Sweetspot Records artist: Al Basile - B's Time - New Release Review

 I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, B's Time, by Al Basile and it's a cool retrospective of Basile's 25 years with Sweetspot Records using up to date technology on the remastering. Opening with You Showed Me Something, from 2009 release, Soul Blue, Basile on cornet and lead vocals is joined by  Mark Teixeira on drums, Bruce Katz on keys, Marty Ballou on bass, Doug James on sax, and Carl Querfurth on trombone, that walking bass line really sets up for great solos by Basile, Katz and James. Great opener. Two stepper, Drive Me Darling from the 2001 release Shaking The Soul Tree had a cool psychedelic rock vibe with solid vocals by Basile. Jeff McAllister on drums, Tom West on keys, John Packer on bass and some wild guitar work By Duke Robillard really makes this track a standout. Light jazz track, B.D. from the 2003 release Red Breath is chilled and relaxed giving Basille a lot of room to breathe on cornet and sets up with real nice lead work by Paul Odeh on keys, backed by Marty Richards on drums, and Marty Ballou on on bass. Very nice. A splash of reggae on Causing Joy from the 2009's Soul Blue features Basile on some real nice vocal, Doug James on sax, Ballou on bass, Katz on Katz on keys, Teixeira on drums really lays in the slot. Wrapping the release is driving rocker, 1.843 Million from 2010 release The Goods, with a tight drum set from Teixeira, and really heavy bass work by Brad Hallen. Basile's cornet sings and Robillard laying in some vital riffs makes this track an excellent closer. 

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Rumblestump Records artist: Jhett Black - Babel - New Release review

 I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Babel, by Jhett Black and it's got plenty of grit and raw rockin blues. Opening with Roll Out, Jhett Black creates a primitive sound on vocal and guitar, joined by Dusty Skins on thumping kick drum. Title track, Babel is another deep blues based track with solid slide work and heavy kick drum. 12 Bar Blues Again is a driving blues rocker with plenty of guitar show. Black's vocals are really quite strong and pair nicely with his slide work. Sonic Tonic is a mix between new wave and surf. Letting the guitar go, this track has a lot of freedom. Wrapping the release is Don Nix's Going Down. With the thumping kick drum and strong single line guitar lead, it's a cool blend of RL Burnside and Jeff Beck. Solid closer for a solid release. 

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Sweetspot Records artist: Al Basile - Through With Cool - New Release Review

 I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release (9/19/2022), Through With Cool, by Al Basile and it may be my favorite yet. Opening with Keep On Living, with a cool Latin beat by Mark Teixeira on drums and Brad Hallen on bass we're off to a great start. Basile who sings and plays cornet really rides the slot and just seems to hit it perfectly with Bruce Bears on keys and Kid Andersen provides some real nice guitar effects, all backed by Doug James on sax and Doc Chanonhouse on trumpet. Super opener. On blues swinger, I'm Waiting has a real nice feel with Chanonhouse on trumpet, punctuating Basile's vocal lead and Andersen's guitar style is terrific as always. Basile lays in a cool muted cornet solo giving the track an overall jazz approach giving it yet one more dimension. Very nice. Uh Huh is a cool strut with punchy horn work over the basic rhythm section supporting Basile's vocal. Basile lays in a cool cornet solo which is real nice but when Andersen steps up on guitar, I gotta say, his style really is cool and relentless. Very nice. Another cool blues number is Turnabout Is Fair Play and Basile knows how to set the table with strong vocals. Andersen is right on spot with some scorching guitar riffs again making me sit up and take notice but Basile is back on cornet letting you know who wrote the show. Very cool. We Lie On Your Grave is a really nice track with a sumptuous melody, emphasized by the effortless cornet solo on Basile and Andersen again really plays scorching riffs under the melody. Wrapping the release is title track, Through With Cool, with it's conventional blues vamp played in understated fashion by Andersen to the lead vocal by Basile. This is a simple, straightforward closer for a real nice release. 

