Wild Heart Records artist: Charlie Wooton Project - Blue Basso - New Release Review

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release (August 23, 2019), Blue Basso, from Charlie Wooton Project and it's really good. Opening with funky rocker, Jaceaux, Wooton sets a terrific bass line with Keiko Komaki heating up the keys, Doug Winbish on bass and Jermal Watson on drums. Excellent opener. Rolling into a cool radio style R&B number, Arsene Delay has lead vocal on Reflections. Her vocals are sweet and float on the tune with glistening key work and jazzy guitar riffs by Daniel Groover. Come On Come Over has a great funky bottom, and instrumental style vocals, an aggressive bass line and a snappy drum line. One Night is a bluesy ballad with my favorite vocals by Delay. Anders Osborne sits in with a real nice guitar solo giving the track a bit more sting. Very nice. One of my favorite tracks on the release is Fulton Alley with really funky bass and guitar lines. This track, which really crosses over into fusion really humps. Excellent! Guitar wiz Sonny Lanreth steps up on Tell Me A Story and his wicked slide. Delay's vocals are deep and rich and with it's Latin framework, really cuts a nice swath. On Front Porch, an country style acoustic blues, Landreth is back and this time on resonator, paired with Wooton and Groover trading riffs. Very nice. Wrapping the release is the Rolling Stones, Miss You, with a hot New Orleans style drum line and really funky bass work from Wooton. Eric McFadden sets a melodic guitar lead trading off with Delay on vocal. As the track winds up it also winds out with a flurry of guitar riffs and that steady thumping bass line by Wooton. Very nice closer for a very cool release. 

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VizzTone Label Group artist: Jimmy Carpenter - Plays The Blues - New Release Review

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Plays The Blues, from Jimmy Carpenter, and it's cooking. Opening with Magic Sam's You Belong To Me, and it's puffing smoke like Jr Walker. Saxman/vocalist, Carpenter really steps out on this release with authentic R&B style sax with Mike Zito on guitar accented nicely by Tony Diteodoro on guitar, Matthew Johnson on drums, Bob Bridges on bass and Marc Adams on keys. Jimmy Plays The Blues is an excellent soulful blues in the style of T Bone Walker. Using Carpenter's sax as the lead instrument, wailing out the melody, this track is hot. Solid shuffle track, Blues With A Feeling features tight guitar riffs and nice piano work paving the way for singing sax solo work by Carpenter. Freddie King's Surf Monkey has that great 60's vibe with Zito playing against Carpenter on lead lines. Very cool. Otis Rush's All Your Love has great feel with nice tom tom work by Johnson and shimmery guitar work by Zito. This track features Carpenter's best vocals on the release as well as some real nice sax work of course. Wrapping the release is Jr Walker's Shotgun, an R&B classic. An extended sax solo by Carpenter is just the ticket to cap this super closer to a solid release.

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Anthony Rosano and the Conqueroos - New Release Review

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release from Anthony Rosano and the Conqueroos and it's a hot fusion of rock and biting blues. Opening with 20 Days, a tight rocker featuring Anthony Rosano on lead vocal and stinging fat slide guitar, Jeremy "JB" Bustillos on  vocal and harp, Paul Warren on bass and Scott Smith on drums. Shuffle, Give Me Strength has a cool groove with Warren romping the bass, harp attack by JB and a slick guitar solo from Rosano. You Don't Know Me is a mover and Rosano's guitar tome is warm and meaty. With a great beat and stinging guitar riffs, this track is super. Boogie track, Wicked Grin is hot with unbridled guitar riffs and a cool sax solo from JB. Excellent! Funky, Shakin' In The Veins, features really cool slide work by Anders Osborne  and with a definite southern flair, cool harp work by JB pushing the track even further. Bound To You is a solid ballad with a scorching guitar intro. I particularly like the melody on this track and Rosano's vocals are the best on the release. Veracious guitar work throughout the track make this my definite favorite. Wrapping the release is Proud of My Sins, an acoustic blues with Rosano on lead vocal and mandolin. Vocal harmonies and harp work by JB make this an excellent closer for a cool release.

