Provogue Records artist: Supersonic Blues Machine - Voodoo Nation - New Release Review

 I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Voodoo Nation, from Supersonic Blues Machine and it's a cool blues rocker. Opening with Money, SBM sets up a cool New Orleands flavored funk rocker with a solid drum line by Kenny Aronoff and featuring Kris Barras on lead vocal and guitar, Fabrizio Grossi on bass, Alex Alessandroni Jr on keys and perfect backing vocals by Francis Benitez and Andrea Grossi- Benitez. You and Me is a solid rocker that reminds me of Pink Floyd (and I actually don't know why). I think maybe it has the drive of Roger Waters' The Wall and the guitar attack by King Solomon Hicks  (doesn't sound like Gilmore), but the riffs are cut from the same cloth. Very cool. 8 Ball Lucy is one of my favorites with solid vocals, cool slide by Sonny Landreth and really cool reggae drum work by Aronoff. Title track, Voodoo Nation, has an interesting sound with really potent drum work by Aronoff, wark key addition by Alessandroni Jr. and again very effective vocal backing by Grossi-Benitez. Wrapping the release is radio track, All Our Love with it's catchy tune andlight country influence. With Charlie Starr on slide guitar paired with Barras on lead guitar and lead vocal, and strong piano work by Alessandroni, this is a strong closer. 

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Women Rule at New Blues Festival 4 Labor Day Weekend

WOMEN RULE THE MAIN STAGE AT NEW BLUES FESTIVAL IV; HEADLINING SETS BY 2017 GRAMMY NOMINEE JANIVA MAGNESS AND QUEEN OF BLUES GUITAR, ANA POPOVIC      ~In Conjunction with the New Long Beach Blues Society~

(LONG BEACH, CA) -  New Blues Festival IV is proud to present some of Blues' biggest women artists this year, when the two-day festival takes place Saturday, September 2 and Sunday, September 3 (Labor Day Weekend) at El Dorado Regional Park in Long Beach, Calif. This year's festival is also being presented in conjunction with the new Long Beach Blues Society.   Performing on the Main Stage are Janiva Magness, whose critically-acclaimed album Love Wins Again was a 2017 Grammy nominee in the Best Contemporary Blues category. Ana Popovic, the Serbian-born guitar great and six-time Grammy nominee who recently relocated to Los Angeles, is also set to perform, with other female acts including the "Queen of Steam," Michele Lundeen;  and Los Angele's own, Deb Taren Band; Shadowblue featuring Lady Faye; and Seville Street.   Other NBF IV headliners: Blues legend, Guitar Shorty; The King Brothers; Chris Cain; Zac Harmon (performing with Chris Cain); John Clifton; Reverend Shawn Amos; Atomic Road Kings; Backwater Blues Band; and Union Hobos.   As with previous years, there will be a full Vendor Village, Craft Beers on Tap, BBQ Vendors, Gourmet Food Trucks, and more. Additionally, enjoy music as well on the Golden Groove Stage featuring performances by many of the Southland's best Blues acts.  Tickets now on sale For New Blues Festival IV at http://www.newbluesfestival.com/tickets.   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fiEOhaUULg4&feature=youtu.be                                                             About...New Blues Festival IV      The New Blues Festival is now in its fourth big year, and was expanded to a two-day event in 2015 due to the overwhelming success of the inaugural NBF, when over 2,000 music lovers of all ages filled POA Park in Long Beach.    "Los Angeles and Orange Counties have responded very well to the (New Blues Festival) concept. We definitely hit on a pent-up demand for a long-running inter-generational tradition, and we are excited to once again share all this great music with the public", says William Grisolia, Producer of the New Blues Festival.    Past headliners at the previous two New Blues Festival events include some of the biggest names in Blues: 2017 Grammy winner, Bobby Rush; Lee Rocker; James Harman; The 44's with Kid Ramos; Brophy Dale Band; Barbara Morrison; Whiteboy James & the Blues Express; Teddy Lee Hooker; 2000 Lbs. of Blues; and Bernie Pearl, plus the best young up-and-coming blues artists, Chase Walker Band and Ray Goren.                                                       newbluesfestival.com                          facebook.com/theNewBluesFestival                                                                     http://www.longbeachbluessociety.org/

