Jonny Lang Reveals Behind The Scenes Look At The Making Of Signs - Pre-Order Now Live In Front Of Fall Release

Signs To Be Released On September 8^th In North America

Available For Pre-Order Beginning Today

2017 World Tour Dates On Sale Now

First Track “Make It Move” Now Available On All Streaming Services

Los Angeles, CA --- Jonny Lang’s brand new studio album, Signs, will be released in North America on September 8th via Concord Records.  The album (his sixth major label release) is his first in four years. The album is now available to pre-order beginning today: http://amazon.com/dp/B071FPWNS6

The European release for Signs will be on August 25 via Provogue Records / Mascot Label Group.

Fans can now get an inside look at the making of Signs here:

North America: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qx_R2U8h_9E

Europe: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rA-BkmZ-2IM&feature=youtu.be

Anyone who originally discovered Jonny Lang through his searing instrumental work will revel in the huge guitar tones and go for broke solos on Signs, while those who have appreciated his growth as an honest and passionate songwriter will find that honesty and passion unabated. Though he long ago left blues purism behind, Lang has never abandoned its spirit of universal catharsis through the relating of personal trials. Signs reaffirms his commitment to the blues and the guitar without sacrificing the modern approach that has made him such a singular artist. 

It is hard to believe that at only 36 years old Jonny Lang has already had a successful career for two decades. Easier to believe when you learn he released his first platinum record at 15—an age when many young people are just beginning to play music. Lie to Me revealed a talent that transcended the crop of blues prodigies floating around in the late Nineties. No flashy re-hasher of classic blues licks, even at that early age Lang was a full-blown artist with a style of his own. Also, setting Lang apart from the wunderkind crowd was a 15-year-old voice that sounded like a weathered soul shouter. Actual life experience was yet to come, and has been subsequently chronicled in a series of five uniformly excellent recordings.

What began as a bluesy sound, influenced by electric pioneers like Albert Collins, B. B. King, and Buddy Guy, evolved over those recordings into a modern R&B style closer to Stevie Wonder and contemporary gospel music. Lang’s distinctive, blues-inflected licks appeared on every album, but became one element in a sea of passionately sung and tightly arranged songs.

Signs is not merely a return the artist’s guitar-based beginnings, but an embodiment of an even more elemental sound. Beyond focusing attention on his soloing prowess, it is about recapturing the spirit of the early blues, where the guitar was front and center, fairly leaping out of the speakers. “A lot of my earlier influences have been coming to the surface, like Robert Johnson, and Howlin’ Wolf,” he reports. “I have been appreciating how raw and unrefined that stuff is. I had an itch to emulate some of that and I think it shows in the songs. Still, I let the writing be what it was and that was sometimes not necessarily the blues.”

The record, which features funk, rock, and blues elements, is held together by Lang’s distinctive playing and singing, and the lyrics, which center on themes of embattlement and self-empowerment. “Some of the songs are autobiographical, but not usually in a literal way,” Lang explains. “The main goal is for folks to be able to relate to what I went through. If I can’t make it work using just my personal experience, I use my imagination to fill in blanks.”

Signs was produced by Lang, Drew Ramsey, and Shannon Sanders. Josh Kelly helmed “Bring Me Back Home.” Lang offers, “Josh and I cut six or seven songs together and had a blast doing it.  I am saving the other ones for who knows what, but I definitely wanted that one to be on this record.”

Since the release of his debut album, Grammy Award winning Jonny Lang has built a reputation as one of the best live performers and guitarists of his generation. The path Lang has been on has brought him the opportunity to support or perform with some of the most respected legends in music.  He has shared the stage with everyone from The Rolling Stones and B.B. King to Aerosmith and Buddy Guy, who he continues to tour with today.

JONNY LANG  - SIGNS WORLD TOUR

6/10     Birmingham, AL                                                                    Alys Stephens Performing Arts

6/11     Nashville, TN                                                                         Schermerhorn Symphony Center

6/16     Riverside, IA                                                                          Riverside Casino & Golf Resort 

6/17     Aurora, IL                                                                              Blues on the Fox Fest

6/18     Moorehead, MN                                                                     Bluestem for the Arts Amphitheatre

6/22     Columbia, MO                                                                        The Blue Note

6/23     Wichita, KS                                                                            Orpheum Theatre

6/24     Okmulgee, OK                                                                       Musogee (Creek) Nation Festival

7/06     Lexington, MI                                                                         Lexington Village Theater

7/07     Kent, OH                                                                                Kent Stage

7/09     Rochester, MI                                                                         Meadowbrook 

