Matt Schofield Announces Summer Plans - Dates Begin 7/18 in Sacramento

                                                                                                                                                                 

MATT SCHOFIELD ANNOUNCES WEST COAST TOUR

ALONGSIDE ADDITIONAL SUMMER APPEARANCES

Provogue / Mascot Label Group Debut Far As I Can See

Further Establishes Schofield As One Of The Blues Brightest Stars

New York, NY --- Matt Schofield has revealed summer touring plans that include an extensive west coast itinerary.  The guitarist, singer, songwriter and producer will launch the run on July 18 in Sacramento, CA at Harlow's Night Club.  Additional appearances will take him through California, Oregon, and Washington before wrapping the western swing at the Kaslo Jazz Festival in British Columbia on August 2.  Schofield will then spend August in the Northeastern U.S., and September in the Midwest.  Prior, he is touring in Europe where he has become a significant attraction.  In North America, the legend inches closer, supported by fans, the Blues community and publications such as the L.A. Times who stated, "In Schofield the UK has produced the best blues guitarist from any country in decades.  Head and shoulders above the herd."

Provogue / Mascot Label Group released their Schofield debut FAR AS I CAN SEE on February 18th to raves.  Schofield has been frequently lauded as the British blues guitarist of current times, and on release Glide Magazine wrote, "One of his strongest works to date," while Blues Rock Review introduced a Q&A with the artist publishing, "A member of the British Blues Awards Hall of Fame, Matt Schofield is widely respected as one of the UK's top contemporary blues guitarists."  Overseas, Guitarist Magazine published simply, “There isn’t a better British blues guitarist playing currently.” With his debut album for Provogue, Schofield finds himself as representative for the long tradition of British Blues on the ultimate blues guitar label, and gaining a home amongst his peers - the world's greatest contemporary Blues players. 

Schofield's career has been gaining momentum for the last several years on both sides of the Atlantic.  Successful runs in the UK, Europe and North America have been met with critical acclaim and exponentially increasing audiences.  FAR AS I CAN SEE is Schofield's fifth album, offering two choice covers from his musical heroes alongside nine original tracks.  Long-time fans will anticipate the epic slow blues of "The Day You Left," as the guitarist re-harmonizes a traditional 12-bar form.  The album's second cut "Clean Break," is a classic trio shuffle, while "Getaway" exhibits Schofield is eager to continue finding new ways to play the Blues, integrating odd time signatures into the genre.  The instrumental cut "Oakville Shuffle," features a cameo by Denny Ilett, one of Schofield's favorite U.K. jazz/blues guitarists. With "Hindsight," the horn section is in full flight in a setting Schofield describes as "What if Albert Collins and Maceo Parker sat in with Tower of Power." Additional tracks include an upbeat and simple organ trio track "Everything," the Texas-blues nod to Jimmie Vaughan "Tell Me Some Lies," and "Red Dragon," which is a tribute to Hendrix's approach to the Blues -- one take, all live, late at night, with the band following his every move.  As a life-long fan of Albert King, Schofield pays his respect when taking on "Breaking Up Somebody's Home," and covers the classic "Yellow Moon." 

Schofield is an inspired character.  His lyrical approach is driven by inspiration from all facets of life's experiences, and the impact what he reads, watches and absorbs has on his deepest thoughts.  This is best displayed with the album opener, "From Far Away."  The singer finds  inspiration from Carl Sagan, and offers, "I'm a big lover of science, humanism and their related philosophies.  Lyrically I have known for a long time that I wanted to do something inspired by Sagan’s incredible and inspiring monologue 'Pale Blue Dot' - this song is my tribute to his beautiful, stirring words."

He is no stranger to accolades, and has been honored as the recipient of major awards that include British Blues Awards Guitarist of the Year in 2010, 2011 and 2012, making him the first guitarist in the British Blues Awards Hall of Fame.  He also was complimented by Mojo Magazine with Blues Album of the Year in 2011, and received the nod for British Blues Awards Album of the Year 2010.  He was rated in the top ten British Blues guitarists of all time by Guitar & Bass Magazine alongside such icons as Eric Clapton and Peter Green.  In the Penguin Book of Blues Recordings, Schofield is cited as one of only two living British artists to gain a maximum four-star rating.

