Label Showcase at
Rum Boogie Cafe. What an Awesome night where I got to perform and hang with many
new friends! The Memphis stop included the BMA's.... so many great performances
but my favorite thing was that I got to put my photographers hat on and got
great shots of James Cotton, Bob Margolin, Ronnie Earl and more! I also got to
spend some time in Clarksdale where we saw Candye Kane's wonderful band and I
got to shoot some portraits of one of my heroes, Watermelon Slim! ...a trip full
of music and photography. My favorite.
I recently scored a new
residency gig at the New Rochelle Radisson every Thursday. Steady is
good!
Look for news on an upcoming
tour on drums with grammy award winning singer Jason Mraz, and future gigs with
Mikey Jr, Dave Gross, Johnny Nicholas; as well as upcoming gigs under my own
name.... keep it greasy!"
MITCH WOODS, RIDING IN
STYLE
MItch Woods is rolling
strong, and in high style! He reports: “Heading off to Europe for a
whirlwind summer tour appearing at Notodden Blues Festival (Norway), Umbria Jazz
Festival (Italy), and Ascona Jazz Festival (Switzerland)….should be a
blast!"
TED DROZDOWSKI'S
SCISSORMEN
Ted just back home to Nashville, after a week of teaching in Colorado at an
innovative self-discovery program for artists. He also did some playing along
the way, including guesting with Otis Taylor. Back home, he proceeded to pack
Nashville music room The Family Wash to the rafters to help celebrate the hometown debut of
the new Ted Drozdowski's Scissormen line-up
featuring Sean Zywick and Pete
Pulkrabek!
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DEBBIE
DAVIES
Debbie Davies, pictured here
backstage at BB Kings NYC for Johnny Winter's birthday party, is looking forward
to upcoming summer festivals and a very special series of shows with Chris Cain
mid summer.
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JAMES
MONTGOMERY
James reports: "Just
finished 3 nights in a row – all benefits – with our band and the amazing Grace
Kelly!! (pictured here) Old pal Jonathan Edwards was on one of them! All of them
were EXTREMELY powerful shows! We started with her when she was 12! Look for
more with Grace in the near future! Our Vizztone CD is flying off the bandstand
with out new T Shirts!"
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VIZZABLE MUSIC
It's been a rewarding time for
VIzzTone's sister promo company, Vizzable Music!
 
GRACIE
CURRAN
We were happy to work with
Gracie Curran from square one all the way to the BMAs. Gracie's album,
Proof of Love, was produced in Richard Rosenblatt's
Vizzable Studios, promoted by Vizzable Music to press, radio, and the world,
then nominated for a Best New Artist Debut Blues Music Award. Thats the way it's
supposed to work, right! ;-)
 
LUTHER
DICKINSON
It was a pleasure to promote
old friend Luther Dickinson's recent CD, Rock n' Roll
Blues. It's what Luther describes as "folk country punk blues",
and it's a beauty, rolling up the punk rock exhuberance of his early years and
the blues and folk music traditions that are his birthright into a careening
autobiographical album, full of wit, irony, and joy. Not really a blues album,
but most people love it. We got a lot of press and radio attention, as well as
an interview on Elwood's Bluesmobile.
 
JEREMY
BAUM
Next up - Jeremy Baum! We'll
be telling you much more about this release VERY soon, but here are the
basics:
Jeremy Baum plays the
Hammond Organ and leads his own band, which is rooted in the blues and funky
soul-jazz sounds of the late 60s (think Booker T and the MG’s, the Meters, Jimmy
Smith, Jimmy McGriff!) Jeremy has been a successful sideman, working with
Shemekia Copeland, Levon Helm, The North Mississippi Allsatars, Debbie Davies,
Chris O’Leary, John Hammond Jr., and many more. He has played in nearly every
state in the USA, in over 20 countries in North America, Europe and Asia, at
countless music festivals, at Carnegie Hall, and many television appearances
including Late Night with David Letterman. The man has paid some
dues!
Back in the studio for his
sophomore release, The Eel, Jeremy Baum knocks it out
of the park with 10 Hammond organ and piano driven arrangements. Backed by a
stellar cast of musicians, this album is a great listen from start to finish.
Special guests include, among others, Jay Collins, Eric Kalb, Michael Bram,
Scott Sherrard, Chris Vitarello, Miles Mancuso, Dennis Gruenling, and Chris
O’Leary.
You'll be hearing a lot more
about Jeremy Baum, soon!
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