7/13     Peoria, IL                                                                                Riverfront

7/14     Minneapolis, MN                                                                   Music In The Zoo 

7/15     Sioux Falls, SD                                                                       Sioux Falls Jazz Fest

7/20     Tucson, AZ                                                                             Rialto theatre

7/21     Chandler, AZ                                                                          Chandler Center

7/22     Las Vegas, NV                                                                       Boulder Station

7/28     Saratoga, CA                                                                          Mountain Winery

7/29     Lincoln, CA                                                                            Thunder Valley Casino

8/11     Los Angeles, CA                                                                    Teragram Ballroom

8/13     Arlington, WA                                                                        Stillaguamish Festival

8/19     North Thornton, NH                                                               White Mountain Boogie

8/20     Alexandria, VA                                                                      Birchmere

8/22     New York, NY                                                                       Highline Ballroom

8/23     Philadelphia, PA                                                                     World Café Live

8/25     Toronto, ON                                                                           Danforth Music Hall

8/26     Trois-Rivieres, QUE                                                               Trois-Rivieres en Blues

9/08     Aspen, CO                                                                              Belly Up

9/09     Boulder, CO                                                                           Boulder Theater

9/10     Arvada, CO                                                                             Arvada Center

9/14     Dallas, TX                                                                              House of Blues

9/15     Houston, TX                                                                           House of Blues

9/16     Austin, TX                                                                              ACL Live

9/18     Kansas City, MO                                                                    Knuckleheads

9/19     St. Louis, MO                                                                         Pageant

9/21     Milwaukee, WI                                                                       Potawatomi Casino

9/22     Milwaukee, WI                                                                       Polawatomi Casino

9/23     Chicago, IL                                                                             House of Blues

9/24     Louisville, KY                                                                        Bourbon & Beyond Festival

9/26     Indianapolis, IN                                                                      The Vogue

9/29     Huntington, NY                                                                      Paramount

9/30     Hartford, CT                                                                           Infinity Hall

10/01   Fairfield, CT                                                                           Warehouse

10/03   Boston, MA                                                                            The Wilbur Theater

10/04   Portland, ME                                                                          Aura

10/06   Cranston, RI                                                                           Park Theatre

10/07   Hampton Beach, NH                                                              Hampton Beach Casino

10/22   Zwolle, NL                                                                             Hedon

10/23   Cologne, DE                                                                           Gloria

10/25   Berlin, DE                                                                               Columbia Club

10/27   Hamburg, DE                                                                         Mojo

10/29   Copenhagen, DK                                                                    Amager Bio

10.30   Oslo, Norway                                                                          Rockafeller

10/31   Stockholm, SE                                                                        Nalen

11/04   London, UK                                                                            SBE (London Folk and Roots Fest)

11/05   Leuven, BE                                                                             Hep Depot (Leuven Blues Festival)

11/07   Cleon, FR                                                                               La Travene (Blues de Travene)

11/09   Marseille, FR                                                                          Espace Julien

11/10   Six-Fours-les-Plages, FR                                                        Espace Malraux

11/11   Paris, FR                                                                                 La Cigale

11/13   Prague, CZ                                                                              Lucerna

11/14   Vienna, AU                                                                             Porgy and Bess

11/16   Sumperk, CZ                                                                          House of Culture (Blues Alive Fest)

ADDITIONAL DATES WILL BE ANNOUNCED SHORTLY

WWW.JONNYLANG.COM

Jonny Lang Announces First New Album In Four Years. Signs To Be Released September 8th.

JONNY LANG ANNOUNCES

FIRST NEW ALBUM IN FOUR YEARS

SIGNS TO BE RELEASED ON SEPTEMBER 8^th

2017 World Tour In Support Of Signs Goes On Sale This Week

First Track “Make It Move” Available As A Free download at: www.jonnylang.com

Los Angeles, CA --- Jonny Lang is pleased to announce a brand new studio album, Signs, which will be released in North America on September 8th via Concord Records.  The album (his sixth major label release) is his first in four years.  A pre-order for physical goes live today, with digital to follow on June 9.  The European release for Signs will be on August 25 via Provogue Records / Mascot Label Group.

Starting off the record with a juke joint stomp, “Make It Move” is Lang’s story about going to the mountain rather than waiting for it to come to you. “There have been times in my life where I thought something would take care of itself, when I should have put some effort forth to help it happen,” says Lang. “Being proactive has been a weak spot for me, and the song is about doing your part to get things moving.”