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Sweetspot Records artist: Al Basile - B's Testimony - New Release Review

 I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, B's Testimony, from Al Basile and it's a real cool mix of blues and jazz. Opening with Lucky Man, a lightly funky, New Orleans flavored track with loose drum rhythm by Mark Teixeira, Brad Hallen on bass and Bruce Bears on piano. Adding in a bit of rock to the blues on If All It Took Was Wishing, Basile on cornet works with Doug James and Doc Chanonhouse to get just the right sound. Funky blues, I'm Bad That Way features some real tasty guitar work from Kid Andersen under some of Basile's best vocals on the release as well as a real nice laid back cornet solo that flows perfectly. Horn backing by James and Chanonhouse give it just the right amount of soul. Andersen steps up early on Up Close And Personal Best with some real hot riffs and follows with some absolute stinging solo guitar lead and Basile's muted cornet soloing lays in the slot making this one of my favorites on the release. Shuffle, I Oughta Be Your Monkey, is a lot of fun with just Basile front and center on cornet and lead vocal and a cool interface between Andersen's fine guitar work and the horns of James and Chanonhouse. Very nice. Another tight guitar solo by Andersen highlights It's Your Pain. Kid blends chickin pickin styling with bluesy approach, Basile's own laid back cornet solo laid in and the rich organ work of Bears tying it all together.  On Through Thick and Thin Andersen really gets loose on guitar and if you've never heard that, it's an absolute joy. The guy really can play and he's really inventive. He swings from riff to riff with wreckless abandon and blows the top off of this one. Excellent! Built around a similar musical theme as "A Thrill Is Gone" Would I Do That To You?, is a great R&B shaped blues number. Basile leads on vocal with horn response by James and Chanonhouse. This track is a real sweet showcase of his cornet work and again resolves with Andersen just slaying the guitar. His bends, mixed with his (what sounds like) whammy vibrato is off the hook. Soft horn backing by James and Chanonhouse really add warmth for a strong finish. Wrapping the release is He Said, She Said, a low slung blues number with a real nice piano display by Bears and solid vocals by Basile leading to another hot guitar solo by Andersen. Basile closes the show with a poised cornet solo line. Really cool release. 

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Couldn't find a video for the release but here's one anyway with Al and Kid:

 

Stony Plain Records artist: Duke Robillard & Friends - Blues Bash - New Release Review

 I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Blues Bash, by Duke Robillard & Friends and it may be his best recent release. Opening with Do You Mean It, Chris Cote is up front on lead vocal with Robillard on guitar, Bruce Bears on piano and Hammond, Mark Teixeira on drums and Jesse Williams on bass. With it's up tempo shuffle feel and super lead work by Robillard, super opener. Piano boogie, What Can I Do showcases strong piano by Bears and super sax by Greg Piccolo, Rich Lataille and Doug James and again. With Cote on lead vocal again and some really hot guitar riffs by Robillard, this track spins. With it's bluesy lope, Rock Alley is a great track to show Robillard at his best. His guitar phrasing is terrific and his feel is soulful. A bluesy sax solo by Lataille really adds great spice on this track. Very nice. Michelle Willson steps up on lead vocal on swing track, You Played On My Piano giving it a great feel and a rich, fat, sax solo by James really kicks this track up another notch. On I Ain't Gonna Do It, Mark Braun really sets the pace on piano with Marty Richards on drums, Marty Ballou on bass, Al Basile on cornet and Sax Gordon on sax. Hot track. Robillard handles lead guitar and vocal on Give Me All The Love You Got with it's sturdy blues feel and fat sax bottom. Robillard dances stylistically on the fretboard showing that fluid finger work that he's well known for. Very cool. Wrapping the release is Just Chillin', a cool, instrumental blues jam with a relaxed feel. Piccolo lays in a really nice sax solo, followed by nicely phrased guitar soloing by Robillard. A Hammond solo by Bears adds real texture to the track making this a strong closer for a solid release. 

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Al Basile Brings His New Album to Life with "Last Hand 2.0" Audio Play Version, Available on All Streaming and Downloading Platforms

 

 

Al Basile Brings His New Album to Life with Last Hand 2.0 Audio Play Version, Available on All Streaming and Downloading Platforms

 

RUMFORD, RI - Eight-time Blues Music Award-nominated singer/songwriter/cornetist Al Basile announces an audio play version of his new album, Last Hand, is being released to all streaming and downloading platforms via The Orchard. Dubbed Last Hand 2.0, Basile (vocals and cornet) and his sparse trio of Bruce Bears on keyboards, Brad Hallen on bass and Mark Teixeira on drums, are joined by an audio cast of Sharon Coleman as “The Young Woman,” Chuck Goldberg as “The Friend” and John Mailloux as “The Bartender.” Al Basile, himself, plays “The Trumpet Player.”