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15th Annual Blues From the Top Festival: 2 Days of Blues Royalty

ANNOUNCING THE 15TH ANNUAL BLUES FROM THE TOP FESTIVAL:     TWO BIG DAYS OF BLUES ROYALTY IN BEAUTIFUL WINTER PARK, CO Enjoy Fabulous Thunderbirds, Anders Osborne, C.J. Chenier & the Red Hot Louisiana Band, Carolyn Wonderland, Alvin Youngblood Hart, And More, All In A Beautiful Mountain Setting! ~ Presented With Pride By The Grand County Blues Society, In Memory of Blues From The Top Founder, John Catt ~ Saturday, June 24 (11am to 6pm); Sunday, June 25 (10:30am to 6pm)

(Winter Park, CO) - Announcing the 15th Annual Blues From The Top Festival, two big days of blues royalty in a beautiful mountain setting, located at Hideaway Park, 78820 US Highway 40, taking place Saturday, June 24 and Sunday, June 25. Gates open 10am, with music from 11am to 6pm (Saturday) and 10:30am to 6pm (Sunday). Currently, General Admission tickets are $30. (one day), $50. (2 days); prices will increase. V.I.P. Experience: $100.00 per day per person, $185. for two days. V.I.P. Seating features Stage Right starting at the Front Row; Daily Buffet; Private Bar with two Complimentary Drinks each day; free water and soft drinks; Shade Tents with tables and chairs; and Private Restrooms. Kids 12 and under, free (when accompanied by an adult). Tickets on sale now at www.bluesfromthetop.org. For additional BFFT Festival information visit www.bluesfromthetop.org. Blues From The Top is presented with pride by the Grand County Blues Society, in memory of Blues from The Top Founder, John Catt.   The two-day lineup is packed! Appearing on Saturday, June 24: The Fabulous Thunderbirds featuring Kim Wilson; Little Hurricane; C.J. Chenier & the Red-Hot Louisiana Band; Jimmy Vivino and The Kate Moss 3; Austin Young Band. Sunday, June 25 features performances by Anders Osborne, Carolyn Wonderland, Alvin Youngblood Hart, Analog Son, Danny Franchi, and Mountain Gospel featuring Ali Grayson.   ~About Some of the Headliners at 15th Annual Blues From The Top ~    For over thirty years, The Fabulous Thunderbirds have been the quintessential American band. The group’s distinctive and powerful sound, influenced by a diversity of musical styles, manifested itself into a unique musical hybrid via such barn-burners as “Tuff Enuff” and “Wrap It Up”. Co-founder Kim Wilson, the sole original member, still spearheads the group as it evolves into its newest incarnation. “We started as a straight blues band”, vocalist and harmonica player Wilson says. “We now incorporate a mixture of a lot of different styles. We’re an American music band and we’re much higher energy than we were before.” In addition to Wilson, the current Thunderbirds line-up features Jay Moeller on drums, Johnny Moeller and Mike Keller on guitar, and Randy Bermudes on bass.   A musical force equipped with the soulful vocals of Janis and the guitar slinging skills of Stevie Ray, Carolyn Wonderland reaches into the depths of the Texas blues tradition with the wit of a poet. She hits the stage with unmatched presence, a true legend in her time. "Carolyn Wonderland's live shows are just outright phenomenal. Top notch, five-stars, off the meter - whatever the clinch., Carolyn and her band meet it...Her voice can be as beautiful as an angel and as powerful as a Class 5 hurricane all within the drop of a hat...One thing's for certain, some forces - even those barely five feet tall - cannot be contained" (ROCKZILLAWORLD).    Between the potency of his richly-detailed songwriting, his intensely emotional, soulful vocals and his piercing, expert guitar work, New Orleans' Anders Osborne is a true musical treasure. He is among the most original and visionary musicians writing and performing today. Guitar Player calls him "the poet laureate of Louisiana's fertile roots music scene." New Orlean's Gambit Weekly has honored Osborne as Entertainer of the Year. Osborne's songs have been covered by artists as diverse as Brad Paisley, Tab Benoit, Jonny Lang, Trombone Shorty and Aaron Neville, to name a few. His songs have appeared in multiple feature films. A powerful live performer, Osborne has won over fans through non-stop touring as well as a heralded collaboration with the North Mississippi All-Stars and Southern Soul Assembly.      Clayton Joseph Chenier, who fronts C.J. Chenier and the Red Hot Louisiana Band, was born September 28, 1957 - the son of the great King of Zydeco, Clifton Chenier. C.J.'s father was the first Creole musician to win a Grammy Award. C.J. spent his childhood in the tough tenement housing projects of Port Arthur, Texas. His earliest musical influences were an eclectic mix of funk, soul, jazz and Motown, and his first musical instruments were piano, tenor saxophone and flute. It wasn't until his 21st birthday, after winning a scholarship and studying music at Texas Southern University, that C.J. first performed with his famous father and the legendary Red Hot Louisiana band.                                                       www.bluesfromthetop.org                                       www.facebook.com/bluesfromthetop                                 Join us on Facebook      Follow us on Twitter       Send us an Email