LEGENDARY GUITARIST JOE BONAMASSA ANNOUNCES THE BIGGEST BLUES ROCK PARTY AT SEA

LEGENDARY GUITARIST JOE BONAMASSA ANNOUNCES THE BIGGEST BLUES ROCK PARTY AT SEA LINEUP INCLUDES BLACK COUNTRY COMMUNION, LOS LOBOS, JJ GREY & MOFRO, ANA POPOVIC, NORTH MISSISSIPPI ALLSTARS & MANY MORE   KEEPING THE BLUES ALIVE AT SEA IV SETS SAIL FEBRUARY 26 – MARCH 2, 2018, FROM MIAMI TO MONTEGO BAY, JAMAICA ON THE NEWLY RENOVATED NCL JADE ATLANTA, GA – Keeping the Blues Alive Foundation, Joe Bonamassa, and Sixthman are proud to present Keeping the Blues Alive at Sea IV, another voyage of the incredible four-day music festival at sea featuring Bonamassa and some of the most celebrated names in Blues. Sailing from Miami, Florida to Montego Bay, Jamaica, 2,100 of the most passionate fans will enjoy performances from some of the biggest names in music, while discovering new favorites among emerging Blues artists on multiple stages throughout the ship. From rare artist collaborations to intimate gatherings with fellow musically inclined cruisers, the festival will have something for everyone to enjoy. “We’ve had a blast this year and we’ve had a blast every other year…There has been some great music this year and we will carry it on to next year,” declared Bonamassa. Joining the 2018 festival are a robust mix of new and returning powerhouse names, such as Black Country Communion (Bonamassa, Glenn Hughes, Jason Bonham and Derek Sherinian), Los Lobos, JJ Grey & Mofro, Ana Popovic, North Mississippi Allstars, Sister Sparrow & The Dirty Birds, The James Hunter Six, Matt Andersen, Kirk Fletcher & Josh Smith, Marcus King Band, Greyhounds, Toronzo Cannon, Larkin Poe, Madisen Ward and the Mama Bear, New Orleans Suspects, The Steepwater Band, Jerron “Blind Boy” Paxton, Jack Broadbent, The Bros. Landreth, Juzzie Smith and more to be announced! Music fans interested can sign up for the pre-sale to get the best available cabins first here: https://www.sixthman.net/account/presale/bluesaliveatsea For more details about the biggest Blues-Rock Party at sea, visit here: www.bluesaliveatsea.com Once onboard, fans can expect to enjoy a performance by Joe Bonamassa, a special reunion of Black Country Communion, multiple artist collaboration shows, activities with many Blues Alive at Sea artists, dozens of live performances by living legends and emerging blues talent, and opportunities to jam with fellow cruisers while sailing an idyllic Caribbean course aboard Norwegian Jade. A destination of her own, Norwegian Jade offers guests Norwegian Cruise Line’s signature freedom and flexibility during their vacation. Fresh off a dry dock refurbishment where she received enhancements to every part of the onboard experience, Jade now features two brand new restaurants, two new bars and lounges, updated design and décor in many public spaces, and a refurbishment of all staterooms. Keeping the Blues Alive at Sea’s first three sold-out voyages saw the floating music festival sail to beautiful locations like Key West, the Bahamas, Costa Maya and Cozumel, while entertaining over 5,000 blues aficionados. Performers included many of today’s best blues artists, including John Hiatt, Robben Ford, Robert Randolph and the Family Band, Blues Traveler, Beth Hart, Ana Popovic, Vintage Trouble, Marc Broussard, Shemekia Copeland, Joanne Shaw Taylor, and many more. The sold-out festivals raised a combined $181,000 in donations for Keeping the Blues Alive Foundation, which helps to fund scholarships and music programs for students and teachers across the country. Music enthusiasts can pre-register for the sailing now at bluesaliveatsea.com/presale before cabins become available. Double occupancy staterooms on Keeping The Blues Alive at Sea IV begin at $1099 per person, plus taxes and fees. For more information about booking your vacation, visit us online at www.bluesaliveatsea.com or call Sixthman directly at 877-379-9170 between the hours of 10AM EST and 6PM EST. Connect with Keeping the Blues Alive at Sea cruisers on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram #BluesAliveAtSea. About Joe Bonamassa: Joe Bonamassa has established himself as one of the world’s greatest guitar players, and proved himself as an incisive and compelling songwriter, a gutsy and soulful vocalist, as well as one of the most popular touring-and-recording artists around, averaging over 100 sold-out shows worldwide each year while amassing a body of work that stands out in the already vast waters of the blues-rock form. Even after 28 years of professionally performing, the two-time Grammy®-nominated bluesman has really just hit his stride. Joe currently has more #1 Billboard Blues Albums than any other artist in history – 17 and counting – and all on his own record label, J&R Adventures. His latest studio solo album, Blues of Desperation, landed at #5 on the Billboard Top Album Sales, his highest charting yet. Joe’s new highly anticipated CD/DVD “Live at Carnegie Hall - An Acoustic Evening” will be in stores June 23rd, 2017. http://jbonamassa.com/ About Keeping the Blues Alive Foundation: Keeping The Blues Alive Foundation fuels the passion for music by funding programs and scholarships for students and teachers who possess the desire, but lack the resources or access to achieve their potential within music education. Through generous donations from Joe Bonamassa, J&R Adventures, and individual donors, KTBA has been able to fund music projects reaching over 43,500 students with over $224,249 donated so far. We accomplish this by making weekly donations to music projects in education and scholarships all over the country. http://keepingthebluesalive.org/ About Sixthman: Since 2001, Sixthman has pioneered themed cruise experiences, creating intimate shared encounters for bands, brands, and their fan communities. We are proud to be celebrating our 16th year and the accomplishment of executing 104 festivals, hosting over 230,000 guests for 940,000 days on vacation at sea with world class artists such as KISS, Kid Rock, John Mayer, Zac Brown Band, Train, Pitbull, Paramore, Florida Georgia Line, Diplo, Joe Bonamassa, Lynyrd Skynyrd, 311, Lyle Lovett, Barenaked Ladies, Sister Hazel and for brand partners such as Turner Classic Movies, VH1, SiriusXM’s Outlaw Country, Walker Stalker Con, truTV and others along with Sixthman curated festivals, The Rock Boat and Cayamo!  Our festivals at sea bring non-stop performances, artist collaborations and a truly immersive vacation experience with fan/band interactions throughout the voyage and in port. Our home ports of call include Miami and Tampa Florida to dream destinations such as the Virgin Islands, Belize, Honduras, Mexico and the Bahamas. For more information, visit sixthman.net and connect with us @SXMLiveLoud.  LIVE LOUD.                   + MORE!     JOIN OUR MAILING LISTS