All fans can immediately download “Make It Move” for free via Jonny’s website at: www.jonnnylang.com. 

Anyone who originally discovered Jonny Lang through his searing instrumental work will revel in the huge guitar tones and go for broke solos on Signs, while those who have appreciated his growth as an honest and passionate songwriter will find that honesty and passion unabated. Though he long ago left blues purism behind, Lang has never abandoned its spirit of universal catharsis through the relating of personal trials. Signs reaffirms his commitment to the blues and the guitar without sacrificing the modern approach that has made him such a singular artist. 

It is hard to believe that at only 36 years old Jonny Lang has already had a successful career for two decades. Easier to believe when you learn he released his first platinum record at 15—an age when many young people are just beginning to play music. Lie to Me revealed a talent that transcended the crop of blues prodigies floating around in the late Nineties. No flashy re-hasher of classic blues licks, even at that early age Lang was a full-blown artist with a style of his own. Also, setting Lang apart from the wunderkind crowd was a 15-year-old voice that sounded like a weathered soul shouter. Actual life experience was yet to come, and has been subsequently chronicled in a series of five uniformly excellent recordings.

What began as a bluesy sound, influenced by electric pioneers like Albert Collins, B. B. King, and Buddy Guy, evolved over those recordings into a modern R&B style closer to Stevie Wonder and contemporary gospel music. Lang’s distinctive, blues-inflected licks appeared on every album, but became one element in a sea of passionately sung and tightly arranged songs.

Signs is not merely a return the artist’s guitar-based beginnings, but an embodiment of an even more elemental sound. Beyond focusing attention on his soloing prowess, it is about recapturing the spirit of the early blues, where the guitar was front and center, fairly leaping out of the speakers. “A lot of my earlier influences have been coming to the surface, like Robert Johnson, and Howlin’ Wolf,” he reports. “I have been appreciating how raw and unrefined that stuff is. I had an itch to emulate some of that and I think it shows in the songs. Still, I let the writing be what it was and that was sometimes not necessarily the blues.”

The record, which features funk, rock, and blues elements, is held together by Lang’s distinctive playing and singing, and the lyrics, which center on themes of embattlement and self-empowerment. “Some of the songs are autobiographical, but not usually in a literal way,” Lang explains. “The main goal is for folks to be able to relate to what I went through. If I can’t make it work using just my personal experience, I use my imagination to fill in blanks.”

Signs was produced by Lang, Drew Ramsey, and Shannon Sanders. Josh Kelly helmed “Bring Me Back Home.” Lang offers, “Josh and I cut six or seven songs together and had a blast doing it.  I am saving the other ones for who knows what, but I definitely wanted that one to be on this record.”

Since the release of his debut album, Grammy Award winning Jonny Lang has built a reputation as one of the best live performers and guitarists of his generation. The path Lang has been on has brought him the opportunity to support or perform with some of the most respected legends in music.  He has shared the stage with everyone from The Rolling Stones and B.B. King to Aerosmith and Buddy Guy, who he continues to tour with today.

NORTH AMERICAN APPEARANCES ANNOUNCED TODAY

ALL DATES OTHER THAN 9/30 – GENERAL ON-SALE FRIDAY, MAY 19

8/11     Los Angeles, CA                                                        Teragram

8/13     Arlington, WA                                                            Stillaguamish Festival

8/19     North Thornton, NH                                                   White Mountain Boogie

8/22     New York, NY                                                           Highline Ballroom

8/23     Philadelphia, PA                                                         World Café Live

8/25     Toronto, ON                                                               Danforth Music Hall

8/26     Trois-Rivieres, QUE                                                   Trois-Rivieres en Blues

9/08     Aspen, CO                                                                  Belly Up

9/09     Boulder, CO                                                                Boulder Theater

9/10     Arvada, CO                                                                 Arvada Center

9/14     Dallas, TX                                                                   House of Blues

9/15     Houston, TX                                                               House of Blues

9/16     Austin, TX                                                                  ACL Live

9/18     Kansas City, MO                                                        Knuckleheads

9/19     St. Louis, MO                                                             Pageant

9/21     Milwaukee, WI                                                           Potawatomi Casino

9/22     Milwaukee, WI                                                           Polawatomi Casino

9/23     Chicago, IL                                                                 House of Blues

9/24     Louisville, KY                                                            Bourbon & Beyond Festival

9/26     Indianapolis, IN                                                          The Vogue

9/29     Huntington, NY                                                          Paramount

9/30     Hartford, CT                                                               Infinity Hall (On-Sale 5/18)