 

The combination of the late-night, after-hours musical groove (that falls comfortably between blues and jazz), and the added dialogue creates a film noir-ish feel to the audio play. Listen to the complete Last Hand 2.0 audio play with all the music here: https://www.bmansbluesreport.com/2020/09/sweetspot-records-artist-al-basile-last.html

 

Upon the musical album’s initial release in August, Al Basile described the even-dozen tracks on Last Hand as telling the story of a May/December romance - which ends too soon - from the man's point of view. It’s also his initial stab at producing himself.  All of his previous albums had been produced by his long-time friend and fellow Roomful of Blues alumnus Duke Robillard.

 

“Last Hand 2.0 immerses the listener deeper into the story of Last Hand,” he explains. “For the first time, we hear from the woman, and we hear the two of them go through key moments in their relationship which lead to the songs. Unlike a stage musical where everything is projected out at the audience, here we’re allowed to overhear the intimate exchange of the lovers - how they are drawn together, and what happens later.’

First, some background on audio plays. “They used to be called radio plays,” Basile advises. “I ran a radio theater at Brown University in the 1970s, where I wrote, directed, produced and acted in radio drama. A few years ago I wrote Flash Blind, a neo-noir thriller as an audio play, and recorded it with some actors last fall. I entered it into the national audio theater competition, HEARnow, which normally meets for three days in Kansas City in June. It was chosen to be featured at the silver level in this year's festival, but the virus forced the event to be shifted from a live one to a website which featured podcasts of the featured plays. It was featured on one of the podcasts that ran from Mid-June to mid-August this summer.

“With the national competition happening each year, I started thinking about something for me to submit for next year. Since I already had the story of Last Hand in the songs on the CD, I decided to fill it out with dramatic scenes which set up the songs the way the book does in a musical play. That would make the CD of Last Hand like an original cast album from a show, where you don't get the scenes but do get the songs. By making an audio drama version of the scenes with the songs in place, I have an audio musical which I can submit this year to the HEARNow festival as a special drama with songs. With the CD release date in August, I had enough time to record the scenes and create Last Hand 2.0, which will not only be released on all digital platforms, but also on my YouTube Page.

 

“So this project builds on what I did on Me & the Originator by combining music and poetry, and adds drama, like Flash Blind combined drama and poetry. I'm just going to keep on doing things that take all my diverse skills: singing, songwriting, horn playing, playwriting, verse writing, acting, editing and directing to bring it off.”

 

About Al Basile:

Al Basile’s previous album releases have consistently made the top 20 on the Living Blues charts. He’s been nominated eight times for a BMA as Best Horn Player, and his 2016 release, Mid-Century Modern, was nominated as Best Contemporary Blues Album. His songs have been covered by Ruth Brown, Johnny Rawls, and the Knickerbocker All Stars. Guests on his own releases have included the Blind Boys of Alabama, Sista Monica Parker, Sugar Ray Norcia, Jerry Portnoy, and jazz great Scott Hamilton.

Celebrated for his mastery of lyric writing as well as music, Al's skill with words extends to his other career as a poet: he is published regularly in leading journals, has won prizes, and has two books in print collecting his work from the Seventies until the present day. For the last three years he has taught lyric writing, led panels, and performed at poetry conferences.

Born in Haverhill, Mass., on the north shore of Boston, Al was the first to receive a Master's degree from Brown University's writing program. He was the first trumpet player for Roomful of Blues in the mid-Seventies, and he's enjoyed a long relationship as a co-writer and sideman during Robillard's solo career since the Eighties, garnering credits as songwriter and trumpet player on a dozen of Duke's CDs and DVDs. In 1998, he released his first solo CD on his own Sweetspot label. He also taught English, music, and physics in a private Rhode Island high school for 25 years before devoting himself to music and poetry full time in 2005.

 

Sweetspot Records artist: Al Basile - Last Hand - New Release Review

 I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Last Hand, from Al Basile, and it's a solid performance showcasing Basile's vocals with only 2 tracks where he contributes cornets work. Opening with It Ain't Broke, a cool, low slung club style blues with Basile on vocal, Bruce Bears on piano, Brad Hallen on bass and Mark Teixeira on drums. With a solid piano line, strong bass work and tight rhythm, a super opener. Smooth shuffle, Don't, has a strong melody and Basile's cornet work paired with bear's cool piano lines is strong. Bears and Basile lay nicely in the groove on After I'm Gone with it's excellent bottom and tight skins. The Problem is Me is one of my favorites on the release with strong piano work from Bears and Basile working the track like a pro. My favorite track on the release and release closer is Time Heals Nothing with it's somber overtone, and minimal backing support. Simple bass line, light brushes, straightforward piano and Basile... with a great muted cornet sound. Strong closer.

