Grammy Award ballots

NEWS FROM THE VIZZTONE LABEL GROUP The first-round Grammy Awards Ballots are out! First-round ballots have gone out to members of the Recording Academy, to determine who the final GRAMMY Award nominees will be.  This year VizzTone is proud to have thirteen artists represented on the official entry list!  Our congratulations to: MICHAEL BRAM • DOUG DEMING & THE JEWEL TONES • DENNIS GRUENLING CANDYE KANE (FEAT. LAURA CHAVEZ) • LONG TALL DEB • JAMES MONTGOMERY BAND ANN RABSON w/ BOB MARGOLIN • DAVE RILEY & BOB CORRITORE RUFF KUTT BLUES BAND • GINA SICILIA • LITTLE G WEEVIL MITCH WOODS • AUSTIN YOUNG & NO DIFFERENCE If you're a member of the Recording Academy, please consider voting for these great artists! But even if you're not, please check out full-song samples from these albums and many more at the VIZZTONE MUSIC STORE!

VizzTone's BMA Wish List

VizzTone's Blues Music Award Wish List! We are so proud of the artists we're working with at the VizzTone label group!  Of course, the BLUES MUSIC AWARD nominators haven't made their choices yet, but If it were up to us...we'd see some of the nominations listed below. Cick on the CDs to listen to the music, and we bet you'll agree! Candye Kane Coming Out Swingin' (feat. Laura Chavez) Coming Out Swingin’— the brilliant new record from feminist power poet and vocalist CANDYE KANE, her extraordinary guitarist and co-writer Laura Chavez, and her exceptional band. It’s a jukebox for the mind that moves the body and spirit with a broad selection of originals and hip covers. • CONTEMPORARY BLUES FEMALE ARTIST • CONTEMPORARY BLUES ALBUM • GUITARIST (Laura Chavez) • BB KING ENTERTAINER • SONG: "Invisible Woman" • ALBUM OF THE YEAR 2013 IBC Solo/Duo Winner Little G Weevil Moving LITTLE G WEEVIL is an international Bluesman. Growing up in Budapest, Hungary, G fell in love with American Blues records, and soon became a successful Blues artist in his own country.  He felt the call of the American South and moved to the United States, living in Alabama, washing dishes and playing on Beale Street in Memphis, and finally settling in Atlanta Georgia. After winning first place as a solo artist at the 2013 International Blues Challenge , he recorded MOVING – a beautifully ambient album of deep, all-acoustic Blues. • ACOUSTIC BLUES ALBUM • ACOUSTIC BLUES ARTIST • ALBUM OF THE YEAR Ruff Kutt Blues Band That's When The Blues Begins Deep Texas Blues featuring Zac Harmon, Finis Tasby, and Anson Funderburgh. Texan James Goode describes himself as an “old rascal and beat-up coach”, but this Rockabilly Hall-Of-Fame inductee, songwriter, bass player, and creator of the RUFF KUTT BLUES BAND certainly knows how to field one hell of a Blues team. This all-star aggregation hits a deep Blues groove and delivers Goode’s songs with the assured, relaxed intensity of seasoned pros. • TRADITIONAL BLUES ALBUM • ALBUM OF THE YEAR Austin Young & No Difference Blue As Can Be Colorado’s multi-award winning teenage Blues phenom AUSTIN YOUNG is an electrifying performer and prolific songwriter. He has been devastating audiences at clubs, concerts and festivals. Blue As Can Be is a landmark worldwide debut from a young artist with a huge future. • NEW ARTIST DEBUT • GUITARIST Gina Sicilia It Wasn't Real On her fourth release, GINA SICILIA continues to evolve and demonstrate a unique ability to stitch different genres into one personal, authentic sound that is all the Soul of Gina Sicilia.  Stunning writing, beautiful sonic landscapes and vocals to die for, It Wasn’t Real is a fearless leap forward that delivers. • CONTMEPORARY BLUES FEMALE ARTIST • CONTEMPORARY BLUES ALBUM • SONG: "It Wasn't Real" Long Tall Deb Raise Your Hands LONG TALL DEB Landolt delivers a solid dose of her patented “Soul/Gospel/Swamp” on her debut release, with striking performances on ten of Deb’s original songs with help from a bevy of heavy hitting guests. This is a tour-de-force for Long Tall Deb, and a joyous celebration of the arrival of an artist on the rise. • NEW ARTIST DEBUT • CONTEMPORARY BLUES FEMALE ARTIST • SONG: "Married To The Blues" feat Big Llou James Montgomery Band From Detroit To The Delta JAMES MONTGOMERY cut his teeth in the Detroit Blues scene of the late 60’s, moved to Boston, signed with Capricorn Records, and proceeded to lead a Blues band that was so hot they had budding local rockers like Aerosmith opening their shows. On the new CD, James traces his musical roots From Detroit To The Delta, with special guests Johnny Winter, Aerosmith’s Joey Kramer and Brad Whitford, James Cotton, the Uptown Horns, and seminal rapper DMC. Montgomery’s journey paysrespect to many styles of the Blues, from urban streets to Mississippi mud. • ROCK BLUES ALBUM • SONG: "Little Johnny" feat. Johnny Winter, Aerosmiths's Brad Hatfield and Joey Kramer and a sneak peek, coming in September... Dave Riley and Bob Corritore Hush Your Fuss This is timeless juke-joint blues, performed by modern masters.The "Mississippi meets Chicago" blues partnership of singer/guitarist Dave Riley and award-winning Chicago blues harmonica player Bob Corritore has toured extensively in the USA, Europe and South America.  HUSH YOUR FUSS!, their third CD together, is a real down-home blues throw-down, featuring rootsy, old-school storytelling blues that puts you in rural Mississippi by way of Chicago, all in the well-honed style of DAVE RILEY and BOB CORRITORE. • TRADITIONAL BLUES ALBUM • HARMONICA: BOB CORRITORE THANKS FOR LISTENING, WE HOPE YOU LOVE THE MUSIC AS MUCH AS WE DO!