Concord Records artist: Danielle Nicole - Wolf Den - New Release Review

I just received the newest release, Wolf Den, from Danielle Nicole, and it's dynamite! Opening with title track, Wolf Den, Danielle Nicole who has a super voice leads the way on vocal, playing a funky cool bass riff highlighted by Mike "Shinetop" Sedovic's keyboard work. Very nice opener. Anders Osborne sets the stage for, How You Gonna Do Me Like That, an R&B style track with solid vocals, a great bass riff and tight drums by Stanton Moore. Shinetop takes a nice keyboard solo on this track giving it an authentic "era" feel and Nicole shines on bass. On soul ballad, Take It All, Nicole really shines on vocal and her bass work is spot on. A simple yet clean and tasty guitar solo from Osborne gives Nicole a vocal breather but this track is all soul and solid. Rocker, You Only Need Me When You're Down, has a great driving tom tom rhythm and over driven guitar tone from Osborne. A breakout guitar solo highlights this track with it's Spencer Davis like feel. Very cool! Somber ballad, Just Give Me Tonight, shows extremely expressive vocal work on Nicole's part. Osborne digs down with a really nicely phrased guitar solo of his own, making this one of my favorites on the release. Easin' Into The Night has strong commercial potential with it's easy feel, strong melody and an almost Bonnie Raitt feel. Didn't Do You No Good has a rock beat with just a twist of country and a pinch of soul. Putting me in mind of a contemporary Aretha track, Rock Steady, this track has great movement with strong vocal from Nicole, really cool bass riffs from Nicole, a hard driving bottom from Moore and rock guitar from Osborne. Super! On Waiting For Your Love, Nicole shows the composure of Stevie Wonder with really really nice vocals and excellent guitar work from Luther Dickinson. One of my favorite contemporary funky blues tracks, I Feel Like Breakin' Up Somebody's Home, is up next and Nicole sounds like she means business. Her vocals are powerful, her bass work authoritative and with super guitar work by Dickinson, this track slams it! It Ain't You is a solid R&B style radio track which makes you take a few double takes at the photo on the CD cover, to believe that that voice is coming out of that lady. Very nice! New Orleans flavored, In My Dreams, gets a great drum rhythm from Moore and bass line from Nicole. Her vocals are solid and natural and with the addition of slick guitar riffs from track author, Anders Osborne and flavorful key work from Shinetop, this track will get you squirming in your seat. Wrapping the release is super funky, Fade Away. This is a really nice track to conclude such a hot release with an almost Little Feat styling and Nicole's bass riffs and sassy vocals leave you wanting more. This really is an excellent release and one that definitely suggest that you check out!