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Sweetspot Records artist: Al Basile - B's Hot House - New Release Review

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, B's Hot House, from Al Basile and it's a great mix of blues, R&B and soul. Opening with So Called Story Teller, a lumbering "Thrill Is Gone" like track with Basile on lead vocal and cornet, and featuring Duke Robillard with some mighty tasty guitar riffs. Backed by Mark Teixeira on drums, Brad Hallen on bass, Bruce Bears on keys, Doug James on sax and Doc Cannonhouse, this is a super opener. Shuffle track, Razor Wire has a great stride with Bears' "Booker T like" organ vibe and Robillard's riffs lead nicely into a cool cornet solo by Basile. Very nice. R&B track, Give Me That Look is one of my favorites with it's easy groove and sax/trumpet accent. Basile's vocals on this track are my favorite on the release as well with solid piano work giving it that polish. Another of my favorites on the release is What Dogs Wanna Do, with Robillard dialing his guitar into warm round sound over a Latin rhythm. Horn chorus behind the lead guitar sounds almost vocal like giving the track an almost gospel feel.  Very nice. Wrapping the release is Time Has Made A Fool Of Me, a bass reinforced shuffle with muted horns on the return. Basile's vocals guide the track and a loose, jazz style trumpet gives the track a cool feel. This is a solid release by Basile and another cool release outside of the guitar mainstream.

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Sweetspot Records artist: Al Basile - Me & the Originator - Al Basile - New Release review

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Me & the Originator, from Al Basile and it's a cool mix of poetry, story telling and super music. Opening with the initial story line, Basile sets the stage for the release in story telling fashion. Continuing the story but through song, Basile on vocal and cornet, leads the way, backed by Brad Hallen on bass, Mark Teixeira on tom tom, Bruce Bears on keys and Duke Robillard on guitar. My J-O-B is a cool shuffle track with some of the best vocals on the release. Robillard's riffs are tight with a swing feel and Basile's own cornet work paired with the trumpet work of Jeff Chanonhouse is always cool. One of my favorite tracks on the release is She Made Me Believe It, a slower blues number with soulful vocals, brass and organ backing and super guitar soloing by Robillard. Excellent! Here Come Your Trouble is another cool shuffle tune with a solid bop cornet solo from Basile and excellent piano work from Bears. R&B style blues track, First One To Go, has a real nice guitar solo by Robillard and stylistic cornet work by Basile over solid bass work of Hallen. Very nice. Wrapping the release is If It Goes It Goes/How It Goes, a bluesy jazz number with a great walking bass line and grinding guitar riffs by Robillard. Hallen's bass line, Bears' bright key work and Chanonhouse's trumpet backing roll the release into Basile's closure on his story. This is an interesting release with some really cool music.

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Multi Blues Music Award Nominee Al Basile Brings His Songs and Stories to Life on New CD, "Me & the Originator," Out June 15 on Sweetspot Records

Multi Blues Music Award Nominee Al Basile Brings His Songs and Stories to Life on New CD, Me & the Originator, Out June 15 on Sweetspot Records

RUMFORD, RI – Multi Blues Music Award nominee Al Basile brings his original songs and stories to life on the new CD, Me & the Originator, releasing June 15 on Sweetspot Records. Produced by Duke Robillard, who also adds his guitar talents on the new disc, Me & the Originator showcases Al’s abilities as a storyteller in poems and songs, and as a vocalist and cornet player, backed by an additional group of New England-based all-star musicians, including Mark Texeira (drums), Brad Hallen (bass), Bruce Bears (keyboards), Doug James (tenor and baritone sax) and Jeff “Doc” Chanonhouse (trumpet).

Al Basile, who is also a prize-winning poet, will celebrate the release of the new CD by performing Me & the Originator as a one-man show at the West Chester Poetry Conference, West Chester, Pennsylvania, on Saturday, June 9, from 3:30-4:45 pm.