10/01   Fairfield, CT                                                                Warehouse (On-Sale 5/31)

10/03   Boston, MA                                                                The Wilbur Theater

10/04   Portland, ME                                                               Aura

10/06   Cranston, RI                                                                Park Theatre

10/07   Hampton Beach, NH                                                   Hampton Beach Casino

EUROPEAN APPEARANCES ANNOUNCED TODAY INCLUDE:

10/22   Zwolle, NL                                                                  Hedon

10/23   Cologne, Germany                                                      Gloria

10/25   Berlin, Germany                                                          Columbia Club

10/27   Hamburg, Germany                                                    Mojo

10/29   Copenhagen, Denmark                                                Amager Bio

10.30   Oslo, Norway                                                             Rockafeller

10/31   Stockholm, Sweden                                                    Nalen

11/04   London, UK                                                                SBE (London Folk and Roots Fest)

11/05   Leuven, Belgium                                                         Hep Depot (Leuven Blues Festival)

11/07   Cleon, France                                                              La Travene (Blues de Travene)

11/09   Marseille, France                                                         Espace Julien

11/10   Six-Fours-les-Plages, France                                      Espace Malraux

11/11   Paris, France                                                               La Cigale

11/13   Prague, Czech Republic                                              Lucerna

11/14   Vienna, Austria                                                           Porgy and Bess

11/16   Sumperk, Czech Republic                                           House of Culture (Blues Alive Fest)

ALREADY ANNOUNCED AND ON-SALE:

5/18     Rochester, NY                                                            Rochester Lilac Festival

5/20     St. Joseph, MI                                                             BBQ, Blues & Bluegrass

5/21     Annapolis, MD                                                           Chesapeake Bay Blues Festival

6/10     Birmingham, AL                                                         Alys Stephens Performing Arts

6/11     Nashville, TN                                                              Schermerhorn Symphony Center

6/16     Riverside, IA                                                               Riverside Casino & Golf Resort 

6/17     Aurora, IL                                                                   Blues on the Fox Fest

6/18     Moorehead, MN                                                         Bluestem for the Arts Amphitheatre

6/22     Columbia, MO                                                            The Blue Note

6/23     Wichita, KS                                                                 Orpheum Theatre

6/24     Okmulgee, OK                                                            Musogee (Creek) Nation Festival

7/06     Lexington, MI                                                             Lexington Village Theater

7/07     Kent, OH                                                                    Kent Stage

7/08     Rochester, MI                                                             Meadowbrook

7/13     Peoria, IL                                                                    Riverfront

7/14     Minneapolis, MN                                                       Music In The Zoo 

7/15     Sioux Falls, SD                                                           Sioux Falls Jazz Fest

7/20     Tucson, AZ                                                                 Rialto theatre

7/21     Chandler, AZ                                                              Chandler Center

7/22     Las Vegas, NV                                                           Boulder Station

7/28     Saratoga, CA                                                               Mountain Winery

7/29     Lincoln, CA                                                                Thunder Valley Casino

ADDITIONAL DATES WILL BE ANNOUNCED SHORTLY

WWW.JONNYLANG.COM

13th Almost Annual Chesapeake Bay Blues Festival - Concert Review - Stilladog - Guest writer

This year’s festival started off under partly cloudy skies with Patty Reese rendering an acapella version of the Star Spangled Banner.  As she sang you could gaze out over the Chesapeake Bay and imagine, as I did, the British warships heading back out to sea after failing to capture Fort McHenry.  Then a moment of silence was observed for the passing of BB King.

The festival kicked off with the Marcus King Band followed by a female band of local DC musicians put together specifically for this performance called the Sisterhood of Soul.  Then a last minute substitute band, The Record Company, replacing the previously booked Davy Knowles.  The highlight of these opening acts, in fact one of the true high points of the whole festival, was the performance turned in by Little Margie Clark of Sisterhood of Soul. The little old lady (formerly of the 60s group The Jewels) packed a powerful voice. And when she ad libbed some serious scat she blew the lid off that place!  Man, I can’t even tell you what language she was signing in!!  The most outstanding version of an improvised scat vocal I’ve ever heard on a record or in person… and that’s counting Ella Fitzgerald!  The horn section for Sisterhood of Soul was outstanding.  I really wish they’d have turned those horns loose on their set finale Turn On Your Lovelight.

The meat of the lineup started when Tommy Castro and The Painkillers took the stage at mid-afternoon.  The set they played was clearly the best I’ve ever heard Tommy play.  I’ve seen him at least 7 or 8 times and have not come away impressed.  This time I came away singing his praises.  He dropped his horn section a couple years back and his new lineup has taken some time to come together.  But they are a tight outfit now!  The highlight of his set was his cover of the Wet Willie standard, Keep On Smilin’.