 

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Ruf Records artist: Mike Zito & the Wheel - Keep Coming Back - New Release Review

I just received the newest release (November 6, 2015), Keep Coming Back, from Mike Zito & the Wheel and it's a real rocker! Opeing with title track, Keep Coming Back, Zito is leading the way on vocal and screaming hot slide guitar. Jimmy Carpenter on sax, Scot Sutherland on bass, Rob Lee on drums and Lewis Stephens on keys really rock the house! Excellent opener!! Keeping up the driving rhythm with Chin Up, with a little more country rock twist. Rocking guitar lines and soulful sax work from Carpenter nicely compliment Zito's vocals. Easy country rock track, Get Busy Living has that laid back Dickie Betts Blue Skies feel. A perfect radio track, has cool vocal blending with Carpenter and Suzie Sims. Country rock ballad, Early In The Morning, nicely highlights Zito's vocal work, backed on vocal by Riley Zito. Comfortable track for cross radio play. I Was Drunk is a cool style ballad with a twist of southern blues. This is a really nice gritty track with Anders Osborne sharing vocal and guitar lead. Very nice! Lonely Heart takes a turn toward jazz with a poppy, blues fused funk. This is a quiet, but really nicely executed, track with stylized guitar and percussion by Trina Shoemaker. Zito's vocals are pure and his guitar work seems to float in the mix. Sweet! Girl From Liberty is a pop rocker in the vein of John Cougar. Zito holds this track in the palm of his hand with strong vocals and a really nice guitar solo setting it out nicely. Next up is Bob Seger's, Get Out Of Denver. With all of the enthusiasm of the original, Zito and Carpenter really drive the train and Stephens' piano work is super. Zito rips off a great rockin' guitar solo and the track romps into Carpenter's super sax solo. Excellent! Nothin' But The Truth is a low slung blues rocker and Zito really shows off his signature warm guitar tone. Zito, with Keith Richards like style, and Carpenter, with full sax timbre rock the house. Warm slide guitar opens funky swamp track, Cross The Border. This is my favorite new track on the release with it's perfectly crafted vocal lines, guitar and rhythmic phrases. Real nice! Super ballad, What's On Your Mind, has really nice guitar harmonic overtones sprinkled over Zito's soulful vocals, and warm sax phrasing from Carpenter. Carpenter takes a really smooth melodic sax solo leading into the final stanza as Zito delivers the track home. Very nice. Wrapping the release is a remake of John Fogerty's Bootleg. Zito's own style is really not terribly dissimilar to Fogerty's so this track is a natural. With David Farrell and Riley Zito on backing vocal, expressive sax soloing from Carpenter, driving drum work from Lee and hot riffs from Zito, this is a great party track to end a rocking release. \

 

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Alligator Records News Briefs - April 16, 2014