“For the 20^th anniversary of my Sweetspot label, I wanted to do something different,” Basile says about the new project. “Inspired by the running narrative between the songs on Louis Armstrong: My Musical Biography, I decided to tell a story about an imaginary musician who found lyrics, set music to them, but never admitted he didn't write the words after he got famous. It's a story about blues songs – how they came to be, and who can claim them as theirs, that speaks to the history of the music as we've inherited it. The story is told by the narration and the songs working together.

“Many people know me as a musician, and many others as a poet. I wanted to create a project that required both of my creative hats at once. I don't know how often people have told a story using poems and songs which work together this way, but it's something that I'm especially equipped to do. It fits in the category of a blues album, but it's something different, something more.”

Basile’s last album, Quiet Money (2017), continued to build on his legacy as the “bard of the blues,” combining superb blues and roots music within the framework of intelligent and insightful lyrics, garnering him yet another Blues Music Award nomination for his horn playing. He also received a 2016 Best Contemporary Blues Album nomination for Mid-Century Modern.

“I had told the story of this character in poetic form in my first book A Lit House,” Basile offers. “Those interested in what happened eventually to him can find out by reading ‘Leaving Trunk’ in that book. I decided to write a dozen new songs, and have the character comment in poems about how the songs came to be written, and how they related to his own life. I planned to read the poems in the voice of the character, and have Duke Robillard play solo guitar lead-ins for each one (he came up with spectacular introductions, as you'll hear).

“The circumstances under which the disc was recorded were unusual. I had written the songs and the poems which tell the story very early on for me – it was all written by May of 2017. I spent the summer recording demos and making arrangements, and was finished by September. We were scheduled to record in January. I fell ill in October, and was very limited in what I could do physically going into the winter – but I'd finished the work early so I was lucky. I made being able to run the session, sing and play the goal of my recovery, and was able to hold up my end when the time came. Of course Duke and the guys helped me out tremendously.”

Arranged in a lavish multi-panel CD booklet that includes all the lyrics to the songs, as well as the stories behind them, Me & the Originator is an exciting and nourishing reading/listening experience.    

“Because I'd finished the writing so early, I decided to try a different approach to recording,” Basile adds about the studio work. “Usually we track the songs in an order that makes sense for the way the day is unfolding rather than in any particular order. The sequence is determined later in the project, when we're done with the mixes. This time, I gave the guys advance notice of the narration (even though they wouldn't be playing on those tracks) so they would understand the story and how the songs fit in. I'd already decided the sequence while writing the narrative and the songs – planning grooves and keys to lead the listener through the story of the narrator's life. Then we actually recorded the songs in sequence – that way the guys could attend to details knowing exactly what the listener would have heard in the preceding song, and what the next one would be like. This involved the players on a new level, and I think it shows in the flow of the album – there's a natural inevitability that leads you through the story.”

Sweetspot Records artist: Al Basile - Quiet Money - New Release Review

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Quiet Money, from Al Basile and it has great body!  Basile, hot cornet player and legendary first trumpet with Roomful of Blues is back with Duke Robillard on guitar, Mark Teixeira on drums, Brad Hallen on bass, Bruce Bears on piano, Doc Chanonhouse on trumpet, Rich Lataille on tenor sax and Doug James on tenor and bari saxes. Opening with Blues Got Blues, Basile and Robillard lead the way with balanced lead lines making for a solid opener. On Simple Ain't Easy, Robillard lays out some really tasty lead work under Basile's vocals giving it great feel. Basile steps up with muted cornet and plays off the tempo for super accent. On title track, Quiet Money, James has the bari out and the heft really sets the track. With an easy swing, Basile's vocals ride the groove on this laid back number. Put Some Salt On It, a prime 12 bar number, Basile lays in a real nice cornet lead, complimenting his vocals and Robillard's guitar work is stinging. Jump track, The Time Is Now, has a snappy pace and loose, flamboyant guitar riffs by Robiolard, and well punctuated cornet lead by Basile.  Swing track, I Woulda Been Wrong is one of my favorites on the release with signature guitar riffs by Robillard and some of Basile's best vocals on the release. Robillard really digs deep and lays out some of the most expressive riffs on Not Today.  James really steps up with a fat sax solo on True To Form paired nicely with solos by Robillard and Basile. Wrapping the release is ballad, Who's Gonna Close My Eyes? Featuring the vocals of Basile deep bari work by James, Bears piano finesse and a melodic solo by Basile, this is a solid closer to a solid release.