Artistexclusive Records artist: Ana Popovic - Trilogy - New Release Review - Stilladog guest writer

Must be the Mississippi water. Belgrade born in the former Yugoslavia, now Serbia, and current resident of Memphis Tennessee, Ana Popovic has put together a blockbuster of a triple CD entitled Trilogy that boggles the mind! I don't know how to start this review. My good friend Bman asked me to review this album while he took a little vacation. And while the album is absolutely phenomenal, it is so unique and diverse I am having trouble finding words to describe it's diversity! The release comes in 3 parts, hence the title Trilogy. It is all of the description that Ana herself gives. 'In an era where most are skeptic about the current state and future of the music industry, I wanted TRILOGY to tell a different story. The record biz might be broken and Spotify might rip us off, but that can't keep an artist down. Creativity is very much alive, and music is the celebration of life.' Trilogy highlights in musicianship. And tell a different story it does! Instead of highlighting track by track like Bman usually does, well that is impossible with 23 total tracks, I'll just go disc by disc The first volume comes out with mostly blues rock with some very tasteful guitar by Ana until you hit track 4, Fencewalk. It's a high energy funk that'll drive you wild. That's when you realize this is not gonna be your normal release. The next track, Train, features Joe Bonamassa. This is where you realize that Joe is a much better contributor to other artists albums than he is with the incessant soloing that he does (and his fans demand) in his own shows and albums. Anyway, I love this volume and it's the weakest one in the set! Volume 2 hits the streets running with 'You Got The Love' another rocker that should attract fans of Bonamassa and other blues rockers. The second volume continues in this vein until you hit the semi-rap track Let's Do It Again. Then there's 'Who's Yo Mama' which is a total shred rocker instrumental where Ana absolutely annihilates rock riffs! The girl has got my attention! And it doesn't stop there. Wasted on My Way is an excellent blues ballad that follow it up This volume ends with a real blues, 'Cryin'For Me.' Volume 3 is a jazz infused celebration of a time when jazz and blues were more closely aligned. This is the kind of music I live to hear. There are too many good tracks to list individually. All I can say is two things. Go out and get all three volumes.