JAMES COTTON RECEIVES LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD FROM MISSISSIPPI ARTS COMMISSION Conjure up a list of all-time great blues harmonica players, and high up on it you'll see the name James Cotton. --NPR The Mississippi Arts Commission presented blues music icon (and Tunica, Mississippi native) James Cotton with the coveted Governor's Award For Excellence In The Arts in a ceremony held February 20, 2014 at Belhaven University in Clarion, Mississippi. The Governor's Arts Awards are presented annually to outstanding writers, artists, performers, craftsmen and educators who have made significant and lasting contributions through their work as well as to corporations or organizations on the basis of their dedication to arts advancement. Previous winners include B.B. King, Little Milton Campbell, and Bo Diddley. Video of the presentation and live performance is here: http://www.alligator.com/artists/James-Cotton/. Cotton is currently celebrating his 70th year as a professional entertainer. His Grammy-nominated 2013 CD, Cotton Mouth Man, is an upbeat, warm blues album boasting fine musicianship and Cotton's undeniable spirit. Living Blues says, "James Cotton is one of the great harmonica innovators of his generation. Cotton Mouth Man is a star-studded affair that makes James Cotton's best recording for Alligator. It is an autobiographical narrative of Cotton's eventful life and soul-deep relationship with the blues. He plays with an authority and energy that belies his age." JOE LOUIS WALKER TO PARTICIPATE IN MONK INSTITUTE'S INTERNATIONAL JAZZ DAY IN OSAKA Blues Hall of Famer Joe Louis Walker will take part in the Thelonious Monk Institute Of Jazz's International Jazz Day in Osaka, Japan on April 30, 2014. Many other artists will also perform, including Wayne Shorter, Herbie Hancock and John Scofield. According to the Monk Institute, "The designation of International Jazz Day is intended to bring together communities, schools and other groups the world over to celebrate and learn more about the art of jazz, its roots and its impact. Ultimately, it seeks to foster intercultural dialogue and raise public awareness about the role of jazz music. As a language of freedom across the board, jazz promotes social inclusion, enhancing understanding, tolerance and nurturing creativity." From its base in Washington, DC, the Thelonious Monk Institute Of Jazz identifies jazz music's new voices, honoring its present and past masters, making the jazz aesthetic available and comprehensible in concert halls and classrooms around the world. The Institute is the lead nonprofit organization charged with planning, promoting and producing International Jazz Day. Walker's latest album, Hornet's Nest, has been hailed as a true blues tour-de-force. USA Today says it is "tough and resilient." Living Blues added, "Few contemporary blues artists blend aggression, deep feeling and eclecticism with the panache and ferocity of Joe Louis Walker." SONGS FROM ALLIGATOR ARTISTS APPEAR ON NATIONAL TELEVISION Alligator Records recordings from Professor Longhair, Corey Harris and Anders Osborne have and continue to appear on network television programs. Professor Longhair's Whole Lotta Lovin' (from his Crawfish Fiesta album) is the opening theme song for My Big Redneck Family, airing weekly on the CMT network. Corey Harris' Moosemilk Blues (from his Fish Ain't Bitin' CD) and Anders Osborne's On The Road To Charlie Parker (from his American Patchwork CD) both appeared in the April 1 episode of CBS Television's NCIS.

Anders Osborne Coming Down On Vinyl

"Coming Down" by Anders Osborne Gets The Vinyl Touch On April 15         Northport N.Y.  -  M.C. Records is proud to announce that it will release New Orleans roots music sensation Anders Osborne's 2007 recording Coming Down (MC-0075LP) on vinyl. Street date is April 15 and it marks the first time any of Ander's recordings have been released on vinyl. On Coming Down Anders sings about his two great loves, his wife and New Orleans. The recording finds Anders in a sparse setting that showcases his songwriting.  Recorded in Nashville and New Orleans, Coming Down was co-produced by Anders and Troy Verges (BMI country songwriter of the year). Click on the cover to check out the title track,  Coming Down. He’s created one of the best albums of the year. Paste Magazine