Multi-Blues Music Award Nominee Al Basile Makes a Loud Statement on New CD, "Quiet Money," Coming September 15 from Sweetspot Records

Multi-Blues Music Award Nominee Al Basile Makes a Loud Statement on New CD,

Quiet Money, Coming September 15 from

Sweetspot Records

RUMFORD, RI – Sweetspot Records announces a September 15 release date for Quiet Money, the new CD from multiple Blues Music Award nominee Al Basile. Quiet Money was produced by Duke Robillard, recorded by Jack Gauthier at Lakewest Recording Studio in West Greenwich, Rhode Island, and features a baker’s-dozen 13 songs, all penned by Al Basile.

It’s been 44 years since Al Basile joined Rhode Island’s legendary jump blues band Roomful of Blues as its first trumpet player, and while his last few solo releases have moved closer musically to the styles Roomful played in: jump blues, urban and Texas blues, swing, and classic R&B, Quiet Money draws directly from that template. Its songs were inspired musically by Buddy Johnson, Lowell Fulson, Jimmy McCracklin, Saunders King, Charlie Rich, and even the Coasters and the Pilgrim Travelers, but as always Al marries the music to his own personal storytelling lyrics, creating songs that are musically familiar to original Roomful fans, but range in theme from the current state of blues in the music business (“Blues Got Blues”) to classic double-entendre blues (“Put Some Salt on It”) to several songs on taking stock near the end of life (“Not Today,” “Who’s Gonna Close My Eyes?”), and in the title song, wondering why money seems to leave the many and hang out with the few (a song influenced by the hipster ‘50s vibe of the Coasters’ classic, “Shopping for Clothes”).

Having his old Roomful boss, perennial producer, and guitar wizard Duke Robillard on board, along with original Roomful alums Rich Lataille and Doug James in the horn section, ensures that the sonic fingerprints will match up for older fans of that band. The rhythm section from the current Duke Robillard Band: Mark Teixeira on drums; Brad Hallen on bass (with the addition of Bruce Bears on piano and Jeff “Doc” Chanonhouse on trumpet) has provided the underpinning for most of Al’s albums over the last ten years, and they continue to nail every style Al asks them to.

“After a few recent songs based on classic R&B models like Louis Jordan, I went into full nostalgia mode for my old Roomful of Blues days when I wrote this group of new songs,” Basile says about the sessions. “We used to listen to all the flavors of ‘40s and ‘50s R&B, and every kind of blues and jazz, especially from swing to bop, in that band, and our set lists reflected that. I decided to write in that spirit musically, but with my modern lyrical bent as usual, and here’s the result. Of course having Duke, Doug, and Rich along didn’t hurt!”

Al’s unusual combination of singer/songwriter/cornetist continues to come to the fore. In 2016, he was nominated for the 6^th time as best horn player by the Blues Foundation, and his 2016 album, Mid-Century Modern, was nominated as best contemporary blues album. His even-more-rare combination of musician and prize-winning poet was underscored by the recent publication of his second poetry book, Tonesmith, by Antrim House.

Al's reviews consistently comment on his strengths as a writer. He uses his lyrics to tell stories with universal appeal, bringing to the task his poet's skills but keeping the words strong, simple, and evocative. There is often a teaching or sharing-of-lessons-learned element in his lyrics. His ease and strength as a singer continues to grow with each release, and his cornet playing is rich, nuanced, and succinct, informed by jazz but instantly communicative as an alternate voice. His songs are all lyrically and melodically deep, and the characters and situations are like compressed theater.

Al is often referred to as the “Bard of the Blues” – he's a rare combination of formal poet and singer/songwriter. He's a model for his generation in showing how to have sequential careers, remain independent, and produce work that is both accessible and thought-provoking. His music sounds good – you can put it on while making dinner – but if you have time for a careful listen – the deeper you look, the more you'll find.