 

Blue Star Connection Presents Guitar Great Ana Popovic In Concert

BLUE STAR CONNECTION PRESENTS A VERY SPECIAL EVENING  IN CONCERT WITH BLUES GUITAR GODDESS, ANA POPOVIC Saturday, April 9, 2016 -  BUFFALO ROSE    (Golden, CO) - Blue Star Connection presents a very special evening in concert with Ana Popovic, Saturday, April 9, at Buffalo Rose, 1119 Washington Ave., in Golden. Showtime is 8 pm. Tickets $15. (General Admission), $25. (Reserved). Purchase tickets here. Info: (303) 278-6800 or http://www.buffalorose.net/. Denver's hot up-and-coming Austin Young Band featuring guitarist, Michaelea Rae, are the Special Guest opening act.                                                                      Ana Popovic   Ana Popovic is an award-winning, hard-touring, guitar slinger blending smoking electric funk and slide guitar, jazzy instrumentals and a tight blues groove with soulful, feminine vocals. Add to the mix her incredible stage presence, all of which makes her an irresistible force in the world of contemporary blues music.   Popovic was the only female guitar player added to the 2014-'16 All- Star Experience Hendrix lineup, a nationwide tour celebrating the music and legacy of Jimi Hendrix with Buddy Guy, Bootsy Collins, Brad Whitford (Aerosmith), Jonny Lang, Kenny Wayne Shepherd, Zakk Wylde and many more world-renown artists. She’s been nominated for five Blues Music Awards and has previously appeared on the cover of both Vintage Guitar and Guitar Player. Her albums 'Can You Stand The Heat' and ‘Unconditional' were Pick Of The Week by USA Today and featured on NPR Music. Nearly all of Ana's albums have made it the Top 5 of the Billboard Blues Charts and are  played regularly on US radio.   Ana Popovic was born in Belgrade, Serbia (formerly Yugoslavia) and grew up in a warm family where music was very important. All throughout her youth, her father would invite friends over for nightly jam sessions. In this atmosphere, she quickly learned her father’s impressive blues and soul record collection, grabbed his guitar and started playing at the age of fifteen. Since then, Ana has developed into an phenomenal guitarist/vocalist with a growing legion of fans throughout the world.   Popovic and her powerful band are tirelessly touring, playing major blues, jazz and rock festivals. She is endorsed by Fender, Mesa Boogie, Ovation and DR strings. Ana has shared headlining stages with B.B. King, Buddy Guy, Joe Bonamassa, Gary Clark Jr., Jonny Lang and many others. When not on tour, she resides in Memphis, TN. Austin Young Band featuring Michaela Rae Austin Lee Young is a Colorado native who picked up his first guitar at age 12 and hasn't put it down since. Self-taught, Austin churns out the blues and displays his music with an electrifying passion that defies his young age. Young engages his audience and can match any seasoned performer that currently draws large crowds. His inspirations run the gauntlet of the Blues from historical giants such as Robert Johnson and Muddy Waters to contemporary masters like Jimi Hendrix, Eric Clapton, and Stevie Ray Vaughan. Currently, Austin and his band perform locally and nationally in established music clubs, as well as appearing at numerous music festivals, private functions, and special events. He incorporates the sheer honesty of the blues and performs it with a modern, high energy sound that remains faithful to its traditional roots. The Austin Young Band recently performed on the Keeping The Blues Alive "Blues Cruise", performing on the same stage with such greats as Joe Bonamassa, Blues Traveler, Robert Randolph & The Family Band, and Shemekia Copeland, to name a few. Guitarist Michaela Rae, also Colorado-based, has been likened to Ana Popovic due to her superb guitar playing.                                      About...Blue Star Connection    Blue Star Connection, in association with Grand County Blues Society, provides musical instruments to children and young adults facing cancer and other serious challenges. "For a child who is seriously ill, having a (musical) instrument can not only be fun, but can also help them relax, cope with their experience, talk with therapists and improve their sense of self-worth", explains Lauren Servos, Musical Therapist at Riley Hospital for Children, past recipients of musical instruments from Blue Star Connection.    bluestarconnection.org/                                              facebook.com/BlueStarConnection Join us on Facebook       Follow us on Twitter       Send us an Email