Alligator Records News Briefs Nov 4, 2013

HARMONICA GIANT JAMES COTTON RECEIVES LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD FROM STATE OF MISSISSIPPI Conjure up a list of all-time great blues harmonica players, and high up on it you'll see the name James Cotton. --NPR The Mississippi Arts Commission will present blues music icon (and Tunica, Mississippi native) James Cotton with the coveted Governor's Award For Excellence In The Arts in a ceremony set for February 20, 2014 at Belhaven University in Clarion, Mississippi. The Governor's Arts Awards are presented annually to outstanding writers, artists, performers, craftsmen and educators who have made significant and lasting contributions through their work as well as to corporations or organizations on the basis of their dedication to arts advancement. Previous winners include B.B. King, Little Milton Campbell, and Bo Diddley. Cotton is currently celebrating his 69th year as a professional entertainer. His 2013 CD, Cotton Mouth Man, is an upbeat, warm blues album boasting fine musicianship and Cotton's undeniable spirit. Living Blues says, "James Cotton is one of the great harmonica innovators of his generation. Cotton Mouth Man is a star-studded affair that makes James Cotton's best recording for Alligator. It is an autobiographical narrative of Cotton's eventful life and soul-deep relationship with the blues. He plays with an authority and energy that belies his age." Cotton Mouth Man was recorded in Nashville and produced by Grammy-winning producer/songwriter/ drummer Tom Hambridge (Buddy Guy, Joe Louis Walker, Susan Tedeschi). The album is a trip through sounds and scenes from Cotton's long and storied career. Helping Cotton tell his stories and showcase his music are guests Gregg Allman, Joe Bonamassa, Ruthie Foster, Warren Haynes, Delbert McClinton and Keb Mo. Other vocals are handled by Darrell Nulisch, who has been singing in Cotton's road band for many years. CURTIS SALGADO WINS BLUES BLAST AWARD FOR SOUL BLUES ALBUM OF THE YEAR FOR SOUL SHOT "Curtis Salgado's range and power as a vocalist are a tour-de-force...hard-nosed blues, beautifully nuanced R&B, phat and funky." --Billboard Soul singer Curtis Salgado received the 2013 Blues Blast Award for Soul Blues Album Of The Year for his 2012 Alligator Records debut CD, Soul Shot. The awards ceremony, presented by Blues Blast Magazine, was held in Chicago at Buddy Guy's Legends on Thursday, October 31. Salgado recently won The Blues Foundation's Blues Music Awards for B.B. King Entertainer Of The Year, Soul Blues Male Artist Of The Year, and Soul Blues Album Of The Year for Soul Shot. He also won a Muddy Award for Best National Blues Album from Oregon's Cascade Blues Association. Soul Shot speaks loud and clear to contemporary audiences, carrying on the timeless spirit of 1960s and ‘70s R&B. The album features four Salgado originals and seven carefully chosen covers. Songs by Johnny "Guitar" Watson, George Clinton, Otis Redding and Bobby Womack flow into and out of Salgado's own compositions. Each track -- the slow-burning ballads and the driving rockers -- is delivered with the vocal power and passion of a musical master. According to Salgado, "Soul Shot is the solid best thing I've ever done. That's a fact." Alligator Records president Bruce Iglauer accepted the honor in Curtis' behalf. Iglauer also presented a Lifetime Achievement Award to Delmark Records founder and president (and Iglauer's former boss and mentor), Bob Koester. MARCIA BALL TO APPEAR IN ANGELS SING, IN THEATRES AND ON DEMAND NOVEMBER 1, 2013 "More fun than a barrel of funky monkeys. Ball's awesome mélange of keyboard styles sets the tone: call it the Zydeco boogie-woogie blues. Horns chug faster and faster, guitars drop by for a rock ‘n' roll interlude." --NPR Singer, pianist, songwriter Marcia Ball makes her major motion picture debut in the film Angels Sing, premiering in theatres and On Demand on Friday, November 1. The film stars Henry Connick, Jr. and features Grammy-winning musicians including Willie Nelson, Lyle Lovett and Kris Kristofferson. In the film, Marcia plays Great Aunt Jocelyn. Ball's latest release is the Grammy-nominated Roadside Attractions.   ANDERS OSBORNE AND JESSE DEE SONGS APPEAR IN NETWORK TELEVISION PROGRAMS "Anders Osborne plays fiery anthems and tumultuous, confessional songs punctuated with glorious, raw guitar." --USA Today "Jesse Dee delivers authenticity with every note. The young neo-soul and R&B singer from Boston has put out an album of self-penned songs that are so well-written, so amazingly arranged and performed, you'll wonder why this guy doesn't just own the music business." --San Francisco Chronicle CBS-TV's CSI: Crime Scene Investigation featured Anders Osborne's Black Tar in an episode which aired on October 30. The song originally appeared on Osborne's 2011 Black Eye Galaxy CD. Osborne's new album, Peace, was released last month. ABC-TV's Criminal Minds will feature Jesse Dee's original song Fussin' And Fightin' in an episode set to air on November 13. The song originally appeared on Dee's 2013 Alligator Records debut CD, On My Mind / In My Heart.