Open E / Vizz Tone artist: The James Montgomery Band - From Detroit... To The Delta

I just received the newest release, From Detroit... To The Delta by the James Montgomery Band. James has put together a really entertaining set of tracks here beginning with Intoxicated, a high stepping blues track with strong backing from The Uptown Horns. Montgomery, always a cool singer and fire breathin' harp player screams out some hot riffs on this track and George McCann adding cool some guitar flash. Montgomery gives a whole new look at Dixon's Same Thing and it it ends up sounding more like Foghat than old school Chicago. I think that they do a real nice job on this track with McCann on slide and Montgomery on harp. I also like the vocal effects used on this track. Johnny Winter and Brad Whitford add hot guitar riffs on rockin' track Little Johnny but let's face it...this band is cookin' and that is just gravy on an already hot biscuit! Motor City Is Burning opens with David Hull on a bass riff and Montgomery takes over with that singing harp tone that he's known for. Tom West adds some cool key work on this track as well. I Don't Want To Have A Heart is set to the basic riff from the Stones "Hot Stuff". I've got no objection to that at all and it develops to a totally different track... a really nice groove. McCann plays out some really nice jazz like guitar riffs on this track and Montgomery plays organ like sounds from his harp. Delta Storm, a ballad format, has a light key base from Sandy MacDonald and McCann adds nice punctuation with his ax over top of the Uptown Horns. On Bo Diddley's Who Do You Love, the band lays down a a high energy funk riff featuring DMC on vocals. On Put Your Money Where Your Mouth Is, Montgomery eases into a nice slinky blues track with a strong contemporary Delta flavor. James lays down some really rich harp work on this track over top of McCann's solid guitar playing. On Percy Mayfield's Hit The Road Jack, Montgomery kicks it up a few notches leading the band to a very cool place. Heard this song done numerous times but this is definitely a worthwhile cover. Montgomery with assistance from Charise White does a nice job on vocals and McCann plays a blistering solo on this track. Rivers Edge is really a study on soundscaping and quite effective featuring McCann and Montgomery building a really nice painting with music. Changing Of The Guard is a a rockin' track with a bit of southern flavor and some sweet guitar effects. Lightnin' Hopkin's Black Cadillac rounds out the set and a nice finish it is. Montgomery really digs on on this track and the band is humming. Featuring James Cotton on harp along with Marc Copely on Guitar and Marty Richards on drums this is a great track. This is a really entertaining release and one I hope that you get the opportunity to hear.

 If you support live Blues acts, up and coming Blues talents and want to learn more about Blues news and Fathers of the Blues, Like ---Bman’s Blues Report--- Facebook Page! I’m looking for great talent and trying to grow the audience for your favorites band! -  ”LIKE”