The Painkillers were followed by Bobby Rush making his second appearance at the festival.  His was the usual standard entertaining Bobby Rush set full of good music and a few laughs. 

Next up was Beth Hart who has the most amazing voice.  Extremely powerful.  She was holding the mic at her waist and it was picking up her voice like other singers who are damn near swallowing it!  I did not know what to expect from her as my only exposure was on some duet performances she recorded with Joe Bonamassa.  But she wowed me and pretty much everyone within earshot, which probably included some fishermen way out under the Bay Bridge!

Immediately after Beth Hart concluded her set the thunder and lightning rolled in bringing some heavy rain with it.  This delayed the start of the Gregg Allman set by more than an hour and 15 minutes.  Finally, with lightning still off in the distance and the crew squeegeeing water off the stage,I left for the evening.  By all accounts those who stayed were thoroughly impressed with Gregg’s band and his set.  Everyone mentioned his tribute to Dickie Betts and the quality of musicianship the whole band displayed.

Day two started off the way day one ended with cloudy skies and spitting rain.  But by the time the Chesapeake Bay Blues Band took the stage it had cleared.  They are another “festival specific” band featuring Mark Wenner on harp and vocals and Tommy Lepson on keys. It essentially consisted of what amounted to the “Old Nighthawks,” guys who once played in the Nighthawks of the 80s, 90s, and early 2000s.  They ripped through a very hot set of blues standards in which everyone got a vocal or two and they set the bar higher for the remainder of the day.

Next up was Jarekus Singleton.  I was looking forward to hearing him as I had heard mixed reviews on his first album and wanted to make my own decision. Some folks said he was great and the new savior of the blues.  Others said he was a highly overrated product of the music industry hype machine.  I found neither to be true.  A lot of folks really enjoyed his set.  I found it to be excessive and self-indulgent.  He has talent and a big upside.  But he is far from being the future of the blues.

Mingo Fishtrap wrapped up the afternoon with a mixed bag set that was well received.  Their set included everything from a New Orleans second line to country blues to straight ahead gut-bucket. And then the rain came.

As Shemekia Copeland took the stage she announced “Here I Come!  And Here Come The rain!”  Shemekia is the absolute Queen of the Chesapeake Blues Fest and has appeared more times than any other artist.  The fans love her and she loves playing this festival.  It was the usual high energy, superb performance we’ve come to expect from Shemekia.  As always she paid tribute to her father Johnny “Clyde” Copeland, but this weekend she also paid tribute to the late B.B. King who had passed just two days day before.

The artist I most wanted to see was Charlie Musselwhite.  I had never seen him perform and I was not disappointed.  In fact, I liked seeing him live more than I liked him from listening to his albums.  He had an outstanding playlist of his older stuff, newer stuff, blues classics.  A thoroughly enjoyable set.

Jonny Lang came on.  Pleased many people with his guitar antics.  He was largely popular.  I have however grown weary of his faux ”pain with every note” stage act.  He is another hugely talented guitarist who can’t decide whether he wants to play rock, blues, prog, or Christian music.  All I can say is constant thrashing may entertain some, but it becomes tiresome to me.

And finally the incomparable Buddy Guy closed out the show.  His was a rip snortin’, hell raisin’, string stetchin’ masterful performance.  It was his usual act complete with a walk through the audience during an extended version of “Slippin’ Out,”  The entire set was done with precision, and on this night, extreme passion.  I think Buddy felt the need to set the record straight about who the premiere guitarist at that festival was and was also feeling a pain in his heart about the loss of his friend, BB King.  Those elements combined to yield the best performance I’ve ever seen of Buddy Guy.  Ironically the first time I saw him perform was as part of BB King’s Blues Revue (with Koko Taylor) back in the early 90s and thought his performance that night could never be matched (he absolutely cut Eric Johnson’s head off that night!).  When Buddy brought out his young protégé Quinn Sullivan to help close out the festival I believe we came closer to seeing the future of the blues then than ever.

As I’ve probably said in previous reviews, this festival has probably one of the most beautiful settings as any in the country.  It’s right on the Chesapeake Bay with the Bay Bridge as a backdrop.  The festival is non-profit and all proceeds go to charities that actually get the money!  It’s a good time, it’s a good place and it’s a good cause.  If you ever get the chance to come on down to my place, the largest estuary in the United States, please check out this festival.

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