OffBeat Premieres "Sentimental Times" From New Anders Osborne CD PEACE

 

OFFBEAT MAGAZINE PREMIERES SENTIMENTAL TIMES FROM NEW ANDERS OSBORNE CD PEACE ON TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 3 Award-winning guitarist/vocalist/songwriter Anders Osborne is set to release his new CD, Peace, on Tuesday, October 8, 2013. OffBeat magazine will exclusively premiere the song Sentimental Times at OffBeat.com beginning on Tuesday, September 3. Relix.com premiered the title track on August 30. "It was a sunny day in New Orleans, spring of 2011," says Osborne of Sentimental Times. "I picked up my J45 with old rubbery strings on it. It had been ten years since my mother passed away. I strummed slowly and gently on my guitar and started to sing about two events (the other being Hurricane Katrina) that broke my heart. These are my sentimental times." With Peace, Osborne continues the journey started by his previous Alligator Records releases, American Patchwork and Black Eye Galaxy, emerging from a whirlwind of emotional chaos and moving toward a sense of inner peace. Recorded at Dockside Studios in Louisiana and produced by Osborne and Warren Riker, Peace looks at the title subject from all angles. According to Osborne, "Peace is light from darkness. The songs are written from the outside looking in. They are not making any judgments. I'm just stating facts. I'm writing from a brighter perspective. There's less dusk and dark, and much more sunlight. The results are greater than I expected. The driving tones and sounds are free and natural. This is one of the coolest records I've ever made." Between the potency of his richly detailed songwriting, his intensely emotional, soulful vocals and his piercing, expert guitar work, New Orleans' Anders Osborne is among the most original and visionary musicians writing and performing today. Guitar Player calls him "the poet laureate of Louisiana's fertile roots music scene." New Orleans' Gambit Weekly recently honored Osborne as the Entertainer Of The Year. OffBeat named him the Crescent City's Best Guitarist for the third year in a row, and the Best Songwriter for the second straight year. Osborne also won Song Of The Year for his composition, Louisiana Gold. Since the release of his 2010 Alligator Records debut, American Patchwork, his 2012 follow-up, Black Eye Galaxy, and his critically acclaimed 2013 EP, Three Free Amigos, Osborne has earned hordes of new fans. He has toured virtually non-stop, either with his road-tested trio, as a solo artist, or as a guest with his countless musical admirers, including Toots and The Maytals, Stanton Moore, Derek Trucks, Warren Haynes, Keb Mo, The Grateful Dead's Phil Lesh and Karl Denson's Tiny Universe. He's appeared on Galactic's Ya-Ka-May album, and in 2011 produced and played on critically acclaimed albums by Tab Benoit, Johnny Sansone and Mike Zito. Osborne will bring his music to major markets this fall, including stops in New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, San Francisco and Colorado. Full tour information can be found here. For more information, go to www.AndersOsborne.com. ### www.ALLIGATOR.com

Alligator Records News Briefs, April 16, 2013

 