Blues Music Award nominees announced by the Blues Foundation; ceremony is May 11

THE BLUES FOUNDATION ANNOUNCES 38TH BLUES MUSIC AWARD NOMINEES  Awards ceremony to be held May 11, 2017 in Memphis

MEMPHIS, Tenn. — The Blues Foundation is pleased to announce the nominations for its annual Blues Music Awards, which the international organization will present on Thursday, May 11, 2017 at the Cook Convention Center in downtown Memphis, Tennessee. Universally recognized as the highest accolade afforded blues musicians, The Blues Music Awards upholds its rich cultural tradition by honoring the past year’s superior achievements in blues performance, songwriting, and recording. This annual ceremony represents the premier event for blues professionals, musicians, and fans around the globe.   Sugar Ray Norcia, individually, and collectively with his band, The Bluetones, received the most nominations with seven, including B.B. King Entertainer Award, Best Song, Best Album and Best Band. The total reaches ten with the inclusion of his Bluetones bandmates Monster Mike Welch (Instrumentalist-Guitar), Michael “Mudcat” Ward (Instrumentalist-Bass) and Anthony Geraci (Pinetop Perkins Piano Player). Chicago-based guitarist Toronzo Cannon garnered four nominations and he faces off against Norcia in both the Best Song and Best Album categories. Best Album probably ranks as the most competitive category, with Norcia and Cannon battling Bobby Rush, Kenny Neal, William Bell and the Nick Moss Band, who all have three nominations.   Several nominees will be defending their titles won at last year’s Blues Music Awards. Instrumentalist-Harmonica winner Kim Wilson is one of this year’s nominees, and Cedric Burnside might again claim the Instrumentalist-Drums crown. Shemekia Copeland and Bettye LaVette also return to the categories they won last year (Contemporary Blues Female Artist and Soul Blues Female Artist, respectively), while 2016’s Acoustic Artist winner, Doug MacLeod, is one of this year’s contenders too.    The Awards also honor the next generation of blues performers with the Best Emerging Artist Album category. In fact, two Emerging Artist nominees also are contenders for a second award. Detroit native Thornetta Davis’s “I Gotta Sang the Blues” is up for Best Song, while Terrie Odabi is competing against the likes of Bettye LaVette and Mavis Staples to be named Soul Blues Female Artist.   The complete list of 38th Blues Music Award nominees also can be found at the Blues Foundation’s website — www.blues.org. A ballot will soon be sent to all Blues Foundation members, as they have the privilege of deciding which nominees will actually take home a Blues Music Award in May. Anyone interested in casting a vote to decide this year’s winners may receive a ballot by joining or renewing their membership with The Blues Foundation at any time up to February 28, 2017.  The Blues Music Awards ceremony annually proves to be one of the year’s best shows. Not only does almost every nominee attend, but they also perform, creating a lineup featuring the best of the best in blues all in one evening. More information regarding membership, voting, ticket, and host hotel information can be found at www.blues.org or by calling 901.527.2583.   Major funding is provided by ArtsMemphis and the Tennessee Arts Commission.  The 38th Blues Music Awards are also sponsored by BMI, GET and I-55 Productions, Legendary Rhythm & Blues Cruise, Memphis Convention and Visitors Bureau, the Sierra Nevada Brewing Company and Sony/Legacy.     The Blues Foundation is Memphis-based, but world-renowned as THE organization whose mission is to preserve blues heritage, celebrate blues recording and performance, expand worldwide awareness of the blues, and ensure the future of this uniquely American art form.  Founded in 1980, The Blues Foundation has approximately 4000 individual members and 200 affiliated local blues societies representing another 50,000 fans and professionals around the world.  