Confirmed Appearances Include:

7/18     Sacramento, CA                                              Harlow's Night Club

7/19     Santa Cruz, CA                                               Moe's Alley

7/20     San Francisco, CA                                          Yoshi's SF

7/22     Napa, CA                                                        City Winery Napa

7/24     Walla Walla, WA                                            Main Street Studios

7/25     Portland, OR                                                   Star Theater

7/26     Seattle, WA                                                    Highway 99 Blues Club

8/02     Kaslo, BC                                                       Kaslo Jazz Festival

8/08     Gravenhurst, ON                                            Peter's Place Live

8/09     Kitchener, ON                                                Kitchener Blues Festival

8/12     East Harwich, MA                                          Cape Cod Jazz Festival

8/14     Bearsville, NY                                                Bearsville Theater

8/15     Woonsocket, RI                                              Chan's

8/16     Morristown, NJ                                               Morristown Jazz & Blues Festival

8/17     Bay Shore, NY                                               YMCA Boulton Center For The Performing Arts

9/11     Chicago, IL                                                     City Winery

9/12     Danville, IL                                                     Phases of the Moon Music & Arts Festival

9/13     Auburn Hills, MI                                            Callahan's Music Hall

10/11   Helena, AR                                                     King Biscuit Blues Festival

                                                               

www.mattschofield.com & www.facebook.com/mattschofieldofficial

www.mascotlabelgroup.com / ART: www.mascot-provogue.com/download/matt_schofield/

Provogue Records artist: Matt Schofield - Far As I Can See - New Release Review

I just received the newest release (February 18, 2014), Far As I Can See, from Matt Schofield and I really like it! First I'll start out by saying that this is not a pure "blues" release but blues based and fresh. Opening with From Far Away has more of a contemporary jazzy feel along the lines of Robben Ford. Schofield is an excellent singer and he spends no time at all showing what all the clamor is about with his guitar playing. Clean Break is a really slick shuffle track with solid organ contributions from Jonny Henderson. Schofield really swings this track with crisp articulated guitar runs and Jordan John is tight on drums. Getaway is a funky progressively timed track with cool bass work from Carl Stanbridge. Schofield really jumps on this track with some of the cleanest guitar riffs I've heard on a record in a long time. Excellent. One track that is bound to be a common denominator for everyone is Albert King's Breaking Up Somebody's Home. Schofield does an excellent interpretation of this classic with super vocals and scorching hot blues riffs. The anchors at bass and drums (Stanbridge and John) give Schofield freedom to give the track a lot of vocal soul and the guitar soloing would make Albert smile. Vocal backing adds just the right amount of warmth. The Day You Left is a rolling slow blues with soulful vocals contrasted against the tension of the timing of the rhythm of the bottom. Schofield adds his solos in open field here. The work is masterful and exciting. Chord progressions on the chorus give it a sophisticated feel showing a multidimensional writer/player. Again organ work by Henderson is just right. Another really super track. Oakville Shuffle is a very fleet instrumental track. With a blues bottom and jazz components this track gives the players the opportunity to really let it out. Henderson puts up a really solid key solo and Schofield shows his jazz chops. Still strongly influenced by blues this track is nothing less than superb! Hindsight has a lot of funk and even some extremely sweet sax work from James Morton. With a bit of that southern flare, Schofield shows that he's really been listening. His guitar work on this track is super and work by both Stanbridge and John is right on the money. I this track doesn't make you hop around in your seat...check your pulse...you may be dead! Everything starts off with a slower deliberate pace but erupts into a full blues shuffle with all hands blazing. Shifting gears a few times as smooth as a Porsche with paddle shifters, Schofield really shines on this track. The Neville Brothers Yellow Moon is up next and Schofield may even give it a bit more Latin than the original. Spanish guitar riffs on electric guitar is a really nice touch and splashes of street drumming really gives it a special kick. Schofield makes it really hard to review his release when every track is spectacular... I mean how many different ways can you say... this is terrific! Tell Me Some Lies ventures into two-step territory with rockin piano work from Henderson bringing that Jerry Lee Lewis flavor to a primarily vocal track with a Texas guitar twist. Final track, Red Dragon, is a Hendrix influenced blues ballad. Signature Jimi riffs are blended into an almost Roy Buchanan like blues dirge giving Schofield the opportunity to really throw his gloves down. If you like wide open guitar... this is your ticket.

 I have to say this is one of the most exciting guitar releases I have heard in a long time. It has components of a lot of different styles of music blended together and executed in a spontaneous yet meticulous manner. I highly recommend this for anyone who loves guitar music. There has to be something here that will push you buttons... if not everything!

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