MAJOR JAMES COTTON FEATURE IN LIVING BLUES MAGAZINE NEW CD COTTON MOUTH MAN OUT ON MAY 7 Blues harmonica legend James Cotton, whose new CD Cotton Mouth Man will be in stores on May 7, 2013, is featured on the cover of the current issue of Living Blues magazine. The 10-page cover story, written by blues scholar David Whiteis, takes an in-depth look at Cotton's entire career, including the new CD. Cotton Mouth Man is a joyous celebration of Cotton's 69 years as a professional musician (beginning at age nine). Recorded in Nashville and produced by Grammy-winning producer/ songwriter/ drummer Tom Hambridge (Buddy Guy, Joe Louis Walker, Susan Tedeschi), the album is a trip through sounds and scenes from Cotton's long and storied career. Cotton co-wrote seven of the tracks with Hambridge (who co-wrote five additional tracks). The songs were inspired by Cotton's colorful and sometimes perilous life and his memories of the Mississippi Delta, Sonny Boy Williamson II, Memphis, Sun Records, Chicago, and Muddy Waters. Throughout the CD, Cotton's blast-furnace harmonica sound and larger-than-life personality are front and center. Helping Cotton tell his stories and showcase his music are guests Gregg Allman, Joe Bonamassa, Ruthie Foster, Warren Haynes, Delbert McClinton, and Keb Mo. Other vocals are handled by Darrell Nulisch, who has been singing in Cotton's road band for many years. The other members of Cotton's road band -- Jerry Porter, Noel Neal, and Tom Holland -- are also on board for some songs. Forming the core of the backing band on the CD are Hambridge (drums), Rob McNelley (guitar), Chuck Leavell (keyboards) and Glenn Worf (bass). Tommy MacDonald and Colin Linden each add guitar to one track. Cotton, who after a bout with throat cancer turned the vocal duties over to others, was inspired by the sessions to return to the microphone, singing his own Bonnie Blue (the name of the plantation where he was born), and making Cotton Mouth Man the most personal, celebratory and just plain fun recording of his seven-decade career. ALLIGATOR ARTISTS APPEAR ON NATIONAL RADIO PROGRAMS Alligator Records recording artists Marcia Ball, Jesse Dee and Lil' Ed & The Blues Imperials have all appeared or will appear on syndicated national radio broadcasts. Ball brought her raucous boogie-woogie blues to E-Town earlier this month (the segment can be heard in full by clicking on the link). Jesse Dee brings his original sweet soul music to World Cafe on April 17. And Lil' Ed & The Blues Imperials return to Elwood's BluesMobile in a program featuring their roof raising slide guitar blues airing on June 9 and 10. ANDERS OSBORNE RECEIVES BIG EASY AWARD FOR ENTERTAINER OF THE YEAR New Orleans' Gambit Weekly will honor guitarist/vocalist/songwriter Anders Osborne as the Entertainer Of The Year during its annual Big Easy Awards ceremony to be held on April 22 at Harrah's New Orleans. He is also nominated for two Big Easy Awards: Best Male Performer and Best Rock Band. Osborne is currently in the studio working on a follow up to his massively successful 2012 Black Eye Galaxy CD. His most recent release is Three Free Amigos, a six-song EP recorded during a series of laid back, living room-like sessions. EDDY "THE CHIEF" CLEARWATER FEATURED IN ILLINOIS TOURISM CAMPAIGN Blues master Eddy "The Chief" Clearwater is currently featured in a television commercial touting Illinois tourism. The video highlights Chicago's rich blues heritage and features Clearwater's inviting, trademark smile. On Sunday, June 9, Clearwater will perform on The Chicago Blues Festival's main stage, joining James Cotton, Lil' Ed & The Blues Imperials, John Primer, Billy Branch and others in an all-star revue -- billed as Chicago Blues: Old School, New Millennium -- that promises to be a highlight of this year's event. ALLIGATOR RECORDS, EDDY "THE CHIEF" CLEARWATER AND CORKY SIEGEL INDUCTED INTO CHICAGO BLUES HALL OF FAME On Sunday, April 28, Alligator Records will be inducted into The Chicago Blues Hall Of Fame as a Legendary Blues Label. The ceremony will be held in Chicago at Buddy Guy's Legends and hosted by The Michael Packer Blues Band. The event will be filmed and televised by JBTV/NBC NONSTOP and broadcast on cable and satellite television nationwide. Alligator artists Eddy "The Chief" Clearwater and Corky Siegel will be inducted as Master Blues Artists. ### www.ALLIGATOR.com