Its signature honors and events — the Blues Music Awards, Blues Hall of Fame, International Blues Challenge and Keeping the Blues Alive Awards — make it the international center of blues music. Its HART Fund provides the blues community with medical assistance for musicians in need, while Blues in the Schools programs and Generation Blues Scholarships expose new generations to blues music. The recent opening of the Blues Hall of Fame Museum, in Memphis, TN, now adds the opportunity for music lovers of all ages to interact with the music and the history. For more information, log onto www.blues.org. 38th Blues Music Award Nominees Acoustic Album Doug MacLeod - Live in Europe Eric Bibb - The Happiest Man in the World Fiona Boyes - Professin' the Blues Jimmy “Duck” Holmes - Live at Briggs Farm John Long - Stand Your Ground Luther Dickinson - Blues and Ballads (A Folksinger's Songbook) Vol I and II Acoustic Artist Doug MacLeod Eric Bibb Fiona Boyes Jimmy “Duck” Holmes Luther Dickinson Album Bobby Rush - Porcupine Meat Kenny Neal - Bloodline Nick Moss Band - From the Root to the Fruit Sugar Ray & the Bluetones - Seeing is Believing Toronzo Cannon - The Chicago Way William Bell – This Is Where I Live           Band Golden State Lone Star Blues Revue Lil’ Ed & The Blues Imperials Nick Moss Band Sugar Ray and the Bluetones Tedeschi Trucks Band   B.B. King Entertainer Joe Bonamassa John Nemeth Lil’ Ed Williams Sugar Ray Norcia Sugaray Rayford Best Emerging Artist Album Corey Dennison Band - Corey Dennison Guy King - Truth Jonn Del Toro Richardson - Tengo Blues Terrie Odabi - My Blue Soul Thornetta Davis - Honest Woman Contemporary Blues Album Al Basile - Mid Century Modern Kenny Neal - Blood Line Nick Moss Band - From the Root to the Fruit The Record Company - Give It Back To You Toronzo Cannon - The Chicago Way Contemporary Blues Female Artist Alexis P Suter Ana Popovic Janiva Magness Shemekia Copeland Susan Tedeschi   Contemporary Blues Male Artist Albert Castiglia Kenny Neal Mike Zito Sugaray Rayford Toronzo Cannon Historical Album Arthur “Big Boy” Crudup, A Music Man Like Nobody Ever Saw, Bear Family Records B.B. King, More B.B. King: Here’s One You Haven’t Heard, Ace Records Bobby Rush, Chicken Heads: A 50-Year History of Bobby Rush, Omnivore Recordings Michael Burks, I’m A Bluesman, Iron Man Records Pinetop Perkins & Jimmy Rogers, Genuine Blues Legends, Elrob Records   Instrumentalist-Bass Biscuit Miller Bob Stroger Michael “Mudcat” Ward Patrick Rynn R W Grigsby   Instrumentalist-Drums Cedric Burnside Jimi Bott June Core Tom Hambridge Tony Braunagel Instrumentalist-Guitar Bob Margolin Joe Bonamassa Kid Andersen Monster Mike Welch Ronnie Earl  Instrumentalist-Harmonica Dennis Gruenling Jason Ricci Kim Wilson Mark Hummel Sugar Ray Norcia     Instrumentalist-Horn Al Basile Nancy Wright Sax Gordon Beadle Terry Hanck Vanessa Collier  Koko Taylor Award (Traditional Blues Female) Annika Chambers Diunna Greenleaf Inetta Visor Shaun Murphy Trudy Lynn Pinetop Perkins Piano Player Anthony Geraci Barrelhouse Chuck Henry Gray Jim Pugh Victor Wainwright Rock Blues Album of the Year Albert Castiglia - Big Dog Mike Zito - Keep Coming Back Moreland & Arbuckle - Promised Land or Bust Tedeschi Trucks Band - Let Me Get By Walter Trout - Alive in Amsterdam Song “Blues Immigrant” written by Matthew Skoller & Vincent Bucher and performed by Matthew Skoller on Blues Immigrant “I Gotta Sang The Blues” written and performed by Thornetta Davis on Honest Woman “Seeing Is Believing” written by Ray Norcia and performed by Sugar Ray & The Bluetones on Seeing Is Believing “Walk A Mile In My Blues” written by David Duncan, Curtis Salgado & Mike Finigan and performed by Curtis Salgado on The Beautiful Lowdown “Walk it Off” written and performed by Toronzo Cannon on The Chicago Way Soul Blues Album Bobby Rush - Porcupine Meat Curtis Salgado - The Beautiful Lowdown Johnny Rawls - Tiger in a Cage Wee Willie Walker - Live! Notodden Blues Festival William Bell - This Is Where I Live         Soul Blues Female Artist Bettye Lavette Lara Price Mavis Staples Terrie Odabi Vaneese Thomas Soul Blues Male Artist Bobby Rush Curtis Salgado Johnny Rawls Wee Willie Walker William Bell Traditional Blues Album Big Jon Atkinson & Bob Corritore - House Party at Big Jon's Bob Margolin - My Road Golden State Lone Star Blues Revue - Golden State Lone Star Blues Revue Lurrie Bell - Can't Shake This Feeling Sugar Ray & the Bluetones - Seeing is Believing Traditional Blues Male Artist Bob Margolin John Primer Lil’ Ed Williams Lurrie Bell Sugar Ray Norcia